Becoming a ‘yoga woman,’ is all about making a decision to carve a little time out of your daily life for healthy living. Yoga has undergone an upsurge in popularity and is mainly associated with mysticism. But Yoga actually is ‘union’ of body, mind, and spirit through body postures, controlled breathing, and meditation. The benefits of Yoga are manifold and varied benefiting both physically and mentally.
Here are the 10 benefits of yoga for women:
1. Fighting obesity
Yoga can help you shed the bulk. Fighting obesity with yoga means practicing yoga postures that help to increase metabolism, burn calories, and reduce stress. Yoga is a gentle way to stretch and tone the body, though the process can be slower than the other exercises. The best asanas for weight loss are the Pawanamuktasana — a series of postures for the digestive system, which helps to remove extra fat from the abdomen, hips, and thighs. Other asanas which can help are Utthanpadasana and Suryanamaskara.
2. Building strength
Yoga styles based on precise position control can help to improve strength and stamina. These yoga postures demand balance, patience, and practice. The best asana for building strength is Adho Mukha Svanasana. This builds up strength in upper arm and rejuvenates the whole body.
3. Enhancing fertility
Yoga increases the blood flow to the reproductive organs. This helps in maintaining the hormone level of the body, regularizing the menstrual cycle and ovulation process. Certain asanas prepare the body for conception and pregnancy. One such asana is Viparita Karani (Legs up on the wall pose).
4. Fibroids
Fibroids are abnormal cell growth in the uterus. Doctors recommend Yoga as an effective exercise to dissolve this. The most useful yoga exercises for the treatment of fibroids are Bharadvajasana and Supta Virasana. Women should not perform these when they are menstruating as it accelerates fibroid growth during menstruation.
5. Glowing skin
Practising yoga on a regular basis keeps the skin healthy with a natural glow. It prevents wrinkles which develops because of aging. It keeps the face free from acne and dryness. The asana for a glowing skin is called Shitli Khumbakha.
6. During pregnancy
Yoga benefits in smooth pregnancy and natural childbirth. It helps in the physical and mental development of the fetus. It keeps you in shape before and after pregnancy. The asanas for pregnant women are Baddha Konasana, Navasana, and Savasana. It is highly recommended that these asanas should be performed with prior consultation and under supervision of a yoga expert.
7. Cleansing of colon
This yoga exercise cleans the large intestine. This organ is exposed to various toxins that enter our body through various sources. Thus, it helps in combating various diseases related to heart, kidney, and blood pressure. The asana usually suggested for colon cleansing is Shankhaprakshalana.
8. Strengthens the immune system
Yoga frees you from sniffles, scratchy throats, stuffy noses and other allergic reaction. Yoga exercises helps to stimulate or calm the immune system depending on the situation. It strengthens the immunity of the body against the pathogens. The asana for strengthening the immune system are Adho Mukha Svanasana and Bala Asana.
9. De-stress
Women tend to face stress disorders higher than men. Doctors advise their patients to practice yoga as it helps in coping with the stress. The asanas practised for de-stressing are Paschima Namaskarasana and Garudasana.
10. Concentration
Yoga is a great way to improve concentration and motivation. It also clears all the negative feelings and thoughts from mind. This results in a better focus on life and profession. The exercises for this are Hatha Yoga and Pranayama.
Caution: Women who are pregnant or suffering from any ailment are recommended to consult a therapist first.