Listening to the shifts within: Using Ayurveda to respond to changing needs
We've all heard the phrase "One size doesn't fit all". This recognises the differences between us. But what about the differences within us? What worked for me yesterday, might not work for me today.
This is where Ayurveda really shines – by honouring change over time – and I’ll share my own experience as an example case to illustrate.
Case study: Urticaria (hives)
42-year-old female with 6-month history of extremely itchy patches of inflamed skin, clearly demarcated and located in elbow creases, behind both knees and both outer hips.
Recent environmental changes: New clothing detergent
Recent work/social changes: Resigned from permanent employment
Recent dietary changes: None. Mostly homemade meals
What worked before
In the past when I’d had similar irritated and itchy skin, I had my go-to toolkit. Classic “blood cleansing” and liver-supporting herbs as well as nettle tea which is known to reduce histamine levels. This combination worked like a charm for me for many years. But not this year. Instead my skin became angrier, itchier and drier and the patches of discolouration started to look like permanent scars.
Herbs commonly understood to support blood purification and liver cleanse are excellent for skin conditions, but what if it's not a case of an overloaded liver? And what if there are no signs of Ama (metabolic toxin build-up)?
Self awareness
Ayurveda encourages us to look deeper. What’s the underlying driver behind a condition and which organs or tissues are being impacted? This information directs our choice of herbs and therapies.
In this case, the root cause was stress. But instead of burdening the liver, it was acting on the nervous system – calling for different herbs altogether to work on a different pathway.
To get to this realisation, I had to be honest with myself. My mind hadn’t “labelled” my state as stressed. Not everyone experiences stress as headaches, tight shoulders, stomach cramps, brain fog, or emotional upset. Sometimes it plays out differently, in less obvious ways.
Changing needs
This case clearly shows that the same person can require different approaches or care at different times in their life.
Last year, the bitter, astringent (drying) herbs worked wonders. This year those same herbs aggravated the problem. What helped instead was a herb that acts via the nervous system (nervine), paired with other supportive practices, movements and daily routines that soothed the system and gradually calmed the skin.
The lesson
Just as no two people are the same, the you of today, is not the same as the you of yesterday. We are not static beings.
This is why ongoing self-inquiry and re-assessment matter. As Ayurveda teaches us, our Vikirti – our current state of imbalance – shifts with time, place and surrounding circumstances. Being aware of this will help us to understand our changing needs and adapt accordingly.