Yoga for Health:
Yoga for Health
There are several conditions that may be improved by practicing yoga. It can be used to lessen the affects of high blood pressure, lung disease, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, cancer, infertility, Parkinson's disease, and joint pain. The beneficial effects of yoga practices are well recognized not only by the yoga and alternative health community but also by many doctors.
One of the main elements contributing to illness is stress, which can be reduced through a good usage of yoga techniques. Here are just some of the problems that are related to an overactive stress response: depression, anxiety, OCD, cardio-vascular disease, some types of diabetes, several autoimmune diseases, mellitus, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, reproductive problems, and an aggravated suppression of the immune system.
The response of the sympathetic nervous system can trigger stress. The reaction to various outside stimuli is also known as the "fight or flight" response -- the mind and body, faced with an endangering or disturbing element, prepare for one of the two options. Physically, this is manifested through an instantaneous heart rate increase, along with a high spike in blood pressure. Breathing gets shallow and the muscles tense in anticipation for the coming action.
Internally, this response diminishes the blood flow to internal organs and processes that are not essential in that particular moment (such as digestion and elimination) are turned off. This state of increased awareness and readiness is beneficial on the short term, preparing our body to react to the outside stimuli. Both in a "fight" and in a "flight" situation, the body is physically and mentally prepared to do an action. The problem arises when long-term exposure to similar stress goes on. This "fight or flight" response is only meant to help on short periods of time -- the longer it is activated, the less resources will the body have to function normally.
A natural countermeasure exists for the "fight or flight" response. It is called the parasympathetic nervous system or the "relaxation response." It is automatically activated when the elements that triggered the stress are gone, but it is also possible to increase its effects by deep breathing and relaxing your muscles. By increasing the length of this process, we allow our body to recover faster, enabling it to eliminate the harmful effects of stress in an efficient and prompt manner.
Yoga employs breathing and relaxation techniques to reduce the harmful effects of stress factors on your body. A diminished "fight or flight" response can also be achieved by looking at adverse factors as challenges instead of threats. This approach allows your mind to focus on obtaining a solution, rather than creating an abrupt response. Another concept utilized by this technique is that of acting versus reacting, of taking initiative versus responding to outside factors.
Click Here to share this page with your friends, website visitors, ezine readers, social followers and other online contacts.Disclaimer: Throughout this website, statements are made pertaining to the properties and/or functions of food and/or nutritional products. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and these materials and products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Health & Beyond Online
P.O. Box 755
Earl, NC 28038-0755Contact Us
License, Terms of Use, and Privacy PolicyClick here for Other Chet Day Websites
Health & Beyond Online and Content
Copyright © 1993-2010 by Chet Day
