“A battle of PCOS is a tough one for a woman between all the other societal battles she is fighting already and all she wants is people understanding that what she is going through is not a normal thing but a disease that needs serious attention.”
About 2.2 to 26.7% of women of childbearing age (15 to 44 years old) face the problem of PCOS.
About 70% of females who have PCOS don’t even get diagnosed their entire life and suffer its symptoms and pain without any help or medical supervision, thinking it to be normal or the people around her making her feel that what she is going through is normal and meant to happen this way only.
Women, who do get diagnosed and take medical help, feel herself to be surrounded by just medicines and doctor’s appointments. YES! It is very important to consult a PCOS specialist if you see the signs of hormonal disbalance and irregular periods but, with this it is also advised to add some exercises and yogas in your routine to help those medicines to perform their work more efficiently.
So, here we are with some effective yoga poses for you to do, to reduce the complications you face because of PCOS but, before going into the world of yoga and yoga poses, let’s first briefly understand PCOS and the basic science behind it so that it will be easier to understand how yoga poses actually affect it.
What is PCOS?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome aka PCOS is a disorder that affects the hormone levels in a woman’s body diagnosed with it.
In this, a woman produces more than normal amounts of male hormones, specially Androgens.
This leads to production of immature eggs in the ovaries. Those immature eggs never go through ovulation and this lack of ovulation in a female body leads to disbalance in hormones like oestrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH.
What are the Symptoms and Complications of a Person Suffering From PCOS Faces?
- Polycystic means multiple cysts, so because PCOS, a woman suffering from it develops multiple cysts in her ovaries.
- Infertility, as there are almost no mature eggs to fuse with sperm to make a zygote, this ultimately leads to infertility in women.
- Low to no periods or too painful or heavy periods. Both of these conditions are common to observe in a woman with PCOS.
- There are huge chances of endometrial cancer.
- PCOS leads to obesity.
- Excess growth of hairs on face or body.
- Metabolic syndromes like high BP, heart diseases, diabetes, high levels of bad cholesterol, etc., all could happen.
Some Yoga Poses For A Person suffering From PCOS and Benefits of Adding Yoga in Your Daily Routine-
Benefits-
- Hormone cycle- Help to decrease testosterone levels and balances other hormones in the body.
- Mental disorder- Alleviate symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.
- Easy- It is accessible, meaning you don’t need special equipment or going to a particular place to perform.You could do it any time at home.
- Obesity- It helps to maintain weight and control weight gaining issues to some extent.
Some Specific Poses-
1. Garland Pose (Malsana)- It helps to strengthen the pelvic floor and abdominal core, open hips, increase blood circulation and flow to the pelvic region, improves metabolism and digestion.
2. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana)- It helps to calm the brain, reduce stress and anxiety and relieves tension in the back muscles.
3. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)- It relieves menstrual discomfort, stimulates reproductive organs and regulates menstrual flow.
4. Cat and cow pose (Chakravakasana)- Stimulates and strengthens abdominal organs, reduces stress and helps to ease PMS and menstruation.
5. Head to knee pose (Janushirasana)- Maintains hormonal balance, stimulates reproductive system, relieves fatigue, insomnia and anxiety.
6. Butterfly or bound angle pose (Supta Baddha Konasana)- Supports spine and back body, releases tension from shoulders and chest and opens heart and hips.
7. Breathing Technique (KapalBhati Pranayama)- It is a rapid breathing exercise. It helps in weight management, blood sugar levels and stress levels.
With this, we do want to mention that the problem of PCOS is not curable, meaning a person can not get rid of it completely. What she can do is, adding some exercises and yogas in her routine, eating a well balanced diet and definitely should consult a pcos specialist tio get yourself rightly diagnosed and not just study your symptoms and body by your own.
Also, a PCOS specialist would help you with a proper diet plan according to your body and symptoms and will also suggest some effective medicine and routine.
Remember, it is always better to take guidance from an expert rather than shooting your shots blindly, it’s not balloons you are shooting, it is your health and ultimately your life.