September is National Yoga Month, so to honor this amazing practice, I will feature a variety of yoga exercises and/or poses that help to ease a variety of health concerns.
Lets start with a basic understanding of the different types of yoga you may see offered at your local gym or yoga studio.
- Hathathe basis for most other forms of yoga. It is usually slower and geared toward those new to the practice.
- Iyengaruses props, such as straps, blocks, blankets, etc.
- Ashtangainvolves synchronizing breath with movement. It is usually a pretty quick-paced practice.
- Anusarabuilt on impeccable alignment, which in turn helps develop the flexibility and muscle tone to support flawless body mechanics.
- Bikram, or hot, yogathe teacher turns up the heat up in the room during the practice.
- Power yogamore of a gym workout than a discipline. It’s usually a combination of Ashtanga and Bikram yogas.
Depending on your hormone profile (i.e. do you have estrogen dominance, are you in premenopause, or do you suffer from menopause symptoms), you will want to choose your yoga practice carefully.
Women with estrogen dominance should opt for faster, hotter, more aerobic forms of yoga, such as ashtanga, bikram or hot yoga, and power yoga. Women looking for menopause relief are better suited to the slower, cooler forms like hatha, iyengar, and anusara yoga.
For more information on female hormones and other health concerns, visit Dr. Larks Web site.