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Hormonal Balance with Yoga
There are many types of hormones in the body, that work together as messengers. They tell our physiological systems what to do and when. They direct our emotions, sustain us mentally and tell us when we need to rest.
When the hormones are not in balance, we can feel and see it in many ways. Some of the symptoms are headaches, skin problems, dry skin, joint pains, and hair loss. Most people complain of: insomnia, fatigue, low sex drive, mood problems, and looking older than they feel. This usually leads people into taking antidepressants or plastic surgery. This only masks the problem, but doesn't solve it, or get into the root cause.
Hormone deficiencies affect how you look, sleep and feel.
The main hormone is:
- Estrogen
- Bone loss, wrinkles around mouth/eyes/forehead, increasing facial hair, dry eyes, thinning scalp hair. depression during or just after your menstrual period. Sleep that is too light, waking unrefreshed.
- Progesterone
- Insomnia, trouble falling asleep and PMS.
- Thyroid
- Depression, cold hands and feet, dry skin, hard to wake up the morning, and weight problems.
- Cortisol
- Anxiety/irritability and fatigue.
- Pregnenolone
- Low endurance, lack of energy and enthusiasm for regular activities. This includes your hobbies, sports, sex etc.
- Aldosterone
- Mood swings and lack of endurance.
- Melatonin
- Nighttime anxiety, depression,and premature aging.
- Growth Hormone
- Stress, vulnerability, lack of confidence and deepened wrinkles in the face.
The good news is that our bodies can change, restore and re-balance. Yoga can help to nourish and rebuild these hormonal imbalances. Through yoga postures we can stimulate and balance the endocrine function. This works as you slowly move the body by pressurizing and depressurizing specific glands. The balance comes from subtle compressions and decompression's of the glands that regulate secretions and bring the system back into homeostatic regulation. That's why in India, certain yoga postures are prescribed to relieve certain problems or illnesses.
Rabbit Pose is a posture that:
- Stimulates all organs and glands of the body.
- Nurtures the nervous system, brings blood to the brain.
- Helps with depression, improves memory and focus, helps headaches.
- Improves the immune system.
- Maintains mobility, strength and flexibility of the spine.
- Strengthens the heart and arteries.
- Improves posture.
- Relieves tension in the upper back and neck.
Steps for Rabbit Pose
- Grab heels with thumbs on the outside, fingers on the inside.
- Roll forward until forehead is close to knees.
- Pull on heels lifting hips high with very little weight on head with heavy knees.
- Keep 25% of weight in head, and 75% weight in the knees.
- Keep shoulders away from ears, stomach tight and heels together.
- Try to get your forehead and knees closer and closer together.
- Eventually you should pull on your heels so much that your arms straighten.
- Hold for 5 breaths.
- Come out of the pose slowly, vertebra by vertebra, and rest in child's pose.
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