Yogacharya Dr Ananda
Balayogi Bhavanani, Editor
Yoga has a lot to contribute to the health status of womankind.
Women are the chosen ones blessed with the responsibility of the future of our human race. Healthy mothers give birth to healthy babies and a healthy start has a great future ahead.
Puberty and menopause become easier transitions with the help of Yoga and many eminent Yoginis have said that they were not even aware of a single menopausal symptom as they went through this difficult period in a woman’s life. Similarly our young girls can vouch for the fact that their pubertal changes and menarche has been relatively smoother than their counterparts who don’t practice Yoga.
The benefits of Yoga in terms of family planning are also an important aspect that needs further study, as they can be an effective part of the contraceptive armory. The risk of side effects is negated and the entire control restored to the individuals themselves.
Once conception occurs, Yoga helps the young mother to be, to prepare herself physically and mentally for the upcoming childbirth. Yoga helps open the joints of the pelvis and hip as well as strengthen the abdominal muscles for childbirth.
Later, simple Pranayamas and relaxation techniques help the new mother relax and enjoy the new experience of her life.
Postpartum introduction of simple practices along with breathing, relaxation and a lot of crawling helps her come back to normal earlier and this can be used in all maternity hospitals along with allopathic management.
Yoga practices can also help reduce the drug dosage in medical problems that often complicate a normal pregnancy such as diabetes, asthma and hypertension.
Yoga helps individuals to take their health into their own hands. They learn to make an effort and change their lifestyle for the better so that their health can improve. Lifestyle modification is the buzzword in modern medical circles and Yoga can play a vital role in this regard.
To live a healthy life it is important to do healthy things and follow a healthy lifestyle. Yogic diet, Asanas, Pranayamas, Mudras, Kriyas and relaxation are an important aspect of lifestyle modification.
The theme of this year’s Yoga Day is “Empowering Women through Yoga” and hence the Indian Yoga Association has organised a special event “Celebrating the Women of Yoga” from 1 June to 21 June 2024. To showcase Yoga Shakti, we have been conducting online this special initiative as a 21-day tribute to women Yogacharinis, where we have highlighted the achievements of one of them every day. We have been showcasing the outstanding contributions of such “Women of Yoga” across various Indian Yoga traditions. We believe this endeavor will not only recognize their invaluable contributions but also inspire and empower countless others.