Hot Flashes, Menopause and Yoga

Are you having hot flashes? Heart palpitations? Maybe yoga can help. I know I'm going to start doing this sequence as recommended by De-Stress Yoga with Mimi, and from "The Women's Book of Yoga & Health" by Linda Sparrowe and Patricia Walden, to help me with my issues. Here are the sequences.

1. Bound Angle Pose (Seated Butterfly). May be upon a block or folded blanket. This pose increases circulation to your abdomen and pelvis, toning and improving function in your reproductive organs. Stay in the pose about a minute.
2. Wide-Angle Seated Pose I (Seated Letter "V" Legs). Legs wide apart, flex feet, may be upon a block or folded blanket. This pose helps increase circulation to your pelvis, stimulate and improve circulation to your ovaries, and lift and tone your uterus. Stay in the pose about a minute.
3. Head on Knee Pose. Seated, bring right leg to the inside of the left leg, hinge forward, optional place chair at the end of the right leg, hinge forward, placing forearms on the seat of a chair. Stay in the pose 1-2 minutes, switch sides. This pose helps revitalize your adrenal glands, which can help mitigate hot flashes.
4. Wide-Angle Standing Forward Bend. Standing, bring feet wide, hinge forward, with a blanket folded place your head upon the blanket as you hang upside down. Stay in the pose one minute. Great inversion! This pose helps calm your mind and relieve the stress that can cause hot flashes.
5. Downward Facing Dog. With a folded blanket or block to rest your head upon. Try this pose to relieve anxiety, tone and relax your nervous system, and to relieve hot flashes.
6. Headstand. Only do this one, if it is already a part of your practice and you can so the headstand safely. This pose helps stimulate blood flow to your brain. Many women find standing on their heads helps relieve hot flashes. Do this one caution, especially if you already have neck or back problems.
7. Shoulderstand. Only do this one if it is already a part of your practice.Caution, if you suffer neck or back problems, skip this one. This pose is calming and soothing for your nervous system and excellent for relieving hot flashes.
8. Half-Plough pose. Again, with caution, and no, if you have neck/back issues. This pose helops calm anxiety and nervousness and relieve hot flashes.
9. Bridge Pose with a bolster/folded blanket under the back and hips, and a bolster/folded blanket underneath the feet. This pose is great if you're trying to cool down your hot flashes and re-balance your thyroid and parathyroid glands.
10. Reclined Butterfly (Reclined Bound Angle Pose). Bolsters underneath the low back, running up the spine and past the head. Optionally binding the legs with a yoga strap. This pose is comforting, cooling, and supporting when you have hot flashes.
    
11. Legs Up the Wall Pose. If you experience a jittery feeling with your hot flashes, this pose may be all you need to feel more balanced and in control. Remain in this position, breathing normally for 3 to 5 minutes.
12. Corpse Pose. Final Relaxation. Close your eyes and let everything relax. Visualize heat rising up and out of you with every breath you take. An eyebag draped over your eyes will help quiet external distractions. Remain in this pose for 10 minutes, breathing normally.

1. Bound Angle pose (Butter fly) - Rachel my second oldest.

2. Wide Angle Seated Pose I - Grace my youngest.

3. Seated Forward Bend with a chair.

4. Wide-Angle Standing Forward Bend.
With a block or pillow/blanket to actively rest your head

5. Downward Facing Dog.

7. Shoulderstand in its
traditional format. Can be done
with a chair

8. Half Plough Pose. Can be done
with chairs/bolsters.

9. Bridge Pose. With Bolsters
underneath the hips/legs and feet

10. Reclined Butterfly Pose

11. Legs Up the Wall Pose

12. Corpse Pose.