Morning Yoga Flow

This is a short morning yoga flow demonstration that anyone can do. Not even it warms up the body, but also elevates the mood!

Don't forget to breath!

Brigita

Yoga for back pain

Yoga and back pain

Every one of us has ever had back pain. It is one of the most often issues faced by people who sit for an extended period of times, do not exercise or contrary do many repetitive back movements. Aging is also a factor to pain due to reduced tissue flexibility. 

Often, doctors cannot identify the cause of the back pain, because often images like MRI, X-ray do not show any pathology.  There are other various causes of back pain like functional (say certain positions or movements provoke pain); psychological stress  (due to myofascial tension); internal organ inflammation (e.g. kidney, prostate, uterus, bladder, etc.); adhesions caused by surgeries;  sciatic nerve compression and so on….

I will concentrate on those that are corrected by exercises and particularly by yoga. In the video, I demonstrate a yoga sequence which can help to alleviate pain associated with muscle fatigue or tension (caused by prolonged sitting or physical activities), disc pressure ( bulged disc), spinal canal narrowing (spinal stenosis), degenerative disc disease.

I love yoga (even though I combine it with simple exercises) because it brings awareness to the body. Every asana performed with breathing brings attention to the right place in the body and helps to heal. That’s why it is very important to breath in and out with every moment you do. Full breathing also helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and thus reduces the pain.

It is also important to pay attention to what could be the cause of your back pain. If it is your work, then try to make breaks, stretch in between, focus on the ergonomic workstation.

And if your back pain is manageable with exercises, keep doing them regularly (2-3 times a week) !

Please watch the video and try the sequence. If this is something that helps you, after few weeks of doing it, I recommend doing core strengthening exercises which you can find in my blog posted earlier this year.

Thank you for reading and watching my blog!

Namaste

Brigita

Prevent and treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Yoga 2

This video is a second part of "How to prevent and treat Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with Yoga". In this video I concentrate on demonstrating how to strengthen the weakened muscles and restore a muscle balance as well as correct the posture.


Thank you for watching and reading my posts!

Brigita

How to treat and prevent Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Treating and preventing Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Isn’t a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome quite common word heart around those who work by the desk/computer all day?

Not necessarily someone who has a wrist pain has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. But many chronic wrist issues may lead to this syndrome.

First, what is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

It has a very distinctive symptom-pain (often intense at night), tingling and numbness in the three middle fingers and half of the thumb. This happens due to median nerve compression.

“The problem, however, is not always caused by repetitive motion. Anything that decreases the space in the wrist joint and compresses the median nerve can lead to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. For example fluid retention due to pregnancy or thyroid disease can narrow carpal tunnel, as can cysts, old fractures, or arthritic changes in the bones. One reason women are so much more likely to get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is that their wrists tend to smaller with less room to spare” (1)

Left untreated or not prevented Carpal Tunnel Syndrome may lead to permanent nerve damage and muscle weakness in the hands.

The good news is that even if you were told “You need surgery” or you were just put on medications ( which rarely treat the condition) always consider a safer and noninvasive alternative first.

And here Yoga Therapy can help!

In the video, you can see the demonstration of a simple yet effective asanas and exercises that can help to release tension and restore muscle balance. The idea of all this is to:

-Reduce the stress both physical and emotional (e.g. make breaks if your work is the major factor of the problem; meditate and do pranayama which helps to reduce tension and anxiety tremendously! (you can also look up my previous posts).

-Change the habits that increase pain, like say you drive and usually keep your hands on the steering wheel at 10 and 2 o’clock? This position increases tension in the neck and shoulders and may compress the root of the median nerve. So, if you change the hand grip to 4 and 8 o’clock that should help a least a little bit.

Also, check if your workstation is set up ergonomically ( you can look up my previous posts about it).

-Release the tension in your myofascial system ( you may visit a skilled massage therapist or other health-related professional who does hands on treatments  OR watch my  video and try a simple release for your tensed arm muscles).

-Correct and readjust the posture (Tadasana (Mountain) position is a great postural alignment reminder, and so are the other asanas that I demonstrate in the video).

-Most importantly protect your wrists! I am not talking about wrist braces; I am talking about using your fists or elbows instead of hands while putting more weight on them.

These are just basic steps that you can find in the video above.

Love your wrists and love Yourself!

Thank you for reading, ask and discuss, I am always open!

Namaste!

Brigita

Recourses:

1. McCall, Timothy (2007). Yoga as Medicine: the yogic prescription for health and healing: a yoga journal book, p. xvii. Bantam, New York. ISBN 978-0-553-38406-2

2. http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=12031

Colon cleansing and body detox exercise

In the video, you may find a demonstration of the exercise that helps to improve digestion and overcome bowel issues related to indigestion particularly  IBS, constipation, bloating.  It also improves the health overall. Healthy digestion reflects not only on itself but also on the skin, immune, respiratory systems; it has an impact on the way we feel. We are not what we eat, we are what we digest.

This exercise should be done in the morning after drinking a glass of water (with the half of lemon squeezed at best!). Normally five cycles should be completed, but one may feel a need for more or less depending on the organism.

This exercise is NOT recommended for pregnant women, women during the menstrual period, people who have a hiatal hernia.

Thank you!

Brigita

Yoga Therapy. "Downward Facing Dog"

Thank you for reading my posts and watching my videos!

I want to talk about often practiced Yoga asana "Downward Facing Dog"(Sanskrit name Adho Mukha śvānāsana).

Probably all of you who ever tried (and still practice (I hope :)) Yoga done this asana. It is a part of Sun/Moon salutations, vinyasas and can also be done alone.

It has so many benefits but also has some precautions that should be kept in mind. If you want to take advantage of Yoga first, you have to choose what is RIGHT for YOU at THE PRESENT MOMENT. In this video, I demonstrate three possible variations/adjustments that can be done by a relatively well person. RARELY a person who is not an athlete (and even so!) can do all Yoga Asanas as they are represented in the Yoga books or journals. That’s where usually the injuries and disappointment come from. I was always told that Yoga is for everyone. And I believe it, only if the One listens to the body and knows when to stop.

So, before you start your practice, here is how "Downward Facing Dog" can help you with:

•    Anxiety

•    Insomnia

•    Digestion Issues (Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Upset Stomach)

•    Infertility/Impotence

•    Peripheral vascular disease

•    Lymphedema

•    High Blood Pressure

•    Asthma

Who should NOT do Downward Facing Dog? People who have:

•    Herniated spinal discs

•    Uncontrolled headaches

•    Stroke risk patients

•    Pregnant women

•    Women during a menstrual cycle

So, please watch the video and pick what is best for you!

Always ask, I am more than willing to help!

Namaste

Brigita

Resourses:

1. McCall, Timothy (2007). Yoga as Medicine: the yogic prescription for health and healing: a yoga journal book, p. xvii. Bantam, New York. ISBN 978-0-553-38406-2

2. Elsevier Store: Atlas of Human Anatomy, 6th Edition from Frank Netter. ISBN-9781455704187

Bringing Yoga to everyday life

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” B.K.S.Iyengar

Hello, and welcome after a break! It’s been a while I have been posted anything.

I decided to write a post about Yoga and its integration into everyday life. It came into my mind since my own experience inspired me. I have practiced Hatha Yoga pretty vigorously in the past until some old health issues started coming up into the surface. Since I had a strong belief that Yoga has so many benefits to our health (and it does if it’s practiced cautiously) I did not stop and tried to convince myself even I did not feel well anymore. Later, the life changed, and I just had to put my practice aside. After I tried various of holistic therapies to heal myself (some help and some did not) and eventually got somewhat better, I wanted to get back exercising again. I do a lot of different types of movements. However, Yoga is the one that helps me feel my wholeness both on the spiritual and physical levels the most. So, I slowly started doing Asanas, Pranayama, and meditation several times a week. I noticed that when I choose my practice carefully, not only I feel better overall, but I can also heal myself!

Telling my long story short, I wanted to write more about integration. I will keep posting the posts and videos on health and wellness as I did before and also will be adding Yoga practices. My vision is to bring Yoga into life and therapy, not only keep it in the classroom or retreats. Yoga is truly for everyone – whether young or old, healthy or ill.  Most people say they have no time or motivation to do it by themselves, but the idea is that you can do little things every day and continue your classroom practice. Thus, you can improve the quality of life much more!

I will post videos on the Asanas that can be modified and adjusted to everyone needs. So, you don’t have to be an athlete or try to “achieve” the beautiful picture of asana. The concept of Yoga - is Unity of Body and Soul and it should come from within, feeling and sensing yourself first.

Namaste,

Brigita