Health is Wealth
Feeling down? Try this sequence of gentle supportive yoga poses.
Studies indicate that regular exercise too, including yoga asanas and breathing, can help some people ease the symptoms of mild to moderate forms of depression. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
Feeling down? Try this sequence of gentle supportive yoga poses.
Studies indicate that regular exercise too, including yoga asanas and breathing, can help some people ease the symptoms of mild to moderate forms of depression. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
Join Tiffany Cruikshank at Yoga Journal’s upcoming event in January at 1440 Multiversity. Learn more at yogajournal.com/thepractice.
With all of the new and emerging information on pain science, yoga students and teachers have the opportunity to apply modern research to their practices and help alleviate and prevent pain.
Preliminary research suggests that gentle movement of your nerves is vital to both managing pain and supporting the general health of your nervous system. The idea is that healthy nerves should be able to gently slide, elongate, and angulate within neural tissues (some nerves can move as much as ¾ inch) in order to adapt to different loads and minimize pressure that can worsen existing pain, alter sensation, or lead to new pain patterns. Sometimes, tone and tension around neural tissues can be a problem. These tissues are bloodthirsty and rely on an important pressure gradient around them to maintain adequate blood flow. So even small changes in tissue tension around a nerve can be enough to block nerve mobility and lead to compression that disrupts blood flow and nerve signaling back to the brain, contributing to pain.
See also Low Back Pain 101: 3 Sequences to Ease Your Pain
To help you keep your nerves adaptable and protected, try the asana technique on the following pages based on an understanding of neurodynamics (the study of nerve movement through its surrounding tissues) and nerve pathways. We have the ability to alternately put tension on different ends of the nerve to create a movement of the nerve through the tissues, often referred to as nerve gliding. As you floss the nerve, you potentially allow it to move more freely so that it can communicate more efficiently with your brain. For example, the sciatic nerve runs through the back of your leg, so in Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) if you bend your knee (raised leg) and flex your foot, you’ll put tension on one end of the nerve (by your foot) and slack the other end (by your knee). This action draws the sciatic nerve and its branches toward your foot. Then, as you extend your knee and point your toes, you’ll reverse the areas of tension and slack. This action draws the branches of the sciatic nerve toward your knee. When you put these movements together you can encourage the sciatic nerve to move back and forth through its tissues more effortlessly. You also may down-regulate local inflammatory responses, restore healthy blood flow to the hard-working nerve, and encourage more efficient communication between your brain and body. Optimal signaling is crucial if you want your immune and nervous systems to function at their best, which is another reason to add nerve gliding to your repertoire.
The key to nerve gliding is to move gently within an easy range of motion. Since your target is the pain-free movement of your nerves, not of your muscles and fascia, you want very little sensation or stretch. It’s a great reminder that even in the physical body there’s clearly more to what we do than just sensations or the feel-good endorphins associated with them. Another thing I love about this approach is that, in addition to being a safe way to work with pain, it’s very accessible since it’s about simple, gentle movements.
See also Reduce Pain and Discomfort with These Poses for the Pelvis
To begin, pick a nerve you want to focus on and find a range of motion that’s accessible, pain-free, and with very little (if any) stretching sensation. Do 5–10 repetitions of the pose or this sequence once or twice a day. If you’re using these moves more preventatively, try rotating a few of them into your regular practice a couple times a week, and remember that in group classes there’s more than just stretch and sensation affecting the tissues. Happy flossing!
What Science Tells Us About Preventing Nerve Pain With Stretching
Seeded Baked Pancake with Berries & Raw Cocoa Sauce
Ian Wallace, Ryland, Peters & Small
Based on the Dutch-style pancake that is baked in the oven, this is a super-easy and delicious way to make a pancake to serve straight from the pan. This recipe is packed full of nutritious seeds and served with fresh berries and a delicious cocoa sauce for a truly indulgent but power-packed breakfast.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas 6.
To make the pancakes, sift the plain/all-purpose fl our, coconut flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl. Combine the milk, eggs, honey and vanilla in a separate bowl and beat into the flours to make a smooth batter. Fold in the mixed seeds.
Heat the coconut oil in the ovenproof frying pan/skillet until melted. Pour in the pancake batter and transfer to the oven. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the pancake is puffed up and golden.
Meanwhile, make the cocoa sauce. Place all the ingredients with 4 tablespoons water in a saucepan and heat gently, stirring, until smooth. Keep warm.
As soon as the pancake is cooked, remove it from the oven. Spoon the yogurt into the center and top with the dried and fresh berries. Drizzle over the cocoa sauce and serve dusted with icing/confectioners’ sugar.
Excerpted from The Flexitarian Cookbook: Adaptable Recipes for Part-Time Vegetarians and Vegans compiled by Julia Charles. Ryland, Peters & Small, 2019. Reprinted with permission.
Yoga JournalVerified account @Yoga_Journal 4 hours ago
Ever notice how a hug seems to make things better? Touch is a powerful and necessary aspect of healing. http://ow.ly/TPR330mRLZ3 .
Join Tiffany Cruikshank at Yoga Journal’s upcoming event in January at 1440 Multiversity. Learn more at yogajournal.com/thepractice.
With all of the new and emerging information on pain science, yoga students and teachers have the opportunity to apply modern research to their practices and help alleviate and prevent pain.
Preliminary research suggests that gentle movement of your nerves is vital to both managing pain and supporting the general health of your nervous system. The idea is that healthy nerves should be able to gently slide, elongate, and angulate within neural tissues (some nerves can move as much as ¾ inch) in order to adapt to different loads and minimize pressure that can worsen existing pain, alter sensation, or lead to new pain patterns. Sometimes, tone and tension around neural tissues can be a problem. These tissues are bloodthirsty and rely on an important pressure gradient around them to maintain adequate blood flow. So even small changes in tissue tension around a nerve can be enough to block nerve mobility and lead to compression that disrupts blood flow and nerve signaling back to the brain, contributing to pain.
See also Low Back Pain 101: 3 Sequences to Ease Your Pain
To help you keep your nerves adaptable and protected, try the asana technique on the following pages based on an understanding of neurodynamics (the study of nerve movement through its surrounding tissues) and nerve pathways. We have the ability to alternately put tension on different ends of the nerve to create a movement of the nerve through the tissues, often referred to as nerve gliding. As you floss the nerve, you potentially allow it to move more freely so that it can communicate more efficiently with your brain. For example, the sciatic nerve runs through the back of your leg, so in Supta Padangusthasana (Reclining Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose) if you bend your knee (raised leg) and flex your foot, you’ll put tension on one end of the nerve (by your foot) and slack the other end (by your knee). This action draws the sciatic nerve and its branches toward your foot. Then, as you extend your knee and point your toes, you’ll reverse the areas of tension and slack. This action draws the branches of the sciatic nerve toward your knee. When you put these movements together you can encourage the sciatic nerve to move back and forth through its tissues more effortlessly. You also may down-regulate local inflammatory responses, restore healthy blood flow to the hard-working nerve, and encourage more efficient communication between your brain and body. Optimal signaling is crucial if you want your immune and nervous systems to function at their best, which is another reason to add nerve gliding to your repertoire.
The key to nerve gliding is to move gently within an easy range of motion. Since your target is the pain-free movement of your nerves, not of your muscles and fascia, you want very little sensation or stretch. It’s a great reminder that even in the physical body there’s clearly more to what we do than just sensations or the feel-good endorphins associated with them. Another thing I love about this approach is that, in addition to being a safe way to work with pain, it’s very accessible since it’s about simple, gentle movements.
See also Reduce Pain and Discomfort with These Poses for the Pelvis
To begin, pick a nerve you want to focus on and find a range of motion that’s accessible, pain-free, and with very little (if any) stretching sensation. Do 5–10 repetitions of the pose or this sequence once or twice a day. If you’re using these moves more preventatively, try rotating a few of them into your regular practice a couple times a week, and remember that in group classes there’s more than just stretch and sensation affecting the tissues. Happy flossing!
What Science Tells Us About Preventing Nerve Pain With Stretching
Yoga JournalVerified account @Yoga_Journal 4 hours ago
Ever notice how a hug seems to make things better? Touch is a powerful and necessary aspect of healing. http://ow.ly/TPR330mRLZ3 .
Yoga JournalVerified account @Yoga_Journal 4 hours ago
Ever notice how a hug seems to make things better? Touch is a powerful and necessary aspect of healing. http://ow.ly/TPR330mRLZ3 .
Feeling down? Try this sequence of gentle supportive yoga poses.
Studies indicate that regular exercise too, including yoga asanas and breathing, can help some people ease the symptoms of mild to moderate forms of depression. #mentalhealthawarenessmonth
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