The increasing popularity of yoga nowadays is well justified. The timeless wisdom of our ancestors proves to be effective once again for the problems that we as modern individuals have to face. Yoga has a wide variety of positive effects over our health as well as our metal state being a useful addition in the majority of the conventional treatments we use today.
Yoga can offer relief from the usual problems women have to face each month trough a combination of a series of poses as well as deep breathing exercises which have a natural calming effect.
Basically, yoga postures reduce the contractions of the uterus which are responsible for triggering the pain hormones that cause menstrual cramps. In addition to recommending a certain set of motions paired with deep breathing techniques the yoga philosophy also recommends mindfulness when it comes to our eating habits. Consuming whole foods and staying away from processed foods especially refined sugars are basic guidelines that should be considered especially during this time of month when our body is more sensitive than usual. 
The yoga poses recommended for fighting menstrual cramps are not strenuous but on the contrary are based on gentle movements that have a relaxing effect and that can promote a better rest. Strenuous types of exercises should be avoided as they can only make the symptoms worse.
On the same token, complicated yoga poses that require a lot of physical effort as well as inverted postures should be avoided as they will increase the blood flow due to vascular congestion. The following sequence of exercises have proven to be the most effective ones in treating menstrual cramps as well as PMS.
Cobra pose is a very simple yet very effective for toning the uterus, relieving lower back pain and for relieving tension after a though day, having a calming effect on the body. Perfect for beginners this posture can be used as a warm-up for the yoga session. In the beginning lie on your stomach with your leg stretched backwards.
Place the hands on the floor beside the pectoral muscles. Next put your hands under your shoulders with your palms down. Take a deep breath and then start lifting your chest, arching the back as much as you comfortably can. Inhale, holding this position for approximately 30 seconds then exhale while you slowly lower back onto the floor. Repeat this posture 5 times. 
Half moon pose offers a lot of benefits for a wide area of of conditions including gastritis, indigestion, osteoporosis and of course, menstrual pain. This pose strengthens the abdomen, stretches the hamstrings and improves coordination. Start by performing a low lunge with the hips square to the side of the wall and extend the arms, keeping a straight posture.
Next, try slowly reaching forward putting the front hand onto the floor. Strengthen the front knee and start raising the back leg, making sure that maintain a proper form. Extend one hand towards the ceiling, keeping the leg parallel to the floor. While in this position take a few deep breaths and go back to the original position, repeating this posture for the other side as well. 
Bow pose is a little more challenging but it’s one of the most effective poses for fighting abdominal pain while offering a powerful entire front body stretch. This posture should be avoided by those who suffer from back pain. To perform this posture lie on stomach keeping the hands on the side of the body.
From this position, start bending your knees, keeping the feet close to the buttocks. Then bend backwards slowly, reaching to the the ankles and hold them. Keeping the arms straight, raise your thighs from the floor. Your body weight should be placed on the stomach instead of the pelvis. Hold this pose for approximately 20 seconds and release. This posture can be quite challenging during this time of the month so it’s important to listen to your body and only stretch as much as you feel comfortable.
