YOGA AND REPRODUCTORY PROBLEMS

Womens Problems.

They

are

extraordinary

persons of God. Specially designed body by God. The three stages they go through are 1st. Stage - Puberty - beginning of menstrual cycles. 2nd. Stage - Marriage and child birth. 3rd. Stage - menopause. All these three stages bring in Hormonal changes which brings with it emotional disturbances, physiological disorders. Yoga is an answer to all these problems and helps from the early stages and works wonders. disturbances and psychological

1st. Stage. Proper functioning of ovaries depends in hormonal secretions. Yoga helps a lot. (a) Menstrual Disorder. Bleeding in excess,

scanty, white discharges, longer cycle, short cycles etc. pre-menstrual tension, these are some of the problems of puberty along with heavy head, feeling tired etc. The best asanas to eradicate these problems are. Bandha Konasana, Supta Veerasana, Halasana, Konasana,

Sarvangasana, Sethubandhasana, Janushirasana.

Vajrasana, Upavishta

Pranayama. Ujjai Pranayama, Nadi Sodhana, Brahmari. These are helpful in uterus related problems also. (b) Pregnancy. Here there is double

responsibility. Women should do yoga and

benefit a lot. It strengthens the systems of the body, Hormonal balance etc. All these are taken care of by yoga even during pregnancy. One has to prepare for childbirth. Life within gets nourished and influenced by the mother. So quality of life is possible for the unborn child from the mother while practicing yoga during pregnancy. The mother should not jump at all. Always use support where required. Never go beyond limit while doing forward bending make it a point not to press abdomen. Lift the abdomen and give room for the baby. Stand on a firm base to avoid any danger. Practice early morning and evening. Start with gentle warming up. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly 3 to 4 times. Tadasana, Vajrasana, Veerasana (may use pillow support), Trikonasana with chair support

and stand with wall support, Veera Badrasana, Adho Mukha Swanasana, Sarvangasana with chair support Sethubandhasana is very important to control H.B.P. Deep Breathing to balance the central nervous system and to provide more oxygen for better milk flowing to feed the child after delivery. Inversions during pregnancy with the support of chair are very good as they improve haemoglobin content and enrich the blood. So there is nothing to fear. Sarvangasana, Halasana with

support/props Upavishta konasana without forward bend Janusirasana with stool support and looking up without taking the forehead down are some of the asanas to be practiced. Ujjai and Sukha Pranayama about 5 to 10 minutes to be done daily.

During pregnancy the lady should take care of herself to take care of the baby. Common sense to guide; no jumping; no overdoing; no going on stomach full. Even in regular life avoid long hour standing. Break by sitting in between. Three to four times a week at least eat sitting on the floor. This is very good. Use Indian toilet as far as possible. Squatting and semi squatting are very good. Bending to do work is equally good like sweeping, moping on all fours - hand, knee, heel, all used to support so that one will not feel tired and also to avoid backache. After Child Birth. Birth is a unique, experience unparalleled. Birth is a physically, mentally, emotionally draining experience but at the same

time is a pleasure and yoga helps to remove the strain, adds incalculable value to health and one rises above difficulty and gets back the energy level. What does yoga do ? It tones up the spinal cord, waist and hip. The central nervous system is calmed down and toned down; quality of milk improves and becomes superior; pranayama helps in this. The child also

is healthy. Yoga can be started 3 weeks after delivery if it is natural delivery. In case of otherwise, wait till the wound is healed and do mild movements to start with and gradually increase. Breathing can be done for 10 to 15 minutes. Lying down stretch - Uttana Tarasana. Pelvic muscles should be stretched to bring back to original shape. Repeat many times during the day.

Vajrasana, Gomukhasana, these will help to set right the drooping shoulders, Shavasana for relaxation. After 5th to 6th week after child birth vrikshasana, practiced. Inversions. Sarvangasana, Sethubandhasana, trikonasana, vajrasana can be

then Shavasana. Then slowly as the weeks pass increase the asanas or add other asanas. Padmasana Janusirasana Upvista Konasana,

Vipareetkarani, Dandasana with left hand to right and right hand to left toe, twisting the body, the other hand at the back. After 3 months, regular practice will help the life. (c) Menopause reproductive Stage. activity and Cessation end of of the

reproductive phase- 38 to 58 years. Hormonal disturbance is the out come. Symptoms. Fatigue irritability, mood swinging

from irritability to anger, hot flushes heaviness in chest, lack of appetite, obesity, insomnia, vertigo etc. Yoga helps to cure all these. Most of the asanas are amazingly enough to set right hormonal disturbances. Asanas to be practiced for hot flushes, H.B.P. and to bring cheer back in life. Practice with grace regularly. (1) Start with gentle breathing. (2) Spine parallel exercises. (3) Vrikshasana (4) Trikonasana If H.B.P. (1) Halasana - 3 minutes. then (2) Sarvangasana - to tone down or stimulate thyroxin

- 3 to 5 minutes. (3) Sethu Bandhasana (4) Veerasana / Supta Veerasana, use cushion to support the back (5) Vajrasana / Padmasana and do shanmukhi mudra in this. This is to calm down the mind and pull the mind inward. (6) Janu shirasana (7) Paschimottasana (8) Vipareetkarani (9) Savasana. Pranayama. Chandra Beda, Sheetli, Brahmari. Do meditation and read good books and keep the mind/thoughts positive.