Author: Randeep Singh / go to all articles on Yoga cure
Yoga for Ovaries:
Ovaries are the reproductive organs of the female.
All females are born with two ovaries located on the opposite sides of the pelvic rim, attached to each side of the uterus with a stalk like structure called ovarian ligament. Yoga for ovaries health is the best ode for keeping these structures healthy.
At birth ovaries have a undistinguished appearance but they assume the shape and size of a ripe grape with the onset of puberty in females. The ovaries contain follicles, each follicle contain a single egg within itself. A female has around 34000 eggs in both the ovaries before it reaches sexual maturity.
At puberty the pituitary gland releases a hormone which triggers the monthly cycle of maturation, and release of a single, or more eggs from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes lying nearby.
As an egg receives the signal for maturity the follicle containing it moves to the wall of the ovary where it matures. The mature follicle ruptures and releases the egg in the funnel shaped entrance of the fallopian tube lying nearest to it, this process is known as ovulation.
In case the conditions permit – the sperm is present in the fallopian tube – the fertilization of the egg takes place in the fallopian tube itself, in the absence of which the unfertilized egg travels to the uterus , the empty follicle from which the mature egg was released produces the hormone progesterone which prepares the uterus for the prospective pregnancy by thickening its lining with blood vessels.
In case of an unfertilized egg the remnants of the mature follicle stop making progesterone and the body expels the egg along with the blood rich uterine lining through menstruation. A menstrual cycle begins every 28 days.
Ovaries protect the eggs from birth till they are ready to be released, and they also produce two main female hormones the estrogen and the progesterone. Estriol, estradiol, and estron are the three types of estrogen which are responsible for developing different sexual characteristics in the females at puberty.
Relaxin and inhibin are the other two hormones which aid in the process of child birth, relaxin is released at child birth which relaxes the muscles of the pelvis so that the child can pass through it and inhibin stops the production of follicle stimulation hormone as it is not needed during pregnancy.
In case the egg gets fertilized the placenta of the fetus continue producing progesterone which keeps the environment within the uterus conducive for the developing fetus and it stops further ovulation of eggs from the ovaries . At menopause when the production of estrogen ceases the bone mass in the body begins to decrease, estrogen plays a vital role in maintaining and producing new bone cells in the female’s body.
This leads to osteoporosis a condition characterized by brittle or porous bones with decreased bone mass. Ovaries can also be afflicted by ovarian cancer which is indicated by pain in the abdomen, indigestion, excessive bleeding during menstruation, and painful sexual intercourse.
Presence of the ovarian cysts is another disease of the ovaries. Cysts (fluid filled sac like structures) are a common occurrence in females in their fertile years, but some cysts can get enlarged to the extent that they may disrupt the blood supply to the ovaries.
Such cysts need to me removed via surgery. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOD) is the condition where the cysts turn pathological and produces a number of symptoms like pain in the groin area, tenderness of the breasts, inability to conceive, obesity, tiredness, and a hirsutism. PCOD is caused by the overproduction of the androgens.
How Yoga Benefits the Ovaries
The best part to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome with yoga is that it places minimal stress on the body which is actually beneficial for women suffering from this condition as they are emotionally vulnerable owing to the nature of the disease.
Secondly yoga to remove cysts from the ovaries has been found to successfully reduce the production of androgens (the causative agent) inside the body. Yoga exercises for ovarian cysts help reduce body weight by improving metabolism, Obesity has been found to be directly linked to the formation of cysts in the ovaries.
Yoga for PCOS when combined with low fat diet help by keeping the cholesterol levels in the blood on the lower side.
The practice of yoga releases endorphins (feel good mood elevating hormones) in the bloodstream; this benefits the women suffering from PCOD as they have the tendency to develop depression due to the psychological dimensions of the disease.
The forward bending asanas apply the requisite compression on the organs of the abdominal region which benefit by flushing out the stagnant blood from the area and replenishing it with fresh nutrient rich blood. The health of the blood supplied to the organs is directly related to the health of the organs itself.
Inverted asanas which form an important part of the yoga exercises for ovarian cysts drain the venous blood from the pelvic region due to the reversal of the pull of gravity in yoga inversions.
Ovarian Cysts treatment at home with Yoga
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