For people with lower back pain, stertching is very important. Lets take the hamstring muscles (in the back of the thigh) for example, stretching this helps expand the motion in the pelvis, which decreases stress across the lower back. This also does not include the fact that Yoga stretching increases the blood flow, which allow nutrients to flow in toxins to flush out, and nourishment of the muscles and soft tissues in the lower back. Breathing is another part of Yoga poses, Deep free and rhythm breaths through the nose will relax the body and encourage strong circulation.
Aside from physical benefits that Yoga exercises can do to address your back problem, there are also several theories that suggest, that a mental state of mind may affect those suffering from pain.
Here are the benefits of Yoga To our Body and Mind
Muscle Strength = When you hold positions in yoga, you may feel a little discomfort at first. This is because you are using a specific group of muscles at the back, as well as the abdominal area, that will in time become stronger. Back and abdominal muscles are important parts of the muscular network of the spine which help the body maintain proper upright posture and movement. When these muscles are well conditioned back pain can be greatly reduce or avoided.
Total Relaxation = Stretching and relaxation found in Yoga exercises reduce tension in stress-carrying muscles, Yoga requires one to hold gentle posses from 10 to 60 seconds and within the pose, certain muscles flex, while others stretch. The series of flexing and stretching encourages relaxation and flexibility in muscles and joints.
Improved posture, balance and body alignment = The point of performing yoga pose is to train the body to be healthy and supple, With practice and concentration, you will experience improve posture, and an increased sense of balance - head, shoulders and pelvis in proper alignment. Proper body alignment and good posture, which helps maintain the natural curvature of the spine helps reduce lower back pains.
Changed "perception" of Pain = Many believe that negative psychological and emotional factors tend to magnify a problem that already exists. Therefore, reducing the "perception" of th pain through meditation can reduce the overall feeling of back pain.
Riding the body of pain-causing stress and negative emotions = Many Yoga and practitioners believe that some types of back pain are purely caused by the stresses of daily work and worries. In theory, Yoga helps people concentrate their energy on breathing and maintaining posture. The methodical breathing increases oxygen flow to the brain and sets a rhythm within the body and mind. This action coupled with the posses and sometimes meditation is said to dissipate stress and anxiety, therefore relieving back pain caused by psychological and emotional factors.
Any exercise will do as long as that gets its rate up and keeps it there for at least 20 to 30 minutes. That generally means any aerobic activity, whether its running, swimming, cycling, or brisk walking. The best exercise for the heart are those that sustain our heart rate for a long time. Consider doing aerobics workouts several days a week and combining them with strength training, yoga, or Pilates. Your cardiovascular system will reap the rewards, and so will the rest of your body.
The right intensity when it comes to our heart is working out harder isn't necessarily better. You should aim for moderate intensity 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. A more vigorous pace won't do any damage, but you won't be able to keep it up for a long period of time. And sustaining the elevated rate is what benefits you. You're better off doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise than 10 minutes of hard exercise.
How to know if we are in the right intensity? Here's how Think of a scale from 1 to 10 with 1 being the slowest possible exercise pace and 10 the most vigorous. Aim for an intensity of 6 or 7 so your working hard but not exhausting yourself. Or crunch some numbers: To find your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220 and multiply the result by 0.6 (for moderately intense activity). That's what you should shoot for.
Can exercising too hard cause a heart attack? If you're already fit no. But if you've been sedentary, doing too much too fast can put undue strain on our heart, the same way it can in any muscle. If you haven't been exercising at all, clear it with your doctor first. Then gradually increase how much you do.
Meditation disciplines both body and mind. It is a practice based on mental focus, awareness and mindfulness. Meditation has proven holistic health benefits affecting the whole person - body, mind, emotions and spirits.. Meditation is widely recommended by not just spiritual teachers, but also by physicians, and mental health professionals. Some people do meditation for improving their lives, de-stress, relax, and rejuvenate. Some for personal growth and spiritual purposes.
Here are some of its benefits in our spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical well being:
- Spiritual - We develop a greater awareness of our inner self. Under the guidance of a spiritual mentor, meditation can bring about a spiritual awakening and the discovery of our true being. Meditation is a fundamental practice for people pursuing a spiritual journey. Meditation is used in all major religious traditions such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism.
- Emotional - Meditations reduces feelings of anxiety, depression, irritability, and moodiness.
- Mental - We develop greater concentration, intuition and creativity. Since meditation can enhance creativity and insight, and even develop extra sensory perception, It is a popular practice for people who want to reach their full human potential.
- Physical - Meditation induce deep relaxation, strengthens the immune system, lowers high blood pressure, and increases one's energy level. It is an effective method for stress relief and is good for people undergoing physical stress and medical conditions such as migraine, headaches, asthma, hypertension, hyper acidity, muscle aches, acne, and even sexual dysfunction.
