Menstruation and menopause demand that a woman’s body regularly manage dramatic changes in oestrogen and progesterone levels. The process makes huge demands upon the adrenal glands, the kidney and liver, as well as the ovaries and the entire nervous system.
- Oestrogen directly and indirectly affects the female neuromuscular system.
- Oestrogen and progesterone contribute significantly to bone health and bone density.
- Kidney and liver function determine the body’s capacity to eliminate excess oestrogen. Unopposed oestrogen can build to unsafe tissue levels that can lead to a strong risk for breast cancer and reproductive cancers. Progesterone prevents the problems associated with oestrogen dominance.
- Stress leads to adrenal fatigue and lowered levels of progesterone. Chronic stress leads to high cortisol production which leads to depression, muscle break down and an increase in fatty tissue.
Maintaining or improving the function of organs and glands is critical for women so that their bodies are able to efficiently respond to the demands of menstruation and menopause.
Women must not only learn to modify the sequence of their asana during menstruation and when menopausal symptoms are overwhelming, they must also develop skill in refining their alignment to become sensitive to the subtle qualitative experience. Subtle and precise refinements of the external body create the framework, or container in which organs and glands function.
If you are experiencing difficulties, speak with your teacher about how to modify your practice and read about the Specialist Program offered by Yoga Mandir.