HEALTHY NEWS
I am linked in with a Yoga and Nutrition Group on LinkedIn. Carl Germano is a member and the source of this week’s “healthy news”:
Carl Germano, RD, CNS, CDN
Chief Science Officer/Inergetics, Founder/OmEssentials
Greater New York City Area
Yoga Nidra For Menstrual Disturbances – Balancing Yoga and Hormones
Over the past few months, several published clinical trials continue to confirm the efficacy of Yoga Nidra in treating various menstrual disturbances (blood pressure, postural hypotension, muscular strength, heart rate expiration, mild to moderate anxiety, pain & GI problems). With several hundred women participating in the 3 studies referenced below, regular yoga nidra practice over 6 month periods resulted in significant improvements in pain symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, cardiovascular symptoms, urogenital symptoms, mild anxiety/depressive symptoms, blood pressure, heart rate and muscular strength were made.
The fluctuations of certain hormones during menstruation that cause discomfort, pain, anxiety, etc. is common knowledge. From a clinical nutrition perspective, cleaning up the diet by avoiding sugar, saturated fat, caffeine and salt while focusing on a more plant based diet is a must. Specific nutrient focus on supplementing with magnesium, calcium and nutrients to help build red blood cells (B12, folic acid, B6, nucleotides, spirulina, wheta grass and gentle forms of iron such as iron bisglycinate) are recommended. Finally, special attention to balancing hormones is in order here and the use of certain herbs such as dong quai, ashwaganda, black cohosh and chaste berry have been helpful. Finally, a good whole food multivitamin/mineral is highly recommended.
Here are the references:
1) Effect of Yoga Nidra on physiological variables in patients of menstrual disturbances of reproductive age group. Monika, Singh U, et al., Indian J Physiol Pharmacol. 2012 Apr-Jun;56(2):161-7.
2) Yoga Nidra as a complementary treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in patients with menstrual disorder. Rani K, et al., Int J Yoga. 2012 Jan;5(1):52-6.
3) Six-month trial of Yoga Nidra in menstrual disorder patients: Effects on somatoform symptoms.
Rani K, et al., Ind Psychiatry J. 2011 Jul;20(2):97-102.
