Monthly Moves
If you're all too familiar with crying jags, sore breasts, angry outbursts, bloating, and chocolate cravings once a...
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(07/25/07) If you're all too familiar with crying jags, sore breasts, angry outbursts, bloating, and chocolate cravings once a month, join the crowd. Almost 40 percent of American women go through the torture of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). But regular yoga practice helps prevent PMS symptoms in three ways. First, it releases endorphins, the body's natural mood-elevating compounds, says Linda Sparrowe, coauthor (with Patricia Walden) of Yoga for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle (Shambhala, 2004). Second, it calms the central nervous system and increases the flow of oxygenated blood to the reproductive organs. Third, it eases stress and encourages deep relaxation, which further mutes the symptoms of PMS. Sparrowe recommends 30 minutes of active yoga, including standing poses and inversions—such as Handstand and Shoulderstand—at least four times a week. If depression is part of your PMS, she suggests opening the chest with gentle backbends. "Backbends lift the spirits," she says. However, for PMS days and...See less
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