Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free
Read Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free Online
Authors: Tara Stiles
Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Yoga, #Pain Management
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Copyright © 2012 by Tara Stiles
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Three Rivers Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division
of Random House, Inc., New York.
Three Rivers Press and the Tugboat design are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
file:///C|/...ures%20Simple%20Routines%20to%20Conquer%20Mlments%20and%20Live%20Pain-Free%20-%20Stiles%20Tara/index.html[5/29/2012 10:54:20 PM]
Stiles, Tara.
Yoga cures: simple routines to conquer more than 50 common ailments and live pain-free/by Tara
Stiles; foreword by Deepak Chopra.
p. cm.
1. Yoga. I. Title.
RA781.7.S754 2011
613.7046—dc23
2011034283
eISBN: 978-0-307-95486-2
Interior and jacket photographs by Justin Borucki
Jacket design by Jessie Sayward Bright
v3.1
Contents
Chapter 2
The Mind/Body Connection and the Science Behind How Yoga Cures
Chapter 3
To Get Started, Just Follow Your Nose
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Under-Eye Bags and Dark Circles
Bonus Material: Designing Your Own
AT-HOME YOGA RETREATS
Yoga to Declutter: Morning Routine
Yoga to Declutter: Evening Routine
Yoga for Inspiration: Morning Routine
Yoga for Inspiration: Evening Routine
Relax, Restore, and Rejuvenate Retreat
Yoga for Relaxation: Evening Routine
Restorative Yoga: Morning Routine
Restorative Yoga: Evening Routine
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Foreword by Deepak Chopra
Between work, raising a family, and coping with an uncertain economy, stress has become a “normal”
part of daily life for most people. That could explain why so many Americans—about 16 million at
latest count—have started taking yoga classes or doing yoga at home. For those seeking a lasting cure
for anxiety or health issues and a greater sense of connectedness, yoga provides real and lasting benefits
if they practice regularly. This ancient system connects mind and body through a series of postures,
breathing exercises, and meditation. By stretching and toning the muscles, flexing the spine, and
focusing the mind inward, yoga helps reduce stress. That can impact your overall health since stress
plays at least some role in many illnesses. Studies show that chronic stress doubles the risk of heart
attack, for instance.
Research into the health benefits of yoga is still in its infancy. But recent pilot studies point in
promising directions. Yoga has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, which can help
reduce a person’s risk of heart disease. There may be other heart benefits, too: a 2006 study found that
yoga helped lower cholesterol levels and improve circulation in people who have cardiovascular
disease. Some hospitals have incorporated yoga into their postcardiac rehabilitation programs.
While the evidence of yoga’s success in reducing a person’s body mass is mixed, one study did find
that yoga can help people lose weight by leading them to a healthier lifestyle. The study reported that
people who regularly practiced yoga started eating less, eating more slowly, and choosing healthier
foods. They also showed fewer symptoms of eating disorders.
Many people report that yoga gives them an overall feeling of well-being. Research shows that it may
also help alleviate specific kinds of pain, including migraine headaches, lower back problems, arthritis,
and pain during childbirth. Researchers are not sure what mechanism is at work, but one theory is that
the yoga postures work the way massage works. A yoga posture quickly sends the signal for “pressure”
to the brain via myelinated (insulated) nerve fibers, while the signal for “pain” reaches the brain more
slowly via less myelinated nerve fibers. The signal for “pressure” closes the receptor gate and shuts out
the “pain” stimulus. Another theory is that yoga causes an increase in serotonin, the body’s natural anti-
pain chemical.
While more research is needed into these areas, people who practice yoga have also reported that they
experience less insomnia and better digestive health. Pregnant women in particular seem to have an
easier time sleeping when they do yoga. They are also less likely to develop high blood pressure or
deliver prematurely.
Since yoga involves the mind as well as the body, it’s not surprising that it may help reduce anxiety
and depression, especially in people whose anxiety is related to an illness like cancer. A pilot study
suggests that yoga may influence depression by increasing the alpha waves in the brain, which are
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associated with relaxation. Another possibility is that yoga reduces the amount of cortisol, a hormone
that the body releases in response to stress. Some scientists think chronic high levels of cortisol may be
tied to depression, as well as impaired immune function.
If the potential health benefits of yoga aren’t enough to make you want to try it, consider this: Yoga
can also make you look more toned and fit and help you move with greater ease, especially as you grow
older. A 2007 study of the Hatha yoga style showed that it increased muscular strength, flexibility, and
endurance. It’s no wonder that many athletes use yoga to cross-train.
While yoga might not cure everything that ails you—or make your boss nicer—it will help you deal
with stress better, and find your way more easily to feeling good in your life. And that can make a big
difference in your overall health. So let’s all take a big, deep breath and get started on your best path to
overall health and happiness.
Introduction
Yoga brings you back to you … where all the good stuff is.
Anyone can do yoga and reap all its rewards. You don’t need to be able to tie yourself into a pretzel
or spend a year in silent devotion to gain all the amazing benefits of the practice. If you can breathe,
you can do yoga. It’s that simple. If you think you know yoga, or have never tried it because it seemed
too woo-woo, chant-filled, mystical, and Om-centered (translate: OMG, I’m so bored!), then you
should check out this book. Yoga is something both cooler and simpler, and it’s fierce in what it can
do for your life and health.
What do you really have to know to get started?
Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Don’t let anyone fool you. It’s not much harder than that. Once you rest your attention on your
breath, everything else begins to open up with ease. There is no need to put a great, elevated authority
between you and what you need. You can be your own great authority! I’m sure you’ve heard the old
expression “Wherever you go, there you are.” Well, it’s true. So we might as well start to make where
we are a great place to be!
Yoga can cure your body, settle your mind, and skyrocket your energy back to kindergarten levels!
And if you’re lifting an eyebrow and asking “Really?” just keep reading. How about being a
ridiculously happy person with a super-healthy body and calm, focused mind? Yoga can cure