YOGA AS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

The yoga system is deemed as a healing practice. Coupled with breathing yoga exercises, meditation, and physical postures, yoga has been practiced and observed for more than 5,000 years. It is particularly valuable form of exercise for people with certain health conditions, including heart disease and hypertension, back and muscle problems, and asthma. It has been proven that the practice of yoga can counter ill effects that stress the physical, emotional, and mental states.

While yoga developed as a spiritual practice in various Hindu religions, a part of yoga, known as asana, has been all the rage in Western cultures as a pure form of physical exercise. Western cultures have adapted forms of yoga but have little or nothing to do with Hinduism or spirituality. Yoga is seen simply as a way to stay healthy and fit.

Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga in American society during the late 19th century. He is the founder of the Vedanta Society and alleged that India has a profusion of spiritual well-being and that yoga is a means that can help those who were too busy being tied by the materialistic views of capitalism to attain self-realization.

The introduction of yoga spawned an argument stating that it is drafting in an ancient spiritual philosophy in modernized cultures. Because yoga mirrors the ideals of health, harmony, and balance, it suits well in meeting the challenges of contemporary times. The adjustment of cultures in Europe and America in connection to yoga can be seen as a responsive celebration of multi-cultural reception. Yoga seeping through the Westernized stream promotes more tolerant and more open-minded cultural dispositions.
For lots of people, yoga is regarded as a sacred practice that calms the nerves and balances the body, mind, and spirit. It is thought by its practitioners to foil certain diseases and ailment troubles by maintaining the energy crests open and life energy prolific. Yoga is typically practiced in classes that go on for hours. Yoga also helps in lowering blood pressure, reduces stress, and enhances coordination, digestion, concentration, flexibility, and sleep. Assigning yourself to do a yoga exercise actually helps in supplementing therapeutic remedies for serious conditions such as cancer, asthma, diabetes, AIDS, and even ailments like urinary tract infections.

Yoga benefits are seen as an alternative medicine, helps relieve the upshots of chronic stress in a variety of ways. With the use of a supportive, serene atmosphere, the tranquil setting calls for total relaxation. Each yoga sequence is intended to stir the spine in all directions. An inverse yoga position counters the effects of gravity. Because people sit and stand all day, blood and lymph fluid mount up in the lower extremities. By changing the rapport of the legs to gravity, fluids are transported to the upper body and heart function is improved.

Yoga ultimately stimulates and pacifies the organs. With this motion of blood comes the improved switching of oxygen and waste products across the cell membrane. Finally, yoga teaches that the body has different illuminated energies. The masculine energy called Prana, dwells above the diaphragm, moves upward, and handles respiration and heart rate control. The feminine energy Apana, inhabits under the diaphragm, moves downward, and manages the function of the abdominal organs. Yoga balances these two elements of energy so that the practitioner is neither over stimulated nor worn-out.

Taken from: http://www.freshpainted.com/yoga-as-alternative-medicine/

It’s that time of year. Bells are jingling, children are caroling and eggnog is flowing.

The pros? The holidays can be a source of joy and celebration, a chance to catch up with old friends and family. If you play it right you can unplug from technology and enjoy face-to-face conversation with loved ones.

The cons? Holiday time is often overwhelming and it can feel superficial. Between the shopping, food prep and dysfunctional family interactions, it can be stressful. We can spend a whole month or more recovering from the excess food, drink and general slothfulness.

Through a practice of yoga, mindfulness and good boundaries it is possible to finesse the hustle of the season, and keep the holidays sacred. Here are some of the strategies I’ve used in past years.

Do a Solstice Practice

The holidays fall close to Solstice, the darkest, longest day of the year. Honor this earth-based holiday by doing what nature is already doing: turning inward.

Solstice is the final exhalation of the year, the pause before the return of the light. As the earth is stripped down to its essentials, notice what is falling away or not authentic anymore in your life. Solstice is a time to ask yourself, “What is no longer authentic to me?”

In your journal, write about the following areas of your life:

>>Relationships/ family

>>Community

>>Career

>>Health

>>Finances

>>Self/ Spiritual Practice

What is the next chapter for each of these categories? Contemplate what needs to end and what needs to begin. Once you know that, you will be ready to focus on bringing more light and fresh life to your heart’s desires as the sun begins to offer more light to all of nature.

Have Candlelight

Celebrate the light that’s coming by lighting lots of candles in your home or room! This will help you to create a cheerful and bright mood and remember the sacred significance of solstice.

Remember to skip the paraffin candles and use beeswax or soy instead. Paraffin is bad for your lungs and means oil drilling had to happen to make them.  Try candles scented with evergreen, pine or clove essential oil to keep the mood wintery and festive.

Conscious Gift Giving

This year, make the choice to give meaningful gifts that go beyond consumerism and actually make the world a better place.

For the animal loving children and adults in your life, consider adopting their favorite animal in need in their name—a penguin or polar bear perhaps?

Or imagine opening a child’s worldview and sense of giving by adopting a child in a developing country, with whom they could write and share photos during the child’s upbringing?

Make sure to use eco-friendly, recycled wrapping paper. Or even better, get creative with fun fabrics that you can put in storage and reuse next year. I also love going out in nature to collect pine cones, and snippets of evergreen to tie on to gifts with hemp twine instead of ribbon.

Holiday Recipes

If you are used to being bombarded by white sugar, wine and other holiday indulgences that leave you feeling crashed out by the end of the evening, take a stand and do something different this year!

Either host holiday parties yourself or bring healthy treats to social events. Your friends and family will hopefully thank you for providing something that keeps them healthy. And if they just don’t get it—to each their own!

• This colorful kale pomegranate salad recipe is always a hit at my holiday parties. The vibrant green of the kale and bright red of the pomegranate seeds are totally festive.

•  I love this creamy raw cashew “chevre” with Herbes de Provence recipe as an appetizer alternative to cheesy dips.

• Also, these raw zucchini wraps make perfect cocktail party treats that your guests can pop into their mouths while catching up with each other.

The holidays wouldn’t be complete without a crave-worthy dessert. But there’s no reason why you should turn to white sugar or flour, or even agave, to satisfy your hunger for sweetness.

Check out these chewy, crunchy delicious raw ginger snap cookies made with real ginger and molasses. They are showstoppers!

 

Do you have nourishing, healthy holiday recipes to share or other ideas for a more mindful holiday season? Come join our Conscious Holiday Pinfest on Pinterest!  This is the place to get inspired for conscious holiday gift-giving, decorating, feasting and general merriment. Just leave a comment on any of the pins and I will add you as a pinner!

 ~

Ed: Kate B.

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Incorrect source, offensive, or found a typo? Or do you want to write for Elephant?

About Amy Ippoliti: New York City transplant, Amy travels the globe extensively helping people bridge the gap between ancient yoga wisdom and modern day life. Amy believes everyone has the capacity to “turn up their own volume.” She has appeared on the covers of Yoga Journal and Fit Yoga Magazine, as well as inside numerous publications including Yoga International, Yoga Journal, Self, New York Magazine, Yogini Magazine (Japan), Allure (Korea), and Elephant Journal. Amy is a faculty member at the Omega Institute and Kripalu. Since the age of 14 Amy has championed all forms of eco-consciousness, rainforest and marine conservation, and animals everywhere. Website:amyippoliti.com Hang with Amy on Facebook:AmyIppolitiPage Talk to Amy on Twitter: @Amy-IppolitiPin with Amy here.

Breathing!!

Yoga Exercise - Bow Yoga Pose (Dhanurasana)

This exercise expands the chest, mobilizes the entire spinal column, and can be a welcome change to the usual movement of your body. The Bow Pose is a good exercise to improve posture and strengthen the back muscles.

	STEP 1: Lie on your stomach, arms on your sides, and palms facing upward.
	STEP 2: Bend your knees. Bring your heels near your buttocks.
	STEP 3: Reach back with your arms and grasp your ankles. Let your weight rest on your stomach and not on your pelvis.
	STEP 4: Raise your knees further by pulling your ankles with your hands. Continue breathing regularly and try to increase the stretching in the chest and the backward bend for a relaxed body and mind.

If you like you can end this exercise by letting go of your legs without letting them move towards the floor and building up some extra strength by "floating" over your Yoga Mat. 

I took tis information from: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice

The Bridge Pose

SET-too BAHN-dah)
setu = dam, dike, or bridge
bandha = lock

Step by Step

Lie supine on the floor, and if necessary, place a thickly folded blanket under your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible.

Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the buttocks, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp the hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders.

Lift your buttocks until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep your knees directly over the heels, but push them forward, away from the hips, and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel.

Lift your chin slightly away from the sternum and, firming the shoulder blades against your back, press the top of the sternum toward the chin. Firm the outer arms, broaden the shoulder blades, and try to lift the space between them at the base of the neck (where it's resting on the blanket) up into the torso.

Stay in the pose anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Release with an exhalation, rolling the spine slowly down onto the floor.

Slimming Tips

The only way to really enjoy the asanas in yoga is if you don't have excess fat around your waist. Actually, the slimmer your body is, the more enjoyable and less difficult the stretches and bends will become.

Try this!

Yoga Advice That All Beginners Need to Know

By Lauren Rudick

Starting a yoga practice can be well, weird. Walking in to a class with thirty other people who seem to know exactly what is going on is intimidating. Compounding this is a teacher directing you into shapes and poses that feel entirely alien, while asking you to stay…calm?! And …breathe?!

The first few yoga classes can feel strange. The physical body, energetic body, and the mind are going places they never have before (hmm maybe this is other wordly). With so much new sensation and stimulation in muscles and joints, how do you know if you’re teetering on the ledge of injury? 

For someone new to stretching, where is the line between pain and sensation?

This question came up in my class yesterday, and there is a simple answer: calm eyes and a soft smile. 

When a yoga teacher instructs, “soften the face” or “turn up the corners of the mouth and relax the eyebrows,” this is not just to look pretty.  

Pain has a very clear expression. When we experience physical and even emotional feelings that induce ache, the brow furrows, the jaw tenses and the eyes widen. A soft gaze, slight smile and space between the eyebrows means that a practitioner is still breathing.

If you are practicing yoga at your own comfortable, personal edge, you should be able to relax your face and gaze. Grinding teeth, flaring the nostrils, or squinting suggests that you might be working too hard. Back off, this could lead to injury. Grinning from ear to ear probably means you are not pushing yourself enough. 

As a Buddhist would say, take the middle path.  Check in with your facial expression frequently during your practice. When you experience a novel sensation, ask yourself, Are my facial muscles at ease? 

If yes, hold and maybe go a little deeper in to the posture, if not, do less or ask your instructor for a modification.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Lauren Rudick

Lauren Rudick is an international yoga instructor, based out of Montreal, Canada. Appealing to Canada's love of hockey she works with individuals and teams on injury prevention/recovery. In addition to her regular local teaching schedule Lauren also hosts workshops and retreats abroad. Her classes are infused with humor and positivity, helping students build confidence on and off the mat. When not teaching yoga she dabbles in clothing and jewelry design. Lauren’s joys in life include her dog Julius, bare feet, snowboarding, delicious food, beaches, climbing trees and spontaneous world travel.

Lauren is certified with the international yoga alliance E-RYT 200, RYT 500

Find Lauren on

Facebook: facebook.com/laurenrudickyoga

Twitter: @avignayoga

URL: www.avignayoga.com

Downward Facing Dog - Adho Mukha Svanasana

Benefits: Stretches and strengthens the whole body. Good for the back.

Downward facing dog is done many times during most yoga classes. It is a transitional pose, a resting pose and a great strengthener in its own right. It may be the first yoga pose you encounter as you begin a yoga practice.

Instructions:

1. Come to your hands and knees with the wrists underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips.

2. Curl the toes under and push back raising the hips and straightening the legs.

3. Spread the fingers and ground down from the forearms into the fingertips.

4. Outwardly rotate the upper arms broadening the collarbones.

5. Let the head hang, move the shoulder blades away from the ears towards the hips.

6. Engage the quadriceps strongly to take the weight off the arms, making this a resting pose.

7. Rotate the thighs inward, keep the tail high and sink your heels towards the floor.

8. Check that the distance between your hands and feet is correct by coming forward to a plank (push-up) position. The distance between the hands and feet should be the same in these two poses. Do not step the feet toward the hands in Down Dog in order the get the heels to the floor. This will happen eventually as the muscles lengthen.

Beginners: Try bending your knees, coming up onto the balls of your feet, bringing the belly to rest on the thighs and the bum up high. Then sink your heels, straightening the legs keeping the high upward rotation of the sit bones. Also try bending the arms slightly out to the side, drawing the chest towards the thighs. Then straighten the arms.

Advanced: If you are very flexible, try not to let the rib cage sink towards the floor creating a sinking spine. Draw the ribs in to maintain a flat back. Try holding the pose for five minutes, placing a block under your head for support.

 

WEEKEND THOUGHT

Breathing Exercise (Pranayama) - Alternate Nostril (Anuloma Viloma)

Anuloma Viloma is also called the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. In this Breathing Technique, you inhale through one nostril, retain the breath, and exhale through the other nostril in a ratio of 2:8:4. The left nostril is the path of the Nadi called Ida and the right nostril is the path of the Nadi called Pingala. If you are really healthy, you will breathe predominantly through the Ida nostril about one hour and fifty minutes, then through the Pingala nostril. But in many people, this natural rhythm is disturbed. Anuloma Viloma restores, equalizes and balances the flow of Prana in the body. 

One round of Anuloma Viloma is made up of six steps, as shown below. Start by practicing three rounds and build up slowly to twenty rounds, extending the count within the given ratio. 

The Vishnu Mudra

In Anuloma Viloma, you adopt the Vishnu Mudra with your right hand to close your nostrils. Tuck your index and middle finger into your nose. Place the thumb by your right nostril and your ring and little fingers by your left. 
 

One Round of Anuloma Viloma (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

	·  Inhale through the left nostril, closing the right with the thumb, to the count of four.
	·  Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
	·  Exhale through the right nostril, closing the left with the ring and little fingers, to the count of eight.
	·  Inhale through the right nostril, keeping the left nostril closed with the ring and little fingers, to the count of  four.
	·  Hold the breath, closing both nostrils, to the count of sixteen.
	·  Exhale through the left nostril, keeping the right closed with the thumb, to the count of eight.

Benefits of Anuloma Viloma

The exercise of the Anuloma Viloma produces optimum function to both sides of the brain: that is optimum creativity and optimum logical verbal activity. This will make both sides of the brain, the left side, which is responsible for logical thinking, and the right side, which is responsible for creative thinking to function properly. This will lead to a balance between a person's creative and logical thinking. The Yogis consider this to be the best technique to calm the mind and the nervous system. 

Anuloma Viloma: The Scientific Confirmation

Medical science has recently discovered the nasal cycle, something that was already discovered by the Yogis thousands of years ago. Modern scientists found out that we do not breathe equally on both nostrils, that is one nostril is much easier to breathe through than the other at any particular time. Each nostril alternates about every three hours. The Yogis claim that the natural period is every two hours, but we must remember these studies were done on people who do not have an optimum health level. 

Scientists also discovered that the nasal cycle corresponds with brain function. The electrical activity of the brain was found to be greater on the side opposite the less congested nostril. The right side of the brain controls creative activity, while the left side controls logical verbal activity. The research showed that when the left nostril was less obstructed, the right side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects were indeed found to do better on creative tests. Similarly when the right nostril was less obstructed the left side of the brain was predominant. Test subjects did better on verbal skills. 

Medical science has not quite caught up with the ancient Yogis yet. The ancient yogis even went one step further. They observed that a lot of diseases were due to disturbances of the nasal cycle or if a person breathes for too long through one nostril. To prevent and correct this condition, they developed the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique. This clears any blockage the airflow in the nostrils and re-establishes the natural nasal cycle. For example, the Yogis have known for a long time that prolonged breathing through the left nostril only (over a period of years) will cause asthma. They also know that teaching the patient to breathe through the right nostril until the Asthma is cured and prevent it from recurring by doing the Alternate Nostril Breathing Technique can easily treat this so-called incurable disease. The Yogis also believe that diabetes is caused, to a large extent, by breathing mainly through the right nostril. 

WEEKEND THOUGHT

The Sun Salutation (Surya namaskara)

The Sun Salutation is a graceful sequence of twelve positions, preformed as one continuous exercise. Each position counteracts the one before. It is designed to stretch the body and work all the muscles groups to loosen, warm and strengthen them. The core- and skeletal muscles are thus elongated ens contracted. These are the muscles that help in posture and general mobility. This is also a cardio-workout and will warm the body and make it more flexible fore the asanas to follow. Increasing the heart rate will help detoxing and increase oxygen distribution to all the organs of the body.  

It is said to have the following benefits:

• Getting rid of carbon dioxide and toxins
• Tones the digestive system
• Normalizing the activity of the endocrine glands
• Tones the nervous system
• Promote better relaxation and sleep
• Strength increase
• Improves flexibility
• Reduce fat (acceleration metabolism)
• Revives and maintains the spirit of youthfulness
• Increase general wellness

Pregnant woman, people with back problems and/or high blood pressure should not practice this exercise. 

This is the one pf the exercises I look most forward to during yoga class. It is also the one I do when I don't have a lot of time. When I am away on business and stay in a hotel room, I do this first thing in the morning after a fowe stretches to get my body loosened. I then relax for 15  very slow breaths before I start my day. 

I believe that this give me the exercise and confidence to see the day through with success. 

The following illustration and desicription was taken from http://www.eckee.com/surya-namaskar-terminator-of-all-diseases/

Step 1.

First stand in attention position. Then lifting both hands in parallel position to the shoulders lifts both palms upwards. Back of the palms should stick to each other. Now being them in the front and encircling rake “namaste” position.

Step 2.

Inhale and while touching yours ears with your hands stretch them upwards and then bends from your waist alongside bend your arms & neck. This is called “Ardh Chakra Asana”.

Step3.

In the Third step exhale slowly and bend forward hands with neck, touching ears, go down & touch the right & left side ground of your feet. Your knees should be straight stay in this position for a while. This position is called Paad – Pashchimottanasan or “Padahastasana”.

Step 4.

In this step touch your palms to the ground & while in haling take your right leg backwards push your chest outside & lift your neck upwards. In this mudra your leg should be straight backwards & toe should be standing. Wait for while in this position.

Step 5.

While exhaling slowly take your left leg also backwards. Your ankles should join. Pull your backwards and try to join your ankles on ground. Pull your buttocks upwards as much as possible. Bend your neck touch your chin with your neck.

Step 6.

While inhaling & keeping your body parallel to the ground & lye prostrate. First touch your knees, chest & chin on the ground. Lift your buttocks & exhale keep breathing normally.

Step 7.

In this step inhale slowly- slowly & while pulling chest outwards move your hands straight. Bend your neck backwards, knees should be touching earth & toes should be in standing position. This is called “Bhujangasana”.

Step 8.

It’s Similar to the 5th step. Here we touch our chin with our neck & look at our toes.

Step 9.

It’s similar to the 4th step. In this we bring the right leg again in the front.

Step 10.

This is similar to 4th position. Now bring the left leg in front & again from “Paad – Pashchimottanasan”

Step 11.

This is similar to second position. Open up the Paad – Pashchimottanasan & while inhaling lift both hands upwards. In the same position bring your hands backwards and at the same time bring your neck & beck backwards ie.be in Ardh Chakra Asana”.

Step 12.

This will be similar to the first position i.e. The “Namaskar “Position.

After the 12 mudras/position again stand in rest position. Now again repeat the same asana. The first, second & third position will remain the same but in fourth position instead of bringing right leg back, here left leg goes back & do suryanamaskar.

Does Yoga Reduce Anxiety? A Study on GABA Levels

By CHRISTY MATTA, MA

So many people who practice yoga expound on its virtues.  I’ve heard many talk about the physical and emotional benefits of yoga.  People say it makes them feel good, calm, peaceful.  Since it’s a practice that’s been around for thousands of years and the people who practice it certainly tend to look healthy and relaxed, I was curious if there was research to back up the benefits I often hear about.

As a form of exercise, it makes sense that yoga has both physical and mental benefits.  Exercise triggers the release of endorphins, those natural chemicals in the body that produce a feeling of well-being. This release of endorphins is part of why exercise, in DBT, is considered key to reducing emotional vulnerability.

If you find that your emotions are often swinging wildly from one extreme to the next or that small events have the ability to trigger extreme emotion for you, then there may be some simple lifestyle changes that you can make to dramatically reduce the intensity and frequency of your painful emotions.  Along with balanced eating and sleep, getting regular exercise is one of those lifestyle changes.

Yoga has long shown promise in alleviating symptoms of anxiety and depression. A review of research on the effectiveness of yoga for the treatment of anxiety disorders in 2004 found encouraging results, but cited a need for further well conducted research.

Recently a study published in the The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that certain types of yoga sessions (a focus on yoga posture, as opposed to breathing) increase GABA levels in the brain. Anxiety is associated with low Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) levels.  GABA is the primary neurotransmitter known to counterbalance the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate, which in the case of anxiety is over-active.

The study found that yoga participants had greater reductions in anxiety and greater improvements in mood than people who walked for exercise.  These mood improvements and reductions in anxiety were correlated to changes in GABA levels.  The increase of activity in the GABA system found using yoga postures are similar to those found with medications.

Although this is a preliminary study, its positive results do seem to warrant further research.  This new research on  the specific effects of yoga practice on the brain begins to explain why yoga improves mood and decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression.

The Plank Pose

One of my favorite poses is the "plank". It is not so much about strength as it is about concentration.

The best way to get to this pose is to start in downward facing dog. From there, press forward so your shoulders are over your wrist joint. Make sure your wrists are directly under the shoulders at a 90 degree angle. The body should be in one line from the top of your head to your heels. Do not dip or raise your hips. This is the same positioning as a push-up. You need to push back through your heels and forward through a neutral neck out through the top of the head. At the same time, press firmly down through your whole hand, and do not let your chest sink.

If you have difficulty with it I would suggest trying the following:

• The posture is essential. Don't let any part of your body hang. Keep a straight spine and tens all your muscles.
• Push your breast and shoulder blades higher. Lift them up.
• Position your hands just outside your shoulder width and spread your fingers.
• Concentrate with your eyes at a spot on your yoga mat, but MORE IMPORTANT, concentrate on your breathing. Slow inhalation and slow exhalation through your nose. 

If all this still don't improve your asana, you can also concentrate on the music (it there are any been played). As a last resort I will suggest singing  or reciting a mantra in your mind.

Benefits of Plank Pose:

• Strengthens your arms and wrists
• Tones your abdominal muscles
• Stretches and strengthens your spine
• Provides a sense of balance and stability

Yoga: Changing The Brain's Stressful Habits

How yoga changes your brain.

Published on September 7, 2011 by Alex Korb, Ph.D. in PreFrontal Nudity

Three times a week at 7AM my Dad drives to a dance studio five blocks from the beach.  In the bright, hardwood room, which sits above a Radioshack, a muscular man with a shaved head and board shorts whispers instructions in a mix of English and Sanskrit.  My Dad, and the rest of the class - mostly lithe, tanned actresses and trophy wives wearing black Lululemmon tights - bend and twist into strange shapes.  The windows fog over with the moisture of their collective breath. 

Click on the link to read the rest!!!

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/prefrontal-nudity/201109/yoga-changing-the-brains-stressful-habits

I borrowed this from the web> I think most of us can relate.

This is a rather personal piece stemming from my recent experiences. To me, it is all about finding yourself again in the chaos around you and focusing on the important things instead of being distracted by the outside as well as your own mind playing tricks on you. The more it sparks outside the calmer you should ideally get... but it's not so easy, so this picture serves as a reminder to myself. Art by Jasmin Junger

A mind map on meditation

I found this mind map on the internet.