Defy Age Naturally

Nothing will make you feel old like back pain. An aching back will keep people from enjoying life and living to their full potential. I used to suffer from a bad back but I did masses of therapy on it. Today my back feels wonderful, yet it is one my most stiff areas of my body when I do yoga. The back bend has always been the hardest pose for me.

A recent study has now shown that doing yoga regularly may be an effective way to combat back pain.

101 adults with back pain were studied at Seattle’s Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies. The benefits of yoga, conventional therapeutic exercise, and the instructions from a popular back pain book were all assessed over a 12 week period.
One group practiced a gentle form of yoga called viniyoga. The second group did standard therapeutic exercise classes taught by a physical therapist. The last group read a copy of The Back Pain Helpbook.

The participants that practiced yoga for 75 minutes per week experienced the greatest increase in function. The Roland Disability Scale identifies how easily people can perform daily activities. 78 percent of the yoga group jumped at least two points on the scale, in contrast to 63 percent of the exercise group and 47 percent of those who read the book.

In addition to improved function, the group who practiced yoga needed far less pain medication. 21 percent of this group were taking pain medication by the end of the 12 weeks, down from close to 60 percent at the start. In the exercise group, the use of pain medication dropped minimally, while the group who read the book increased their medication from 50 percent to 59 percent.

Many people who regularly practice yoga rave about the benefits they experience, including reduced pain. Yoga helps people to become more aware of how they move their bodies. It also stretches, aligns and oxygenates the body. However, there has been a lack of firm evidence to prove its validity in treating back pain.

I can’t imagine my life without yoga. My body is so much happier when I am doing yoga, and more importantly for me my mind feels more stable and joyful. Yoga rules!

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I have now been doing yoga for over a year. Actually, I have been doing yoga for over about 14 years, but it has been over a year since I started making Ashtanga yoga a regular part of my life…and my oh my, am I starting to really reap the benefits. Yoga is such a part of my life now that when I don’t do it I feel wrong…my body and soul are crying out for it.

It is interesting because even though I desperately want to be doing it everyday, I still have moments when I think…I don’t want to go to class, and when I am in class where I think…I wish this was finished and I could go home.  But these moments are far fewer than they used to be, and I am loving yoga in a way that I never, ever dreampt I would. I have always thought of yoga as a good exercise that also helps me deal with stress.

But somehow, without me even knowing it, I have suddenly fallen desperately, insanely, over the moon in love. It is kind of like someone who you have considered a good friend for many years, but then suddenly you realise you want to spend the rest of your life with them…perhaps have children. This is how I feel about yoga.

The energy moving around my body is almost strange. There is a tingling sensation going on…and I almost question…why is it there?? It is especially happening in my lower back. I have been working soooooo hard on my back bends, and they are coming along beautifully with a lot of dedication. Now it feels like the hard work is paying off and there is an opening in my back that is absolutely amazing. Could it be kundalini? Who knows…who care…I feel amazing!  I am now considering to take off and get serious about yoga in the New Year…somewhere hot…somewhere by the beach…

Perhaps I am also excited about yoga because I am moving up to series 2 in Ashtanga…slowly but surely that is. I am now doing the first 2 postures, and I feel that the others are on their way. It feels like now I have a goal. It isn’t just another class I am heading to…I am seeing genuine, amazing progress in my practice.  Just yesterday, for example I was able to jump through on my vinyasa. Just last week I couldn’t do that…now I can! I love it!

Thanks yoga and thank you to all my teachers and all the ancient people who discovered how incredible you can feel when you just stretch and breathe!!!

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