PNS| HYDERABAD
While we celebrate ‘Nari Shakti’ every day through several initiatives, Ayurveda considers the woman to be “Shakti”; the Mother and Source of creation, in whose lap civilization is nurtured.
When we talk about “women’s health,” we realise that it involves a wide range of difficulties at various phases of her life. Ayurveda is one of the few sciences that examines reproductive tissues other than during the major transitions of puberty, pregnancy, and menopause. Furthermore, Ayurveda examines the menstrual period as a window into the human body in a unique way. Knowing and understanding your menstrual cycle allows you to understand the dosha imbalances your body is dealing with on a month-to-month basis.
Well, that’s what Gynoveda aims to do: democratise Ayurveda-enabled, curative self-care solutions for gynaecological and lifestyle-related disorders women face from puberty to menopause.
On average, a woman experiences about 400 menstrual cycles and two pregnancies during her lifespan. They are born to have healthy periods for life. However, they’re repeatedly told that period abnormalities like pain, irregular period flow, and cycles are necessary evils in life. Universally, the dominant advice is to grin and bear the pain.
Globally, over 800 million women silently suffer from menstrual disorders like PCOS, irregular periods, PMS, painful periods, and abnormal white discharge, yet they dread visiting a gynaecologist for three major reasons: fear of physical examination or surgery, lack of access to the right gynaecologist, and social prejudices and the resultant anxiety of being judged.
The duo Vishal Gupta, Founder & CEO, and Rachana Gupta, Co-Founder of Gynoveda, left their corporate jobs and a well-settled life at the age of 40 with only one goal in mind: to help the women who suffer in silence achieve gynaecological autonomy and help them fight their health battles. They are a community offering a helping hand in gynaecological matters, which is a woman’s birthright.
Taking us through the inspiration behind starting it, Rachana shares, “It stems from Vishal’s personal experience with psoriasis, which persisted for more than two decades. Having tried various medical approaches without success, we thought of giving Ayurvedic concoctions a chance. Despite initial scepticism, the Ayurvedic treatment proved remarkably effective in alleviating Vishal’s symptoms. In 2017, we invested in an Ayurvedic clinic in Mumbai, and to our surprise, we noticed a large number of women come in looking for a natural solution devoid of any side effects. These women were largely going through various gynaecological disorders. We observed a crucial need gap in the gynaecological treatment space, and with the vision of helping 800 Million women around the globe, Gynoveda was founded.”
Ayurveda focuses on addressing the root cause of women’s health disorders, such as PCOS and infertility, recognising that external symptoms are often a reflection of underlying internal imbalances. By targeting these internal issues, the outward symptoms can naturally resolve.
In the case of PCOS, Ayurvedic wisdom has proven Shatapushpa, Shatavari, Dashmool, Kanchnar, and 40+ other herbs to be highly effective.
When it comes to infertility, in Ayurveda, several powerful herbs have been found to be effective in addressing the six factors necessary for healthy conception. Jivanti nourishes the uterus and provides a conducive environment for a healthy pregnancy. Shatavari strengthens the health of the reproductive system and supports its optimal functioning. Shivlingi improves the quality of the eggs, a crucial aspect for successful conception.
Not only this, they have also opened a community on Facebook called Circle of Sisterhood, enabling women to openly discuss menstrual health disorders and vaginal health. “Staying true to our goal and with zero ad spends, we have built a strong community of 100,000 women in the last 3 years. Named the Circle of Sisterhood, the women-focused community aims to empower women to proactively take control of their health, further spread the word, and help women across the globe. More importantly, this is a place where women find peer support and take solace in the fact that they are not alone on their journey to motherhood,” gushes Vishal.
Alongside Rachana, they have taken the initiative to host free-of-charge weekly webinars with multiple renowned gynaecologists. Focused on women seeking medical and holistic advice regarding their own genealogical struggles, the webinars offer not just overall educational advice but also custom advice in regards to the specific issues they face. These webinars help women understand and start their journey of healing as they can ask questions, raise queries, and, in return, get custom advice from the doctors tailored to their needs. More importantly, these webinars help offer emotional and mental support to women.
AI can analyse genetic data and identify genetic variations associated with an increased risk of acquiring a disease. AI medical diagnosis systems could provide personalised risk assessment scores by combining genetic data with lifestyle, environmental, and medical history aspects. And thus, they have built the world’s first gynaecological period bot that uses AI to identify period problems and prescribe Ayurvedic supplements. It is designed to be user-friendly and approachable, ensuring that women feel comfortable discussing their concerns and seeking guidance. By combining the age-old wisdom of Ayurveda with cutting-edge technology and a nurturing community, they have created an inclusive space that empowers women to address and overcome menstrual health challenges.
