Influence of Iyengar Yoga on the Bio-functional Age of Postmenopausal Women

Inclusion Criteria: * Informed consent * Women after Menopause (defined as 12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea or 6 months of spontaneous amenorrhea with serum FSH levels \>40mlU/ml or 6 weeks postsurgical bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy) * Age over 18 years * At least 4 hot flushes per day (examined through the Menopause rating scale MRS-II) * No regular yoga practice for two years * German as native language * Willing to participate in 12 yoga classes as well as two 45 self practice sessions per week * Willing to assess biofunctional Status and give blood samples Exclusion Criteria: * Acute and/or serious disease in the past two years (e.g. Cancer, major surgery) * Autoimmune or chronic inflammatory disease (e.g. rheumatism, thyroid dysfunction) * Mental illness (e.g. Depression or anxiety disorder (HADS \>8)) * Acute or chronic back pain or herniated vertebral disc * Compulsion to participate in the trial * Attendance of less than 10 yoga lessons out of 12. * Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) * Smoking \> 20 Cigarettes per day or over 20 packyears * Consumption of \>30g alcohol per day (\>1 liter of beer or \>0.3 dl of wine) * Previous periodic participation in yoga classes within the last two years * Inability or contraindications to undergo the investigated intervention * Participants incapable of judgement or participants under tutelage Diabetes mellitus