Menopause is a part of every woman’s life. It is the stage when your menstrual period permanently stops. This stage usually occurs between the age of 40 and 60 associated with hormonal, physical, and psychological changes. These changes can occur gradually or abruptly. It can start as early as the age of 30 and last until as late as the age of 60. It can also occur when the ovaries are removed or stopped functioning. Menopause is not an illness but a natural biological process, though the risk for Heart Disease and Osteoporosis rises after Menopause.
Symptoms include irregular menstruation, changes in sexual desire, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, urinary problems, changes in appearance, mood changes, sleep disturbances, palpitations, and backaches. Not all women experience these symptoms, some are not even aware of any other changes in their body. Estrogen and progesterone level plays the biggest part in Menopause. In this stage, the ovaries make less estrogen and progesterone. Estrogen is the female hormone that plays a major role in shaping your body and in preparing it for Pregnancy. When the body produces less of these hormones, the parts of the body that depends on estrogen to keep them healthy will react and this often causes discomfort in some Women. Menopause is divided into two stages: Premenopause and Postmenopause. Premenopause is the time when you begin to experience the signs and symptoms though you are still ovulating. Your experience uneven rising and falling of the hormone level that often causes you to feel hot flashes and variations in your periods. The postmenopausal stage is when you are about 12 months past your last period and your ovaries no longer produce estrogen and progesterone, nor release eggs.
Menopause does not require medical treatment since it is a natural biological process. The Menopause treatments focus on relieving the symptoms of Menopause and preventing any chronic condition that may occur during the postmenopausal years such as heart disease and osteoporosis. Some undergo Hormonal Replacement Therapy (HRT) which provides a low dose of estrogen in the body which helps in alleviating symptoms such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness. HRT may also combine progestin with estrogen. Women who had hysterectomy only take Estrogen Replacement Therapy (ERT), which is HRT using estrogen alone. HRT, however, has some serious side effects and increases your risk of heart problems. Exercising, proper diet, not smoking, and reduction of stress are also effective ways to make Menopause more bearable and can also facilitate in preventing any chronic ailments that can occur in the postmenopausal years.
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Basic Yoga Session for Menopause – I
Kapalabhati
Kapalabhati is a Breathing Technique used specifically for cleansing. If you have a lot of mucus in the air passages or feel tension and blockages in the chest it is often helpful to breathe quickly. This article will introduce you to this breathing technique and show you its benefits.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The Mountain Yoga Pose promotes the experience of stillness, strength, relaxed power, and immovable stability associated with mountains. This yoga posture, and coming back to this stillness after other poses, is one of the ways of becoming acquainted with stillness.
Hands to Feet (Pada Hastasana)
The Hands to Feet Pose or Pada Hastasana gives many of the same benefits as the Forward Bend – trimming the waist, restoring elasticity to the spine, and stretching the ligaments of the legs, especially the hamstrings. Learn how to do the Hands to Feet Pose in this section.
Warrior Pose
The Warrior Pose stretches and strengthens the arms and legs, increases stamina, improves balance and concentration, and can also relieve backaches. If you are suffering from diarrhea, high blood pressure, or neck problems, you should take extra caution practicing this pose.
Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold
Practicing the Standing Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. People with lower back problems should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
In Hindu art, the triangle is a potent symbol of the divine principle, and it is frequently found in the yantras and mandalas used for meditation. The Trikonasana or Triangle Pose concludes the Yoga Postures in our basic session.
Standing Side Stretch Pose
The Standing Side Stretch is another Yoga Pose with two lines of energy radiating outward from your center. This is a simple Yoga Posture with a wonderful stretch in which one line of energy reaches upward from your belly and outward through the arm, and one line travels downward through the legs.
Tree Pose (Tadasana)
The Tree Pose helps strengthen your thighs, calves, ankles, and back. It can also increase the flexibility of your hips and groin. Your balance and concentration can also be improved with constant practice. This Yoga Pose is recommended for people who have sciatica and flat feet.
Lotus Yoga Pose (Padmasana)
The Lotus Yoga Pose is usually done in Meditation. It is a classic seated posture that strengthens your ankles and knees, enhances concentration, and improves the flexibility of your legs. Know how to perform the Lotus Pose in this section.
Single Leg Raises
This Yoga Pose is performed to prepare the body for other exercises. It benefits the legs, lower back muscles, and abdominal area. In practicing the Single Leg Raise, one leg is raised while the other one stays on the floor.
Double Leg Raises
A Double Leg Raise is similar to a Single Leg Raise, only this time, you will raise both legs. In doing this Yoga Pose, make sure that the full length of your back is resting on the floor and your shoulders and neck are relaxed. This section covers the steps and guidelines on how to do this pose properly.
Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)
This Yoga Pose improves spinal flexibility and strengthens the muscles in the arms and back. In addition, it is effective in relieving menstrual irregularities and constipation. Learn how to perform the Cobra Pose in this section.
Child Pose
The Child Pose is a gentle way of stretching your shoulders, hips, thighs, ankles, and back muscles. It is a relaxation posture that is done to normalize the circulation after performing the Headstand and to serve as counterpose after Backbends.
Leg Reclining Lunge (Single and Double)
The Leg Reclining Lunge is part of the series of Yoga Exercises which target the leg muscles. When done properly, this Yoga Pose can strengthen and tone all muscles in your legs. Learn how to perform the Single and Double Leg Reclining Lunge.
Seated Forward Bend (Paschimothanasana)
Relax your body and mind, stretch your hamstrings, shoulders, and spine, relieve stress, and improve your posture and concentration by practicing the Seated Forward Bend. Learn how to do this properly and achieve maximum results.
Sage Twist Yoga Pose (Marichyasana)
Also called Marichi’s Yoga Pose, the Sage Twist Pose benefits the abdominal organs and spine. Avoid doing this pose if you have a chronic spine or back injury. Also, perform this only under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. Learn how to do the Sage Twist in this section.
Wind Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana)
The term Pavanamuktasana comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Pavana’ which means air or wind and ‘mukta’ which means freedom or release. The Wind Relieving Pose works mainly on the digestive system. specifically, it helps in eliminating excess gas in the stomach.
Yoga Exercise – Final Corpse
For you to appreciate the benefits of relaxation, you should first be familiar with how it is to be tense. This is what happens when you do the Final Corpse. Everything related to that position including suggestions on how to do it is discussed in further detail in this article.
Relaxation Pose
There are three parts to proper relaxation – physical, mental, and spiritual relaxation. Relaxation Yoga Pose relaxes your body and mind and makes you feel refreshed after doing the asanas and the pranayamas. This is why it is an essential part of Yoga practice.
Anuloma Viloma
Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril. Learn how to do this technique for beginners by following the steps found in this article.
Simple Meditation Technique
This Meditation process is good to induce a relaxation response and promotes a peaceful and relaxed mind. Meditation has also been scientifically proven to have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and aiding asthmatics in their breathing.
Basic Yoga Session for Menopause – II
Kapalabhati
Kapalabhati is a Breathing Technique used specifically for cleansing. If you have a lot of mucus in the air passages or feel tension and blockages in the chest it is often helpful to breathe quickly. This article will introduce you to this breathing technique and show you its benefits.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana)
The Mountain Yoga Pose promotes the experience of stillness, strength, relaxed power, and immovable stability associated with mountains. This yoga posture, and coming back to this stillness after other poses, is one of the ways of becoming acquainted with stillness.
Sun Salutation (Surya Namaskar)
The Sun Salutation or Surya Namaskar is a Yoga Pose that limbers up the whole body in preparation for the Yoga Asanas. It is a graceful sequence of twelve Yoga positions performed as one continuous exercise. Learn how to practice Sun Salutation in this section.
Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)
In Hindu art, the triangle is a potent symbol of the divine principle, and it is frequently found in the yantras and mandalas used for meditation. The Trikonasana or Triangle Pose concludes the Yoga Postures in our basic session.
Stand Spread Leg Forward Fold
Practicing the Standing Spread Leg Forward Fold can strengthen and stretch your inner and back legs and your spine. People with lower back problems should avoid doing the full forward bend. For beginners, you may use props like a folding chair to support your forearms.
Warrior Pose
The Warrior Pose stretches and strengthens the arms and legs, increases stamina, improves balance and concentration, and can also relieve backaches. If you are suffering from diarrhea, high blood pressure, or neck problems, you should take extra caution practicing this pose.
Lotus Yoga Pose (Padmasana)
The Lotus Yoga Pose is usually done in Meditation. It is a classic seated posture that strengthens your ankles and knees, enhances concentration, and improves the flexibility of your legs. Know how to perform the Lotus Pose in this section.
Boat Posture
Perform the Boat Pose to strengthen your abdominal area and hip flexor, tone muscles in the midsection, improve digestion, and relieve stress. You can use a Yoga Strap to aid you in holding the pose longer or if you cannot keep your legs straight.
Fish Pose (Matsyasana)
Doing the Fish Pose relieves stiffness of the neck and shoulder muscles and improves the flexibility of your spine. It is the counter-pose of the Shoulderstand. Hold the Fish Pose for at least half the amount of time you spent in the Shoulderstand to balance the stretch.
Locust Pose (Salabhasana)
If the Cobra Pose works mainly on the upper back, the Locust Pose targets the lower part. This posture also strengthens the abdominal area, arms, and legs. Another thing that makes it different from many poses is that it entails rapid movement. Check out how it is done in this section.
Shoulder Stand (Sarvangasana)
In the Shoulder Stand, your body is resting on your shoulders. This Yoga Pose improves circulation, strengthens the abdominal area, and stimulates the thyroid gland. In this section, learn how the Shoulder Stand is performed.
The Bow
The Bow maintains the elasticity of the spine, improves posture, increases vitality, reduces abdominal fats, and keeps the digestive and reproductive systems healthy. This posture combines the movements of the Cobra and Locust and counters the Plough and the Forward Bend once you raise both halves of the body.
Cat Pose (Bidalasana)
The Cat Yoga Pose teaches you to initiate movement from your center and to coordinate your movement and breath. These are two of the most important themes in Yoga practice. Keep in mind that the Cat Pose may not be advisable if you have any chronic or recent back pain or injury.
Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)
If done properly, the Half Spinal Twist lengthens and strengthens the spine. It is also beneficial for your liver, kidneys, as well as adrenal glands. Practice this Yoga Pose under the supervision of a Yoga instructor. In this section, learn how to perform the Half Spinal Twist.
Wind Relieving Pose (Pavanamuktasana)
The term Pavanamuktasana comes from the Sanskrit word ‘Pavana’ which means air or wind and ‘mukta’ which means freedom or release. The Wind Relieving Pose works mainly on the digestive system. specifically, it helps in eliminating excess gas in the stomach.
Yoga Exercise – Final Corpse
For you to appreciate the benefits of relaxation, you should first be familiar with how it is to be tense. This is what happens when you do the Final Corpse. Everything related to that position including suggestions on how to do it is discussed in further detail in this article.
Relaxation Pose
There are three parts to proper relaxation – physical, mental, and spiritual relaxation. Relaxation Yoga Pose relaxes your body and mind and makes you feel refreshed after doing the asanas and the pranayamas. This is why it is an essential part of Yoga practice.
Anuloma Viloma
Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril. Learn how to do this technique for beginners by following the steps found in this article.
Simple Meditation Technique
This Meditation process is good to induce a relaxation response and promotes a peaceful and relaxed mind. Meditation has also been scientifically proven to have health benefits such as lowering blood pressure and aiding asthmatics in their breathing.