Most of the women reaching 45 years of age start experiencing unpleasant symptoms like feeling at physical and mental levels like feeling of extreme heat, suffocation, restlessness, unexplained pains, irritability etc. These are called as Perimenopausal symptoms. Perimenopausal phase refers to the approximate year preceding menopause. This period is characterized by irregularity of periods mainly and is associated with the increase in weight, recurrent infections etc.

Perimenopausal symptoms can be defined as a group of unpleasant symptoms which a woman experiences just before and after cessation of periods. These symptoms include hot flushes followed by sweating, altered or hyper-sensations which take the form of feeling of pins & needles in the limbs, headaches, irritability and depression. Apart from these, many physiological symptoms also appear which include pain in joints, backache etc.

Many studies done in this regard have observed low to moderate level of anxiety, depression, social dysfunction and somatic symptoms as well as psycho-social stress in middle-aged women can lead to aggravation in the perimenopausal symptoms. Faulty lifestyle has also been observed as a trigger for menopausal symptoms.

The observation reveals that the mounting stress, alterations in lifestyle, and heightened women's obligations have subjected them to immense physical and psychological strain, consequently causing sudden, atypical shifts within their bodies.  Not only Yoga and Nature Cure but even the modern medical science believes that stress leads to a number of hormonal changes in body which imbalances the normal functioning of the body. Even the Fight and Flight reaction due to adrenaline production proves the same. It is widely recognized that the Fight and Flight response leads to the cessation of reproductive function, a well-established phenomenon in the human body. Prolonged stress adversely affects the menstrual functions.

It is now a well-established fact that stress is the case of many menstrual problems ranging from temporary Amenorrhea to Dysmenorrhea, severe pain faced by the girl during the menstrual cycle. This also holds true for a number of psychological & physiological symptom which most women face before and after menopause.       

This article is an effort to establish yogic practices and nature cure treatments can help to relieve these symptoms and offer an effective, safe and cheap cure as has been claimed by various yoga gurus and nature cure practitioners.

Yogic practices have always been found to give relief to patients not only from the physical & physiological problems but also from the stress and other psychological symptoms like irritability, anxiety and depression. Yogic practices bring about a number of psycho-physiological changes in body including variations in hormonal levels of the blood. The main objective of this study is to confirm this fact using a specific sample.

Likewise, Nature cure therapies harness the diverse components found in nature to address various health issues, employing them in varied temperatures and forms to impact diverse metabolic processes within the body. There is a hypothesis that employing different elements at varying temperatures and durations induces multiple changes in the body, consequently influencing metabolic processes like secretion of hormones, functioning of an organ etc.

Thus, Yoga and Naturopathy are effective in the treatment of above stated problem.

The Yogic therapy session will include:

• Sukshma yogic exercise, Butterfly poses (5 min.)
• Asanas: Marjariasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Bhadrasana, Katichakrasana, Dhanurasana, Sarvangasana, Matsyasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana.  (30 min) 
• Pranayamas: Anuloma Viloma, Bhramari, Ujjayi.  (20 min)
• Kriyas – Kapalbhati, Trataka (5 min each)                 

The Naturopathy session will include:

• A wet towel on the abdomen empty stomach in the morning (Cold Compress) - (20 min./ daily)
• Soaking the feet and hands in warm water in evening  (5 min/ daily)
• Diet Modifications: Naturopathic diet with plenty of water, sprouts and fruits and vegetables is advised. Refined, preserved and spicy food should be avoided. Meal timings should be regular.

Thus, Yoga and Naturopathy can play an important role in helping the women of perimenopausal age in reducing the severity and frequency of the unpleasant symptoms experienced by these women, thus improving the quality and socioeconomic productivity of their life. Regular practice of yoga helps the women to cope up with the hormonal changes and their unpleasant effects.

Tags : #Yoga #Naturopathy #Menopause #YogicPractices #HormonalChanges #PsychoPhysiologicalChanges #StressManagement #HealthandWellbeing #WomenHealth #HolisticHealth #PsychoSocialStress #MenopauseRelief #YogicTherapy #NaturopathicDiet #HormonalBalance #YogaforWomen #NatureBasedHealing

Writer : Dr. Jyoti Keswani