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Why Yoga?
What can Yoga do for you?
Yoga - the union or "yolk" of the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga can help you find you strength, whether in the physical sense or on a mental or spiritual level.
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Below I provide some insight as to how Yoga can improve certain ailments, conditions and general "Dis-ease" of our everyday.
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I am always adding to my website and as I discover and enhance my learning and appreciation of Yoga, I will pass on this knowledge to you. I can most certainly provide first-hand experience of how Yoga has helped me.
Lower Back Weakness
The lower back is also called the lumbosacral area of the back. It is the part of the back between the bottom of the ribs and the top of the legs. Most of the lower back is made up from muscles that attach to, and surround, the spine. This area of our spine bears the upper body weight and can be susceptible to weakness.
How can yoga improve Lower Back pain?
Hatha Yoga very much encourages flowing movements with the breath and therefore entering the postures helps relax tight muscles, strengthen weak muscles, and ease pain.
By strengthening our core muscles we protect our lower backs. Our core or "corset" is not just about the "Abs", together with the abdominal muscles our core is made up of the muscles of the hips, lower back, waist and pelvic floor. Yoga can strengthen and release tension from these muscles helping to promote correct alignment, improved posture and ultimately enable us to support ourselves effectively. The pressure on our lower backs is reduced as our muscles are strong.
A strong core .........
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Improves your balance, coordination and posture.
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Able to support yourself with comfort and ease leading to to safer and more active lifestyle.
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In turn this can improve your confidence on the inside as you feel more capable on the outside.
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
A condition of the digestive system. It causes discomfort with symptoms including bloating, diarrhoea, constipation and abdominal cramps. Yoga can help to calm these symptoms:
- firstly through the benefits of meditation and pranayama (the breath), to calm and destress, stress being a major influencer of IBS. Managing stress levels can help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, encouraging our "rest and digest" state. More than 60% of IBS patients suffer from anxiety (Edward Blanchard, PhD, professor of psychology at the State University of New York at Albany).
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- secondly by using the physical practice. The "asanas" or postures that yoga is so widely known for, can be used to physically soothe and "massage" the digestive tract. Through the twists, balances, forward and backward folds, inversions ....... yoga can stimulate the blood flow to this area. By using the pranayama (breath control) the abdominals can be used as Bandhas “locks” to assist the focus and stimulation of this area. The bloating and discomfort often experienced can be eased. The “union” of the breath, physical postures and mindfulness really can help you to take control of your IBS.
Diastasis Recti (Split Abdominals)
A condition usually brought on by childbearing or continued heavy lifting, it is caused by extreme pressure in the abdominal wall resulting in muscle separation. This can cause discomfort and pain of the lower back, weakened abdominals, hernia, weakened pelvic floor, bloating as well as lack of confidence and self-esteem due to the mis-shape of the abdominal area.
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I have suffered with this condition since the birth of my eldest child in 2012. It was undiagnosed and became worse during my second pregnancy. I have had physiotherapy which helped but I can honestly say that YOGA has been by far the most successful type of exercise with the a longer lasting effect. I find that on the days that I practice yoga, and in particular a core emphasis, my abdominals are stronger and "hold me in" better, giving a flatter tummy appearance.
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Let's face it, nothing but surgery will physically reattach the abdominal muscles, but Yoga has certainly strengthened not only my abdominal muscles, but also my lower back muscles and the transverse abdominals. This "corset" of muscles is vital to our posture, protection of our lower (Lumbar) spine, allows us greater ease of movement, especially as we age and gives us that toned shape at our waist.
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The Pranayama (the breath) and Bandhas (locks) has also helped my core strength. Appreciating the correct way to breath and being able to control my breath is incredibly important and beneficial for such a condition. "Switching on" my Bandhas lifts, supports and tones.
