Posts tagged "yoga"

Seven Foundations of Life and Health

The Secrets of Longevity have been a quest by many people for aeons of time.There world longevity centers of the population such as Korea, Japan and China and specific pockets of people such as the Vilcambas (Andes), Hunzas (Pakistani Himalayas), Georgians and Abkhasians. Researchers tracking cultures living the longest have found that its not unusual for these peoples to live a life of quality. Work and play beyond 80 years and beyond is typical. A majority, attain 100 years remaining active and honored by all they live with. Here are the longevity habits of these people. 

THE 7 PILLARS TO A LONGER, HEALTHIER LIFE

  1. SLEEP

Sleep more, age less…Sleep is not an optional activity. When one cannot sleep, then and only then does a person realize it is as valuable water and food.

Any book dedicated to the topic of aging will cite the necessity for enough sleep, which is 7-9 hours.

There is a strong relationship between deep sleep and the release of Growth Hormone. During restful sleep, adults receive the greatest amount of HGH secretion.

Sleep disturbances usually stem from 1) deficient adrenals and kidneys (need energy to sleep), 2) high blood pressure spike at 3AM, 3) damp-obstruction in the throat (blocks airways) snoring, semi-wakefulness , 4) excess heat rising from the liver which causes alert status, head heat and headache and 5) excess urination which wakes the person thus not allowing deep REM sleep

2. STRESS REDUCTION

You cannot deny the health benefits of stress reduction.

Alleviation of stress eliminates and slows aging and resists disease.

Dr. Paul E. Lemanski (Albany Medical College( writes, ‘Stress causes the release of ‘fight or flight’ hormones which increase blood flow to our large muscles, increase our heart rate, respirations and blood pressure, and decreases blood flow to the gastrointestinal tract including the saliva glands.

Sleep disturbances usually stem from 1) high blood pressure spiking at 3AM,  2) Deficient adrenals and kidneys (need energy to sleep), 3)  

3. EXERCISE

In ’Successful Aging’ (1998) a study on aging in America, which had begin in 1987, showed that almost all healthy seniors had been physically active throughout their life.

Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-known proponent of alternative or complementary medicine and the author of, ‘Healthy Aging’, supports the idea that up until modern times, humans have almost always been physically active, simply by surviving off the land. Today we work off computers. Bottom line is that we need some form of daily exercise. Yes, walking counts, if done briskly.

4. NUTRITION

We all know the importance of good nutrition and a balanced diet. But which diet? The best history of longevity is held by the Hunzakuts of the Pakastani Himalayas. The majority of the people live over 100. They practice these health pillars, exceptionally, and more. They eat 3/5 the calories as those in industrialized society, drink 40 cups of water with chunks of Himalyan mineral salt daily, work 12 hours a day then play,take long 20 mile treks or hike up the mountin side, meditate many times in the day, etc.  Their diet consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and a little goat or Yak meat every couple of weeks, drink home made “Pani” wine (weak) and goat milk. The secret to their health is that they are not wasteful. They put all animal and human elimination and garbage back into the soil as compared to industrial society where all all elimination goes down the drain to public works depts. and dumped in sanitation pits. The problem here is that our soil is depleted and their soil and crop can defend itself without the use of pesticide and nutrients. 

5. WATER

Like that of nutrition, lots can be said and studies can be cited all day long as to which type of water is best for us. One thing is for sure however. Drinking enough water on a daily basis is essential for proper elimination and detoxification. I have found that water in plastic containers is very acidic which results in an inflammatory state. Water from the city (Houston) is in healthy ranges but you can smell the excess chlorine. I suggest putting a filter on the tap and shower head. Reduced acidity and chlorine.

6. SUPPLEMENTATION

With all the nutritional research, it is difficult to win an argument negating the benefits of supplementation given the deficiencies of our farming soil. However, if one were to source natural crop supplementation, they would be better off. This is hard to come by because it takes extra knowledge to provide for yourself and you need to take the time to grow your crop. But, if you are are desiring longevity then I would begin the search for an urban community garden or acquire land to produce yourself.

Many well-respected scientists, researchers, and medical professionals have discovered the relationship between mineral deficiencies and a wide variety of health conditions, which afflict the human body.

Since our soil is mineral deficient, effective supplementation based on plant nutrients is crucial. Longevity herbal is a beneficial natural source of highly mineralized, vitaminized food. Besides the health engendering alkalods contained there are dense nutrients which provides the human body the potential for correction. The key is the knowledge of the practitioner and chooser of the herbs essential for balance to be achieved. 

7. POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE

In the work called “The Secret” and many studies before, a positive belief in oneself, one’s vision, having supportive people to hold you to the task and believing in you, recognizing when you are off-course and positively course correcting will greatly minimize stress, affect others to be positive and reflect back positivity.   

There are, of course, other pillars to support a long and healthy life, but these are what we consider the most fundamental. More in-depth information can be found at “Secrets of Longevity“ 

Will Yoga Help Your Lower Back Pain?

Using Yoga For Lower Back Pain

Is yoga for lower back pain the rescue you need for your back pain? Unfortuately back pain is something that most people will experience at least once in their lives. It may be the type of back pain that is alleviated quickly and easily. It may also be something that comes and goes even sticks around for months if not for years. There are things you can do to help the lower back pain including surgery, but it is not always an option. For some types of back pain, even that is not helpful or even possible. There are some of exercises that help with some types of back pain and yoga can be one of them. In fact yoga for lower back pain is often considered an effective solution to relieve as well as often prevent pain in the back.

More often the pain that is experienced in a person’s back occurs on account of problems with maintaining proper posture. So it is necessary to consider suitable means to realign the body. This is a good time to consider using yoga exercise for back lower pain as this is one of the best and most natural means of bringing mind, body and soul back into perfect synchronization. Your doctor and health care practitioner can help you decide what you can do for your lower back pain, you should listen to what they have to say. Doing the wrong thing may make your problem worse. If your doctor or health care practitioner says that yoga for lower back pain is something that would help you, you may want to consider it as a option. The great thing about yoga is that it can be very easy on the body, and there are many different exercises in yoga that you can perform. You don’t have to do all of the moves that most classes have. It is only necessary to do the ones that work well for your back. If your doctor does recommend yoga for lower back pain you should follow the guidelines and recommendations that they have.

Yoga is about strength and flexibility and for the most part, this is going to be recommended for those that have muscle problems rather than some type of spinal injury. Yoga for lower back pain can be helpful when your muscles are weak, tight or tense, but it might not be best for bulging or crushed discs. It is not uncommon for some backs go out of place thanks to weak muscles, so doing yoga to help with back problems can be a preventative measure. You may even wish to purchase a book that has information about yoga for lower back pain.

At Home or In A Class-Which Suits You Best?

When performing yoga for lower back pain, you have two main choices.

1. You can do it from home with the right instruction

2. You may want to take a lesson with a experienced yoga teacher.

If you are going to do it from home, you want to go out and find the right DVD or book. It is beneficial to make sure you get the right accessories, including the mat to use on the floor to help you through your class. If you are going to a yoga class, stress that you need a beginners class and call ahead to see what you need. To start you will generally need a yoga mat and you may even wish to purchase a book that has information about yoga for lower back pain.

Make Sure You Are Comfortable

Get the right clothing for your yoga for lower back pain sessions, and make sure you remember that your limits may be pushed. You might feel a little pain as you work your way through the exercises, but stop if it becomes to painful. You don’t want to cause more damage in your back than you already have. You are going to find that you are going to build up the muscles that hold your spine in place, and that will do wonders for you back pain. If you find that yoga for back pain does not work for you, talk with your doctor about other exercise alternatives.

Which Yoga Pose For Lower Back Pain?

It is possible that yoga exercise for back pain will help fix problems related to pain in the back that emanate from the hips that could have been overworked or stretched beyond their limits. The right kind of yoga for lower back pain will ensure that the muscles of the hips are stretched, worked as well as brought back to their proper balance – all of which has the effect of decreasing pain in a person’s back. You can also perform the standing yoga postures that aid in providing better balance and help to achieve better flexibility as well as strengthen the hips.

The Mountain pose in particular is a yoga exercise for back pain that trains each and every muscle and brings the body back to its proper alignment. A person’s hips help to keep the body posture correctly balanced and they also play a major role in how well or poorly a person can move. The hips are located centrally and are connected to a person’s lower spine. It has been found that as many as eighty percent of people that suffer from pain in their backs do so because of hip problems.

The triangle pose is one of the yoga exercises for lower back pain that helps in realigning the hips and making them properly mobile once more. Stretching the flanks with a yoga exercise for lower back pain known as extended side angle pose is another way of achieving the right body balance and in addition this yoga exercise for back pain helps to elongate the spine while also countering problems such as poor postures. It can really help you achieve a pain-free existence once more and is a very useful exercise and. Back pain also occurs on account of slipped discs. In fact, the ache in your back is one of the most common of all health problems experienced by people in all parts of the world. The aches can become extremely painful and can lead to disabilities unless proper and timely treatment is given to the patient.

Conclusion

It is really worth considering yoga for lower a back pain, it may be beneficial to not just your back, but your overall well being. Visit HealthyYogaInfo.com to find out more information on back care and management.