That’s why the integrative clinic I
cofounded with my husband Joe Clarke
and friend Carla Vidor blends TCM
methods with the diagnostic tools of
functional medicine. In addition to
checking pulse and tongue, we review
bloodwork to uncover underlying
conditions, like thyroid issues or gut
infections, so we can treat the cause of
imbalance.
When we talk about hormonal
balance in women, I believe stress
management is a good place to start.
We work at such a crazed pace in our
culture, and we value doing—there is
no surrender of being. Though we don’t
face tigers every day, we live in constant
state of fi ght-or-fl ight.
The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal
(HPA) axis is a negative feedback loop
that regulates stress response. Within
seconds of encountering stress, the
brain’s hypothalamus secretes cortico-
tropin-releasing hormone (CRH), initi-
ating a game of telephone. CRH tells the
anterior pituitary gland to produce
adreno-corticotropic hormone, which
prompts the adrenals to release cortisol.
The “stress” hormone cortisol plays a
critical role in quality of sleep. Cortisoland melatonin (the “sleep” hormone)
have an inverse relationship,
tag-teaming your circadian rhythms.
At night, with cortisol at bay, you fall
asleep as melatonin peaks. Then,
melatonin tapers as cortisol gradually
rises until it spikes and awakens you the
next morning. Cortisol ebbs during the
day as melatonin rises, culminating in
bedtime. And so on.
But chronic stress scrambles this
process. Cortisol levels skyrocket into
the evening, and an overwhelming
week can both exhaust you and cause
insomnia.
There are other negative feedback
loops that signal to the thyroid and
ovaries. If imbalances go on for too
long, they can alter or even shut down
reproductive function, as well as impact
your metabolism, immune system,
and cardiovascular health.
Getting out of survival mode gives
your nervous system a chance to recover.
In a resting state, you can stabilise
cortisol patterns, regulate your
reproductive system, and restore a
blissful sleep cycle. Try it for yourself
with the calming practices on the
following pages.A YOGA PRACTICE that prioritises stillness
can calm your nervous system and
harmonse your HPA axis. Remember,
if you are pushing full throttle at work
and home—and eating processed
foods—you can’t push your yoga practice
as well.
I designed this hormone-balancing
sequence to induce both the relaxation
response as well as detox. Our organs are
overloaded with harmful chemicals, so
twists help clean out your liver, colon,
even your ovaries. Plus, once you release
abdominal compressions, fresh blood
rushes back into your uterus and ovaries
to create more cell activity and build (and
shed) endometrial lining. All postures
below, except Savasana (Corpse Pose),
should be done using Ujjayi (Victorious)
Breathing.
Finally, the acupressure meditations
included here build a heightened sense of
awareness in your subtle body. In TCM, it
isn’t the pressure or needles themselves
that heal us. Rather, they offer an
energetic suggestion, creating conditions
so your body can begin healing itself.
My yoga teacher Ron Reid used to say
that energy follows intention, and in my
life I’ve seen that to be true.MODEL: MARIA VILLELLA; LOCATION: THE URBAN JUNGLE STUDIO, LOS ANGELES;HAIR/MAKEUP: MICHELLE HODNETT; CLOTHING: MODEL’S OWN1 MATSYASANA, VARIATION
Fish PoseThis restorative pose opens your chest and counters a deskbound (or device-centric) lifestyle,
which can cause neck and upper-back tension. Place a block at medium height, the long way,
between your shoulder blades. Place another at the same height underneath the back of
your head, like a pillow. Keep your palms up; relax your legs, arms, and face; and focus on
breathing. Stay here for 3–5 minutes.Ever fall
asleep
just to jolt
awake
at 3 a.m.?
Poor blood sugar management
may be to blame. After all, stress
doesn’t exactly help with healthy
eating habits. Plunging blood
sugar can trigger an emergency
response: hormones like cortisol,
adrenaline, and glucagon surge
to extract glucose from the
muscles and liver in order to feed
the brain and body. The solution:
Eat more wild-caught fish,
legumes, nuts, seeds, and
avocados. As slower-burning
sources of energy, they can
prevent spikes and crashes.54
april 2019yogajournal.com.au