By Andrew Mitchell
You may have noticed that over the past five years, there has been a great surge of interest in non-western practices to dealing with health issues. Todays bookshops are lined with sections of self-help bestsellers discussing how traditional eastern approaches such yoga, meditation, reiki, or tai chi are the key to leading a healthy, balanced life. We shall examine yoga in greater detail, particularly looking at why osteopaths recommend yoga to people with chronic physical ailments.
But what is yoga exactly, and how does it work? Yoga is a traditional Indian practice that dates back more than 5000 years. The term comes from the Sanskrit word Yuj, which means to join, unite, or integrate; yoga would have the purpose of integrating all aspects of the individual - body with mind and mind with soul. In order for these to be united, a balance had to be achieved between our emotions, actions, and intelligence " and thats where yoga comes in.
Yoga uses a combination of body postures (or asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) to help us achieve our highest potentials and to improve our quality of life. It doesnt necessarily have the purely spiritual connotations that have been attributed to it in the past " nowadays, westerners have embraced the practice as a means of relaxation, centering themselves, and ridding their bodies of certain pains. Yoga is still rooted in spirituality, but anyone who is willing to learn can do it, because, regardless of your reason to do it, the outcome is the same: it makes you feel better.
Let us now look at yoga in more detail, in terms of what it does for the body, and why so many osteopaths recommend it:
Yoga makes you fitter and gives your stamina a boost. It tones your muscles, strengthens them, and makes them more flexible.
Each pose in yoga improves circulation, sending blood to all the areas that need it most.
It purifies your abdominal system, strengthens your immune system, and cleans any unwanted toxins from the body.
Chronic conditions that do not respond to conventional medicine have been known to improve because of yoga
It helps prevent and treat symptoms that osteopaths have to deal with on a regular basis, including back pain, multiple sclerosis, arthritis, asthma, epilepsy, carpal tunnel syndrome, heart disease, and many others.
Yoga also has many benefits for your psychological well-being. It improves concentration, making it easier to stay focused during long hours at work. The breathing techniques help to combat stress and help you stay calm. And, if yoga is done regularly, you'll start to notice changes in your mood, energy levels, and your overall health.
The books say it, osteopaths are saying it, and Indian Yogis have said it for thousands of years: yoga makes you feel better. So regardless of whether you are suffering from headaches or sacroiliac joint problems, yoga is a useful practice you might want to try.
Andrew Mitchell, clinical editor at the Osteopaths Network, writes papers about musculo-skeletal conditions, drug-free treatment, pain management and how to find a Stevenage osteopaths. He is interested in the treatment of back pain, neck pain and injury and pain management.
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