Yoga and Health

Often, the inability to relax stems from a racing brain. Getting control of “mind chatter” is more than half the battle. Here’s what you can do to get that control.

Steps
Lie down somewhere where you are unobstructed (like the back of a couch squishing your arm to your body).
On your back, totally relax all of your muscles. Let your arms and legs sink into the surface beneath them.
Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing. Regulate it with slow breaths in through your nose and hold for a second, then slowly exhale out of your mouth.
Listen to your “mind chatter” for a moment. Are there a billion things running around in there?
One by one, let your thoughts go. Tell yourself you can take up those thoughts later on.
Try to clear your mind, especially of negative “mind chatter” and concentrate on your breathing.
Bring up a thought that makes you feel relaxed, like floating on a lake on a warm summer’s day with the sun beating down on you, a gentle breeze blowing across you.
Think to yourself that you are perfectly calm and relaxed, totally healthy and happy. Let your “mind chatter” focus on those thoughts and nothing else.
Continue the slow breathing… in through the nose, out through the mouth.

Tips

It is hard to relax with “mind chatter”. If your thoughts are racing in 100 directions, you can’t relax. The key is to calm your thoughts. Your body will follow.
When in the midst of a busy day, you can still do this. If you are sitting at your desk, take a minute and close your eyes. Do the slow breathing and repeat your thoughts that you are perfectly calm and relaxed. Picture yourself in that place where you were the most calm and relaxed

What a world of difference a deep breath can make! It is one thing to know that you need to relax, but how do you find the time? To reach the “relaxation response” at times can seem like you are trying to hit a moving target. Just ask Joan, a 31-year-old full time college student and mother of 2 active preteens. “I needed coffee today just so I could study for my exams, “she panted on her way to a class. Mike, an exhausted engineer is having difficulty sleeping through the night.

Here are some quick tips for relaxing when it seems like you cannot fit in one more thing:

Tip #1. This may require planning, however it will repay you. Eat a breakfast of whole oats or steel cut oats cooked, not micro waved. This will give your body needed fuel. Sprinkle chopped almonds, walnuts, or seasonal fruit on the oatmeal for added variety.

Tip #2. Curve your lips upward into a smile. Smiling is a way to remind yourself that you can handle your life. Practice often. Write notes around your home, office and as reminders to smile often.

Tip #3. Before bed soak your feet in warm water for 5 minutes.

Tip #4. If you are in the habit of multi-tasking, stop. Yes, un-plug the device from your ears and enjoy walking down the street or whatever you are doing. Focus your energy. Develop a habit of doing one thing at a time. It will repay you in increased effectiveness and over time you will accomplish more in less time.

Tip #5. Remember to exhale then inhale again. When we hurry and hold our breath, without awareness, for too long it generates a sense of unease.

Tip #6. Hold your thumb. Wrap your fingers completely around your thumb repeat with your other hand. Do for 3-5 minutes. This position calms anxiety.

Tip #7. Take a trip, in your mind. Sit in your office, car, etc. and visualize yourself calm, smiling and joyful. Take yourself to place that you enjoy and chill there. You did it, you’re calmer.

The brain is a fascinating organ. It seems like the more we study it, the less we understand. In other words, the brain confuses us! Just yesterday the BBC had a news article on their health pages regarding depression. The doctors and hospitals participating in a large study rather convincingly claim that our modern pharmaceutical cash cows, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors or SSRIs don’t work in a majority of people. A dummy pill or placebo was found almost equally effective. The drug manufacturers have made us believe that feeling sad or having the blues is an illness whereas in fact it is a very normal part of what and who we are. A century ago a woman’s menstrual period was considered an illness, as was a wakeup time erection for younger males. I don’t offhand remember what the suggested treatment was for the ladies but for the gentlemen a bagful of ice was recommended. This time we are made to believe that feeling good and happy at all times is normal. The people who were given sugar-coated dummy pills in the large study in the United Kingdom noticed often an immediate improvement in their moods simply because they felt their “problem” was being addressed. The ministry of health in that country now wants to invest in thousands of new talk therapists and get people to exercise, an almost guaranteed mood lifter. SSRIs cost the system billions, the therapy would be a fraction of it and a brisk walk outdoors is totally free. Knowing how powerful the drug companies are, I don’t expect much coverage on this topic here.

As I have seen it in my family, major depression does exist and is a very serious disease, as is a true bipolar condition. However, the latter term is used too freely, like ADD in active children, and people are made to think that having ups and downs is abnormal. Our souls are like the weather: one day it is sunny, the other it rains (unless you live in a desert). People who have too much sunshine in the summertime welcome the beginning of the rainy season. We are like plants; we need both the light and the water to grow and to survive. We don’t quite understand what causes the various form mental illness although through trial and error we have discovered ways to lessen the symptoms. Some older drugs such as tricyclics (amitriptyline, nortriptyline) and tetracyclics (mirtazapine, maprotiline) seem to work often for true depression, although they rather toxic and make one drowsy. Lithium, another toxic substance, is very valuable for manic-depressive illness. And what we used to think as a cruel treatment, electric shock therapy, can make a deeply depressed person feel better instantly. We have learned to administer the amount of electricity needed to short out the brain’s own electrical connections and one no longer is in a danger of biting through his/her tongue. Usually this treatment is done under light anesthesia so the patient has no unpleasant association or memory.

The word “memory” brings me to one of the first topics on my blog which will have its third birthday next month, about two hundred entries later, most of them essays. Some early ones I had to remove because of a settlement, but I will probably repost them once I officially retire. I wrote about memorization in March of 2005 and have since observed and learned more on the topic. I also watched the New York Philharmonic play in North Korea and was somewhat disappointed that the conductor, Lorin Maazel, had to use a score for the rather simple but beautiful Korean folk tune “Arirang”, beloved by both the North and South Koreans. Out of respect and as a sign of courtesy I would have expected the maestro to memorize the short piece. Well, he is up there in years and perhaps the music is remote to his heart, so I’ll let go of that. The fact that he and the management of the NY Philharmonic were able and willing to go to Pyongyang was brave. It probably brought our two nations back to the time of Bill Clinton’s second presidency when Madeline Albright was able to charm the North Korean leader with her wit and sincerity in 2000. Anyway, this reading in North Korea reminded me of an American conductor who for years needed a score to conduct our National Anthem.

Since my rather nasty concussion I still continue to have short term memory problems with names, words and, worst of all, music. I have had to think about how memorization works. I also have students who really fear playing from memory to the point it becomes next to impossible. Interestingly, many of these young adults were at ease with memorization when they were younger. My explanation is that back then they didn’t analyze their skills or doubt their ability. A lot happens when a young person grows up. Most of the child prodigies disappear or come back as a shadow of their former self, such as was the case with Yehudi Menuhin, or some present ones whom I decline to name. The more sensitive, and thus artistic, a young musician is, the more likely he/she is to have self-doubts.

I have tried different methods with students. Usually fast virtuoso pieces are the least problematic as one doesn’t have the time to think about the notes and one uses an automatic muscle memory. Slower works are another story, especially ones where a motive returns many times and is always slightly different. Some of the most difficult music for a violinist to memorize is certain solo Bach. The Fugues are tricky as is the Chaconne, but even the Allemande of the d minor Partita presents a challenge to many. As logical as Bach is, patterns could go many different ways. Even Pablo Casals, after spending decades of the cello suites, got stuck in a movement and managed to end up at the half way point repeatedly. According to my violin-maker-teacher who was present, the great cellist had to leave the stage and come back with the music, apologizing to the audience. Some violinists are aided by watching their fingers as they know what note each digit represents, similar to a pianist looking at the keyboard, yet others find this method confusing. Recently I noticed that a rather new student, who had to play a concerto movement from memory for a college audition, was staring at the wall and constantly getting lost. I asked if she had ever tried looking at her fingers or her bow. She replied that she used to do that, but then at some “master class” the know-it-all person had told her it was all wrong and that she ought to stare into nothingness! We have to be careful what we tell the young ones as often their mind is like a sponge and they remember things they shouldn’t and forget others that are of value. This student’s playing improved immediately and then I asked her to completely close her eyes and concentrate. What a difference that made! Not only did the memory issue disappear but also her sound and intonation improved like by magic. Others have also done well with their eyes closed. Performing this way they can inhabit their own private world while playing. As they cannot see the audience they are less likely to be frightened and ideally nothing should distract them.

Of course playing blind doesn’t work for everyone. One needs to see the conductor or the pianist’s fingers in a tricky piece. I have to visualize the music in my mind and read it, especially now after my head injury. This of course can be done in the “blind mode” and I would do so except that the neurological damage to the nerves of my feet make me very uncertain about my balance and I need a visual input to tell myself I’m properly upright. Although I do it differently from before, performing from memory is no longer an issue for me, but I need to know every note of the concerto or other composition intimately. I advise students to learn the music, not just memorize the markings. If they have a piano and are able to play it with enough ease, I encourage them to play the piece on the keyboard. Experimenting with completely different fingerings, reversing bowings, all that is helpful.

Now I have to remember to quit writing as this story is becoming too brainy. Do I need a pill to do that?

When you are pregnant you exercise to tone your muscles, you do yoga, you eat right to keep healthy, you practice your kegals to tone the birthing canal, so why not tone your voice. Singers do it, public speakers do it, and often times, we tone our voices without really knowing that is what we are doing.

So just what is vocal toning anyways? Vocal toning is can be one of the most VALUABLE tools for the birthing mom. The voice is one of the key areas of expression: expression of joy, pain, sorrow, anger and the list goes on. Most women in labor naturally use their voices. Vocal toning allows you to capture the power and usefulness of your voice and use it to your advantage rather than your disadvantage.

To understand why vocal toning works, first we must understand that there is a neuro-muscular connection between the cranium/throat and the sacrum/pelvis. When the throat is choked (with fear, pain or unexpressed emotion, words we can not express etc), this tightness is reflected in the pelvis/sacrum. When the throat is open, this opening is then reflected into the throat of the birth canal, the opening of the cervix.

In addition to the benefit of the open throat reflecting the open pelvis, vocal toning also releases sound vibrations throughout the body. Sound Vibration Therapy, Sound Wave Therapy, and other types of sound therapy have been common in the Alternative Healing sectors for many, many years. Sound vibrational waves are thought to affect the body on a cellular level, and have been touted to: relax muscles by carrying tension from the body, improve circulation, maximize energy flow within the body, alleviate some disease such as arthritis, heal past injuries, even diminish cellulite!

Seeing as the voice is one of the first choices of expression, it is no wonder that during a powerful contraction often the first reaction is to use your voice to say: “OW”, or “it hurts”, or sometimes to even scream. These are all normal natural, intuitions. The point is, to try to use the voice in a way that doesn’t trigger your flight or fight response, as a scream or painful reaction would do. When you are using these habitual reactions to painful, fearful situations your mind believes what you are telling it, and this is counter-intuitive to labor’s progress.

When you change the habit by using a more direction with the voice, as guided in our audio segment “Vocal Toning”, you will actually be triggering the brain’s response to relaxation, telling it to release more oxytocin (the love hormone that stimulates and advances labor), this hormone when in it’s natural form created by you and not by a IV drip, helps labor seem less painful and can aid in mother/infant bonding.

By practicing vocal toning, expressing yourself fully and singing happily often during your pregnancy, you will be setting fabulous subconscious behavior patterns that will help you immensely during labor and birth. Vocal toning can also be used during a C-Section birth, it will help keep you calm and focused, re-assure your baby, and increase your intake of oxygen and the output of carbon monoxide insuring a safe and easy journey for your baby into this world.

BENEFITS OF VOCAL TONING:

*open throat = open birth canal

*increases the length and depth of the exhalations

*ound vibrations also carry tension out of the body

*relaxing

*the sound helps calm and focus mind and body

*helpful tool to cope with labor contractions

*helps to let go of anxiety

*creates a sound of familiarity/continuity (and therefore reassurance) for your baby

*it is also a powerful breathing exercise

HOW TO TONE

Always tone from a soft throat and the sensation of an open throat tone for the entire length of the exhale, always following a deep inhalation low vibrations help to resonate the lower body, higher vibrations help resonate the upper body during labor, tone for the full length of the contraction if you are un-able to intake a deep breath during labor, try layering the breath in 2 or 3 short inhales, and then tone for the full length of the exhale/contraction.

Go with your intuitive sound. If “owww” is what works, go with it. There is no wrong or right sound.

PRACTICE

Start experimenting with different sounds. An easy one to start with is : ” ahhhhhhhhh”. Practice “mmmmmmm” The try all the vowel sounds “a e i o u” noticing what those different sounds feel like as you vocalize them. Everybody gravitates to their own personal sound. There is no wrong or right sound. Feel free to combine sounds, or even use a word.

PRACTICE WHILE PREGNANT! Your baby will listen! You are creating a comforting sound for baby.

PRACTICE WITH YOUR BIRTH PARTNER! So that they can help match your rhythm during labor,
and so that they know what to expect. Their voice can add a powerful support for your momentum during labor.

PRACTICE IN THE SHOWER, THE CAR, WHILE DOING DISHES, WHILE LYING IN BED……

DO NOT ALLOW ANY ONE TO TELL YOU TO “SHHHHHH” OR BE QUIET DURING LABOR. If this is suggested to you, request that this person leave the room. You are the one in charge of your labor, and ultimately, the birth. Be Empowered to know your voice can be spoken.

ENJOY, RELAX, FIND RYTHM IN THIS RITUAL

Balance plays a pivotal role in our lives whether we notice it or not. We are constantly bombarded with external forces that disrupt our equilibrium. So much so, that we often fail to notice, as our bodies are so effectively equipped to deal with such disturbances. We do, however, notice when our systems fail us, resulting in injury or an embarrassing moment, or even worse, both! Understanding balance in its entirety makes it much easier to comprehend movement, appreciate how incredible our bodies truly are, and realize how something like yoga can develop abilities that we didn’t even know we possessed.

There are three systems in the body that contribute to the function of balance: the visual system, the vestibular system and the proprioceptive system. The visual system contributes to the execution of balance as it provides feedback as to where we are in space. The vestibular system is a network of canals in the inner ear which supply information of our head’s position (tilted, rotated, flexed or extended). The proprioceptive system is composed of sensory receptors in the muscles and tendons that inform the central nervous system as to the varying lengths of muscles, as well as force loads traveling through tendons. This notifies us as to how and where our body and limbs are oriented in space.

The human body has many regulating control systems that function via the nervous system. Receptors exist in our muscles which recognize when the length of the muscle fibers are changing. These act as a protective mechanism for the muscles. With excessive lengthening of a muscle, a reflex will be initiated which will cause the muscle to contract in order to prevent a ligament sprain or muscle strain injury. A similar regulation system exists in tendons, but it instead is dependent on the force being loaded through the tendon rather than on its length. These two regulatory systems of the muscles and tendons contribute to what is known as proprioception.

Proprioception is the new catch term. Rehabilitation programs are now focusing their attention on muscle coordination and muscle inhibition with the intention of improving muscle firing (contracting) patterns. Throughout our lives, we develop motor patterns which are essentially the blueprints that muscles follow in order to accomplish a movement task such as walking or even chopping up vegetables. Typically, muscular weakness, inhibition (muscle not firing properly), and / or pain will cause a normal motor pattern to become abnormal.

For example, the primary function of the gluteus maximus (buttock muscle) is to extend the hip. However, many people have gluteus maximus muscles that are either inhibited or weak. Therefore, the hamstrings or lumbar spine (low back) erector muscles are forced to facilitate hip extension. Due to this novel, aberrant, motor pattern, these individuals commonly complain of tight hamstrings, irritated sacroiliac joints, and / or chronic low back pain. The probability of injury increases dramatically, as does the inefficiency of movements when muscles are regularly recruited to compensate for weakness, inhibition or pain. These abnormal patterns can be corrected; however, they do require specific rehabilitation.

When an individual’s balance is jeopardized by external factors such as being bumped into or slipping on ice, the correct muscles must be prepared to engage immediately. Proprioceptive rehabilitation focuses on training muscles to accelerate their ability to achieve maximum contraction. (Liebenson, p. 529) This is why training on unstable surfaces such as wobble boards and Bosu balls is currently so popular. By training on an unsteady surface, balance is constantly being challenged. The correct muscles must contract rapidly in order to counteract the forces that the disrupted balance is placing on the body. When muscles can respond quickly to perturbations, injury is less likely and performance is more likely to be enhanced.

Proprioceptive training is relevant for all people in all stages of life. With youth comes silly antics, sports and activities that place us at an increased risk of injury, despite relatively strong, healthy bodies. With age, our vision becomes diminished and our vestibular system begins to deteriorate; however, our proprioceptive system can be quite well preserved. As these changes occur throughout our lives, it is obvious that our balance becomes increasingly endangered. Decreased bone density is commonly associated with increasing age, as is the concern for deficient balance. Therefore, it only makes sense that fracture due to falls is the next concern to consider in this equation. The risks associated with hip fracture in the elderly are severe and often fatal. Proprioceptive training can aid in the prevention of falls and the subsequent concerns of pneumonia and death. Hence, in our younger, untamed years, having a well developed proprioceptive system will aid in the avoidance of plaster casts and time away from the activities we love. Similarly, in our elder years it will assist in the evasion of falls and succeeding complications.

Now that the importance of a healthy proprioceptive system has been made frighteningly clear, it is time to discuss further, how this can be achieved. The soles of the feet, the sacroiliac area and the neck are the three most richly supplied areas of the body with proprioceptors. (Liebenson, p.515) Due to this fact, these areas can be most affected by proprioceptive training. A technique now being used is known as sensory motor stimulation (SMS). The body creates motor patterns which can be altered both negatively and positively. The principle behind SMS is that abnormal blueprints can be corrected by reeducating the nervous system. (Liebenson, p.514). This learning comes from challenging the sensory system to convey messages appropriately and quickly to muscles that are required to fire both rapidly and maximally.

In yoga, it is taught that the longitudinal and transverse arches of the foot should be lifted. This means that both the inside and outside of the foot should lift while ensuring that all four corners of the foot remain in contact with the floor. The toes should be spread and should not be used as a lever by which to maintain lift through the arches. Therefore, they should gently rest on the ground. This “yoga foot” helps to increase the sensory feedback to the CNS, therefore improving the stability of the body in the upright position. (Liebenson, p.518) Working with the yoga foot through poses will heighten the sensory feedback from the body, especially during balance poses during which the proprioceptive system is ultimately challenged. Via this challenge, great improvements to the system can be made.

As certain poses become less of a challenge, increasing the demands on the systems of balance will allow for continual improvement. Some balance poses will stress the system more than others. However, the demand will be determined by the skill level of the practicing yogi. For example, for an instructor who has been practicing for years, revolved half moon pose is a piece of cake in regards to balance. However, Tree Pose can be a real tribulation for a beginner. This illustrates the point that balance can be both trained and improved via the practice of yoga. Drishti (gaze) plays with the visual component of balance as it often involves looking in a direction that makes the body feel unsteady. By utilizing drishti appropriately, it will further increase the difficulty of balancing in many poses, therefore providing opportunities for improvement of the balancing systems. Since the cervical spine has such a high density of proprioceptors, rotating the head to follow the correct drishti will often make us feel as though we are off balance. Again, with practice, this will become easier and with an associated enhancement of balance.

In this sort of training, it is important to ensure that the muscles are as free as possible of both scar tissue and trigger points as they can alter the ability to perform appropriate muscle firing patterns. Treatments such as Active Release Technique R and Graston Technique R are effective methods of ridding the tissues of such hindrances. Unhealthy tissues decrease the muscle’s aptitude to contract appropriately, initially causing the abnormal patterns. Therefore, it is ideal to attempt to have healthy muscular tissue before training.

With well developed balance comes great improvements. Balance is one very important element to a healthy neuromusculoskeletal system. If the proprioceptive system is able to adapt well to the forces placed upon it, half of the battle is won. The other half includes muscular strength and endurance which go hand in hand with proprioception. Without the former two, the latter can not optimally function. One should address the health of the muscular tissues and aim to improve the motor firing patterns, strength and endurance of the muscles. This will aid in the prevention of injury and contribute to peak performance: something which is desirable at every age.

When temperatures get warmer, people have a tendency to increase their water consumption for activities such as watering lawns and gardens and washing the car. Making an effort to break any water-wasting habits now will pay off in the summer. And it’s easier to reduce your water consumption than you may think.

There is reason for people to reduce the amount of water we use. According to environmentalindicators.com, overall water use in North America has increased by more than 25% since 1980. In fact, daily average for water use is 335L, which could be hugely reduced.

The good news is that there are loads of ways to save water. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Run water only when necessary
 Do not run water while shaving, brushing teeth, or scrubbing your hands or dishes
 Lower the temperature of drinking water by keeping it in the refrigerator rather than running the tap
 Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator overnight rather than using water

Short showers use less water than baths
 The key word here is short, as long showers use a lot of water too
 If you do take baths, close the drain first and then turn the water on
 Try not to fill the tub more than halfway

Use your machines efficiently
 Wash the dishes or the laundry only when there is a full load
 Select the appropriate load size or water level on your washer
 Try to use the shortest wash cycle your dish washer allows

Take a minute to calculate your water use. Thinking about all of your water consumption in the time it takes to complete the survey makes you realize just how much water you use. And the questions in the survey alone can give you some good ideas for saving water. Next week’s Green Tip will focus on more ways to save water.

Breathing is a crucial element in Yoga whether one is doing Yoga poses (asanas) or just meditating. There are wide variations in breathing styles, rhythms, and structures. These variations all come into one basic purpose-to generate greater connection to energy flow, to manipulate the presence and function of prana (life-force energy), and to enable a stronger foundation of internal balance (mind, body, and spirit).

The variations of breathing patterns and styles can often be daunding and overwhelming to new participants to Yoga. However, often the most simple forms of breathing can provide the greatest rewards and benefits. As one of the simpliest forms of breathing, basic nostril breathing yields a wealth of benefits.

*By breathing through the nostrils, the inhaled air becomes moistened by the nasal passages. The nasal passages have light coatings of moisture and mucous that is picked up by the passing air. This moistened air is then received better by the tissues of the bronchial passages and lungs.

*When we inhale through the nostrils, the air has more passages to pass through than by inhaling through the mouth. This extra time flowing through airway passages warms the air. Again, this nasal flow prepares the air better for the lungs.

*The nose contains a lining of hairs. These hairs assist in removing air borne particles and other forergn matter that may be undesirable for the lungs. This filtering acts as a secondary support system to the cilia (micro hair-like projections) in the bronchial passages that gently propel mucous and air particles out of the airways.

*When we exhale out of the nose, we retain the warmth of the breath. Inhaled air is greatly warmed in the lungs. During our Yoga practice, we want to conserve this heat energy so it can be transferred into the muscles and tissues. When we exhale through the nose, the heat in the air is transferred to the walls of the nasal passages rather than being lost. This heat then can move into the blood vessels and circulate back into the body.

*Breathing through the nose can aid in developing a slower, more focused breath. By elongating the breath, we can establish a more profound inner gaze and meditative state whether we are doing Yoga postures, lying in relaxation (savasana), or enjoying time in meditation.

By starting with basic nostril breathing, we can build a powerful foundation to our practice. Through this simple breathing, we understand the benefits of breathing and develop an appreciation for more advanced breathing practices (pranayama). At the beginning of your practices, avoid rushing into Yoga flows. Embrace the time to establish your breath first. Feel the texture of the breath moving through the nose and passages. Experience the sense of connection, presence, and focus that nostil breathing provides.

The practice of Yoga poses (Hatha Yoga) offers tremendous health and wellness benefits, but certain health conditions require important modifications and omissions of specific asanas. High blood pressure is a serious health condition that generates many possible contraindications especially in Yoga postures that invert the head below the level of the heart.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) is the occurrence of abnormally high arterial blood pressure at resting state. High blood pressure can result from a variety of factors, but is commonly associated with atherosclerosis (a common arterial disease in which raised areas degeneration and cholesterol deposits form on the inner surfaces of the arteries), poor dietary habits, lack of physical activity, and high proportions of body fat. High blood pressure is a result of arteries having poor blood flow. This resistance to flow requires the heart to pump more vigorously in order to circulate the blood (oxygen and nutrients) to all the cells of the body. This extra effort placed on the heart has a wearing effect on heart tissues and places a greater amount of fluid pressure against the walls of blood vessels.

How does high blood pressure affect Yoga poses?

When we invert the body such that the head is below the level of the heart, there is a tendency for blood to pool into the head. This pooling of blood into the head greatly increases when one also elevates the lower body and legs above the level of the head. When we do Yoga poses and other forms of exercise, there is an increased demand for oxygen by muscle cells. The way that the body meets this increased demand for oxygen is by increasing heart rate and blood flow. So if we invert or place the head below heart-level during Yoga poses and other exercises, not only is there pooling of blood in the head, there is an elevated blood flow and pressure coming into the cranial region.

Normally, the body is adapted to handle blood pooling and mild pressure in cranial blood vessels. But if one already has elevated blood pressure at resting states, the sudden inversions in Yoga can add to the elevated blood pressure, thus generating pressure that is enough to damage delicate blood vessels in the brain. In severe cases, high blood pressure combined with inversions may cause blood vessels to hemorrhage.

Another area of awareness required, when high blood pressure is present, is the process of breathing. When one holds the breath while doing heavy exertion, blood pressure dramatically increases. This contraindicating effect is called the Valsava Maneuver. Many people are familiar with hearing fitness trainers saying “breath out” during the exertion stage of an exercise repetition. Again, this breathing pattern not only keeps a steady flow of oxygen moving to the tissues, but also has physiological benefits in preventing negative pressure occurring in heart and brain tissues. Therefore, when one has high blood pressure, holding the breath in Yoga poses or holding the breath in specific pranayama (breathing exercises) should be avoided.

If you have concerns about having high blood pressure, consult your physician. If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, make certain you tell every Yoga teacher with whom you practice. Your Yoga teacher can then offer the appropriate modifications and variations in Yoga postures and pranayama.

Most of internet surfing use chair to get near computer. Twenty percent of all those who undergo surgery for lower back pain will get no relief. The remaining 80 percent will have problems ranging from mild to severe. All will have trouble with spinal flexion.

Yoga does not offer cures. It simply promises that if you faithfully practice these asanas every day, there will be no pain and you will build up a strong and supple spine, restructuring posture and body image. Once you have back problems you must remain conscious all through the day of how you stand, sit and lie down. Here are a few guidelines:
Always sleep on a firm (not necessarily hard) bed, with a flat pillow under your head and a thicker one under your knees. This will help the spine to reposition and adjust itself.
Do not wear high heels as this promotes lumbar lordosis and throws the spine out of balance.
Do not go in for break-dancing, strenuous aerobics, jogging, running or anything where you need to bounce or jiggle. Guarded activity is the key here.
For lower back pain, sitting is the most painful. Sit on a firm seat, not squashy cushions, and sit on your buttock bones. Do not loll back on the tailbone or lower spine. Wedge a rolled towel or small cushion behind your back to keep you upright. Sit as often as possible in The Diamond Posture (Figure 1) in order to benefit the sciatic nerve and to cure a convex or a lateral curvature of the spine.
When the pain is acute and you can neither sit nor stand in comfort, rest in bed, take whatever anti-inflammatory or analgesic medications your physician prescribes, and wait until the pain is milder before starting on these postures.
All these asanas have healing and curative properties. They will act as a form of mild traction, gently stretching the spinal muscles in safe extension postures. Strength will be gradually built up in the paraspinal muscles and buttocks, abdominal organs will be toned and strengthened, and pressure points all along the spine will be stimulated. Practice each asana to the point where mild pain is felt.