The Importance of Yoga For Back Pain Relief

More and more people are starting to understand how important a role yoga plays in living a pain free and healthy life. Yoga has been practiced for centuries to promote both physical and mental well being through exercises, stretches, and meditation. The meditative, or spiritual side, of yoga also has components that are not always practiced by westerners.

Some more trendy "types" of yoga, have emerged that leave out the traditional spiritual components. To really grasp the full benefits that yoga has to offer, however, it is best to follow a traditional method from India.

But from beginners to professionals the results are extraordinary when yoga is used regularly to improve flexibility, increase strength, reduce stress, center the mind and even relieve physical pain.

Of all types of pain, back pain is the most common ailment reported. Chronic or acute back pain, in general, can be very difficult to treat and ease. Using yoga for back pain can be very effective, but it does require special and professional instruction. Yoga poses may appear to be easy, but if done incorrectly can aggravate physical maladies.

Check With Your Doctor First If Your Pain Is Chronic

If you suffer from chronic back pain you should check with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Specifically tell your doctor you plan to practice yoga for your back pain so he can tell you about any movements you need to avoid and any safety modifications you need to make.

Other things to find out from your doctor include the degree to which you can exercise and do yoga. Can you do it for four hours straight? Or only for twenty or thirty minutes at a time?

It all depends on your specific condition. For some people suffering with back pain, yoga is not recommended at all, because the pain is so severe it needs to be treated in other ways, such as surgery. However, yoga can be used as an excellent physical therapy tool for some patients after they have undergone surgery.

After you consult with your doctor find a qualified yoga instructor. Getting a referral from someone you trust would be helpful. Make sure that they practice traditional forms of yoga brought out of India that will teach you meditation as well as physical poses.

Discuss with the instructor that you plan to use yoga for your back pain and share the information given to you by your doctor. An experienced yoga instructor will be invaluable in ensuring that you receive the most relief for your back pain by practicing yoga, without causing further complications.

The practice of yoga focuses on body alignment and awareness, in the belief that every part of the body has an effect on every other part, as well as the body as a whole. Practicing the poses teaches balance, patience and perseverance while toning and strengthening the muscles.

Relaxation techniques are used to refresh the body and clear the mind at regular intervals during a yoga session. Yoga, when practiced regularly can affect positive changes in your health, both physical and mental, that you will see in just a few weeks and can last a lifetime. Good luck on your journey towards health and wellness!

Brue M. Baker, is an expert on natural health and fitness who has helped people from across the world sky-rocket their health and well-being. Rather than hitting your head against a wall trying to find unbiased health information let Brue take you by the hand and give you the best natural health information and resources on the web. Visit DietHealthAndFitness.com to learn more.

The Importance of Keeping Core Muscles at Top Strength

When we see anybody, usually the elderly, stooped over and walking with slow steps, we usually assume that it is the ravages of time that has put them in this awkward position. We also assume that it is probably irreversible, and that the person is doomed to the condition for the rest of his life. But why does aging contort the body in such a way?

Through long hours of typing, reading, or hunched over for whatever reason throughout our lives, the muscles shorten and weaken with age. These are the core muscles that are reflected in our posture, and are centered in four areas of the body. Core muscles pertain to those found in the glutes, lower back, abdominals and obliques. These four areas will frame our posture, and if we can improve their strength and flexibility we will look and feel much better as we age.

Here is a list of some of the benefits of strengthening our core muscles:

1. Balance. Loss of balance is a major cause of injury to the elderly, and strengthening and lengthening core muscles that have contracted will allow for better balance. Yoga for seniors has become extremely popular, and one of the prime aspects of yoga is balance. Core muscle development is needed to give anyone better balance.

2. Decrease injury. By toning the muscles there will be less chance of injury, especially to the back. Stretching the hip flexors and adding strength and resiliency to the glutes and lower back will make those light lifts easier without muscle strain.

3. Improve posture. It may seem like the back muscles would have everything to do with posture, but the muscles of the upper and front part of the trunk are important. Stretching and strengthening the abdominal and trunk muscles will also strengthen the muscles of the back that extend to the spine.

4. Improving physical performance. Improving flexibility will naturally allow the freedom of movement to be able to better perform physical activities. The idea is to slowly stretch these muscles to the point of making them longer.

5. Sore muscles will not be a problem. This is because static stretching of core muscles works the connective tissue. As long as there is no quick, jerky movement during the stretch, there will be no real breakdown of the muscle and therefore no soreness.

As we can see from the benefits of a strong core, stretching and flexibility are probably more vital than actual physical strength. Fortunately, people at any age can begin doing these core exercises. Health and fitness experts recommend doing these exercise a minimum of twice a week. If this core training is done in conjunction with other exercise, either after or even during, ten or twenty minutes durations should suffice.

Core muscles, then, are vital to determining good posture, but unless you are ahead of the game and working on your core before it weakens, you probably haven't exercised for some time. Therefore it's important to know the ways to work out safely, as care must be taken even for normal stretching.

Understanding the Ways to Work Out properly is essential for anyone just starting on an exercise program. Yoga for Seniors is really an excellent way to stretch and strengthen core muscles, and is growing in popularity all the time. Rich Carroll is a writer and health advocate living in London.

Being Kind to Ourselves - The Importance of Taking Breaks at Work

In my first yoga class, I was thoroughly perplexed by child's pose. Addressing the beginners' Hatha yoga class, our teacher said we would practice resting poses throughout the class. She showed us how to fold our bodies in half, resting our foreheads on the ground.

Why take breaks during a slow-paced class, I wondered?

Looking back, I can understand why I was confused about the benefits of breaks. While playing team sports, sitting on the bench typically meant I was among the worst players. In gymnastics class, breaks marked times of boredom and impatience as I'd wait my turn to use the trampoline or get spotted by a teacher.

As the yoga class progressed, poses got more difficult, and I began to look forward to child's pose. With my body weight supported by the floor, I would easily let go of the tension I'd used to achieve the difficult standing and balancing poses.

Resting poses, I learned, were as important as active poses. Today, I believe they are more important. Because without resting, our bodies are not able to assimilate the benefits of our work. In yoga, these benefits include strength and flexibility.

So, too, it is with work.

Without rest, our minds don't retain information as easily. They are less nimble and perform at reduced capacity. According to The Accelerated Trainer, the optimal learning cycle is 45 minutes.

In an ideal world, work-related activities are conducted in hour-long segments. Each segment consists of 45 minutes of focused work, and a 15-minute resting period to integrate the benefits of that work.

The rewards for striking this balance? Improved focus and increased creativity. Greater happiness and better health.

In the work environment, change can be difficult. But it is possible.

Let's explore the top two reasons we're reluctant to change our work habits:

1. Perception or "Optics." In other words, we're worried what others will think of us if we're constantly taking breaks. Maybe they'll think we're lazy, uninterested in our work, unmotivated, etc. Such perceptions, while unfounded, can affect our ability to secure a raise or get promoted.

A couple of suggestions may help you overcome this concern.

* Educate your coworkers.

o Put together a brief presentation on the benefits of taking regular yet short rests throughout the day (even 5 minutes can help, although 15 is ideal). Emphasize the benefits to your company or organization, including smarter, healthier workers and new ideas. Remember that the #1 reason for work-related absences is stress.

* Vary how you spend your break so that you're perceived to be "wasting time."

o Get coffee or tea (not too much; excessive caffeine can increase stress).

o Visit the water cooler. Use this as an excuse to hydrate, another health-building activity.

o Take a bathroom break. You'll need it after all of the water.

o Talk to a coworker. Vary who you talk with and you'll build some valuable relationships.

o Walk to an outside mailbox to mail a letter.

o Read a chapter in your favorite book, or an article in a non-work magazine.

o Going to another floor? Take the stairs.

o Get some fresh air. Why should smokers be the only ones to enjoy the outdoors?

o Warning: do not take up smoking. The stress gained from this kind of break will more than offset the benefits. ; )

2. You've got your groove down. Changing your routine will divert your focus from your job.

I know, change is difficult. But consider these questions:

* Would you describe your stress levels as low to nonexistent?

* Are you able to focus as well as you'd like to?

* Is your creativity at its peak?

* Do you have all the energy you need at work and at home?

If you answered no to any of the above, just try it out. The benefits will far outweigh the costs to your health, happiness and productivity of prolonged stress.

Wondering how to get started?

Segment your day by task. Fill your calendar with 45-60 minute time slots that look ridiculous at first, like email, reading data, writing reports, etc. Highlight break times in your favorite color.

Does this sound like too much?

Start small and work up. Try taking breaks every two hours. If you haven't been taking lunch breaks, try it out and notice the changes in your energy and mood. Find what works for you.

Just remember, it takes 30 days to change a habit. So stick with it -- until it sticks with you.

Work breaks may initially seem as self-indulgent to you as child's pose first felt to me.

But, as you begin reaping the results, you'll wonder how you ever lived without them.

Subscribe to this blog at: http://www.truecallingcoach.com/the-tao-of-work

Interested in exploring your own career path? Contact Miriam Katz for a free 20-minute consultation at miriam@truecallingcoach.com