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Yoga is thousands of year-old discipline to engender mind-body harmony. Most of its development was between 500 BCE and 800 CE. From the 1970s, yoga spread worldwide and has become part of urban culture. The three main practices of Yoga are asana, pranayama which is a breathing exercise and dhyana or meditation. Modern Yoga, or yoga in the modern age, is a combination of asanas and gymnastics.
Yoga was a spiritual practice. But in recent times it has emerged as a way to attain health which is defined by the World Health Organization as complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Women who are experiencing certain medical condition such as menopause, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), uterine fibroids, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and pregnancy, can really benefit from yoga.
PCOS affects women of reproductive age. This affects a lot of women and dealing with it on a monthly basis can get really difficult. The risks involved in this condition are endometrial and breast cancer and also infertility. The main cause of this has been cited as the production of excess make hormone androgen and insulin in a woman's body. This creates an imbalance in the hormones. This condition can also be genetic.
Yoga reduces testosterone levels, helps weight loss, stimulates reproductive organs, and improves emotional health, and thus limits the complications of PCOS.
Endometriosis is caused by abnormal growth of the inner tissue of the uterus. This condition can also lead to infertility and pain in the pelvic region which can become chronic. There is no cure for this condition. There is only one surgical solution which is the complete removal of the uterus. Yoga is known to significantly reduce pelvic pain. But, unfortunately, it does not have any impact on fertility. But, it will will certainly help women cope with the condition better.
The benign tumors that form in the female reproductive tract are known as uterine fibroids. The precise occurrence of these fibroids are unknown but they are majorly due to hormones and blood. Yoga does not have a particularly positive impact on shrinking these fibroids. Women should not practice yoga during their periods as it will increase the blood flow into the uterus and dilate the uterine blood vessels which may lead to heavy bleeding and even accelerate fibroid growth. Be careful of this impact, especially during the first three days of your periods.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs during late luteal phase of menstrual cycle and is relieved after the onset of menstruation. Main symptoms of PMS are mood swings, tender breasts, food cravings, fatigue, irritability, and depression. Three out of four women experience some symptom of PMS. Yoga, can reduce, or relieve, PMS distress.
Prenatal yoga reduces stress and anxiety, improves sleep, decrease lower back pain, nausea, headaches, and shortness of breath, and increases the strength, flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth. Yoga also causes increase in baby's birth weight, decrease in preterm labor, and decrease in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Hatha yoga and restorative yoga are also viable choice for pregnant women. But talk to your doctor and to yoga instructor before starting yoga during pregnancy.