Yoga Poses for PCOS: Improve Your Symptoms Naturally
PCOS is a very common hormonal condition in women of childbearing age. It affects 8% to 13% of women. A few common symptoms of this condition include missed or irregular periods, excessive hair growth on the face (due to high androgen levels) and other parts of the body, acne, weight gain and difficulty in conceiving.
PCOS disrupts the normal hormonal balance in a woman’s body. Most women with this condition develop small cysts in their ovaries, preventing them from releasing an egg (by the process called ovulation).
This makes it difficult for them to conceive. It also increases a woman’s risk for high blood pressure,, heart disease, diabetes and endometrial cancer. The treatment and management of PCOS depend upon several factors, including the woman’s age, the severity of symptoms, and overall health.
The types of treatment for PCOS may depend on whether or not a woman plans to become pregnant. Women who plan to become pregnant in the future may take different kinds of medications.
How is PCOS Treated?
PCOS management is most often determined by the woman’s plan of becoming pregnant and its treatment essentially includes:
- Modification in diet and physical activity
- Medications to help the ovaries release an egg normally, in regular intervals
If a woman with PCOS does not plan to become pregnant, treatment for it typically includes:
- Use of birth control pills to regulate menstrual cycles, lower androgen levels and reduce acne.
- Diabetes medications may be prescribed to lower insulin resistance and androgen levels and regularise ovulation.
- Eating a healthy diet and increasing physical activity to help maintain optimal weight.
Lifestyle Changes and PCOS
Lifestyle changes are the first line of treatment for PCOS. A few lifestyle changes that are routinely recommended to women with PCOS to help manage the condition and reduce their symptoms are:
- Reduce sugar and carbohydrate intake: Include fresh vegetables, fruits, pulses, whole grains and low-fat dairy in your diet. At the same time, reduce sugar and carbohydrate intake, which is found in processed and sweetened foods.
- Maintain optimum weight: Losing just 5% of your body weight is known to cause a significant improvement in PCOS and its symptoms.
- Regular exercise: Different forms of exercise and physical activities are effective in PCOS management. However, yoga has the added benefit of mindfulness, relaxation and breathing control, enabling better stress management. Physical exercise also helps manage insulin resistance and regulates metabolism in women with PCOS.
6 Yoga Poses For PCOS
Wondering about the benefits of yoga for PCOS? Here’s what you need to know!
Yoga has proven effects in reducing and managing PCOS symptoms along with medicine.
Several studies have shown that yoga for PCOS helps lower anxiety in patients with the condition. It also helps in weight loss, reduces stress, regulates blood circulation and boosts metabolism.
There are several poses of varying complexity levels in yoga. Poses concentrating on the core area can be targeted to help reduce PCOS symptoms. A few effective yoga asanas for PCOS include:
1. Malasana (Garland Pose)
This yoga pose, or garland post, works on your digestive system. Women prone to bloating and indigestion due to PCOS benefit from malasana. Besides this, malasana also stretches muscles at the hip, hamstrings and lower back. This pose also helps strengthen the core and pelvic floor.
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2. Setubandhasana (Bridge pose)
This yoga pose strengthens the back muscles and relieves any stress trapped in them. It also helps lower stress and anxiety while calming the brain, particularly for women with PCOS. Setubandhasana helps pregnant women and relieves menstrual pain.
3. Uttanpadasana (Raised leg pose)
According to several studies and reports, practising uttanpadasana daily improves bowel movement, relieving acidity, indigestion and constipation, which may be common in women with PCOS.
4. Naukasana (Boat pose)
Naukasana has been proven to effectively lower blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. This may be helpful in women with PCOS who have insulin resistance or develop diabetes due to it.
5. Pawanmuktasana (Wind escape pose)
This yoga posture for PCOS relieves intestinal and stomach-related issues. Pawanmuktasana also helps strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, tones those in the arms and legs and enhances blood circulation to the hip joints. These effects of this yoga asana may be helpful in women with PCOS.
6. Dhanurasana (Bow pose)
This pose is known to relieve menstrual discomfort and regulate flow. It boosts circulation to the pelvic region and releases tension from the abdominal organs. Performing this yoga asana every day can relieve anxiety and stress. For these benefits of dhanurasana, it is helpful for women with PCOS.
FitterTake
Practising yoga for PCOS can be extremely beneficial for women with the condition and can help them improve their overall health and well-being. Women with PCOS can regulate their hormones, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost circulation by adding specific yoga poses into their exercise routines.
While yoga is effective in PCOS management, women must seek professional medical care as this condition requires a multidisciplinary approach.
We, at Fitterfly, understand how serious PCOS is. So, if you need help maintaining a healthy weight while managing PCOS, explore Fitterfly’s weight loss program or call our experts. We will guide you through this condition easily. It’s possible and we are here to make it happen for you 😇
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