Beginning Yoga Helps with Back Pain

How do I know yoga works for back pain? I began doing basic yoga to relieve my back pain more than a decade ago and it worked! I believe yoga can help ease your back pain too.

I’m not talking about a slight back ache. I had several herniated disks with severe sciatica running down the back of my right leg. The pain was so bad that I couldn’t wear shoes with closed heels, and I limped. Physical therapy didn’t really offer much relief and I didn’t want to take cortisone injections.

I wanted to help my back heal naturally, so I turned to yoga and never looked back. I want everyone suffering with back pain to discover the same healing power of yoga that worked for me.

Caution: You should not perform these yoga exercises if you are experiencing severe or acute back pain. Please check with your doctor before beginning yoga or any exercise program, especially if your back pain is accompanied by other symptoms like numbness or pain and tingling or weakness in your legs.

Low back pain is a significant health problem in the U.S. Did you know that according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

• Seventy to 85 percent of all people have back pain at some time in their life.
• Back pain is the most frequent cause of activity limitation in people younger than 45 years old.

Doctors usually recommend a combination of pain medications and exercise to treat low back pain, but complete relief is often difficult to achieve.

More than one million Americans use yoga for back pain, a form of “mind-body” exercise, as treatment.

In an article published in the December 20, 2005 Annals of Internal Medicine researchers compared the effectiveness of yoga, traditional exercise (combining aerobic, strengthening, and stretching exercises), and a self-care plan for the treatment of chronic low back pain. Results showed that after 12 weeks, yoga was significantly more effective than traditional exercise or a self-care approach in improving back function.

“Yoga may be beneficial for back pain because it involves physical movement, but it may also exert benefits through its effects on mental focus,” they wrote.

Viniyoga Used in Back Pain Study

Patients in the study learned Viniyoga, a therapeutic style of yoga that is easy to learn and can be adapted for various body types and fitness levels.

“This study suggests that Viniyoga is a safe and effective treatment for chronic back pain and provides physicians with a rationale for recommending it (and possibly other therapeutically oriented styles of yoga as well) to their patients.”

There’s even a Viniyoga for back pain DVD. Gary Kraftsow, the renowned yoga therapist who designed the program used in this NIH Back Pain Study, has created the DVD Viniyoga Therapy for the Low Back, Sacrum & Hips with Gary Kraftsow. It provides a gentle regimen of stretching and strengthening exercises designed expressly for the low back, sacrum, and hips. I use it frequently to keep my low back in top form.

How a Good Teacher Can Help with Yoga for Back Pain

Once your doctor gives you the okay, find a good yoga teacher and tell her about your back pain and any other medical concerns. Find out if she is certified and what kind of yoga she teaches.

An experienced teacher with a background in Viniyoga, Iyengar, or Anusara yoga should have the training required to respond to your physical limitations creating gentle yoga for back pain exercises to safely stretch and strengthen your back.

Why Yoga for Back Pain Helps

One of the essential principles of back care is to create balance by developing strong yet flexible muscles, something yoga for back pain is designed to do. Most people, especially those of us living sedentary lives, have certain muscles in our bodies that tend to be tight and others that are weak, creating imbalances and pulling our spine and joints out of alignment. So, the focus will be to stretch and increase flexibility in some areas, while strengthening others.

For example, tight hamstring muscles (in the back of the thighs) and hip flexors (in the front of the thighs) can contribute to low-back pain so poses that stretch these muscles are important for overall back care.

How Yoga For Back Pain Positions (Exercise) Help

• Strengthens and stretches the back muscles
• Helps lengthen the spine and create more space for the discs between your vertebrae
• Improves posture leading to diminished pain
• Increases flexibility in your shoulders and hips, decreasing demands on your back
• Increases blood flow to muscles and joints, allowing nutrients to flow in, and toxins to flow out
• Increases blood to the spongy discs between the vertebrae and spinal muscles
• Improves body awareness, making you more conscious of movements that may contribute to back pain

You will generally find two types of muesli, dry and fresh.

Dry is generally a loose mixture of cereal grains and rolled oats with perhaps some nuts, seeds, or dried fruit tossed in. It is very common to find this prepackaged in the cereal aisle in your local grocery store.

Fresh muesli (the original style) includes rolled oats that have been soaked in fruit juice or water. It is also common for this type of healthy muesli to have grated or chopped fresh fruit, nuts, seeds, grains, and spices mixed in.

Place in a bowl, stir, cover, and refrigerate overnight:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup milk or soy milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey, pure maple syrup, rice syrup, agave syrup, or fruit spread

Top with the fruit of your choice (strawberries, blueberries, sliced banana, grated apple, mango, etc.)

Servings: 1

A tender, moist, sweet and spicy treat that is both great tasting and good for you—thanks to the vitamin and mineral packed goodness of pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, whole wheat flour, and molasses.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

In a large bowl, whisk together:

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin, solid pack
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir the flour mixture into the liquid mixture in two batches, alternating with 3/4 cup buttermilk, until just combined.

Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups using a Oxo Good Grips Cookie Scoop and sprinkle 1/4 cup raw unsalted pumpkin seeds over the muffins. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, about 15-20 minutes.

Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes and remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.

Servings: 12 Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe Variation:
Stir in 1/2 cup raisins or craisins when combining dry and wet ingredients

Adapted from The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger

Fruit Flax Muffins Recipe #1

Fruity Flax Seed Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups bran flakes cereal
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup non-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup carrot or squash puree (I use baby food)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups dried cranberries, blueberries, dates, apricots, raisins (or any combination)
• 2 tablespoons whole flax seed (optional)

Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Coat muffin pans with cooking spray.

Combine the first nine ingredients (bran flakes cereal through baking soda) in a large bowl.

Whisk the eggs, buttermilk, honey, and oil together in a second bowl.

Add liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened.

Stir in dried fruit.

Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups (I like to use an OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop).

Sprinkle with whole flaxseed if desired.

Bake for 12-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean after inserted into the center of one of the muffins.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan before removing to wire racks.

Cool completely before storing.

Makes 18 muffins

Fruit Flax Muffins Recipe #2

Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or insert paper liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together:

• 1 3/4 cup white wheat flour
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Stir in:

• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

In a large bowl, whisk until well combined:

• 3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg

Combine the dry and liquid ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix: the batter shouldn’t be smooth.

Divide the batter equally among the muffin cups using a OXO Good Grips Cookie Scoop.

Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, usually about 18-22 minutes.

Cool the muffins in the pan for a few minutes and serve warm or remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or wrap individually and freeze for up to 1 month.

Makes 12 Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins

Blueberry Flax Seed Muffins Recipe Variation:

• Stir in 1/2 to 1 cup chopped walnuts

Understanding healthy portion sizes and then eating healthy portions is a key to healthy weight loss and ongoing weight management. Don’t let your healthy eating habits be sidetracked by eating too much!

Enrolling in Weight Watchers years ago first brought me face-to-face with my super-sized eating habits.

“I was shocked when I learned that a serving of starch equals one slice of bread, 3/4 cup of cold cereal or 1/2 cup of cooked pasta!”

It is possible to adjust to eating healthy portions when you slow down, pay attention and make sure you are eating plenty of fresh, low calorie fruits and vegetables. It may be helpful to do a little measuring until you get used to what healthy portion sizes and serving sizes look like. Then, you’ll be able to “eyeball it” most of the time.

Tips to help you determine healthy portions and serving sizes

Serving and Eating Healthy Portions: Starches

Includes starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes; also includes desserts and sweets which are meant to be occasional treats

• 1 slice bread
• 1/2 cup pasta or rice (about size of an ice cream scoop)
• 1/2 cup cooked grain (bulgur, quinoa, couscous, etc.)
• 1/2 cup cooked hot cereal
• 3/4 cup cold cereal
• 1/2 pita pocket or 1/2 English muffin
• 1 medium potato (about size of a computer mouse)
• 1 small sweet potato or yam
• 1 ear or 1/2 cup corn

Serving Sizes and Healthy Portions: Fruits and Vegetables

• 1/2 cup cooked or raw chopped vegetable
• 1 cup raw leafy green vegetable (about 4 lettuce leaves)
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup) vegetable juice
• 1 medium fruit (apple, orange, peach, or pear) (about the size of a baseball)
• 1/3 cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon (about 1 cup cubed)
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup canned or jarred fruit
• 1 cup fresh berries
• 3/4 cup fruit juice
• 1/4 cup dried fruit

Serving and Eating Healthy Portions: Protein

Includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs, beans, soybeans, tofu, nuts, and seeds

• 1 ounce cooked meat, poultry, or fish
• 2 egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 1/2 cup cooked beans, peas, or lentils
• 1/2 cup tofu, tempeh, or soybeans
• 1 cup soymilk
• 1/3 cup nuts
• 1/4 cup seeds (pumpkin, sunflower)
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter or other nut butter (about the size of a golfball)

Serving Sizes and Healthy Portions: Dairy

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 1/2 ounces cheese (about the size of your index finger)

Serving and Eating Healthy Portions: Fats and Oils

• 2 teaspoons oil, butter, or mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons salad dressing

Yoga for Beginners Helps with Stress Relief

As our world gets more and more complex and the flow of information continues to speed up with newer and faster technology, people’s stress levels continue to rise. Computers, cell-phones, pagers and fax machines keep us connected and on-call 24-hours-a-day, seven days a week.

Is there any escaping the information overload as we multi-task our way through our days? Or the demands competing for our time—the kids need to be driven to practice, your boss wants the report by 5:00 PM, and your spouse is wondering what’s for dinner. As our minds race to keep up, tension builds in our bodies, leaving us feeling mentally overwhelmed and physically depleted.

When times are most stressful, we may stop doing the things that nourish us and engage in unhealthy behaviors. We may overeat and/or fail to eat well; we may not get enough sleep, we may even become dependent on alcohol, cigarettes or caffeine to power us through our days.

Is it any wonder that we need yoga for stress relief?

According to The National Mental Health Association, 75 to 95 percent of all doctor visits are stress related. Stress has been linked to many health conditions and illnesses including chronic headaches, backaches, weight gain, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, ulcers, insomnia, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, and heart disease.

Common psychological responses to stress include anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, and decreased ability to concentrate and retain information.

What exactly is stress?

What we refer to as ‘stress’ is actually the body’s natural response to a perceived physical or psychological threat that causes a chain reaction of chemical and hormonal changes in the body, commonly referred to as the ‘flight or fight’ response.

Adrenaline and cortisol are released into the blood stream, heart rate increases, blood pressure goes up, pumping more blood to the heart and muscles and shutting down all non-essential functions.

This reaction is important to self-preservation and can protect us in dangerous situations. However, when the stress response becomes habitually engaged because of chronic physical and/or mental stress, the entire body suffers leading to depression of the immune system, weakening of the entire body, and ultimately disease.

How Does Yoga Help Relieve Stress?

The benefits of exercise in diminishing the stress response are widely touted. A host of studies points to the benefits of such exercise. Yoga, a form of mind-body exercise, with its various postures designed to stretch and strengthen the body, controlled breathing exercises and guided relaxation components has become a popular method for stress management.

Benefits of Yoga for Stress Relief

• Improved muscular strength and flexibility while releasing stored muscular tension
• Increased blood circulation and oxygen uptake
• Focused attention as you concentrate on moving your body helps the cares and worries of your busy day literally fade away
• Increased relaxation
• Improved sleep
• Increased energy
• Increased coping skills
• Decreased production of stress hormones
• Increased feeling of well-being
• Increased endorphin (‘feel good’ hormones) production
• Improved mood
• Increased self-confidence
• Improved digestion and elimination

Developing your Yoga for Stress Relief Practice

Every successful exercise program, including yoga for stress relief, begins with a few simple steps.

1. Consult With Your Doctor
   Before getting started with yoga for stress relief, consult with your health care provider, especially if you have a history of heart disease or other risk factors.
2. Start Slowly
   Build your yoga for stress relief practice gradually. Early enthusiasm can lead to overdoing it and even injury. If you begin your program slowly, the chances are better that you’ll stick with it.
3. Find A Class, Teacher, or Style Of Yoga You Love
   There are lots of different styles of yoga being taught, from very gentle to extremely vigorous. Find what resonates with you. If you are in good physical shape and want something challenging Bikram, Iyengar, Vinyasa, Ashtanga, or Power may be for you.If you want to work gently and move slowly, look for a class labeled Gentle, Basics, Anusara, Restorative, or Viniyoga.
4. Pick A Time And Stick To It
   Dedicating some time to practice every day will help you make your yoga program an ongoing priority. Let a routine develop.
5. Create A Quiet and Comfortable Place To Practice
   This may include asking for cooperation from others to ensure that you will not be disturbed.
6. Be Gentle
   Do not push yourself or try too hard. Be gentle and persistent in your efforts, not overzealous or forceful.
7. Be Patient
   Trust in your self and in the process, allowing your practice to develop. Bring your attention back to what is happening in each moment instead of focusing on some preconceived goal or expected result. It takes time but it is worth it.

This is a hearty breakfast that can be baked over the weekend and then re-heated during the week to save time. Although this version calls for spinach and ham, feel free to substitute whatever veggies and/or meats that appeal to you.

Preheat oven to 350F. Coat an 8 x 8 glass baking dish with cooking spray.

1. Heat 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat
2. Add 1 small, thinly slice onion and cook until softened
3. Add 4 ounces ham, cut into thin strips, and cook about 2-3 minutes
4. Transfer ham and onion to a large bowl
5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet
6. Add 4 ounces baby spinach (4-5 cups) and cook until wilted
7. Whisk in a medium bowl:
   • 12 large eggs
   • 1/4 teaspoon salt
   • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8. Stir the ham, onion and spinach mixture into the eggs and pour into the prepared glass baking dish
9. Bake until set and lightly browned, about 25-30 minutes. Cool for ten minutes. Cut into square and serve warm

Servings: 8

Yoga Can Help with Diabetes

Do you suffer from Type 2 diabetes?
Do you need to lose weight?
Yoga for diabetes can help!

Yoga is a mind-body exercise that can help you build concentration and willpower so that it’s easier to stick with a healthy weight-management program. Yoga also helps you connect with yourself so you begin to know how to take better care of yourself which often leads to healthier habits.

The dietary and other lifestyle changes that often result from doing yoga can dramatically control or reduce the negative effects of both Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

A 2002 study demonstrated that stress-management techniques like yoga can decrease glucose levels and improve diabetes management!

How can yoga for diabetes help you manage your symptoms?

Yoga…

• Can help you feel more in control of your health and well-being
• Can help you lose weight
• Can help normalize blood-sugar levels
• Is gentle and non-competitive, so it doesn’t strain the heart
• Is gentle, so it is less likely to cause a rapid blood-sugar drop
• Gently tones and shapes the body
• Improves balance and flexibility
• Decreases stress
• Improves moods
• Improves circulation, especially to the extremeties
• Gently stimulates the body’s glands and organs
• Improves focus and concentration
• Soothes the nervous system
• Releases muscle tension

The increased awareness you cultivate during yoga carries over into other areas of your life. You begin to pay better attention to your thoughts and actions, which can lead to healthier lifestyle and dietary choices. Cravings often become more manageable too!

Many people also report increased feelings of well-being, improved mood, better sleep, increased inner strength, and improved self-perception.

Yoga for Diabetes…Where to Begin?

Don’t let obesity and Type 2 diabetes control you.

Take control of diabetes and your health and wellness with yoga:

• FInd a gentle yoga class suitable for those with diabetes
• Hire a private yoga teacher
• Try a gentle yoga DVD
  One of my personal favorites is Yoga Rx: Weight Management for People with Curves from Larry Payne’s Yoga Rx series.

We will explore weight loss from a holistic or whole life perspective. Losing weight and getting healthy goes beyond what you eat. To really get healthy for a lifetime, you need to change your relationship with food and with yourself.

This will help you to focus more on getting healthy and less on weight loss. As a result, we learn to really nourish ourselves both inside and out. When we are happy, healthy and eating real wholesome nutritious food, the pounds gradually disappear without a lot of struggle.

Through healthy weight loss tips and instruction along with our diet free weight loss discussions, we will cover:

Stocking a Healthy Pantry:
When the foods that support you are readily available, life is much less stressful and it is easier to make healthy choices

Get Moving:
A healthy life includes exercising so we need to find ways to incorporate exercise and movement into our lives. Even a 10-minute walk can help to clear your mind, boost your mood, and get your circulation going. What do you enjoy and how can we make it part of your healthy life every day?

Eat Your Fruits and Veggies:
Mom and Grandma were right! Every day more studies confirm the healing powers locked within these colorful, flavorful foods. Together we will explore ways to increase your consumption of these fantastic foods.

Drink Green Tea and Plenty of Water:
Green Tea is full of antioxidants. Drink several cups a day—hot or cold—and make sure you are drinking enough of water too. This helps with both digestion and elimination.

Take Your Vitamins:
In a perfect world you would get all the nutrients you need from your diet. However, studies show that very few people do. So unless you are one of the few, a high quality multivitamin is your best insurance policy. I follow the advice of Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Mehmet Oz regarding what to take and will share the details with you.

Pampering Self-Care, Rest, and Sleep:
The power of rest and self-care cannot be underestimated. When we take care of ourselves and indulge in self-care, we reduce stress. This leads to decreased stress hormones and improved metabolism, which are critical for overall health and healthy weight loss. Just sitting quietly and breathing for five to fifteen minutes a day can be very rejuvenating and restorative.

Emotional vs. Physical Hunger:
It is important to be able to distinguish between physical hunger and emotional hunger. Many of us eat for emotional, rather than physical, reasons. To learn to manage our health and weight for life, we must be able to make this differentiation and learn other techniques for coping with our emotions.

Clearing the Clutter:
One of my main healthy weight loss tips for you is to reduce or eliminate soda, refined sugars, and overly processed foods. Following this approach can be an important step on the path to improved health. These ‘noisy’ foods provide empty calories devoid of nutrition. We want to make room for foods that provide lots of nourishment and reduce those that don’t.

Health and Happiness:
To be healthy and happy and at our optimal weight requires more than just eating certain foods. We need a happy, healthy life that includes family and friends who support healthy social connections, satisfying work, comfort able surroundings, balance, joy, fun, and us. What makes you happy and where do you need to insert more happiness into your life?

Healthy vs. Non-Healthy Fats:
Not all fats are created equal. Fats are a necessary nutritional component, along with carbohydrates and proteins. They have taken a bad rap over the past couple of decades. Some fats, like saturated fats and trans fats should be avoided because they are unhealthy and contribute to heart disease. However, healthy fats like those found in olive oil, nuts and avocados, are important to optimal health.

Slowing Down and Creating Space:
In providing you with healthy eating advice and healthy weight loss tips and instruction, I know it takes time and commitment to replace unhealthy behaviors with healthy ones. When we are over-scheduled and over-committed, it is hard to find the time required to incorporate healthy behaviors into our lives. We must free up some time and energy if we hope to transform our behaviors.

Quick, Easy, and Simple Healthy Eating Strategies:
There are lots of things we can do to streamline the process of eating healthy. I have lots of ideas, recipes, and healthy weight loss tips to help you achieve your goals.

These healthy weight loss tips, topics, instruction, and advice can be explored in any order in accordance with your goals, needs and desires. With a gradual incremental approach to healthy eating and weight loss, you can make lasting changes. It is amazing how effective small steady steps can be on your path to a more fully enriched and nourished life.

• Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Add 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Stir in 1 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• Lower the heat and simmer the oats uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached. I like my oats on the thick/stiff side. If you like them a bit thinner, cook them a less.

Servings: 5

Toppings for Easy and Healthy Oatmeal

• Toasted, chopped walnuts, banana slices, and a drizzle of pure maple syryp
• Toasted, chopped pistachios and dried cranberries
• Fresh berries (blueberries, sliced strawberries, raspberries), a drizzle of cream and a sprinkle of sucanat (natural cane sugar)
• Chunky applesauce, cinnamon, and sucanat
• Chopped dried figs, chopped walnuts, and a drizzle of honey
• A spoonful of fruit spread and a dollop of plain or vanilla yogurt

More Variations for Healthy Steel-Cut Oatmeal

• Add 2 tablespoons of sweet potato or pumpkin puree to each cup of oatmeal and stir to combine. Add cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to taste. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup or sprinkle of brown sugar
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter to each cup of oatmeal. Top with a drizzle of honey or sweetener of your choice
• Stir in 1 tablespoon of natural sugar free fruit spread of your choice. Sprinkle with chopped nuts and dried fruit pieces.