TAKE THAT STEP!
" My bones are wafer thin! I am afraid to go for a walk outside lest I have a fall ", says 65 year old Madhavi Mallik looking tired, anxious and depressed. If only she had known about yoga earlier, she could have been in a better state of health…less anxious…and feeling more energetic.
Yoga can work actively to combat the degenerative changes that menopause can cause. The regular practice of yoga asanas can help improve circulation to the heart, lungs, brain and most importantly strengthen the bones of the body.
The signs of menopause can vary from symptoms like hot flushes, night sweats, insomnia and even severe palpitation to psychological symptoms like irritability, inability to make decisions, lack of confidence, loss of libido, lethargy, fatigue and, even severe depression.
It has been observed that women above the age of 40 who do yoga regularly, go for walks regularly and also have a diet that is well supplemented with soya bean products are less likely to suffer from menopause.
Indian women differ significantly from Western women in the way they face menopause. First there is a great deal of reluctance among women even in metros to talk about menopause, second there is a lack of awareness about menopause as a specific clinical condition that needs better care and attention. Thirdly, there is a strong element of cultural conditioning which makes them deny their symptoms or suppress them and finally, there is also a significant percentage of women in India who experience silent menopause.
Yoga therapy offers some powerful asanas that can help to recharge the whole body and reduce the feeling of fatigue that menopause can. Both meditation and pranayamas work as powerful tools to help improve memory, concentration, confidence while at the same time help to significantly reduce anxiety levels.
UPAVISTHA KONASANA
Upavistha means seated. Kona means an angle.
Technique
- sit on the floor with the legs stretched straight in front.
- move the legs sideways one by one and widen the distance between them as far as you can. Keep the legs extended throughout and see that the back of the entire legs rests on the floor.
- catch the big toes between the respective thumbs and index and middle fingers.
- keep the spine erect and extend the ribs. Pull the diaphragm up and hold the pose for a few seconds with deep breaths.
- exhale, bend forward and rest the head on the floor. Then extend the neck and place the chin on the floor.
- then, clasp the feet with the hands and try to rest the chest on the floor. Stay in this position from 30 to 60 seconds with normal breathing.
- inhale, raise the trunk off the floor and release the hold on the feet, bring them together and relax.
- hold the left foot with both hands, exhale and rest the chin on the left. Inhale and raise the head and trunk. Now catch the right foot and with an exhalation rest the chin on the right knee. Inhale, raise the head and trunk, release the hands, bring the feet together and relax.
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