Hormone Yoga

Hormone Yoga as developed by Dinah Rodrigues specifically serves all women who approach or are in their menopausal cycle with its specific symptoms such as heat waves, weight problems, dryness of skin and mucus, hair loss, decrease or lack of libido as well as emotional fluctuations, over-sensitivity, nervousness, moodiness, and memory loss.

Hormone Yoga can be practiced by all women from age 35 through old age regardless of whether one is symptomatic, because, it’s at age 35 that the estrogen level usually begins to decrease. Younger women and teenagers can also benefit if they have hormonal problems such as polycistic ovaries, ovarian cysts, menstrual colics, excess of menstrual bleeding, amenorrhoea, dismenorrhoea, or difficulty becoming pregnant.

Yoga postures, together with strong abdominal breathing, the practice of internal muscular contractions to lock and direct vital energy with visualisations toward the ovaries, thyroid, and pituitary glands (your chief hormone producers) will increase your hormone levels and improve your physical, emotional, and mental states while reducing the stress which comes with these bodily changes. The more you practice regularly, the better your result will be as Dinah Rodrigues has demonstrated in long-term scientific studies.

As there are certain contraindications to this practice, you will have to check with Denise (33.34.19) and, in certain cases, with your gynecologist or doctor. Adaptations to yoga postures and breathing exercises are always possible.

"For 5 months, I practice every day hormone yoga and all day long, I take advantage of its beneficial effects. I feel much more balanced, my immune system has regained strength...What luck to have been introduced to this source of energy!" - C.C.

Hormone Yoga Contraindications

· Pregnancy: pregnant women should practice pregnancy yoga
· After surgery of hormone dependent breast cancer
· After surgery of non-hormone dependent breast cancer – only with medical release to confirm the non-dependence and freedom to exercise
· After surgery of aesthetic breast – only with medical release to exercise
· After hysterectomy – only after medical release to exercise
· After any other surgeries – only after medical release to exercise
· Small mioma – can practice, in some cases it disappears
· Advanced endometriosis (with hormonal increase, endometriosis will grow bigger and as Hormone Yoga Therapy reactiviates the hormonal production, it is better to ask for medical permission and if permitted, never do inverted postures) – you should practice only Hatha Yoga
· Very slight endometriosis – you can practice with medical follow-up.
· After heart surgery – only after doctor’s permission and beginning gradually.
· If you had appendix crises and did not have the appendix removed.
· If you have a heart condition, it is better not to practise, or it is necessary to adapt the exercises.
· Serious osteoporosis – if there is risk of fractures. (but for Osteopeny or light osteoporosis, Hormone Yoga Therapy is recommended.)
· Vertebral Disk hernia – needs adapted exercises and done very carefully. If there is pain, stop and relax.
· Labyrinthitis – begin the practice gradually and with slow movements.
· Non-diagnosed abdominal pain – first go to a doctor to know what is causing the pain.
· Hyperthyroidism – make fewer exercises for thyroid and observe the result.
· Hypertension – it is recommended, but with no breath retention while lungs are full.

Recommendations for the practice

· During menstruation, the practice must be light (eventually suspended depending on your condition). Inverted postures must be avoided because they can create endometriosis. The postures can be adapted.
· Practice with an empty stomach or several hours after a meal.
· An individual or Opening-to-the-Self session is recommended for balancing your emotional and mental states during this specific time of your life. This also will help you find your purpose for the years to come.