Using Yoga (or Pilates) to Restore Your Health

The article Restorative Yoga Poses articulates with pictures how to restore the body and maintain and improve fitness.

Yoga can be used as an organized way to improve strength, flexibility, balance, psychological relaxation, and a way to age gracefully.

When walking by a yoga class, the first impression is that you have to be really fit to participate and you do not want to make a fool out yourself. The reality is yoga practice is on a continuum and changes according to your level of experience and fitness.

The biggest challenge is walking in the room and participating. Nobody is watching you except the instructor and the practice is an experience not a competition.

A new student will quickly discover how out of shape they truly are and the potential for fitness, weight loss, and stress reduction. I am usually the fattest person in the room and have lost >20 pounds in 2 years. My balance is dramatically improved and twist sufficiently to back the car down the driveway.

The advantage of a class format is that the most unmotivated person’s challenge is only attendance. The fitness workout takes care of itself. The upper body, core strength, flexibility, and lower body strength will automatically improve over time.

I wish I had begun when I was fifty and not waited till Medicare age. This can be a senior citizen’s panacea to chronic pain, equilibrium, balance, and terrible upper body strength. Start with a few restorative classes and easily progress to better health. The spiritual side can be a life-guiding support system and can easily add to the improved physical health.  

For those who do not wish to incorporate a spiritual component within their exercise program, there is the equally restorative Pilates, named after its founder Joseph Pilates.  Pilates training is very available, perhaps even more-so than yoga. All of the benefits noted for yoga apply. While some Pilates exercises require use of devices (the main one called a “reformer,” though it has nothing to do with discipline!), there are also mat Pilates exercises that can be learned online (YouTube), which can easily be performed in one’s living room.

Whichever you choose, Yoga or Pilates, it is wise to take a bit of time each day to pursue one of these, especially as aging advances (which it does!).  These two body-training programs will help keep you sane, flexible (in body anyway), and able to negotiate gravity, which (regardless of its newfound waves) seems always ready to find ways to trip us up.  Be wise, have fun, and pick one of them.

Shake Those Chakras and Bind Those Bandhas

In the recent article, Warrior Pose - One way to help veterans with PTSD?  Lots of yoga., the author describes how a soldier fell in love with his time on the mat- with yoga's traditional asanas aka poses and deep breathing.   After attending yoga classes for 2 years- I can now touch my knees!  The terminology thrown around is still confusing.  The instructors intersperse Sanskrit terminology with modern day definitions including multiple animal named postures. 

The following are some general terms and simple explanations for the uninitiated.  Yoga has gone mainstream and multiple references are made that might even be amusing, if you knew what they were talking about.  This is not a complete list.

1. Mantra "means a sacred utterance, numinous sound, or a syllable, word, phonemes, or group of words believed by some to have psychological and spiritual power."  During meditation OM is a frequent mantra.  It is also a popular all-mountain ski by Volkl.
2. OM is the creation within ourselves a vibration that attunes sympathy with the cosmic vibration.  It is also the first two letters of the abbreviation for Oh My G_D!
3. Meditation is a practice in which an individual trains the mind to eliminate the constant clutter of daily life's lists of activities.  Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease any health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression, and anxiety.  Practicing postures in yoga is "moving meditation".  In some eastern practices, meditation is central (e.g. Zen Buddhism); while in others it is simply an aspect of the endeavor (yoga).  Meditative based practices have spawned some businesses as well- e.g. transcendental meditation, or TM.
4. Chakras is the 7 centers in our body in which energy flows through.  Each chakra is located in a particular part of the body. 1-Root Chakra- the feeling of being grounded; 2- Sacral Chakra- ability to connect and accept others and new experiences; 3- Solar Plexus Chakra- ability  to be confident and in-control  of our lives; 4- Heart Chakra- ability to love; 5- Throat Chakra- ability to communicate; 6- Third Eye Chakra- ability to focus on the big picture; 7-
   Crown Chakra- ability to be fully connected spiritually.
5. Bandha allows energy to flow.  Mula Bandha is introduced with the contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.  You achieve Uddiyana Bandha, by gently drawing the stomach inwards- Mula is linked to exhalation and Uddiyana to inhalation.  Both badhas remain continuously activated throughout the whole practice.  Therefor the diaphragm, through which much of the control is gained, is a key aspect of focus in yoga practice. 
6. Pranayama breathing is the science of breath control.  You will hear your instructor say inhale through the nose for 3 sec and exhale for 3 seconds.  Ideally, this practice of opening up the inner life force is not merely to take healthy deep breaths.  It is intended for yoga practitioners to help and prepare them in their meditation process.
7. Namaste-Shalom is a customary greeting when coming and going.  It is customary to be spoken with a slight bow and hands- palms pressed together.

It is well known that those raised in a western culture, have some difficulty fully comprehending the underlying meaning and intent of eastern practices.  In a famous conversation between Carl Jung- one of the principle founders of western psychology and Masao Abe- a Zen academic and proponent of east-west dialogue, the two agreed that their foundational mental capacities were so cully determined by the cultural upbringing, that they could never really understand one another.

As you can see this is a foreign language.  This should not deter one from trying a few classes out.  Flexibility, balance, focus, ad weight loss are all secondary great benefits when one participates in the process.  This can be a key health benefit for the AARP crowd (myself included) to have the physical and mental health to enjoy a slower version of life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Scientific Basis of "OM"

The power of meditation is explained quite well in the article, From OM to OMG: Science, Your Brain, and the Productive Powers of Meditation.  It analyzed the brain by MRI scan that is meditating to the normal active brain.  She claims it leads to better focus, less anxiety, more compassion, more creativity, better memory, less stress, and more grey matter.  The aging population especially myself can use all of these.

Meditation turns off the tumultuous, endless thoughts produced by the brain allowing one to focus with mindfulness on nothing or a particular pathway.  OM or any mantra is a sacred utterance, numinous sound, or a syllable, word, phonemes, or group of words believed by some to have psychological an spiritual power is a vehicle to achieve a meditative state.  OM is the vibration of the universe- more than a sound, but the vibration.  What's the bottom line for most people who are skeptics?  The benefits outweigh the negatives of trying it.  What if it really works?  Take advantage of easy solutions to complex problems.

This is all well and good for those who wish to spend time in a cross-legged position, or chanting, or meditating on koans, but one would eventually be led to ask, "What is brain anyway?".  What is mind?  As the Zen adept will note: if you understand, well then, things are as they are.  And if you do not understand guess what?  Things still are as they are.  Quite likely the brain exists in the physical universe very much like a smart phone on a plan; the data probably exists in multiple dimensions, and as the phone works and the brain has not stroked out, the information is there.  But does it matter that we get it?  Indeed when asked to walk the dog one should first reflect on the hope that someone's karma does not run over your dogma.

A Technique for "Road Rage"

Road Rage an aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other road vehicle.  These behaviors could include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner or making threats.  Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions that result in injury or even death.

A simple technique to combat road rage or any stress is Pranayama breathing.  Pranayama is a Sanskrit word meaning extension of the prana or breath- extension of the life force.  It is a yogic discipline with origins in ancient India.

A simple form of this breathing is a long 3 second inhale through the nose followed by a long 3 second exhale through the nose.  Easier said than done.

One of my yoga instructors stated that in 12 seconds- 2 complete breath cycles- one can eliminate stress and hostility.

The next time somebody cuts you off in your car, try 1 breath I, 1 breath out, 1 breath in, and 1 breath out.  You will be surprised by the power of the breath!

"Melting" Your Aches and Pains Away

My spouse recently started a new program called the "Melt Method" to achieve flexibility, relaxation and pain relief.

The self-treatment system claims to restore the supportiveness of the body's connective tissue to eliminate chronic pain, improve performance, and decrease the accumulated stress caused by repetitive postures and movement of everyday living.

Benefits include:

Improves

• flexibility & mobility
• posture
• results of exercise
• range of motion
• sleep & digestion
• overall well-being

Reduces:

• aches & pains
• wrinkles & cellulite
• tension
• headaches
• risk of injury

Does it work in real-life?  It essentially functions a directed self-massage techniques that involves using soft rollers, acupressure-type balls for hands and feet, and stress reduction attempting to improve one's general well-being.

My wife and friends claim they are 1-2 inches taller and stand up straight after a standard class.  Wanting to take a peaceful nap after the sessions is a side effect.

As one ages; stiffness pain, loss of flexibility, balance, and loss of range of motion become the reality instead of the exception.

At present my wife is involved in Yoga, TRX and the Melt Method and the combined results are pretty outstanding.  My suggestion is you might add this to your regimen.  It is a great substitute to using medications to treat chronic pain.

I recently went to a James Taylor concert and the crowd looked like (myself included) an AARP convention.  The majority could have used a physical and mental health program to walk up on down those steep stairs.

Why Fitness Matters to the "AARP" Crowd!

As one ages, it is obvious that the body suffers from acute on chronic inertia and soon deteriorates.  One of the leading causes of death is the "DREADED FALL".  The 'AARP' fall (anyone 50 or over) leads to multiple deaths and morbidity.  The CDC reports that each year, one in every three adults age 65 and older falls.  Falls can cause moderate to severe injuries, such as hip fractures and head traumas, and can increase the risk of early death.  One out of three older adults 65 and older falls each year, but less than half talk to their healthcare providers about it.  Among older adults, falls are the leading cause of both fatal and no-fatal injuries.  In 2010, 2.3 million non-fatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 662,000 of these patients were hospitalized.  In 2010, the direct medical costs of fall, adjusted for inflation, was $30 billion.

It is imperative that one is not only concerned with their lipids, cholesterol, ad blood pressure, but their flexibility, mobility, balance, and strength.  Being a member of a health club with a high % of healthy seniors, it became apparent that regular fitness works.  The joke among our co-workers is that at work we are lean, mean fighting machines compared to everyone else, but at the health club we would be classified as overweight, out-of-shape, and a potential medical disaster.

The balance, flexibility go first that leads to a decrease in mobility ad strength.  Avoid 'face plants' - the act of landing face first as a result of an accident or error- by getting involved.

We recommend any continuous- life-long- exercise program that one likes, but it must include cardiovascular and strength/flexibility training.  Yoga, Pilates, personal training, TRX, group workouts, or any of the number of fitness plans work.  Do not be embarrassed y the inability to perform easy exercises in the beginning.  You will and can catch up- you will surprise yourself!

Cultural Equivalents in Standard Greetings

After taking yoga for more than a year and hearing the word "Namaste" multiple times, it reminded me of the Hebrew word "Shalom, the Arabic word "Assalamu alaykum, and the Hawaiian word "Aloha". 

Namaste is a customary greeting when  individuals meet and a farewell when they part.  It is a form of greeting commonly found among people of South Asia, in some Southeast Asian countries, and diaspora from these regions.  Namaste is spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together, palms touching and fingers pointing upwards, thumbs close to the chest.  This gesture in Hinduism means "I bow to the divine in you".

Shalom is a Hebrew word meaning peace, completeness, prosperity, and welfare and can be used idiomatically to mean both hello and goodbye.  As it does in English, it can refer to either peace between two entities, or to the well-being, welfare or safety of an individual or a group of individuals. 

Assalamu alaykum is an Arabic greeting widely used in the Muslim world even by non-Muslims.  It nearly translates to "peace be upon you", but is often considered the equivalent to "hello", "hi", or "good day" in English.

 

Aloha in the Hawaiian language means affection, peace, compassion and mercy.  Since the middle of the 19th century, it also has come to be used as an English greeting to say hello and goodbye.

 

One could go to every culture and find a similar sentiment.  The bottom line is that fundamentally everyone is the same.  When it comes to the preliminaries of human contact, at least at a fundamental level underneath the difference within language. 

However, in the ED, the key challenge is putting the patient/family at ease in a matter of seconds.  There is really not much time to accomplish this, and following a few basic principles goes a long way.  Here are some:

1. Eye Contact-Confidence: Put the patient at ease by looking them in the eye, and having a bearing that reflects confidence.  This gets the patient over the initial anxiety hurdle of winding up with a less-than-fully-competent physician by allowing them to say to themselves "this doctor knows what they are doing".
2. Advance Knowledge: Put the patient at ease by knowing something about the case before you walk into the room, and showing that in your initial words.  Asking "why are you here" is a loser... because the common answer or thought is "I've already told five people why I am here!"  How much better to walk in and say "I understand you are here, because you are having XYZ (chest pain, weakness, shortness of breath, etc.) .
3. Common ground: Put the patient at ease by establishing common ground from the get-go.  An initial "I understand you are here because..." starts that ball rolling, and following that with some reflection on their discomfort or anxiety, will enhance the encounter tremendously.  You might say, for example..."you must be feeling pretty bad to come here to the ED, it is hard to come into any medical facility, and I'd understand if you felt anxious or worried".
4. Outline of Plan: Put the patient at ease by giving a quick summary of what you are going to do to help.  EG: "Well, we are going to help you feel better...first we'll relieve pain, alleviate distressing symptoms...then we will run some tests to find out why this is happening...and then we will do whatever we can to help you.
5. Questions: Put the patient at ease by now...starting your actual...interview..."So...let me ask you a few questions..."

Namaste.

 

Did Sisyphus Work Out?

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king of Ephyra punished for chronic deceitfulness.  He was would roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down.  He was compelled to repeat this action forever.

Sounds like real-life.  3 fitness tests you should be able to pass article recently posted on Fox News,  asked readers to evaluate their physical health.  Here are the 3 simple tests to judge your health:

1. Waist size less than half your height (Failed that one)
2. Hold the plank position (strict push-up form) for 2 minutes (Failed that one)
3. Get to and up from a seated position with minimal use of hands and knees.  Score is 1-10 with losing a point for every use of hand or knee.  Score less than 3 was associated with a five time higher likelihood of dying versus people who got an 8 or above.  (Got a 7)  This was not a controlled double blind study.

Your physical health is a great predictor of your mental health and your work performance.  In the blog I wrote last February, Prolonging Your Career, I discussed how adding the constant stretching program Restorative Yoga, my flexibility has gone from 5% to 60%.  My blood pressure has lowered and I have lost a little weight.

Some find that gyms open 24-hours are beneficial, and heading there after a shift beneficial.  Especially when a shift has been stressful, a good workout can relieve tension and enable one to return home with some of the tension productively disbursed. 

Being a health care provider is a stressful job, so it is imperative that you take care of the shell surrounding the brain by working the core surrounding your waistline with a consistent strength and conditioning program such as Yoga, Pilates, TRX, Personal Training, etc.  Working out is a Sisyphus-like task, but does have its rewards.