Top 5 Benefits of Regular Yoga Practice

January 10, 2022

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice of postures, breathing techniques, and meditation. In western circles, it's often used as a stress-relieving measure. In its most traditional form, yoga includes several asanas (poses or positions), each linked to a part of the body. The primary goal is to create self-awareness and harmony by means of proper alignment and slow, controlled breathing.


1) Yoga benefits physical fitness. Slow, steady movements, and deep breathing improve circulation and warm muscles, which can promote increased flexibility. Try: Kapalabhati (Mountain Pose) with a partner. Balance on both feet, while keeping the other foot on top of your thigh or just above your ankle (but never on the ankle itself) at an upright angle. This exercise works your hamstrings and glutes; stretch your spine, neck, and shoulders; hold for ten seconds and relax.


2) Yoga increases flexibility and range of motion. It is not unusual for patients suffering from arthritis to find relief from yoga because of its stretching and strengthening components. In the poses called Upward facing Dog and Downward facing Dog, for example, the hamstrings (the large muscles of the front leg) are stretched as they are contracted in the poses. Other yoga poses, such as seated forward bend (Carpenter's pose) and anteroposterior stretch (postural) stretch, work the hip flexors and glutes, strengthening muscles that are often affected by arthritis.


3) Stress reduction. One of the many benefits of yoga is its potential to reduce stress and anxiety. Regular yoga practice is particularly effective at reducing high levels of stress hormones in the body, such as cortisol. In addition, yoga provides an excellent way to achieve deep relaxation, which can help reduce both blood pressure and anxiety.


4) Yoga increases muscle strength. Many people suffering from osteoarthritis (which affects the spine) report that practicing yoga helps their pain and stiffness significantly. Many practitioners also note that they feel stronger and more flexible after a session of yoga than they did before they began.


5) Finally, yoga has been shown to improve circulation and relieve symptoms of high blood pressure. In one study, high blood pressure patients who practiced yoga twice a week for four months had lower blood pressure at the end of the four-month period than those who did not practice yoga. And another study found that post-treatment patients who had higher than normal resting heart rate and were suffering from congestive heart failure had significantly lower blood pressures at the end of the two-year study than those who did not use yoga. Clearly, yoga can be an important part of any patient's overall health program.

A Look at Chiropractic Treatment

By Aditya Rengaswamy • January 10, 2022
Chiropractic treatment has been around for many years. It is widely recognized as an alternative medical practice, the practice however, continues to grow and people have seen great improvement in many areas of their health and well-being. Chiropractic is a relatively safe practice when done under the care of qualified chiropractors. Though spinal manipulation remains one of the main focuses of chiropractic treatment, Chiropractors often use massage therapy, dry needling and other techniques to compliment spinal manipulation. Chiropractic care has remained among the most popular forms of alternate medicine and non-operative medical practice (doesn't prescribe a drug or do surgery). There are however some common problems that chiropractors find with patients that they see on a regular basis. One of the most common types of chiropractic therapy is subluxation treatment. This is particularly common in the world of back pain treatment. In most cases, when a patient comes into a chiropractor office for relief from chronic lower back pain, their first visit will be to address what has caused their pain. From there, a chiropractor will determine which of a number of different techniques may be appropriate for their particular case. These techniques often involve adjustments to the spine and soft tissues of the body. For some individuals, especially those who live in a high-stress life, subluxation can have disastrous effects. This can result in a variety of problems, including irritable bowel syndrome, low back pain, neck pain, ear pain, numbness, and headaches. Most chiropractors believe that this is due to subluxations in the spinal vertebrae. The nerves are compressed or misaligned, creating pressure and irritation around the spinal vertebrae. This creates the conditions that result in the many symptoms that are felt. Many chiropractors believe that when subluxations are properly adjusted, they can alleviate all of these symptoms and provide patients with pain relief that they never thought possible. Subluxation can be structural, meaning that it is the result of a spinal fracture or other injury, or related to postural changes, such as the swaying of the pelvis or legs. Chiropractors fix subluxations through manipulation the spinal vertebrae, known as an adjustment. This type of manipulation is done manually, but sometimes the use of an adjustment table assists the chiropractor to manipulate the spine. Sometimes, chiropractic adjustments can be performed without manual manipulation, through decompression technology. When this is done, the pressure in the spinal vertebrae is decreased, which can allowing them to "pop" back into place and thus improve posture and range of motion. Chiropractors can provide spinal manipulation in a variety of ways. Often, they use their hands to apply pressure on the spine to help correct subluxations. They can also perform decompression therapies on patients, which involves using a machine to hold patients against the force of gravity allowing the spine to decompress and help move it back into place. Finally, chiropractors can perform muscle stimulation, which helps restore normal neuromuscular function. The result is improved mobility and function of the muscles surrounding the spine, which helps relieve back pain. Whether you suffer from a specific ailment or just a general ache, sometimes the simplest methods can bring results. By working with your doctor, a chiropractor can make sure that you're receiving the proper treatment for the problem, which in turn can help you manage and even eliminate the source of your pain. Managing pain can go a long way in reducing stress, anxiety and depression. If you have to take medication for an illness, talk to your chiropractor about alternative treatments, including chiropractic care. Chiropractors are experts in their field and are skilled at treating back pain, neck pain, joint pain, muscle pain, head pain and many other types of ailments.
Share by: