CHENNAI: The role of endocrine glands in the human body is integrated. It produces hormones that travel around the bloodstream, informing tissues and organs what to do. They control many of the body’s major processes, which includes metabolism and reproduction.
The endocrine system includes adrenals, thyroid, pancreas and female or male reproductive function which communicate with our nervous system. The hormones perform essential functions, relay important warnings and communicate messages to the entire body. They make sure everything is running smoothly and that your rhythms stay in sync. When the hormones are not communicating properly and the body produces too much or too little of any hormones, it is known as a hormonal imbalance.
Common symptoms of hormone imbalances include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in hair, skin, and nails, compromised gut health, elevated inflammation, high stress levels, especially among women during reproductive age, postnatal periods and the perimenopause stage.
Maintaining balance in our endocrine system is essential to keeping our system running smoothly.
There are many things that can challenge your endocrine system, hence disrupting hormone balance and function. Identifying and correcting the causes of the imbalance early will help maintain your health and prevent the onset of chronic disease. Some yoga poses are very useful to correct hormonal imbalance, especially in the areas of digestion, metabolism and the nervous system which in turn will help the endocrine system to function in a healthy way.
N Elumalai, PhD scholar (Yoga Science) at Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education & Research, Chennai, brings you five important yoga poses to help correct hormonal imbalance.
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
STEPS
Lie prone with the legs outstretched and feet hip-width distance apart.
Place the palms down below the shoulders, with elbows bent and towards the torso.
Pressing the feet tops and pubic bone firmly into the floor, inhale to lift the chest and straighten the arms.
Keep the shoulders away from the ears. Draw shoulder blades towards one another.
Lift as far as possible while still keeping the pubic bone connected to the mat.
Hold the position as long as the breath remains smooth and steady.
Look at one point on the floor, in order to maintain a neutral neck position.
Exhale, slowly lower yourself towards the floor.
BENEFITS
Balances all the seven chakras.
Makes your body flexible, activates the digestive organs, corrects hormonal imbalance.
Heals lungs and respiratory disorders.
Ensures good blood circulation.
Relieves backache, neck ache.
Relieves the leg from sciatica pain by softening the spinal impingement.
Kneads the abdominal organs for a healthy urinary system and proper waste elimination.
Kundalini awakening infuses the muscle and body with extreme strength.
USTRASANA (Camel pose)
STEPS
Sit stretching your legs and keeping your spine erect, palms on the ground beside the buttocks.
Bend your leg at the knees and sit on your heels placing the buttocks between the heels, the right big toe overlapping the left.
Kneel down keeping your knees in line with the shoulders and the soles of the feet facing the ceiling.
After that, keep your hand on your thighs.
Inhale and arch your back and place your palms on the heels.
Now keep your arms straight.
Don’t strain your neck, keep it neutral. Let your neck be free.
Stay in this final position for a couple of breaths or as much longer as you can.
Breathe out and slowly come to the normal position withdrawing your hands from the feet.
Now, relax and take deep breaths.
BENEFITS
Stretches the anterior muscles.
Improves flexibility of spine and strengthens it.
Helps to improve digestion.
Relaxes the lower back.
Useful as an initial practice for back bending.
Best for cervical spondylitis and to correct hormonal imbalance.
Benefits in helaing respiratory ailments, fatigue and anxiety.
It also helps to reduce abdominal fat.
More useful for thyroid and parathyroid issues.
Helps in menstrual problems.
SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA (Bridge pose)
STEPS
Lie down on your back, flat on the floor.
Now, fold your knees and bring your feet as close to your hips as you can. Keep your feet hip width apart.
Then, keep your hands on the floor besides your body, palms facing down.
With inhalation, press your palms, shoulders and feet on the floor and slowly lift your hips up. You can tighten your hips so that you don’t put too much pressure on your back.
After that, using your thighs, keep your knees close as they may spread out.
Now, engage your shoulders to keep your neck neutral.
Then, clasp your hands behind your back, keep your arms straight.
Stay for 5-8 breaths or longer if you are comfortable.
To release, simply exhale, unclasp your hands and lower your hips to the floor.
Relax and repeat this full pose at least 10-12 times to get full benefits.
BENEFITS
Reduces back pain and corrects hormonal imbalance.
Helps to strengthen muscles and spinal cord.
It relieves negative emotions.
Gets rid of stress, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and headache.
Relaxes the brain and helps reduce stress and mild depression.
Helps to get rid of thyroid issues.
Improves blood circulation to pituitary, pineal, adrenal and thyroid glands and improves their functionality.
Improves digestion.
Relieves menstruation troubles.
Stimulates the abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid.
Removes symptoms of menopause and controls blood pressure.
Promotes inner calm and reduces obesity.
A therapeutic treatment for asthma, sinusitis, and osteoporosis.
VIPARITA KARANI MUDRA (Upside down seal pose)
STEPS
Lie on your back comfortably and relax. Rest your hands to the side of your body; breathe normally.
Slowly raise your legs until they are 90 degrees to the floor.
Gradually put your hands under the lower back at waist. Use the elbows to raise your body up.
Hold your breath while raising.
Raise your trunk further up, making it 45 degrees vertically with the ground.
Your body weight rests on the shoulders, while hands and elbows help to support and balance your body.
Your trunk is now at 45 degrees with the floor and the legs are 90 degrees.
Remain this mudra/pose as per your convenience.
For health benefits, 3-5 minutes per day is enough and for spiritual purpose, extend the duration up to 15 minutes at a stretch.
Breathe normally while maintaining the steady, raised position.
BENEFITS
Increases blood flow around the neck region and thyroid glands.
Manages hypothyroidism.
Relieves gravitational weight from numerous organs, treating hydrocele, piles and hernia.
Tones the neck, spine, intestines as well other abdominal organs.
Reduces fat around the waist region.
If you are unable to perform advanced inverted poses like, Sirsana or Sarvangasana, this can provide more benefits.
Relaxes feet and legs.
Helps to calm the mind.
Helps in fighting arthritis, anxiety, headaches, digestive problems, BP, migraines, insomnia, urinary disorders, respiratory ailments, varicose veins, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, and menopause.
BADDHA KONASANA (Bound-angle pose)
STEPS
Sit in Dandasana (staff pose).
Exhale, bend knees and bring the soles of feet together, close to pelvis without pressure on knees.
Push the outer edges of feet firmly into the floor and interlace the fingers around the feet or toes.
Keeping the spine erect, press the sitting bones on the floor, head towards the ceiling.
Exhale taking the knees towards the floor, stretch the spine.
Hold this pose and enjoy 5-10 deep breaths or stay for 1-5 minutes.
Slowly come back to Dandasana and relax.
BENEFITS
Consistent practise of this pose until late into pregnancy helps ease childbirth.
Improves blood circulation.
Detoxifies the body, strengthens the muscles and helps in a smooth, safe, healthy life.
Calms the mind and relieves headaches.
Stimulates the reproductive and digestive organs.
Also stimulates the Svadhisthana (spleen or sacral) chakra which promotes focus and productivity.
Helps in curing menstruation problems.
Can help with sexual disorders.
Soothes sciatica pain and corrects hormonal imbalance.
More beneficial in meditation.
Reduces body weight.
CHENNAI: The role of endocrine glands in the human body is integrated. It produces hormones that travel around the bloodstream, informing tissues and organs what to do. They control many of the body’s major processes, which includes metabolism and reproduction.
The endocrine system includes adrenals, thyroid, pancreas and female or male reproductive function which communicate with our nervous system. The hormones perform essential functions, relay important warnings and communicate messages to the entire body. They make sure everything is running smoothly and that your rhythms stay in sync. When the hormones are not communicating properly and the body produces too much or too little of any hormones, it is known as a hormonal imbalance.
Common symptoms of hormone imbalances include unexplained weight gain, fatigue, insomnia, and changes in hair, skin, and nails, compromised gut health, elevated inflammation, high stress levels, especially among women during reproductive age, postnatal periods and the perimenopause stage.
Maintaining balance in our endocrine system is essential to keeping our system running smoothly.
There are many things that can challenge your endocrine system, hence disrupting hormone balance and function. Identifying and correcting the causes of the imbalance early will help maintain your health and prevent the onset of chronic disease. Some yoga poses are very useful to correct hormonal imbalance, especially in the areas of digestion, metabolism and the nervous system which in turn will help the endocrine system to function in a healthy way.
N Elumalai, PhD scholar (Yoga Science) at Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education & Research, Chennai, brings you five important yoga poses to help correct hormonal imbalance.
Bhujangasana (Cobra pose)
STEPS
Lie prone with the legs outstretched and feet hip-width distance apart.
Place the palms down below the shoulders, with elbows bent and towards the torso.
Pressing the feet tops and pubic bone firmly into the floor, inhale to lift the chest and straighten the arms.
Keep the shoulders away from the ears. Draw shoulder blades towards one another.
Lift as far as possible while still keeping the pubic bone connected to the mat.
Hold the position as long as the breath remains smooth and steady.
Look at one point on the floor, in order to maintain a neutral neck position.
Exhale, slowly lower yourself towards the floor.
BENEFITS
Balances all the seven chakras.
Makes your body flexible, activates the digestive organs, corrects hormonal imbalance.
Heals lungs and respiratory disorders.
Ensures good blood circulation.
Relieves backache, neck ache.
Relieves the leg from sciatica pain by softening the spinal impingement.
Kneads the abdominal organs for a healthy urinary system and proper waste elimination.
Kundalini awakening infuses the muscle and body with extreme strength.
USTRASANA (Camel pose)
STEPS
Sit stretching your legs and keeping your spine erect, palms on the ground beside the buttocks.
Bend your leg at the knees and sit on your heels placing the buttocks between the heels, the right big toe overlapping the left.
Kneel down keeping your knees in line with the shoulders and the soles of the feet facing the ceiling.
After that, keep your hand on your thighs.
Inhale and arch your back and place your palms on the heels.
Now keep your arms straight.
Don’t strain your neck, keep it neutral. Let your neck be free.
Stay in this final position for a couple of breaths or as much longer as you can.
Breathe out and slowly come to the normal position withdrawing your hands from the feet.
Now, relax and take deep breaths.
BENEFITS
Stretches the anterior muscles.
Improves flexibility of spine and strengthens it.
Helps to improve digestion.
Relaxes the lower back.
Useful as an initial practice for back bending.
Best for cervical spondylitis and to correct hormonal imbalance.
Benefits in helaing respiratory ailments, fatigue and anxiety.
It also helps to reduce abdominal fat.
More useful for thyroid and parathyroid issues.
Helps in menstrual problems.
SETU BANDHA SARVANGASANA (Bridge pose)
STEPS
Lie down on your back, flat on the floor.
Now, fold your knees and bring your feet as close to your hips as you can. Keep your feet hip width apart.
Then, keep your hands on the floor besides your body, palms facing down.
With inhalation, press your palms, shoulders and feet on the floor and slowly lift your hips up. You can tighten your hips so that you don’t put too much pressure on your back.
After that, using your thighs, keep your knees close as they may spread out.
Now, engage your shoulders to keep your neck neutral.
Then, clasp your hands behind your back, keep your arms straight.
Stay for 5-8 breaths or longer if you are comfortable.
To release, simply exhale, unclasp your hands and lower your hips to the floor.
Relax and repeat this full pose at least 10-12 times to get full benefits.
BENEFITS
Reduces back pain and corrects hormonal imbalance.
Helps to strengthen muscles and spinal cord.
It relieves negative emotions.
Gets rid of stress, anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and headache.
Relaxes the brain and helps reduce stress and mild depression.
Helps to get rid of thyroid issues.
Improves blood circulation to pituitary, pineal, adrenal and thyroid glands and improves their functionality.
Improves digestion.
Relieves menstruation troubles.
Stimulates the abdominal organs, lungs, and thyroid.
Removes symptoms of menopause and controls blood pressure.
Promotes inner calm and reduces obesity.
A therapeutic treatment for asthma, sinusitis, and osteoporosis.
VIPARITA KARANI MUDRA (Upside down seal pose)
STEPS
Lie on your back comfortably and relax. Rest your hands to the side of your body; breathe normally.
Slowly raise your legs until they are 90 degrees to the floor.
Gradually put your hands under the lower back at waist. Use the elbows to raise your body up.
Hold your breath while raising.
Raise your trunk further up, making it 45 degrees vertically with the ground.
Your body weight rests on the shoulders, while hands and elbows help to support and balance your body.
Your trunk is now at 45 degrees with the floor and the legs are 90 degrees.
Remain this mudra/pose as per your convenience.
For health benefits, 3-5 minutes per day is enough and for spiritual purpose, extend the duration up to 15 minutes at a stretch.
Breathe normally while maintaining the steady, raised position.
BENEFITS
Increases blood flow around the neck region and thyroid glands.
Manages hypothyroidism.
Relieves gravitational weight from numerous organs, treating hydrocele, piles and hernia.
Tones the neck, spine, intestines as well other abdominal organs.
Reduces fat around the waist region.
If you are unable to perform advanced inverted poses like, Sirsana or Sarvangasana, this can provide more benefits.
Relaxes feet and legs.
Helps to calm the mind.
Helps in fighting arthritis, anxiety, headaches, digestive problems, BP, migraines, insomnia, urinary disorders, respiratory ailments, varicose veins, premenstrual syndrome, menstrual cramps, and menopause.
BADDHA KONASANA (Bound-angle pose)
STEPS
Sit in Dandasana (staff pose).
Exhale, bend knees and bring the soles of feet together, close to pelvis without pressure on knees.
Push the outer edges of feet firmly into the floor and interlace the fingers around the feet or toes.
Keeping the spine erect, press the sitting bones on the floor, head towards the ceiling.
Exhale taking the knees towards the floor, stretch the spine.
Hold this pose and enjoy 5-10 deep breaths or stay for 1-5 minutes.
Slowly come back to Dandasana and relax.
BENEFITS
Consistent practise of this pose until late into pregnancy helps ease childbirth.
Improves blood circulation.
Detoxifies the body, strengthens the muscles and helps in a smooth, safe, healthy life.
Calms the mind and relieves headaches.
Stimulates the reproductive and digestive organs.
Also stimulates the Svadhisthana (spleen or sacral) chakra which promotes focus and productivity.
Helps in curing menstruation problems.
Can help with sexual disorders.
Soothes sciatica pain and corrects hormonal imbalance.
More beneficial in meditation.
Reduces body weight.
