Polycystic ovarian disease or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a big concern nowadays, especially for women of reproductive age, due to changing lifestyles, eating habits, and stress levels.
You can control the symptoms of PCOS with a healthy diet and exercise. However, one of the best ways to manage PCOS is through yoga. Here are 5 yoga asanas for that will help in dealing with PCOS and its symptoms:
1. Kapalbhati Pranayam or Breathing Exercise
This method primarily involves breathing and aims to balance glandular output, lessen oxidative stress, and improve blood circulation throughout the body. In addition, it positively impacts the pancreas, which helps with weight loss. It is one of the best PCOS exercises because of this.
Steps to Perform Breathing Yoga Exercise:
• Sit in padmasana with your hands on your knees and your eyes closed.
• Block your right nostril with your right thumb and breathe in slowly through your left nose.
• After slowly removing your thumb from your right nostril, breathe out. Exhale from your right nostril, then close your left nostril with your middle finger.
• Spend 15 minutes performing this exercise. Keep your focus on your breathing.
2. Surya Namaskar or Sun Salutation
The Surya Namaskar is one of the most recommended yoga poses for PCOS. The sun salutation yoga stance can help with weight loss, removing waist and hip fat, and controlling the menstrual cycle (irregular periods can be held).
Here’s how to perform this exercise in steps:
• Maintaining a straight posture while putting equal weight on both feet. Keep your feet close together.
• Expand your chest and relax your shoulders.
• As you inhale, raise both arms out to the sides. Then, as you exhale, clasp your hands in front of your chest in a prayer stance.
• Inhale deeply and extend your entire body, from your toes to your heels.
• Exhale, then bend forward to touch your toes while maintaining a straight spine.
• Straighten your right leg as you push it back. View directly
• Take a push-up and hold it for a few seconds.
• Put yourself in the “cobra pose” (bhujangasana).
• Perform this yoga pose while continuing to breathe in and out. Return to standing now. Now get back to standing straight and touch your feet.
3. Padma Sadhna or Lotus Meditation
This pose offers intense relaxation, making it perfect for PCOS yoga. Since it benefits both sexes’ reproductive systems, it benefits both men and women. Throughout the menstrual cycle, sitting in a padmasana can dramatically lessen cramps in women.
Steps to Perform Lotus Meditation Yoga for PCOS:
• Spin your body four times in each clockwise and counterclockwise direction while seated in a half-lotus position.
• Lay on your stomach on the floor with your head raised and your feet parallel to the floor to enter Makarasana, commonly known as the crocodile pose.
• One at a time, raise your feet from the floor as you progressively move into Ardha salabhasana.
• To move into Poorna salabhasana, place your palms beneath your pelvis and lift both limbs off the ground.
• It’s now time for Bhujangasana, which entails gradually bending backwards while maintaining close proximity with both hands on the shoulders. Again, your navel should be on the floor, and your head should look up.
• Maintaining your stomach on the mat while lifting your hands and legs off the ground, perform Viprit Salabhasana.
• To do Dhanurasana, place your hands in a bow form with your torso and grab both of your feet.
4. Bhujangasana or the Cobra Pose
The cobra pose, also known as bhujangasana, can help control the menstrual cycle. It enables the body to become flexible and reduces tension. This pose is frequently mentioned in lists of yoga for PCOS issues. Additionally, enhancing conception, this stance will assist in improving pelvic blood flow.
Steps to Perform Cobra Pose:
• Lay flat on the ground. Keep your elbows close to your body and face down with your palms out.
• Try to lean back as much as you can as you inhale by starting to straighten your arms to raise your chest off the ground.
• Your navel ought to be touching the earth.
• Hold this posture for 15–30 seconds before taking a calm, downward breath.
5. Supta Badhakonasana or the Reclining Butterfly Pose
The reclining butterfly pose, also known as Supta Badhakonasana, is a very soothing and successful method of treating PCOS. It is one of the best yoga poses for opening up the pelvic area and focusing on soothing the mind, body, and spirit.
Steps to Perform Reclining Butterfly Pose:
• Laying flat on your back can help you unwind.
• Pull your legs together so that you are in the butterfly position.
• Draw your hands as close to your torso as you can while holding your feet together.
• After five minutes of maintaining this position, take a five-minute break. Repeat and unwind.
Yoga won’t help with PCOS. No medication can treat PCOS. Contrarily, yoga can significantly lower PCOS symptoms, especially those that affect fertility and reduce your requirement for hormone-regulatory medicines or tablets. For a healthy lifestyle, practise the yoga positions for PCOS described above.
