Natural Pain Relief - Using Complementary Medicine to Relieve Pain Naturally By Nina Schnipper

Have you tried different natural methods for pain relief? Do you include complementary medicine in your treatment regimen? To get the greatest relief from natural pain treatments, you need to understand the foundation.

Complement a healthy lifestyle.

Therapies that are based in complementary medicine can be helpful in relieving your pain. If you prefer natural treatments, then you will want to use these as your first defense when pain strikes.

However, some pain sufferers use them as their only method of pain relief. This is not their purpose or foundation.

Complementary methods should be used in addition to healthy lifestyle habits and other therapies. They are not meant to stand alone as a sole source of pain treatment. Their foundation is based in complementing a healthy lifestyle. If you are not practicing healthy habits, including regular exercise and nutritious eating, then you will not reap the full benefits of complementary medicine treatments.

Living healthy first.

If you wish to relieve pain naturally, then you need to first build a healthy foundation. Regular exercise and nutritious eating are the key components of a healthy lifestyle.

Regular exercise must include cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and stretching. Walking is not enough. Lifting weights is not enough. Taking yoga classes is not enough. All three components are necessary for a balanced exercise regimen.

Nutritious eating means eating foods that have high nutritional content, in just the right amounts, and avoiding foods with poor nutritional value. Drinking pure, plain water for hydration is also part of nutritious eating.

When you are basing your healthy lifestyle on these key elements, then you will naturally:

• sleep better
• have more energy
• feel less stress
• reduce your pain

If you build on a healthy foundation, then you can get relief from complementary medicine, naturally.

Some natural therapies for pain relief.

Massage therapy is one of the most commonly chosen types of complementary medicine for pain relief. Relaxing Swedish massage is the foundation of massage. Deep Tissue provides firm massage to a small, focused area. Sports massage includes Swedish, Deep Tissue and stretching, and it aids recovery from sports injuries. Thai-Yoga massage offers a mix of relaxing compressions, assisted stretching, opening energy pathways, and clearing restrictions.

Acupuncture relieves pain. Some acupuncturists practice five-element acupuncture, treating the whole person on a physical and energetic level. Others offer traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), during which they will match herbal remedies to your physical ails.

Other therapies that are effective for pain relief include aromatherapy, herbal remedies, homeopathy, Reiki, chiropractic, muscle activation, somatic touch, and nutritional counseling.

As you try them, know that each practitioner has their own background and style. So, for example, a massage from one therapist may feel very different from another therapist's massage. Keep searching until you find the practitioner who helps you in your healing and recovery. And remember to use complementary medicine as an addition to a healthy lifestyle.

Need more info on natural pain relief? Grab your copy of the '10-Day Guide to Pain Relief' (while they're still free!), loaded with natural relief tips, articles, and videos, at http://www.PainFreeU.com

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Pregnancy Massage - The Benefits By Kelly Price

Pregnancy massage or prenatal massage is a therapeutic bodywork that focuses on the physiological, structural and emotional well being of mother and baby.

It may include Swedish, deep tissue or neuromuscular, and after the first trimester, pregnancy massage can be safely enjoyed by most pregnant women.

The human touch conveys love and comfort. Throughout pregnancy and during labour, pregnancy massage can be especially beneficial to alleviate aches and pains reduce stress and help you to relax.

How Pregnancy Massage Differs From Regular Massage

The major difference between pregnancy massage and regular massage is that the person receiving the massage is pregnant. An obvious point to state perhaps, but nevertheless very important.

When massage a pregnant woman it is very important that the practitioner have knowledge of pregnancy and the anatomy, as positioning during a massage is a critical factor to the safety of both mother and baby.

The second difference is that certain parts of the body should not be massaged.

Pregnancy Massage – What are The Benefits?

The experience of pregnancy can have a profound physiological and emotional effect on a woman. Coming to terms with the changes in her body, and the impending lifestyle changes can be quite stressful.

Pregnancy massage has been used for many years in many cultures to provide a nurturing touch and emotional support to expectant mothers, other benefits include:

• increased relaxation

• decreased insomnia

• lessened sciatic pain

• reduced swelling in hands and feet

• headache and sinus congestion relief

• neck and back pain relief

• stress relief on weight-bearing joints

• assistance in maintaining proper posture

• relief from muscle cramps, spasms, and myofascial pain, especially in the lower back, neck, hips, and legs.

• increase in blood and lymph circulation, which can reduce swelling

• preparing the muscles used during childbirth

Pregnancy Massage – Is It Safe?

Pregnancy massage is not recommended during the first trimester because of the hormonal changes occurring in the body during this period.

During the second and third trimester, and even during labour, massage is considered safe and even beneficial. However, while massage is considered safe during these periods, there are certain parts of the body that should not be massaged.

• The area between the ankle bone and the heel is considered by reflexologists to relate to the vagina and uterus. Direct pressure should not be applied here as it is thought this could induce early labour.

• Only superficial pressure should be applied to the inner leg and massage of the leg should be avoided completely if on bed rest for any complications as this can put you at a higher risk for blood clots forming in the legs.

• A flat gentle hand should be touched only superficially to the abdomen.

• Massage should be avoided if you have vaginal bleeding, diarrhoea or abdominal pain.

It is not recommended that pregnant women lie on the abdomen as this can place unnecessary strain on the lower back. Some therapists may provide a couch or table with a hole cut out for the abdomen but this is still ill advised.

It is advisable that you consult your health care provider before receiving massage during pregnancy and ensure you choose a suitably qualified practitioner with whom you can discuss your health conditions beforehand, in order for treatment to be modified to meet your individual needs.

Pregnancy Massage – Booking a Treatment

When booking a pregnancy massage ensure that the practitioner has been trained specifically in pregnancy massage and doesn’t just cite this on their information leaflet.

Once you have found a suitable therapist you can begin to enjoy the benefits of pregnancy massage for the duration of your pregnancy and beyond. The benefits of massage at any time are great – so go on, what are you waiting for?

FOR MORE FREE INFO

On all forms of massage and the benefits including more on pregnancy massage visit our website at http://www.privatelyyours.co.uk

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Massage For Moms Running on Empty By Heather Maynard

When people ask me what I do for a living I always receive lots of "oooo"s and "aaahhhh"s when I tell them I am a massage therapist. I do love what I do. I have a gift for nurturing. It is why I love being a mom, it is why I practice massage therapy, it is why I was a doula, it is why I enjoy making my husband his favorite dinners. However, there are times when I out give myself. I have typically been an habitual over giver. This resulted in burn out for me especially as a mom. So I've been practicing self care. I'm setting new boundaries with my children, I'm telling people when they upset me, I'm exercising almost every day, I'm praying more and connecting with my community of friends more often. I am making my own favorite dinners too and I am getting regular massages myself.

We must all care for ourselves in order to really be able to care for others. My hope is that by consistently caring for myself physically, emotionally and spiritually I will have more to give to my daughters. Then, I hope they will learn how to do this kind of self nurturing even as I teach them the value of nurturing others.

As mothers we spend much of our energy trying our best to meet our families physical, mental and even spiritual needs. Any mom knows that this is worth it. At the same time it is very draining. If we aren't careful we can end up running on empty with nothing left to give. Massage therapy is a great way to unwind and recharge. It gives you a few moments when nothing is demanded of you. You can be still; you can just be.Most of us like the idea of getting a massage. It feels good to us, maybe even a little indulgent, but did you know that massage can also be good for you? There are numerous scientific studies that indicate massage therapy can have a positive effect on physical and mental health.

Here are just some of the proven benefits of massage:

• Decreasing pain
• Reducing anxiety and stress
• Improving range of motion
• Reducing muscle soreness
• Boosting immune system
• Lessening depression
• Relieving back pain
• Easing labor pain and stress
• Relieving migraine pain

Consider taking a few moments for yourself today or give a mother in your life the gift of a massage. She will thank you for it. When we mothers don't have to get anyone juice for an hour it feels like a vacation. Imagine how an hour away from it all with the nurturing touch from a trained therapist could make her feel. To find a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist near you, go to NCBTMB's "Find a Practitioner" page.

Heather Maynard has been working as a massage therapist since 2001. She is Illinois state licensed and Nationally Certified. To learn more about her business or schedule an appointment visit http://www.womensmassage.webs.com

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Massage Therapy for Health By Carol Wiley

Yes, massage feels good. But, more importantly, massage
helps maintain and promote good health. Three of the primary
health benefits of massage are improved circulation, reduced
muscle tension, and relief from the effects of stress.

Massage increases lymph flow and blood circulation. Your
body depends on the flow of lymph and blood to remove
metabolic waste and by-products of tissue damage and
inflammation and to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissue
cells.

Secondly, massage reduces muscle tension. Tense muscles lead
to stiffness, reduced movement potential, impaired
circulation, and pain. Massage relaxes muscles through the
mechanical effects of pressure on muscle tissue and the
soothing effects of focused, skilled touch on the nervous
system, which controls muscle tension.

A third important benefit of massage is relief from the
effects of stress. Negative stress is a major factor in many
of the diseases that plague our lives. Various sources
estimate that 70-90% of visits to general physicians are for
stress-related illness.

The effects of stress on the body are the result of the
fight-or-flight response. Here's how the fight-or-flight
response works. Let's say that during a backcountry hike an
angry cougar confronts you. You have two choices--run or
fight.

Your body prepares for action: your muscles tense, your
heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure all increase,
your liver dumps sugar into your blood stream for energy,
and your adrenal glands pump adrenaline into your system.
Your body also shuts down the digestive, urinary, and
reproductive systems, which are not needed for immediate

Then after your successful fight or flight, your body pretty
much returns to normal as a result of the intense physical
exertion.

Most of the stresses we face in today's world are subtler
than a cougar. But when someone yells at you for no apparent
reason, your body has much the same response that it has to
that cougar. Since it's not acceptable to either fight or
run, you just stand there and your body does not as easily
return to a normal state.

The effects of such stresses are cumulative: over time your
body spends more time in the hyped-up fight-or-flight state.
You can see where this state could lead to chronically tense
muscles and to heart, blood pressure, blood sugar,
digestive, urinary, or reproductive problems.

Massage therapy helps reverse the effects of stress by
creating the opposite of the fight-or-flight response: the
relaxation response, which lowers heart rate, breathing
rate, and blood pressure and increases the blood supply to
all the body's systems.

Although massage has many wonderful benefits, it is not for
everyone. Most types of massage are not appropriate for
someone with advanced heart disease, uncontrolled high blood
pressure or diabetes, blood clots, and a few other
conditions. Massage therapists take a health history to
ensure that you receive safe and effective massage.

Regular massage helps you maintain good health. The effects
of massage are cumulative. If you have a massage only when
you are totally stressed or in pain, you start over each
time. Receiving massage as often as you can physically,
time-wise, and financially afford is an excellent investment
in your health.

Carol Wiley, LMP, is a massage therapist in Bellevue, WA. Visit http://www.bellevuemassagetherapy.com for more information about massage, wellness, and self-care (including stretching, exercise, stress management, and more).

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Massage For Stress Related Problems By Robin Brain

At every opportunity throughout this book I have talked about how incredible massage can be in the management of stress. Approximately one ­third of absences from work can be attributed to the effects of stress, anxiety, and depression, so it is in everybody's interest to deal with stress as quickly as possible. However, not all stress is bad since we need a certain amount to give our lives zest and excitement. Its only when demands made on us become too great that we suffer the negative aspects of stress and then seem unable to cope.

There is a strong link between stress and illness: it affects the immune system, making people more vulnerable to infection; it is related to high blood pressure and heart disease; it can cause headaches and backache; and there are even suggestions that there may be a link with cancer, due to the effects of stress on the immune system. So by relieving stress not only will you feel better, but you are also reducing your chances of developing other problems in the future.

Massage for stress-related problems

The best way of relieving stress, anxiety, and depression is with a full body massage. This will induce a sense of relaxation, and relaxing is the thing that most stressed people find impossible to do. You should concentrate on the areas your partner likes best. Keep the massage as flowing and rhythmic as possible, since that will sweep away the tension that is causing the physical problems.

To enhance the relaxing effects of the massage, try adding a calming essential oil to your massage oil. You may also try using the oils in a relaxing bath as well.

Stress-induced insomnia

Insomnia often occurs as a result of stress, and massage can help you break the vicious cycle of tiredness and inability to sleep. Give the massage regularly at bedtime until you have broken the habit. Your partner should lie on a bed so that if he or she succumbs to sleep during the massage you can leave him or her happily dozing. Ideally, you should do a complete body, face, and head massage, which takes about 1 1/2 hours.

If you don't have much time, you will get the quickest results by concentrating on the back, abdomen, feet, and face. You can massage all four areas in any order, or just one, depending on how quickly your partner relaxes. Follow a basic back massage routine but avoid stimulating movements, such as pummeling and energetic kneading, and spend a long time on soothing strokes such as the cat stroke. For the abdomen, feet, and face, give slow and gentle touches on each area. Shiatsu massage can also be helpful in treating insomnia.

I have numerous clients who, through regular massage, have stopped using prescription medicine and consider that massage is the very best medicine - as effective as drugs or alcohol without any of the side effects.

Self-help for stress-related problems

There is a lot you can do for yourself if you are feeling stressed, anxious, depressed, or if you are having trouble sleeping. One of the problems associated with stress is that it affects your mental health, which can cause people to suffer from low self-esteem; spending time on yourself will help boost morale. Try self-massage; if you take the time and trouble to complete the whole routine you will be amazed at how much better you feel both immediately afterward, and for hours and even days later.

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Yoga - For Weight Loss By Barbara Tomasik

Practicing yoga is great! Not only do you become happier, healthier and calmer but you can also lose weight and keep your body in shape.

Below are given the most helpful yoga poses to help you achieve your weight-loss goal.

Everyone dreams about the flat tummy and this is the most common area where the fat is located. Luckily, with a regular yoga practice and specific yoga poses you will achieve your target.

Some of the yoga poses for your abdominal muscles are: sun salutation, abdominal lift, wind releasing pose, child's pose, spinal twist, cobra pose, boat pose.
Practice them every day for at least thirty minutes.

Our legs and arms also need to be toned up with yoga regime. So, if you want to work more on your legs and arms there are different poses to master like: sun salutation, hero pose, bridge pose, tree pose, chair pose, triangle pose, downward facing dog and butterfly pose.

If you are seeking to tighten your chest muscles you will need to perform poses like: sun salutation, spinal twist, triangle pose, hero pose, wheel pose, four limbed staff pose, downward facing dog pose and upward facing dog pose.

With regular yoga practice you need to look into your diet, what you eat and when you eat. There are some helpful hints to live a healthier and slimmer life. The most important thing you must remember is that - You Are What You Eat.

So, if you stop eating junk food and swap it with a healthy, low-in fat food you will find yourself shedding pounds. But remember that everything in excess, even the good food, is bad for you.

The next thing you must learn is the portion control. Eat smaller portion with each meal rather than eating twice a day and overeating. Eat only when you are hungry and you find yourself having more energy throughout the day.

In conjunction you may add in a steam-room or take a hot bath with lavender oil to help you reduce stress accumulated throughout the day. Stress is one of the major factors in the battle against excess weight.

Water is a wonderful tonic for your body and mind! Drink plenty of still water during each day and your skin will look younger, and your body will be washed out of the toxins, leaving you feeling refreshed and full of energy.

You will stay hydrated and you will get the important minerals and nutrients that you can get from water. Good luck!

Ms Barbara is a Certified Yoga trainer and also a Teacher in Physical Education. She is a member of REPs as Advance Instructor level 3.

She have been learning, practicing and teaching many styles of yoga for around 10 years. Her classes vary in dynamics and strength, depending on the level of students. Some classes may be very gentle and meditative, while other very powerful and strong.

For more information about the author check
http://www.yoga-london.org.uk

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Yoga For Beginners - 7 Most Common Reasons Why You Must Start Yoga By Ntathu Allen

Have you noticed the growing trend of people who practice yoga? Maybe you have thought about taking a yoga class but have reservations about the benefits of practicing?

There are many reasons why you may think about starting yoga. From my experience as a Sivananda Yoga Teacher and based on talking with my yoga students here are seven common reasons why you may want to start to learn yoga. Maybe one of these reasons applies to you.

Seven Most Common Reasons Why You Start Yoga

1. Yoga for Stress Relief.

A gentle yoga practice at the end of a stressful day is the ideal way to unwind and relieve tension from your body. This has to be the most popular reason why you start yoga. You're life is busy and full of conflicting demands. The constant hustle and bustle of modern day life means you have trouble switching off and relaxing. The essence of yoga is to encourage you to relax, take time out of your busy schedule and be present and focus on your breath. This instantly calms your mind and relaxes your body.

2. Yoga for Back Pain Relief
Have you ever suffered back pain or experienced sore, tense muscles? Yoga exercises are designed to gently stretch your muscles, increase the range of flexibility in your joints and bring suppleness to your spine. For example, yoga poses, such as the cobra, the locust or seated forward bend, all help to soothe your aching back.

3. Yoga for Inner Peace and Calm
If you are going through an emotional crisis or recovering from a severe illness, chances are you feel unhappy and unsettled about your situation. When you feel unhappy or down, your mind is agitated and it takes longer for the body to heal. Yoga breathing exercises and meditation practices help to promote a sense of ease and calm within the body and mind.

4. Yoga for Weight Loss
Yoga is the ideal exercise to encourage you to lose weight and develop positive eating habits. Yoga philosophy promotes a vegetarian diet based on natural, unprocessed foods.

In addition, yoga encourages you to be conscious of how you eat. Prior to eating, you bless your food and Give Thanks to the hands and souls who worked to grow your food and deliver it to your local supermarket. This sense of reverence and respect for what you eat and how you eat means you take time to select foods which nurture and nourish your body. Instead of mindlessly eating foods, on -the-go, or in front of the TV, from a yogic perspective, you consciously chew each morsel, the more you chew and take time to enjoy and digest your food, and the deeper is your sense of fulfilment from eating.

5. Yoga for Personal Development
Underpinning the physical aspects of yoga is a philosophy and way of living your life which guides you towards enlightenment. The ultimate goal of yoga is to unite with the divine and live a life of harmony and inner calm. The Yoga Sutras offers you a broad range of ethical and practical guidelines to living a healthy harmonious life. Many students gain inner strength, clarity and awareness of themselves through studying The Yoga Sutras

6. Yoga for Energy
Have you ever felt tired and zapped of energy? Yoga exercises can be used to stimulate and energise your mind and body. Blocked energy is released through the chakras, which correspond to key nerve centres or plexuses in the body. As the blocked energy is released you feel energised and revitalised.

7. Yoga for Health
Yoga offers you a truly holistic way of living your life. The physical postures promote a strong and healthy body, the philosophical guidelines offer you a simple natural way to experience life, meditation practices and breathing exercises all promote vitality and ease and comfort within your body.

As you can see, there are many reasons why you may consider practicing yoga. All reasons are valid. If you are thinking of starting yoga, take your time to find a qualified yoga teacher and enjoy your yoga journey.

"And now I would like to invite you to claim your Free Instant Access to my Special Report "Yoga Exercises and Breathing Exercises to Ease You Into Your Day" when you visit http://www.yogainspires.co.uk/pages/ntathusfreeyogaandmeditationtips.php - Start your day with a smile, a relaxed body and a more peaceful mind."

From Ntathu Allen - Sivananda Yoga Teacher and Registered Polarity Therapist.

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The Healing Powers & Benefits of Yoga By Sarah Noelle Williams

Fit and peaceful. Happy and energetic. No one can argue or deny the therapeutic benefits of yoga. We all know that it is an activity done to unite the body, mind, and spirit. It will make a person become more aware of his or her body's alignment, posture, and movement. Yoga also helps in making the body become more flexible and and relaxed even if you are halfway through stress and anxiety.

It has been practiced for thousands of years and researches were also done to exhibit the health benefits of yoga. Later on, yoga postures, breathing, and meditation were proven to be helpful in several categories: physiological, psychological, and biochemical. It increases a person's endurance and grip strength and helps in improving sleeping habits. Yoga also advances the amount of Vitamin C and hemoglobin in the body. More positive effects can be seen as it helps in improving mood, memory, and even learning efficiency!

The top benefits of yoga include the boosting of the immune system, reduction of stress, and detoxification of the body. It has a soothing effect that takes away stress as it stimulates the tissues, organs, and the muscles.

Doctors and practitioners agree when it comes to the healing powers and benefits of yoga; that's why most of them also propose practicing the activity as backup therapy for different illnesses. It can relieve back pain and other unhealthy conditions such as fatigue, asthma, and diabetes. Moreover, yoga does not only solve physical conditions. Research also says that even a terminal illness, such as cancer, also benefit from the practice of yoga. Cancer patients who go for this activity usually take a more relaxed and better sleep. Not only that, yoga can also defeat the chance of acquiring breast cancer for women.

Additionally, yoga is also for those people who want to lose weight. Yes! When done correctly and regularly, it can certainly give anyone a slim figure. That is, again, one of the magical benefits of yoga. It allows all the muscles in the body to work and by targeting areas like the thighs, abdomen, and waist, you can easily tone them evenly. That is why no one can underestimate what yoga can do. Aside from a long-term weight loss, it also helps in increasing metabolism and a person's will power and discipline, which are all major factors in a diet.

Emotional well-being is necessary in any recovery and yoga is a good remedy and answer to that! The health benefits of yoga and its calming effect give a great impact for the mind and the body. Because with yoga, you can relax and exercise at the same time. Generally, it is indeed a total healing.

Sarah Noelle Williams is an active member of ABC-of-Yoga. For more information, you can go to http://www.abc-of-yoga.com

Feel free to join our friendly community in http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/forum

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Yoga and Back Pain By Jennifer Jordan Platinum Quality Author

Back pain is a part of many people's lives. From long hours of sitting in a chair staring at a computer to the moments spent lifting up a heavy box to the hours spent toting a three-year old around on a hip, pain often manifests in one of the workhorses of our body: the back. While this sort of pain may simply seem like a load to bear, something with which we all must deal, there are ways of lessening it, getting the proverbial monkey off our back completely.

Many people plagued by back pain have recently turned to yoga, using it as a way to condition their body by the way they think and feel about its relation to their mind and spirit. Yoga moves every joint in your body. You begin to realize where you hold tension in your body and this allows you to let it go. You can actually make changes and live your life in a tension free relaxed manner. Along these lines, pain is sometimes informative. It's your body's way of saying that it's time to change your habits. Yoga encourages us to explore pain, using it as a way to understand our body and habits.

Restorative yoga helps you become aware of and relax chronic tension held in the muscles, for example, muscles along the spine and in the neck and shoulders. Decreased chronic tension can begin to relieve back pain that manifests. A healthy resilient spine distributes weight throughout the whole body. With correct posture, you can help prevent muscular tension in the back and future structural problems, as well as give your internal organs room to function normally.

Conditioning the entire body - especially the legs, back and stomach muscles helps support the back and spine. These muscles bear a lot of the body’s physical load and they are highly conducive to proper posture and correct alignment. Thus, when these muscles are strong and resilient, the support comes from the inside out. A well conditioned body
allows it to self-regulate and the pain that once plagued you begins to subside.

In addition to relaxing and strengthening muscles, yoga also elongates them through flexibility. For people with back problems, particularly lower back problems, flexibility is highly important. Stretching and improving the flexibility of a seemingly unrelated muscle, such as the hamstring, decreases the amount of stress placed on the back,
ultimately decreasing tension and pain.

But, flexibility doesn’t stop there, flexing its muscles in other aspects. In addition to relieving the stress and tension placed on a person’s back, flexibility also increases circulation, sending nutrients into back muscles and filtering toxins out of them. This nourishes back muscles and muscle tissue, leaving them healthier and more properly armed for pain prevention.

Proper breathing, one of the backbones of yoga, is also essential to quieting back pain. Many times people erroneously perform yoga poses with their breath held, creating stress on their body. This tendency, however, must be broken in order for proper breathing to promote the body’s natural healing potential. Once people have learned to take deep, rhythmic, natural breaths, their body becomes relaxed, freeing them of pain-causing restrictions and facilitating proper circulation. Proper breathing also oxygenates the body, which creates harmony and calm, producing a better balanced being.

Making a commitment to the techniques taught in yoga can help commit our backs to a less painful existence. The practice of yoga is intended to improve a person’s well being not merely for one 75 minute session at a time, but for a lifetime. When a person begins applying the knowledge they learn in yoga class - correct posture and relaxed breathing to all their waking hours - proper body alignment begins to manifest. This, while improving general health, also protects the curvature of the spine, an element that is essential to the decrease in, and prevention of, back pain.

While the ways yoga physically helps a person’s back can be researched, checking out medical journals and highlighting important phrases, only those who practice yoga can fully grasp the way it mentally benefits back pain. One benefit is through the art of self-awareness. Self-awareness helps us to better understand our body’s capabilities, and its limitations. By knowing these, we are far less likely to strain our body in such a way that causes back pain. This is because self-awareness leads to empowerment, empowering us to be proactive in our own pain prevention.

Another way yoga mentally benefits back pain is through the concept of perception. Perception is the way we look at things; it conceptualizes the old “glass half empty or half full” adage. We all recall scraping our knees as children and thinking that it didn’t hurt until we saw our own blood flowing through an open wound. At the sight of this, our
perception of the injury worsened and the pain skyrocketed. The perception, alone, fueled the pain. Similarly, when we perceive our back pain with negative thoughts – thoughts of hopelessness and despondency - the pain will undoubtedly worsen.

Yoga, however, is a vehicle of positive thinking. By teaching people to embrace thoughts of gratitude, hope, and encouragement, yoga helps us to alter our perception of things, spinning our perception of pain into a more positive light - a gift actually. This is, ultimately, one of the greatest ways to get pain off our backs for good.

TWISTED is a medical yoga studio at the Center for Osteopathic Medicine in Boulder, Colorado. Twisted integrates osteopathic medicine, hatha yoga and mindfulness practices to teach optimal balance between physical, mental, and emotional health. It aims to educate and help people to live a healthy life from the inside out. Rehabilitation programs offer a comprehensive treatment regime for the whole being, empowering each person one breath at a time to stimulate the body’s natural healing potential.

Jennifer Jordan is senior editor of http://www.yogatwisted.com Specializing in articles that not only teach yoga techniques, but also teach techniques on fulfillment and enrichment, she aims to educate students proudly enrolled in the school of life.

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What Yoga Can Do for You? By Khieng Chho

People today are very conscious about their body and psyche. Both the inside and out parts of one’s self. This is why there are so many inventions pertaining to self-enhancement that deals on the physical and psychological aspects of their lives.

Being healthy does not only manifest becoming physically fit. It constitutes all the factors of the well being of an individual. One important aspect is the internal health. Certain activities are participated by a lot of people just to gain emotional and psychological stability. Reiki and yoga are some of the most famous practices.

Yoga originated in India. It belongs to the ancient spiritual practices that later on become a vibrant living tradition. This also promotes enlightenment on the internal features of the human being.

It is said that this practice is related with spirituality. In fact, yoga is concerned with some of the religious sects such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and other religions in India.

There are four main classifications of Yoga namely Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jhana Yoga and Raja Yoga. Each of the classification has individual features and practices. These are also comprised of elements inherited from the ancient beliefs of the people.

Some of the benefits of yoga practices are:

• Enhances and improves health.

Ancient civilization believed that the human body is affected with good and bad elements. In order to become totally fit one must try to dispose all the bad elements and it can only be possible through the yoga practice.

• Maintains emotional well being.

Every day life of a person is exposed to pressure, stress and even anxieties. These factors affect the totality of your development. Yoga helps in promoting emotional therapy. Through this, a person will achieve a healthy living free from all forms of fretfulness

• Achieve mental clarity.

Mental disturbances are usually caused by everyday experience of a person. The environment contributes on this aspect. The manner of dealing with other people can also cause you confusion and a certain level of strain. Yoga helps in cleansing all the unnecessary elements that enter your mind.

• Joy in living.

This is the best effect of yoga. By trying to eliminate all the negative elements in your body you can be able to fulfill a healthy and tranquil lifestyle.

Typically the effects of yoga in a person vary from one tradition to another. Yoga can be perceived as a practice that will bring you closer to god. Some may interpret it simply as healthy practice.

Khieng 'Ken' Chho - Yoga [http://yoga.1w3b.com]

For related articles and other resources, visit Ken's website: [http://yoga.1w3b.com]

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What Yoga Can Do for Your Health by Judy Wellsworth

In the past, yoga has become one of the coolest and trendiest of the exercise and alternative methods that have made a big appearance in the world today. Not only is yoga a fun thing to do, it is also a way for you to loose weight and make yourself more healthy without undo stress on the body. Many people have taken upon themselves to start this wonderful and easy way to get in better health. Thousands of humans that are any age and that are from many occupations now do it. it is a safe thing for even children to start doing on a regular basis. Professionals are now looking into yoga to provide the user with many benefits to your health. can you imagine how great it will be to know that the easy exercises of yoga will also help to cure you of an ailment that has bothered you for years with no relief?

You will definitely be able to find a way to use yoga for the bettering of your health and your total life. Yoga will take you to a place where you are stronger and more flexible. You can find a way to prevent or cure a serious illness in your life, even serious ones. You will also get a stress reliever and a way to meditate that is also beneficial to your health.

Several claims have emerged highlighting the health benefits of yoga. Yes, according to several resources, yoga is not only capable of making you feel strong and flexible, but it can also help cure whatever ailments you may be suffering from, even the most serious health conditions. It is exciting to find that results from studies are showing that with a regular schedule of yoga that has breathing deeply, different poses, and meditation, you can help problems with asthma, mental health, and heart diseases, and more. It is not certain what other things that yoga can help you with. Each person who is practicing yoga will give you a story about how yoga has helped them.

We will look at a few of the ways that yoga can help you.

A.) Asthma - yoga can help anyone to heal him or herself of asthma. Deep breathing is involved in yoga and there is also a relaxing of the muscles of the chest that will give you an easier time breathing. There are many people who have problems with asthma today and yoga is helping it. Yoga will help to focus on helping those who have it. The symptoms that are associated with the problems of asthma are reduced in a big way by practicing yoga on a regular basis. The meditation part of the yoga will also give those suffering from asthma a way to control their fear when the asthma attack starts and thus provide themselves a way to not make the situation worse. Those with asthma tend to get more upset when an asthma attack occurs and this will help them to stay calm.

B.) Mental Health - There are some reports that yoga can help those who have a mental health problem. Professionals have had their interest peaked with the strength of the yoga. They have started to work with people of all ages who are known to have obsessive-compulsive disorder. Within the months that the study continued, the group that was practicing yoga has shown to help. It was in the range of forty percent of the people who have started the study doing yoga would continue and have positive results from the disease. Learning to meditate and to release your feelings in a positive way instead of holding them in is a result of the yoga.

C.) Cardiovascular - One other way that yoga can help is with cardiovascular problems. This benefit from yoga comes from the results that yoga is a great way for you to get rid of stress and will make the length of the cardiovascular system better. It has also shown to give you a better blood pressure and rate of heartbeats. The yoga will give you a way to learn to breath deey and it will give you a proper blood flow to all the right places in the body which will ultimately improve the whole system.

Because of these and other things that yoga can give you, it has caused many people to get interested in practicing it. The amount of the classes for yoga have also increased. The positive effects are endless and are different for each person.

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