5 asanas for Women's Health

At the age of 25, I had dysfunction. The gynecologist immediately prescribed hormones. On the 3rd day of taking medication, I became irritable, my body swelled, the taste of food changed. I gave up hormones and began to search for alternative methods of healing the female body. I practiced self-massage, yoga and applied Ayurvedic methods of recovery. After 3 days of practice my period came. In this article, I share practices that can be used both separately and in combination. The result will be regularity of the cycle, balanced emotions during the days of PMS and menstruation, and, in due time, a mild onset of menopause.  1. Matsya Kridasana or Splashing Fish Pose Lie on your stomach, turn your head to the left, put your hands under your head.  Bend your left leg and pull your knee towards your ribs.  Keep your right leg straight.  Relax in this position for 21 breaths, then repeat on the other side.  1 inhalation and 1 exhalation - one complete respiratory cycle. Benefits: stimulates the reproductive organs, helps to get rid of constipation, bloating and cramps.  Relieves sciatic pain, relaxes the hip joints, lower back and leg muscles.  Also, regular practice of this pose redistributes excess volume along the waistline. End your practice with Matsya Kridasana, rest, or even fall asleep in this pose. 2. Titley Asana and Medusa Exercise Titley Asana, or butterfly pose, in the classic version is performed while sitting.  I offer a variant of this asana from the supine position. Lie on your back, bring your straight legs together, stretch your arms to the side, point your palms up.  Bend your legs, feet together on the floor.  Spread your knees.  Beginners can put pillows under their knees, so it will be easier.  In the lower back there is a natural deflection, the neck is even.  Relax in the butterfly pose for at least 8 breaths, breathing with your belly. Then the butterfly turns into a jellyfish.  Slowly, as you exhale, bring your knees together, pressing your lower back to the floor.  As you inhale, spread your knees, lower back arched.  Repeat the movement of the jellyfish 8 times. Benefits: Improves blood circulation in the pelvis, strengthens and improves flexibility in the hip joints, relieves cramps in the lower abdomen.  Relieves back pain. 3. Namaskarasana or greeting pose Squat down, legs wider than shoulders, toes apart.  Heels on the floor, for comfort, place a towel under the heels.  Spread your knees wider than your shoulders.  Gather your palms in front of your chest in namaste mudra, elbows resting on the inside of your knees.  Stay in this position for 8 breaths. Benefits: Massages and strengthens the pelvic muscles.  Evenly stretches the spine, as well as the muscles of the legs.  Balances pressure between vertebrae and joints.  Stretches and tones the spinal nerves.  Relieves back pain.  Removes stagnant gases. 4. Self-massage With failures of the menstrual cycle, self-massage helped me. Three points for cycle recovery: • on the abdomen, in the middle between the navel and the pubis, • the other two points are located on the top of the pubis, on a small bone, two fingers from the midline.⠀ Massage the points alternately with warm fingers, in circular motions clockwise for 15 minutes in the morning, immediately after waking up, lying in bed, and in the evening before going to bed.  If there is no menstruation for several months, massage the three points before bleeding begins.  Do not massage on bleeding days.⠀  5. Yoni mudra⠀ In Sanskrit, Yoni means womb, source, womb and refers to the female reproductive system.⠀ Sit in Sukhasana in a comfortable position with your back and neck straight.  The pads of the thumbs are gently pressed and touch the navel area.  The pads of the index fingers are gently pressed and point down from the navel.  The middle, index fingers and little fingers are bent and crossed, the fingertips touch the knuckles of the first phalanx from the outside.  The fingers are relaxed.  During practice, focus on the sensations in the navel.  Practice Yoni Mudra for at least 10 minutes.⠀ Benefits: calms the mind, relieves stress, strengthens the nervous system, balances the activity of the right and left hemispheres of the brain, develops concentration.  The practitioner remains out of contact with the outside world and experiences a state of bliss, as in the womb, increases the flow of energy.⠀ Every woman goes through changes, from the onset of her period to the menopause.  Gentle practice will support women's health at any age.  Regularly perform breathing exercises, conscious relaxation, mudras, asanas and self-massage in combination with a healthy diet.  These practices will give women health, youth and longevity.   Article by Maria Zobova