Menopause: Yoga and the Endocrine System

Excerpted from
Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause: A Guide to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Health at Midlife and Beyond
By Suza Francina

A woman's physical well-being during the menopausal years depends on the healthy functioning of her endocrine (hormone-producing) glands. In order to understand just how important the endocrine system is during menopause, it is helpful to have some basic information about its structure and function.

Comprised of small bits of tissue, the endocrine (meaning "in pouring") glands are internal secretion - or ductless-glands. They differ from external secretion glands, such as sweat or tear glands, because they secrete substances directly into the bloodstream rather than pouring them out through a tube or duct. The substances secreted by the endocrine glands are called hormones, also described as "biochemical messengers" of the blood.

Hormones, even in extremely tiny amounts, are unbelievably potent; they direct and regulate much of the subtle biochemistry of life. They are distributed to all parts of the body and have tremendous influence not only on our physical bodies, but also on our temperament, mental capacity, energy, personality and outlook on life.

A woman's body is quite capable of adjusting to the hormonal changes that occur when the ovaries slow down. The sex hormones-estrogen, progesterone and the androgens-are produced in body fat, skin, the brain, the adrenal glands and other sites besides the ovaries, as the need arises. If all our other glands are functioning well, they will, in most cases, continue to produce all the hormones a woman needs for the rest of her life.

The Endocrine Glands

The major glands of the endocrine system are: the pituitary gland, imbedded deep in the skull at the base of the brain; the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that lies just above the pituitary; the pineal gland, also located near the pituitary; the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland at the base of the neck (the throat region); the parathyroid glands, located behind the thyroid; the islets of Langerhans, in the pancreas; the two adrenal glands located above the right and left kidneys; and the two almond-shaped ovaries located in the bowl of the pelvis.

The thyroid gland, the comparative giant in size, weighs approximately one ounce; the parathyroids are so tiny that they are scarcely visible; the adrenal glands are about the size of a small lima bean; and the pituitary is about half an inch long-the size of a pea. The pituitary controls the function of most other endocrine glands and is, in turn, controlled by the hypothalamus. As the master gland, the pituitary regulates the other glands and performs important functions of its own, including those governing a woman's reproductive cycle.

The hypothalamus controls and integrates parts of the nervous system and endocrine processes, and many bodily functions such as temperature, sleep and appetite.

The functions of the pineal gland are not yet fully understood by modern science, but some yogis and other mystics believe that there is a strong connection between the pineal gland and our spiritual life.

Science has discovered that the pineal gland is affected by exposure to light and seasonal changes, which appear to regulate rhythms of fertility and sexual activity. The pineal gland produces a hormone called melatonin, as well as other substances, which influence the health of the immune system.

The ancient yogis believed that the pineal gland secretes a special fluid or nectar-called amrita-which is important to longevity. Turning the body upside down helps increase and retain this regenerative substance. Naturopath Farida Sharan writes in Creative Menopause that, "The pineal gland responds to the influence of the cosmos, the stars, the plants, seasons . . . colors, vibrations. sound and light, connecting the macrocosm of universal destiny to the microcosm of our personal destiny."

The islets of Langerhans are clusters of endocrine cells located in the pancreas that secrete insulin. Their principal function is to regulate carbohydrate metabolism-that is, blood sugar level, which is vital to our overall health, mood and energy. When we ingest sugar, our blood sugar level goes up. The islets of Langerhans detect this excess sugar in the blood and secrete insulin, which brings the blood sugar level back to normal.

The ovaries are the female equivalent of the male testes. They are an important producer of androgens, the hormones involved in normal sex drive. Normal menopause, with ovaries and uterus intact, is a natural physiological event that takes place over a period of several years. As the ovaries gradually retire from producing eggs, the adrenal glands and other organs take over some hormone production, as does body fat and other body sites. During menopause, the ovaries secrete smaller and smaller amounts of estrogen and progesterone, and egg release (ovulation) eventually stops.

All the glands in the endocrine system work together. Each gland has an influence on all the others, and the interactions of the various hormones are vital to the health of the whole endocrine system. Because these glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, they have the capacity to respond to emergencies in a matter of seconds, directing the various systems of the body into action.

Although these powerful glands are relatively small compared to the body's organs and muscles, they have far-reaching effects on every physiological function of the body. Any disorder in even one gland can have serious repercussions for the body's health.

Yoga, Menopause and Thyroid Function

According to Christiane Northrup, M.D., and John R. Lee, M.D., thyroid problems are very common during the perimenopausal and postmenopausal years. Estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormones are interrelated. The thyroid gland regulates your metabolism, stimulates growth and helps protect the body from infection. Among the most common menopausal symptoms connected to thyroid function are mood disturbances (most often seen in the form of depression and irritability), low energy level, constipation, cold intolerance, weight gain, mental confusion and sleep disturbances. Many yoga poses, especially the Shoulderstand, are well known for improving the functioning of the thyroid and parathyroid gland.