SSTattler: This is a long article and so I only include a sub-set. Go to the full article to read more details.
Yoga As Exercise Or Alternative Medicine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For the family of spiritual practices that originated in India, see Yoga and Asana.
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| Yoga class at a gym |
Modified versions of the physical exercises in hatha yoga have become popular as a kind of low-impact physical exercise, and are used for therapeutic purposes. "Yoga" in this sense and in common parlance refers primarily to the asanas but less commonly to pranayama.
Aspects of meditation are sometimes included. Both the meditative and the exercise components of yoga show promise for non-specific health benefits. According to an article in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, the system of hatha yoga believes that prana, or healing "life energy" is absorbed into the body through the breath, and can treat a wide variety of illnesses and complaints.
Yoga has been studied as an intervention for many conditions, including back pain, stress, and depression.
A survey released in December 2008 by the US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that yoga was the sixth most commonly used alternative therapy in the United States during 2007, with 6.1 percent of the population participating.
Background and Overview
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A western style hatha yoga class
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The physical asana of hatha yoga have a tradition that goes back to the 15th century, but they were not widely practiced in India prior to the early 20th century. Hatha yoga was advocated by a number of late 19th to early 20th century gurus in India, including Sri Krishnamacharya in south India, Swami Sivananda in the north, Sri Yogendra in Bombay, and Swami Kuvalyananda in Lonavala.
In the 1960s, western interest in Hindu spirituality reached its peak, giving rise to a great number of Neo-Hindu schools specifically advocated to a western public. Among the teachers of hatha yoga who were active in the west in this period were B.K.S. Iyengar, K. Pattabhi Jois, Swami Vishnu-devananda, and Swami Satchidananda. A second "yoga boom" followed in the 1980s, as Dean Ornish, a follower of Swami Satchidananda, connected yoga to heart health, legitimizing yoga as a purely physical system of health exercises outside of counter culture or esotericism circles, and unconnected to a religious denomination.
Since then, yoga has been used as supplementary therapy for diverse conditions such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, and AIDS. The scope of medical issues where yoga is used as a complementary therapy continues to grow.
There are many different styles and disciplines and people practice yoga for a variety of reasons. One of the main goals of yoga is to improve overall well-being through teaching discipline and self-regulation. Recently, research has focused on the healing properties of yoga and how it relates to positive psychology. Researchers wonder what psychological advantages it can afford, in addition to the previously discovered physical benefits. Yoga has proven to offer different and multiple benefits for individuals ranging from consciousness of one's body and its capabilities, satisfaction from challenging oneself physically, and increased energy and mental clarity and concentration. While the topic is still somewhat new and some research is still preliminary, results have shown significant improvements in both physical and mental health among a variety of subjects in various circumstances.
The practice of yoga traditionally includes both meditation and exercise, but in the West the focus is mainly on exercise. The more classical approaches, such as Iyengar Yoga, move at a more deliberate pace, emphasize proper alignment and execution and hold asanas for a longer time. They aim to gradually improve flexibility, balance, and strength. Other approaches, such as Ashtanga or Power Yoga, shift between asanas quickly and energetically. More recently, contemporary approaches to yoga have developed (such as Vanda Scaravelli inspired, as taught by the likes of Diane Long, Sophie Hoare and Marc Woolford ) inviting students to become their own authority in yoga practice by offering principle-based approaches to yoga that can be applied to any form.
Nearly all types of yoga practices include asanas, pranayama (breathing exercises), and savasanas (relaxation techniques).
Major Theoretical Approaches - Positive Psychology
One of the most recent trends in the practice of and research about yoga as alternative therapy is how it relates to the field of positive psychology. Positive psychology is the study of that which contributes to the overall well-being of and supports the optimal functioning of individuals. As more research is released in support of yoga contributing to a better state of being, yoga becomes more in line with positive psychology's focus on developing alternate strategies for healing and bettering individuals' lives. Positive psychology refutes the concept of dualism and scientists in this field believe that the body and mind cannot be separated. This logic indicates that all physical benefits resulting from the practice of yoga are coupled with mental benefits such as development of inner consciousness, positivity, awareness, and appreciation of nature, combining to offer a whole-body therapy. Drawing from recent research on the mental and physical benefits of practicing yoga, positive psychologists have begun to look deeper into the possibilities of utilizing yoga as a positive psychology therapy.
Yoga and Religion
The most historically rooted perspective taken on yoga is that of considering yoga’s spiritual linkages and implications. The foundational text for yoga is a Hindu scripture named Yoga Sutra. The Yoga Sutra is a compilation of sutras, or concise, instructional writings. There remains controversy over when the writings were published. The Yoga Sutra is built on a foundation of Samkhya philosophy. The physical practices detailed in the Yoga Sutras are the manifestation of theory offered in the Samkhya philosophies. The sutras are divided into four parts, including:
- Samadhi Pada: translated: "On being absorbed in spirit." This section focuses on the "emergence of the spiritual man from the veils and meshes of the psychic nature."
- Sadhana Pada "On being immersed in spirit."
- Vibhuti Pada "On supernatural abilities and gifts."
- Kaivalya Pada "On absolute freedom." This final section discusses the "mechanism of salvation," referring to "the ideally simple working of cosmic law which brings the spiritual man to birth, growth and fullness of power, and prepares him for the splendid, toilsome further stages of his great journey home."
Religious articles from a variety of views and beliefs have been published to try to show that Yoga is leading people from their previous beliefs into eastern religions. Some websites are wholly dedicated to this purpose, under names such as "Yogadangers.com".
Mindfulness
Mindfulness has been a fundamental aspect of yoga since its early documentation in the Yoga Sutra. Mindfulness is defined as "attending to relevant aspects of experience in a nonjudgmental manner". Mindfulness is attained through the practice of yoga in that one is able to maintain awareness of the present, releasing control and attachment of beliefs, thoughts and emotions. By letting go of one’s thoughts and mind, allowing the mind to be calm and at peace, one is able to attain a greater sense of emotional well-being and balance. Researchers have recently begun to take interest in the healing benefits of mindfulness through yoga. Research has indicated that there are health benefits of applying mindfulness-based approaches to pain management, physical functioning, and ability to cope with stresses in everyday life.
Physical Aspects of Yoga
Yoga has been highly westernized in recent years, and a majority of the result of this westernization and modernization is the heightened profile of the physical aspect yoga has to offer. This physically exerting practice is typically hatha yoga, which combines asanas that exert the participant's physical self. The therapeutic healing benefits of yoga were recently discussed by van der Kolk, who posited that regulation of physical movement is a fundamental priority of the nervous system. For this reason, focusing on and developing an awareness of physical movement allows for the mind and body to connect and be in sync. This is beneficial for humans, especially those suffering from psychological conditions such as depression and PTSD (the focus of van der Kolk’s work) because the connectedness of mind and body allow for feelings of control and understanding of their "inner sensations" and state of being. The physical benefits of yoga are linked to the release of β-endorphins and the shift caused in neurotransmitter levels linked to emotions such as dopamine and serotonin. These benefits are most likely in high-intensity practices of yoga. Lower-intensity yoga practices, which includes a majority of yoga, typically spark the "relaxation response" as defined by Dr. Herbert Benson. This response is typified by a "physiological de-activation" of tenseness and control over one’s body. Benson related this release of control to the implicit dominance of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS).
Major Empirical Findings
A 2010 literature review of the research on the use of yoga for treating depression said that preliminary research suggests that yoga may be effective in the management of depression. Both the exercise and the mindfulness meditation components may be helpful. However the review cautioned that "Although results from these trials are encouraging, they should be viewed as very preliminary because the trials, as a group, suffered from substantial methodological limitations." At the same time, a 2009 individual study found that the regular practice of yoga helps to decrease levels of anxiety significantly. For individuals who practiced yoga twice weekly for a period of two months, levels of state anxiety and trait anxiety decreased. People also found evidence of improved mood and increased energy after an hour-long class. Evidence also indicates that yoga has some effect on lowering levels of anxiety and stress. A study on the effects of hatha yoga showed that the emphasis on breath awareness, internal centering, relaxation, and meditation enabled participants to learn to avoid mental and emotional blockages. These strategies helped participants experience lower stress and anxiety levels in addition to higher quality of life scores.
While the healing properties of yoga help individuals with clinically diagnosed anxiety and depression problems, they also help people learn to navigate and cope with daily sources of stress. A study conducted with a group of medical school students revealed lowered stress overall in addition to less stress on the mornings of exams. Significantly fewer students in the experimental group (those who received the yoga treatment) failed their exams than in the control group. Students in the experimental group said that they had a better sense of well-being, improved concentration, self-confidence, and lower levels of irritability.
More recent studies have looked into how yoga can help participants cope with symptoms from more physical conditions, such as cancer. Learning breathing and relaxation techniques help patients manage pain, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and fatigue. The patients reported that their overall quality of life significantly improved in addition to mood, distress, sleep quality, and severity of cancer symptoms. A yoga intervention program designed for overweight women showed significantly lower instances of binge-eating and higher instances of additional physical activity both during and after the intervention. Women lost weight and most became self-motivated to participate in other forms of exercise outside of the intervention.
See the full article:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Body Harmony Yoga for Stroke Survivors
Published on May 1, 2013GBMC, in partnership with BodyHarmony, LLC, offers a yoga program designed to improve stroke survivors ' health, well-being and disabilities that result from stroke. Yoga involves strength training, stretching, balance, coordination and breathing techniques, which can all be incorporated into the daily lives of stroke patients. These yoga sessions are open to any stroke survivors in the community who have completed rehabilitation, regardless of their level of ability, including GBMC employees and volunteers.
Certified yoga instructor and physical therapist Kelli Bethel of BodyHarmony has a background in neurological injury and disease and modifies sessions based upon each client's unique needs.
Sessions are held in the Civiletti Conference Center, Mondays from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. and Fridays from 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. and cost $60 per person per 10-week session.
For more information about Yoga for Stroke Survivors, contact Kelli Bethel at 410-302-7663 or e-mail info@bodyharmonyyoga.com.
Standard YouTube License @ Chosen Media
Yoga Therapy and Stroke Rehab with Rachel Divine
Published on Aug 1, 2012Here is a sample of a Yoga Therapy class I had with one of my clients. Yoga can be fun and full of laughter! She is almost 80 yrs old and this was our 7th class. Don't think that yoga has to be serious... you cab have fun and heal. btw... Sitting in a chair is perfectly acceptable!
Yoga may help stroke survivors improve balance.
Yoga may be more therapeutic than traditional exercise because the combination of postures, breathing and meditation may produce different effects than simple exercise, researchers said.
"However, stroke patients looking for such help might have a hard time finding qualified yoga therapists to work with," Schmid said.Standard YouTube License @ Yoga Divina
Yoga for Stroke Victims
Published on Jan 29, 2013SSTattler: Dr. M. West has 153 YouTubes. If you are into Yoga for stroke survivors please scan them; it can be very useful! Look at LivingYourYogaTV and Dr. Melissa West - Free Yoga Class.
Dr. Melissa West.com
Today I wanted to share with you some interesting research that has come out of Roudebush Veterans Administration-Medical Center and Indiana University in Indianapolis and was published in the Journal: Stroke.
This study was done by researcher Arlene Schmid, PhD. The study found that starting yoga even long after a stroke may improve the BALANCE of stroke survivors. "It's an exciting thing," says study researcher Arlene Schmid, PhD. "People can improve their balance years after a stroke. They can change their brain and change their body. They are not stuck with what they have."
The study involved: 47 stroke survivors who'd had strokes more than six months ago. Seventy-five percent of them were male veterans, including veterans of World War II.They were divided into two groups. Ten received no therapy. The other 37 got a specialized version of yoga developed by a yoga therapist and the research team.
They practiced seated, standing, and floor-based exercises like the pigeon pose and the mountain pose over the eight-week study period. By the end, the yoga group showed significant improvement in BALANCE. . The yoga practice also boosted their confidence and reduced their fear of falling.
According to the study, nearly three-quarters of all stroke survivors suffer from falls. Such falls can break bones. They can also be fatal. In addition to physical harm, strokes can also contribute to depression.
One of the key components to the yoga we practice on Namaste Yoga LINK youtube.com/DrMelissaWest is balance. We practice many standing and kneeling balancing postures with varying levels of difficulty.
What is most exciting to me about this research is the malleability of both your brain and your body. Keep doing your yoga the research supports what we already experience and know to be true in our bodies and minds - that yoga keeps us feeling strong, balanced and confident!
Research comes from : WebMD - Yoga Improves Balance After Stroke.
Standard YouTube License @ LivingYourYogaTV
Yoga for Stroke Victims: Info Presented by Dr. Melissa West
Donna Brooks: Yoga For Stroke Recovery
Uploaded on Apr 12, 2011Standard YouTube License @ donna brooks
Study to Investigate Benefits of Yoga for Stroke Survivors at the University of South Australia
Uploaded on Jun 10, 2009UniSA will begin a new study into the benefits of yoga and meditation for the mental and physical healing of a person who has suffered a stroke. Read the full story at UniSA - Study to Investigate Benefits of Yoga for Stroke.
Standard YouTube License @ UniSouthAustralia
Yoga and Stroke
Uploaded on Dec 10, 2010The Samarya Center is a 501 c3 non-profit yoga organization based in Seattle, Washington that offers yoga to everyone This short video shows an example of a stroke survivor who came to them as a therapy client and ended up as a yoga teacher. Inspirational!
Standard YouTube License @ TheSamaryaCenter
Difabled Yoga Intro
Uploaded on Aug 1, 2011Meet Todd Mary Bern, a certified Yoga Instructor and stroke survivor. Todd speaks about yoga for people with different abilities, something he calls "difabled" yoga, and shares what he will teach in his forthcoming instructional videos.
Standard YouTube License @ BanyanFire
Yoga for People With Disabilities
Uploaded on Feb 4, 2010Standard YouTube License @ A Wider World
Yoga and Balance
Published on Jan 22, 2013According to a recent study that took place at Roudebush Veterans Administration Medical Center and Indiana University in Indianapolis, yoga exercise classes can improve balance and provide other benefits for stroke victim health.
For more information, click the link: Yoga May Help Stroke Victims.
Standard YouTube License @ Jon Barron
Wheelchair Yoga Promotes Faster Healing
Uploaded on Jan 19, 2011Loyola is now offering wheelchair yoga to help patients after surgery and certain medical events, like stroke and cardiac arrest. Breathing exercises increase the flow of oxygen, helping patients to recover more quickly, while stances improve posture, alignment, coordination, mobility and a sense of well-being. For more information or to make an appointment, please call 888-LUHS-888, (888-584-7888).
Standard YouTube License @ Loyola University Health System
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