Three weeks ago I flew to the Netherlands. It’s always quite the journey. The drive to the train station, a train, a flight, another train, and the final 15-minute drive to my parents’ place. And of course I had to pee during the trip, which during the 2,5-hour train I didn’t do, it was busy and I didn’t want to leave my stuff. So I held it.
It was a big relief at the airport when I finally went, but my bladder wasn’t happy, it felt irritated.
The following days it stayed that way. Going to the toilet took more time since things just weren’t coming out with the normal ease.
In Ayurveda there’s a name for that: apana vata, the downward movement in the body, which travel and holding in your natural urges disturb a lot. I know this, study this and share this in my talks and still did it and walked around with it for a week, kind of hoping it would pass.
As a kidney patient I have to be extra careful with UTI’s and kidney infections, since 2 years ago I spent a night in the hospital with a kidney infection. So once I arrived at my aunts’ I treated it the proper Ayurveda way.
Warm castor oil on the lower belly and back. Takra, the diluted processed yogurt drink, with triphala, that helps everything move down, and cranberry supplements. Easy meals, boiled water, and the toilet whenever my body asked.
It took just over a week for the discomfort around my bladder to subside and to be able to pee normally, without it having to be a conscious relaxation exercise.
These are exactly the signals that are easy to ignore. Holding in your pee, poo, sneezing, yawning and coughing.
Assuming that ‘It’s a bit uncomfortable, but should be fine’, until you find yourself peeing all the time, get frequent UTI’s and other symptoms you might not be able to place. Especially in women, especially around perimenopause, and especially in the ones who are good at holding it in because they’re so busy.
Your body sends a small signal, you ignore it, and the signal gets quieter but the problem doesn’t.
So here is a question for you, since it’s vata season (autumn) which easily dysregulates your body: what small signal from your body have you been ignoring lately, and how is that affecting you?
If you’d like somewhere to start, the free At Home in Your Body starter kit has a short test a movement practice and Ayurvedic background that helps you listen a little more closely.
much love,
Rianne
