77-year-old yoga expert Hansaji Yogendra shares menopause tips: Focus on yoga, nutrition, and emotional self-reliance
According to Hansaji, menopause wasn't a big topic during the time of her mother, who too hit menopause in her late 50s. But today, with growing awareness and open conversations, women are learning to navigate its ups and downs in a better way.
In an interview to Health Shots, Hansaji Yogendra, the Director of The Yoga Institute, offers holistic lifestyle tips that helped her sail through this natural transition — both physically and emotionally. "Do yoga, do Pranayam, meditate, walk more, be in nature, eat healthy... and you will be able to manage stress well,' she says.
Diet and nutrition tips
Hansaji Yogendra says it is important to eat healthy and balanced meals with the right nutrients, especially post-50 when vitamin and mineral levels tend to drop.
* Add nuts to your diet: Hansaji shares that she consumed soaked almonds and groundnuts regularly so that her body would get sufficient amount of protein and fiber
* Eat sprouts and other protein-rich foods for a natural protein boost
* Get calcium, vitamin D3, vitamin B12 through food or supplements
* Focus on bone health through your diet to fight the risks of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
* Stay hydrated with water, lemon juice and coconut water
Yoga for menopause
Don't underestimate the power of yoga for menopause management. According to Hansaji Yogendra, regular yoga practice will not only help women stay physically active, but also help them in staying cool and calm while facing hot flushes.
"I would always do Pranayam to regulate my cooling system," she says.
Practice Pranayam: When you feel hot, breathe in from your left side, and breathe out from your right. "Do this for 10 rounds and you will feel cool and fine," she adds.
Do daily yoga for digestion
Add exercises to keep your spine healthy
How to deal with emotional challenges of menopause?
The physical challenges that come with menopause are rarely discussed by women openly since it is connected with their fertility. What also goes silently unnoticed is the emotional toll that comes with it.
Hansaji Yogendra notes that a woman hits menopause at a stage of life where she already has to deal with alterations in their daily life and support system. Her children would have grown up and moved out of home, the husband may be busy with work. "Sometimes, a woman may end up feeling worthless or not required sort in the house," she says.
But that's where she also suggests ways to find emotional stability.
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