Yoga for Women
Emotional pressure and stress have a pronounced effect on every woman's health. It has been proven that emotional distress often translates into physical weakness, and, is a risk factor for many different illnesses. There are many other factors as well which can affect a woman's health, such as hormonal changes, which are far more pronounced in women than in men.
Yoga offers an excellent solution to many of these issues...both the avoidable ones, and, believe it or not, those that are unavoidable.
The various stages of a woman's life may bring their own equally various problems. There are issues associated with the menstrual cycle, such as cramps, and with the premenstrual syndrome that affect many women around the world. The noticeable hormonal changes that accompany menopause are another reason why women have to cope with increased stress levels.
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Obviously, one of the major changes in a woman's life is going to be pregnancy. This is a stage in which every health problem may be reflected on the health of the baby, so it is vital for the mother to stay healthy throughout the whole pregnancy process. Yoga offers various solutions to all of these issues, enabling women to get passed these inherent obstacles.
Pregnancy
While yoga for women
can be of value at any stage of life, yoga is often found to be particularly useful in preparing for the last months of pregnancy and labor. After all, whether as a result of yoga or other exercise programs, a fit and healthy mother has better chances of delivering the baby without any complications at all. So, when we couple the ability of yoga to aid in so many other facets of a woman't life as well, we can begin to understand the potential importance of a regular practice of yoga. Different yoga poses such as the fish yoga pose or the cat pose (illustrated farther down the page) help the mother develop both the physical and mental strength and focus that will greatly help during labor. Regular yoga practice can lessen the negative effects of various pregnancy problems such as morning sickness as well.
Stretching poses also help the mother relax and strengthen the pelvis muscles, which will function easier during birth. Breathing techniques are invaluable during birth as they allow the mother to focus on the delivery rather than having to fight off the associated birth pain.