Healthy Living Tips, Nutrition And Healthy Living Guide » Yoga

Advantages Of Exercising – Exercise And Health Benefits

irwanlib2063 — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:13:14 +0000

Advantages of exercising to your health benefits are hard to ignore. And the benefits of exercise are yours for the taking, regardless of your age, sex or physical ability.

Advantages of exercising – Want to feel better, have more energy and perhaps even live longer? Look no further than exercise. Need more convincing to exercise? Check out how exercise can improve your life.

Physical activity contributes to health by reducing the heart rate, decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease, and reducing the amount of bone loss that is associated with age and osteoporosis. Physical activity also helps the body use calories more efficiently, thereby helping in weight loss and maintenance. It can also increase basal metabolic rate, reduces appetite, and helps in the reduction of body fat.

Exercise controls weight

Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. You don’t need to set aside large chunks of time for exercise to reap weight-loss benefits. If you can’t do an actual workout, get more active throughout the day in simple ways — by taking the stairs instead of the elevator or revving up your household chores.

Exercise combats health conditions and diseases

Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent high blood pressure? No matter what your current weight, being active boosts high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good,” cholesterol and decreases unhealthy triglycerides. This one-two punch keeps your blood flowing smoothly, which decreases your risk of cardiovascular diseases. In fact, regular physical activity can help you prevent or manage a wide range of health problems and concerns, including stroke, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis and falls.

Exercise on Cancer

A number of studies have indicated that regular, even moderate, exercise may reduce the risk of colon cancer and, in fact, any cancer related to obesity. A number of studies have also suggested that regular exercise, particularly if it is vigorous, reduces risks against breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Indeed, a 2004 study showed that prostate cancer cells have a 27% reduction in growth when exposed to exercise serum (blood serum taken from patients who exercise) compared to control serum, suggesting that exercise changes blood chemicals to be less hospitable to cancer cells.

Several studies are underway to measure the effect of exercise on patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. Even though preliminary, they already suggest that exercise has a positive physical, mental, and emotional effect. Exercise can improve physical strength, functional capacity, and the ability to battle the negative side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea and fatigue. More studies are warranted.

Exercise improves cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular health – Lack of physical activity is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Regular exercising makes your heart, like any other muscle, stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort.

Cholesterol lowering effect – Exercise itself does not burn off cholesterol like it does with fat, however, exercise favorably influences blood cholesterol levels by decreasing LDL (bad) cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.

Blood pressure lowering – The way in which exercise can cause a reduction in blood pressure is unclear, but all forms of exercise seem to be effective in reducing blood pressure. Aerobic exercise appears to have a slightly greater effect on blood pressure in hypertensive individuals than in individuals without hypertension.

Reduced risk of stroke – Research data indicates that moderate and high levels of physical activity may reduce the risk of total, ischemic, and hemorrhagic strokes.

Exercise help control and prevent diabetes

Scientists and doctors have already proven that there is strong evidence that moderate physical activity combined with weight loss and a balanced healthy diet result in improved insulin resistance and a lower risk of diabetes by 50-60%. Now a new study, conducted by UCLA scientists, suggests that their may be a correlation between increasing muscle mass and lowering insulin resistance.

Exercise improves balance and prevent falls in elderly

Exercise improves Muscle strength

Health studies repeatedly show that strength training increases muscle strength and mass and decreases fat tissue.
Exercise improves Bone strength

An active lifestyle benefits bone density. Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation, delays bone loss and may protect against osteoporosis – form of bone loss associated with aging.

Exercise improves the Gastrointestinal Tract

Endurance athletes often report gastrointestinal distress, such as bloating, diarrhea, and gas, even at rest. Experts suggest, however, that moderate regular exercise, might reduce the risk for some intestinal disorders, including ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, and diverticulosis. For example, in one 2000 study, exercise was associated with a lower risk for ulcers in men (although not in women.) Older people who exercise moderately may have a lower risk for severe gastrointestinal bleeding.

Exercise lower Neurologic Diseases and Mental Decline

A 2001 study reported that older people who regularly exercised had lower rates of mental deterioration, Alzheimer’s, and dementia of any type. Aerobic exercise is linked with improved mental vigor, in all people, including reaction time, acuity, and math skills. Exercising may even enhance creativity and imagination. According to one study, older people who are physically fit respond to mental challenges just as quickly as unfit young adults. Another study found that walking regularly protects women from mental decline, and in fact, the more they walked per week, the more protection they enjoyed. (Stretching and weight training appear to have no such effects.) A 2004 study showed that exercise can reverse a high-fat diets harmful effects on neurologic function.

Exercise improves mood

Need an emotional lift? Or need to blow off some steam after a stressful day? A workout at the gym or a brisk 30-minute walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

Exercise boosts energy

Winded by grocery shopping or household chores? Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily chores.

Exercise promotes better sleep

Struggling to fall asleep? Or to stay asleep? Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. Just don’t exercise too close to bedtime, or you may be too energized to fall asleep.

Exercise puts the spark back into your sex life

Do you feel too tired or too out of shape to enjoy physical intimacy? Regular physical activity can leave you feeling energized and looking better, which may maintains or improves sex life. But there’s more to it than that. Physical improvements in muscle strength and tone, endurance, body composition and cardiovascular function can all enhance sexual functioning in both men and women. Regular physical activity can lead to enhanced arousal for women. Researchers revealed that men who exercise regularly are less likely to have erectile dysfunction and impotence than are men who don’t exercise.

Exercise benefits on Pregnancy

Good regular exercise during pregnancy can reduce the time of your labor, improve the outcome of your pregnancy and decrease the risk of complications including low-birth weight babies. This not only helps you but your child as well as exercising increases the fetal heart rate, which in turn protects the baby.

The benefits of prenatal exercise are many. For instance, you’ll get a better posture and reduce discomforts and pains such as backaches or tiredness. But keep in mind, you should not exercise at the same rate you did before your pregnancy. At the most you should do only low-impact exercise such as yoga, pilates or easy aerobics.

Healthy women with normal pregnancies should exercise at least three times a week, being careful to warm up, cool down, and drink plenty of liquids. Many prenatal calisthenics programs are available.

Specific exercises may be particularly beneficial:

Aerobics. Either brief periods of intense training or prolonged aerobic workouts can raise chemicals in the brain, such as endorphins, adrenaline, serotonin, and dopamine, that produce the so-called runners high. And, of course, weight loss and increased muscle tone can boost self-esteem.

Yoga. Yoga practice, which involves rhythmic stretching movements and breathing have been found to positively affect mood and may have clinical potential as a technique for improving and stabilizing mood. One study, in fact, suggested that men actually may have better results with yoga than with aerobic exercise. In the study men experienced significantly lower levels of tension, fatigue, and anger after yoga than after swimming. (Yoga and swimming tended to produce equal benefits in women.)

Advantages of exercising and physical activity are a great way to feel better, gain health benefits and have fun. As a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Remember to check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any health concerns.

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How to Stay Erect: Yoga or Viagra?

irwanlib2063 — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:05:43 +0000

How to Stay Erect – Erectile Dysfunction goes by many descriptions: a lift off, getting a flag ceremony, awakening the one-eyed monster, and so on. To be sure, an erection by any other name.

How to Stay Erect - Long the pre-occupation of men especially as they grow older, that centerfold of masculinity took centerstage in March 1998 when Viagra made its debut in the world. Aimed primarily at men over 50 who have erectile dysfunction (ED), Viagra became the wonder drug of the hour as sales went through the roof. Within three months of its introduction, more than two million prescriptions were being written out for the $10 blue pill in the United States. It was an indication that many men, not prone to openly discussing mature sexuality issues (or any emotional issue for that matter), had a problem and wanted an immediate solution.

Viagra also focused on the nature of the problem.

How to Stay Erect – Erectile Dysfunction is the partial or total inability to produce an erection or to sustain one hard or long enough to complete intercourse. Men tend to stop at “I can’t get it up.”

Men need to know that the penis does two things: it releases urine and it releases sperm and seminal fluid. The latter case involves a three-step process:

(1) man is sexually aroused;

(2) the penis responds by becoming erect; and

(3) sustained penile stimulation leads to ejaculation. It is sufficient blood flow to the arteries in the penis that allows the organ to get stiff. ED, at whatever age, is an indication that blood isn’t flowing into the right arteries (i.e. step 2 becomes problematic, thus making step 3 impossible). In many cases, something is wrong with the pipes (arteries), and in far fewer cases, with the pump (heart). Viagra facilitates the opening of constricted arteries to allow the penis to become erect.

This said, men also need to know that plumbing issues aside, ED can also be caused by a number of other factors . In general, ED is a tell-tale sign that a man’s overall health is not the best. ED is only one symptom of a likely larger health issue, and a re-examination of one’s lifestyle is in order. This means proper nutrition and exercise. It’s not as quick a fix as vitamin V, but its effects are far more encompassing.

Enter stage left, yoga. It’s been around for millennia, and it’s been ascribed as having cured a whole slew of ailments and diseases from cancer to varicose veins. Is it a wonder, then, that it has something for ED as well?

The thing about yoga is that men are generally scared of it. One, it attracts far too many women so the perception is it’s definitely not manly enough and can’t be good for men. Two, men don’t like to look stupid (doing all those pretzel poses), so yoga for most of them is out of the question. Three, men like things easy, and since yoga is anything but, men’s excuses range from “I’m too old,” “I’m not flexible enough” or “I’m too busy” to justify their reluctance to even consider the idea of doing yoga.

Sigh. Guys, it’s not that bad really.

The first thing you have to remember about yoga is that it teaches you to relax. Remember how it was when you were working long hours, had bills to pay on your mind and crawled home through traffic to your wife leaning against the doorway in a skimpy outfit asking “What’s up?” And all you could say was, “Nothing much.” Ouch! Stress kills sex and your ability to have it.

Learning to breathe properly in yoga allows you to create space. By pushing back all the things that are fighting for attention in your mind, yoga actually helps clear your mind. Then it moves on to relaxing your body and your aching muscles. All of a sudden, feelings of calmness and serenity surround your body. Now you can show your wife what’s up!

Second, yoga helps you become more aware. The discipline of yoga, with its system of breathing and postures, helps you tune in to your body. You become alert to how both your mind and your breath react to changes in movement. This also applies to heightened awareness for subtle signs that your partner gives during sex. Sex is very much a mental ability. Any guesses on its outcome if you combine enhanced sensitivity for your partner and for yourself and ability to focus? A happy partner for one!

Postures for ED

In terms of muscular functionality, yoga allows you to comprehensively strengthen whole muscle groups, improve your cardiovascular conditioning and increase blood circulation at the same time. For those with ED, particularly helpful are postures that strengthen the core abs, the lower back and leg muscles while bringing circulation to the groin areas.

One such pose is the warrior pose. The wide stance helps to open up your hip and pelvic muscles while strengthening your leg muscles. Your core is engaged to keep your spine centered and your arms energetic. Upon release, circulation in the groin area increases as you come into a relaxed standing position.

In the eagle pose, the position of the legs makes it difficult for blood to circulate in the lower extremities. But by wrapping your limbs around each other, you are encouraging the major joints of the body to produce synovial fluid in the joints to maintain range of motion. Leg muscles are used for balance while your core and lower back keep your torso lifted and the posture stable. For guys, releasing this posture is a reward in itself.

The goal of the wind removing pose is to create pressure between the thigh and the abdominal area. While aimed at the systems of digestion and elimination, it also opens up the pelvic area and engages your core. Increased post-posture circulation in the groin is again a benefit.

Other postures that are helpful are the sun salutation, chair pose and cobra pose which all work on your core and back muscles. Also consider Kegel exercises—contracting and relaxing the muscles that form part of the pelvic floor (or that help guys urinate)—which allow you greater control of those muscles to prevent premature ejaculation.

Do these postures regularly and it can change your ED-ridden life. Assuming you do, you not only address any ED problems you may have, but you also take on a truckload of other benefits without the possible side effects of vitamin V. From a greatly reduced chance of having a heart disease and better ability to keep away stress to a trimmer, more responsive body and more vibrant over-all health, yoga trumps the competition. In short, guys, it’s time to dump the quick fix and take on yoga. You’ll find your partner and yourself smiling at whatever time of the day!

By Tristan Choa
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last Longer During Sex! And Last Up To 20 Minutes or
More Before Ejaculating!

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Six Basic Steps to Health and Longevity

irwanlib2063 — Thu, 20 May 2010 10:23:27 +0000

The most basic of activities have a profound influence on our well-being. Yet it is these very basic activities that are often accorded second, third or last place in our daily lives. It is time to take a good hard look at our daily routines and re-learn the basics that are essential for health and longevity.

Breathe!

Breath is essential for survival, and breathing the first and most basic activity we learn. On average, we breathe 22,000 times a day, and how we breathe is crucial to good health and longevity. The deeper, slower and smoother we breathe, the more prana (life-force) we provide to the physiology. Deep breathing forces us to slow down and relax, helping over the long-term to fight the effects of stress.

From the perspective of modern science as well, more oxygen to the blood, brain and mucles helps elevate energy levels and maximize mental performance. But because of sheer lack of attention to this most basic of functions and the multiple stressors we are bombarded with all day long, few of us remember to breathe deeply or correctly. We take quick shallow breaths hurriedly, often through the mouth instead of the nose, as we rush about our daily activities. It’s time to re-learn how to breathe for health and longevity.

Pranayama is a traditional series of breathing exercises often taught with yoga. If you can, find a good yoga instructor to instruct you in this ancient science of breathing for health. Even if you do not learn pranayama, stay attentive to how you breathe, and you will automatically start to breathe deeper and slower. It is also good to set aside some times during the day for aware breathing – as upon awaking, before going to bed, before workouts, before and during meditation etc. Deep breathing before bed can hasten sleep and improve the quality of sleep. Breathing deeper before exercising helps enhance energy levels and increase the output from your workouts. During times of pressure, sit down and breathe deeply before you respond.

Drink water

The elixir of life is the second most important ingredient for well-being, and again, one that is often overlooked by many of us. Water is essential not only for re-hydration but also forms the basis of good blood, dewy skin and healthy body tissues. Every cell in your body, as well as the space between cells, every tissue and every organ needs water.

From the perspective of modern science as well, drinking about one-half of your weight in fluid ounces of water each day is essential for health. While Ayurvedic healers do not specify a blanket quantity, they recommend using your urine as a guide to whether you need to drink more water – if your urine is not clear or it looks too concentrated, you need more water. Inadequate water can cause headaches and grogginess and more severe dehydration has even more serious health repercussions. As we grow older, our body’s thirst signals become weaker, and it is then even more important to remember to drink enough water through the day.

While we need to drink a lot of water through the day, it’s important to sip the water over time rather than gulp down large quantities at a time. Do not drink too much water just before or during a meal. Ayurvedic healers also recommend spice teas – water boiled with therapeutic spices for added health benefit. Also, remember that it’s important to drink water-milk, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks do not count. Fruits and vegetables with high water content, fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups suited to your constitution are helpful, but it is also important to drink just plain pure water each day. Make sure the water you drink is pure; have your drinking water tested for purity and use a good filter.

Eat Right

This is an exhortation Ayurvedic healers never tire of voicing over and over again. The right kind and quantity of food is so important that it is accorded an even higher status than medicine in Ayurveda. ‘Annaha brahmaha’ goes the Ayurvedic saying – Food is divine. Eating inappropriate foods or following poor eating routines and habits not only have short-term repercussions on energy levels, mental clarity and emotional well-being, they also seriously damage health and well-being over the long-term sometimes causing irreversible damage to the physiology and shortening our life-span.

Ayurvedic healers do not have a one-size-fits-all approach to diet and nutrition. Your dietary needs are unique to you, and you have to develop the diet that is ideal for you over time. There are general guidelines for food choices for people with more or less of each of the three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha -in their prakriti (original constitution) and vikriti (current state of the doshas), but within these general guidelines you can choose what works best for you. Listen to your physiology carefully and it will guide you to the foods that enhance not just your physical but also mental and emotional balance. Whatever your food choices, eat pure, fresh, whole, natural foods.

Follow a good eating routine. Do not take short-cuts with your meals, sandwiching them between other activities. Treat mealtimes as sacred. Prepare and cook your food with loving care and attention and eat in silence or in a harmonious atmosphere. Prepared lovingly and eaten with gratitude and reverence, the food will turn to ojas in your system – the substance that Ayurveda defines as the essence of life and the finest product of the eating and digestion process.

Sleep

Another basic for health and longevity, sleep is becoming a rare commodity for many in our frenetic, 24/7 society. According to Ayurveda as well as modern science, sleep is essential for our minds and bodies to recharge and prepare for the next day.

Lack of sleep impairs the digestion, contributes to ama accumulation, clouds the brain and places greater demands on every part of the physiology with each passing day. Modern science has linked sleep deprivation to elevated blood pressure, obesity and depression.

Ayurveda does not prescribe eight hours of sleep each night for everyone. You have to determine the sleep quota that is adequate for you to function at peak levels by monitoring your sleep and activity levels over a period of time. Times of extra pressure need to be compensated with extra sleep time.

The quality of sleep is as important as the quantity of sleep you get. Ayurveda defines the most productive sleep as occurring when the mind, the charioteer of the senses, is completely disengaged from the senses. Sleep obtained in the earlier part of the night is more productive, so go to bed early, definitely before 10 pm, and arise early, before 6 am. Aromatherapy, a soothing cup of herbal tea, deep breathing and a bedtime lower limb massage can all help you fall asleep easier and enjoy a deeper, more restful quality of sleep. Abhyanga, the daily Ayurvedic massage, is also helpful for promoting a better quality of sleep.

Exercise

Just as good quality sleep at night is essential to help the physiology recharge, adequate levels of physical and mental activity during the day are important for well-being and longevity. The Ayurvedic daily routine encompasses both physical exercise and mental activity, and the view of modern science as well is that the admonition – use it or lose it – is equally valid for your muscles as it is for your brain.

As with diet and sleep, Ayurvedic healers recommend structuring an exercise program that is ideal for your needs. If you are trying to balance Kapha dosha, for instance, you would choose more robust forms of exercise such as aerobics, singles tennis or long-distance jogging. If you are trying to keep Pitta in balance, swimming in summer and skiing in winter might be options to investigate. Walking and yoga are universally beneficial because they can be tailored to individual needs, and convenient because they need no special equipment, can be done alone and everyday.

Exercise early in the day for increased energy levels during the day and ease of falling asleep at night. Do not exercise on an empty stomach or just after a meal. Do not exercise to the point of pain or exhaustion. Moderation in exercise is the key to balance.

To stay in shape mentally, make lifelong learning an integral part of life. Travel, enjoy new experiences, read, do puzzles, or take up a new hobby or project to keep the mind sharp and alert. Gardening, music, teaching and volunteering are examples of activities that can be mentally enriching and emotionally and spiritually rewarding. If your work involves intense mental activity, stay recharged by taking frequent short breaks to breathe deeply, stretch or drink some water.

Meditate

Take thirty minutes each day to recharge body, mind, senses, heart and spirit with meditation. Research shows that meditation helps enhance your ability to manage stress, it promotes mental clarity and emotional balance and does wonders for physical health from promoting good sleep to reducing hypertension.

Meditation can be done in the morning or the evening or both morning and evening. Meditate in a silent, serene atmosphere, in a room free of clutter or amid nature. Sit erect, facing east or north, and start with a few minutes of aware breathing before beginning your meditation. After your meditation, take a few minutes to rest quietly before resuming your daily routine. The aroma of pure sandalwood and Ayurvedic herbs such as Brahmi can help enhance the quality of your meditation.

by Shreelata Suresh

Shreelata Suresh is a yoga instructor from the Bay Area, and she writes on yoga and Ayurveda for different publications. To subscribe to free newsletters on Ayurveda, or for more information, please visit http://www.ayurbalance.com.

Disclaimer:
Information provided in this article is for the sole purpose of imparting education on Ayurveda and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you have a medical condition, please consult your physician.

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What is Vertigo – Make My Head Spinning And Whirling

irwanlib2063 — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 09:56:20 +0000

What is Vertigo - Just the other day, I experienced a sudden bout of dizziness. This dizziness was unusual. I saw everything around me spinning round and round. I had to sit down on the ground. I visited a doctor and he told me I had vertigo. What is it?

Vertigo is not a disease, but a symptom. It is described as a spinning or whirling sensation that is caused by a disturbance in your balance or equilibrium. This is usually as a result of a disorder in your vestibular system.

If you experience a sensation of you yourself spinning, that’s called subjective vertigo. If you think the objects around you are spinning instead, that’s called objective vertigo.

What is Vertigo - Vertigo is worsened when you move your head, change your position, or lie down.

I have never heard of a vestibular system before. Where is it?

These actually involve the structures in your inner ear, and the nerve that connects it to its corresponding area in your brain, namely your brainstem and cerebellum.

Your sense of balance or equilibrium is maintained by this vestibular system. It allows you to stand upright, maintain your balance, and move. It coordinates and processes information from your inner ears, eyes, muscles, joints, fingertips, palms, soles, jaw, and gravity receptors on your skin and maintains how you balance yourself.

When your head moves, the signals are transmitted to your inner ear‘s labyrinth, which contains three semicircular canals surrounded by fluid. The labyrinth then relays the signals to your vestibular nerve, and thereupon to your brainstem and cerebellum, which are the areas of the brain that maintain posture, balance, coordination, and your sense of placement.

Because your vestibular system is so closely connected to your hearing (auditory system), anything that affects your auditory system can also affect your vestibular system.

Is vertigo dangerous then? Is it very common?

Vertigo in itself is dangerous if it makes you fall and injure fall and injure yourself, such as if you experience it when you are on a balcony with a broken railing and somehow fall over!

What is Vertigo – The cause of vertigo has to be ascertained, and whether it is dangerous or not will depend on what is actually causing the vertigo, such as a tumour that is impinging on your vestibular system.

Vertigo is so common that four out of 10 people will actually experience it at least once in their lifetimes. It’s more common in women than men, and also in older people.

What causes vertigo?

The causes of vertigo can be divided into two areas relating to which part of your vestibular system is affected – peripheral (inner ear) or central (vestibular nerve, brainstem and cerebellum).

In a lot of cases, no cause for your vertigo can be found.

Under peripheral vestibular disorders, the most common causes are:

-Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). This one occurs most often when calcium debris builds up in one of the semicircular canals in your inner ear. It also occurs when your inner ear is affected by infection or injury.

This type of vertigo is usually intermittent and only lasts for a few seconds. It may be exacerbated by a change in your position, such as when you get out of bed or get up from a chair suddenly. Since it affects the inner ear, BPPV may also be accompanied by hearing loss.

-Meniere’s disease: this happens when the pressure in your inner ear fluid fluctuates. It is also accompanied by ringing in your ears (tinnitus) and progressive deafness.

-Ear poisoning (also called ototoxicity) by some medications (the aminoglycoside group of antibiotics, certain anti-cancer medications containing platinum, antiepileptics, antidepressants) and chemicals such as lead, mercury and tin. Alcohol can also cause vertigo.

-Infection of the vestibular nerve (vestibular neuritis).

Central vestibular disorders may include anything that can affect that part of your brain, such as stroke, injury, migraine, multiple sclerosis, diseases that affect the entire body (such as kidney disease or thyroid disease), tumors, and so on.

Is vertigo treatable?

Definitely – treat the cause, and you get rid of the vertigo. If vertigo is caused by a drug, for example, you have to stop the drug. If it is caused by an infection, then the doctor will have to treat the infection with antibiotics.

BPPV can be treated with something called canalith repositioning, in which, basically, the patient is guided by the doctor to perform a series of head and body movements designed to reposition the calcium deposits in your ear canal! If this fails, you can take meclizine, an oral anti-vomiting drug.

Meniere’s disease can be treated by reducing your salt intake and being prescribed diuretics.

There is also a form of physiotherapy for vertigo, in which you perform a series of exercises to improve your balance. It’s called Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy.

Dr YLM graduated as a medical doctor, and has been writing for many years on various subjects such as medicine, health advice, computers and entertainment. The information contained in this column is for general educational purposes only. Neither The Star nor the author gives any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurances as to such information. The Star and the author disclaim all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on such information.

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Exercises For Osteoporosis – Healthy Bone : Move It or Lose It

irwanlib2063 — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:44:16 +0000

Exercises For Osteoporosis – The first thing that comes to mind when you talk about bone is calcium. But the journey to good bone health does not stop at getting the right nutrients. Getting the right exercise is also important for strengthening bones.

Don’t think that our bones are rigid. In fact, they’re not only strong, but also flexible. That’s how gymnasts are able to bend their bodies to seemingly impossible shapes without breaking their bones!

Exercises For Osteoporosis – Because bone is living tissue, it is constantly reacting to the stress human activities put on it. With the right exercise and training, you can bend your bones to unbelievable angles too.

A bone consists of a combination of collagen and mineral crystals comprising calcium and phosphate. This collagen matrix allows bone to expand and contract without breaking. In other words, your bones will respond and become stronger to resist the force that regular exercise puts on it. Similarly, if you are physically inactive, your bones get weaker and more frail, exposing them to greater risk of fracture.

Hey, lazy bones, get up and work out!

It’s a weight thing

Exercises For Osteoporosis – Any exercise that requires you to carry your weight and go against gravity can help you improve or maintain bone mass. The strain of carrying your weight and the push and pull of your muscles will stimulate bone formation, thus making it stronger.

High-impact, weight-bearing exercises are the most effective for building strong bones, but do them only if you don’t have low bone mass or osteoporosis.

Exercise is meant to build bone, not break it. Activities like running, jumping, hiking, and dancing, and playing sports like tennis and badminton constitute high-impact weight-bearing exercises.

On the other hand, low-impact weight-bearing exercises like walking and low-impact aerobics are more suitable for those who want to build strong bones but cannot do high impact exercises. You can also do resistance training and strengthening exercises like lifting weights or doing push-ups.

Be safe, however, by consulting your doctor or personal trainer first to avoid hurting yourself.

For the elderly, fall-related fractures can be debilitating. Up to 20% of those suffering from a hip fracture die within a year while two thirds of those who survive are disabled. Precautionary measures need to be taken to prevent this from happening.

Besides making sure that your house and surroundings are free from fall risks, you must also take steps to improve improve your balance and posture through exercise. Doing tai chi or yoga can give you better balance, posture, and coordination, which in turn can help prevent falls.

Everybody can do it

Exercises For Osteoporosis – Exercise for healthy bone can be tailored to suit every life stage and need. Exercise can help build healthy bone during childhood and maintain bone health during adulthood. Older people who exercise regularly can strengthen their bones and reduce their risk of fracture.

So no matter what age you are, or what physical condition you are in, you can find an exercise that benefits you.

Although non-weightbearing exercises can have cardiovascular benefits and are good for building muscles, they are not necessarily as effective as weight bearing ones. So if we’re talking about good bone health, then any activity that places a load on your bones is the way to go.

It is, however, dangerous to exercise without knowing your limits. Too much exercise can cause stress fractures and joint damage. Some exercises may even cause falls and so increase your risk of fractures. Those with osteoporosis and the elderly can put themselves at greater risk of fractures if they start off a rigorous exercise regime without consulting a doctor or physician.

Every exercise should be tailored to suit your needs and abilities. Approximately 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week is generally recommended, but if you have low bone mass, are over the age of 50, or osteoporotic, you should seek professional advice before starting an exercise routine.

Be wary of common exercise pitfalls like laziness or time constraints. Exercise can be incorporated in your daily lives to suit your needs and lifestyle so it doesn’t have to be a chore. Be creative and make sure you enjoy doing it. That way, you will be more likely to continue doing it instead of putting in a half-hearted effort.

Building healthy bone is a life-long commitment and physical activity can go a long way in helping you achieve it. Whether you’re at home, work, or school, you can incorporate exercise to suit your lifestyles. In the end, what matters is that you get moving and that you enjoy the benefits for life.

Working out

There are many ways to incorporate exercise into daily life. Here are some suggestions:

At work

Use the stairs instead of the lift.
Walk more by going to the restroom on the floor above you and take the stairs.
Park a little further from your office so you can walk more.
Go offline and deliver documents to colleagues by hand instead of by email.
Walk instead of driving when going out for lunch.

At home

Use the stairs instead of the lift if you live in an apartment complex.
Carry your laundry basket up and down the stairs.
March in place whenever you’re stuck with doing chores such as washing the dishes or doing the laundry.
Do some jumping jacks while watching television.
Turn on some music and dance!
Walk up and down the stairs as a form of exercise.

At school

Use the restroom on a different level, or at the other end of your building.
Earn brownie points while building strong bones by helping your teachers carry their things.
Walk around school instead of sitting around while waiting for the first bell to ring.

The Star/Asia News Network

This article was contributed by the Osteoporosis Awareness Society of Kuala Lumpur as part of its Healthy Bone For Life programme and supported by educational grants from Fonterra Brands (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and Rottapharm Madaus.

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Yoga Breathing To Rejuvenate The Mind, Body, And Spirit

irwanlib2063 — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 11:05:47 +0000

Breath sustains life. While it’s possible to go without food and water for a short period of time, you simply can’t survive without air. And while breath is an essential life-sustaining element, the benefits reach even beyond the continuance of life. When you learn about yoga breathing, the mental, physical and spiritual aspects of living are enhanced in ways you never thought possible.

In the practice of yoga breathing is the bridge that connects the mind, body, and spirit. To experience the full benefits, it’s important to learn about yoga breathing and master the techniques with as much dedication as given to the yoga asanas, or poses.

Breathing Is Powerful

It connects and expands the senses, rejuvenating the body and soul. The diaphragm, the muscle that separates the chest from the abdomen, plays a crucial role in the physical benefits you derive from yoga.

In a relaxed state the diaphragm pushes air upwards from the lungs. As it contracts, it presses into the abdomen and digestive organs. With all the discomforts and stresses in everyday life, we often breathe only from the upper part of our lungs. This type of breathing severely restricts the lung’s ability to function properly – it can no longer gather fresh, renewing oxygen and expel carbon dioxide at peak efficiency.

When this happens, our bodies pay the price. We tire easily, we lack energy, a mental fog descends, and we find our moods shifting towards negativity. However,when you learn about yoga breathing, you’ll find just a few cleansing, deep breaths from the diaphragm will dramatically change all of that. Oxygen floods the body and energizes circulation. As the diaphragm contracts downward, our cells are better able to receive essential nutrients while toxins are released.

Proper breathing also aids digestion and bowel movements as food and waste moves more freely through the digestive tract. The meditative state associated with yoga breathing unites and mental and physical states.

Breathing Is Powerful

With each breath, we become aware of being fully present in “the now”. As our breathing becomes more focused, a connection to the spiritual begins. When the mental and physical combine we are able to observe and simply “let be” without passing judgment. The trivial things that once seemed so significant lose their relevance. Rather than longing for our desires, we feel content. Pressures dissipates and acceptance flows.

Our dreams, needs, and goals are fully within our reach. With every breath, prana, the vital life force, is brought in. If performed properly, yoga breathing allows the life energy to flood our body, which in the process, enhances our our connection and perceptions while improving our physical state.

By Analia Kerner

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Hemorrhoid Treatment – Hemorrhoid and its treatment

irwanlib2063 — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 16:39:31 +0000

Hemorrhoid Treatment does neither have to be painful nor expensive. Hemorrhoid, also known as piles, is a condition in which the veins/blood vessels around the anus or lower rectum are swollen and inflamed. Hemorrhoid can cause mild discomfort, or sometimes pain which is more severe and persistent.

It is estimated over 40% of the adult population suffers from Hemorrhoid at some point in their life. Usually, the average person suffers in silence for a long time before seeking medical care. The condition is not serious, and can usually be successfully treated.

Hemorrhoid Treatment can be done without more pain and hassle by understanding the roots of the problem. Although the exact cause is unknown but usually is related with constipation. The upright posture of humans itself sometimes forces a great deal of pressure on the rectal veins, causing them to bulge. If you have constipation over a prolonged period of time, and have to strain to pass stools, may damage the lining of your anal, increase pressure in the blood vessels, causes them to swell, resulting in the formation of hemorrhoids.

Hemorrhoid Treatment

Mild Hemorrhoid usually disappears in a few days without any treatment or by changing your diet intake by increasing the amount of fiber (such as bran cereals, whole grain breads, fruits and Vegetables) as well as fluids. Eliminating excessive straining reduces the pressure on the hemorrhoid and helps prevent them from protruding. Warm tub baths for 10 to 15 minutes may also provide some relief.

Mild Hemorrhoidcan be treated by over-the-counter creams, ointments or suppositories which may help to ease any discomfort. If there is a lot of inflammation around your hemorrhoids, you may need a prescribed steroid treatment prescribe.

Rubber band ligation – Internal hemorrhoids that protrude with bowel movements can be treated by banding procedure by a surgeon. After a few days, the hemorrhoid shrink and falls off. This procedure sometimes causes mild discomfort and bleeding.

Sclerotherapy – A chemical solution is injected around the blood vessel to shrink the hemorrhoid Infrared coagulation. A special device is used to burn hemorrhoidal tissue.

Hemorrhoidectomy – A surgical procedure to remove the hemorrhoids

Other alternative treatments include:

Acupuncture – May help relieving the hemorrhoid pain
Herbal therapies
Yoga – Do yoga Asana that encourage blood flow away from hemorrhoids, reducing pain, inflammation, and bleeding
The H Miracle - An easy method available in the internet for a hemorrhoid treatment naturally and in a short time prior to its release, The H Miracle shows a large archive of positive testimonials

More information you need to know more about Hemorrhoid

Two types of hemorrhoids:

External hemorrhoid – A hard and sensitive lump near the anal opening and if a blood clot develops a painful swelling may occur and bleeds only if it ruptures.
Internal hemorrhoid – On the inside lining of the back passage within the upper anal canal. Painless bleeding and protrusion may occur during bowel movements. Some protrude with bowel movements and return to its location (reduce) without help, others need to be pushed back in, and some cannot be pushed back inside. Protruding hemorrhoids can cause itching and discomfort, and there may be a mucus discharge from the irritated mucous membrane.

What are the symptoms?

Common symptoms of Hemorrhoid include:

Itching around the anal area
Bleeding during passing stools
Protrusion during passing stools
Discomfort or ache around the anus and lower bowel (rectum)
Visible swelling around the anus
A feeling that your bowels have not been completely emptied

By Irwan Lee

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Stress Reduction by Corporate Yoga

irwanlib2063 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 11:00:50 +0000

Health News by: T. Sima Gunawan

Source: The Jakarta Post

Nobody likes being stressed out, but sometimes it seems inevitable. Stress may attack us now and then, especially if we live in a big city like Jakarta, where everybody seems to be in a constant rush.

The harder we work, the higher the stress level is. We all know that stress is not good and is obviously harmful to our health, physically and mentally.

For some, the easiest way to cope with the stress at the workplace is getting away from the job for a while, unwinding in a holiday resort, be it up the hill or down the beach.

Some others have a hot bath, watch a good movie or listen to their favorite music to beat their stress.

A minute for your health: Yoga teacher Ravi Vempati demonstrates easy and relaxing stretching exercise at the office. (JP/ J. Adiguna)A minute for your health: Yoga teacher Ravi Vempati demonstrates easy and relaxing stretching exercise at the office. (JP/ J. Adiguna)

Or practice yoga.

If you have never practiced yoga, you might frown upon the idea and say: “Sorry, I am not into yoga.”

You might have this mental image: people stretching their arms and their legs up and down, standing on one leg with two arms up and then opening to both sides while bowing the body, while the other leg lifts up, doing the shoulder or the headstand with both legs up, or other complicated movements, which resemble those demonstrated in circus shows.

Even if deep in your heart you are actually curious about yoga as the ancient physical and mental practice that originated in India more than 3,000 years ago, and which is now very trendy, and a yoga class is offered in a nearby gym, you might shake your head because you do not have time to do so.

Over the past few years, yoga has indeed become a relatively new lifestyle among many urbanites who seek a balance in their life. It attracts people from all walks of life and different religions, including Muslims.

Last year Malaysia’s top Islamic body banned the practice of yoga among Muslims, saying it contained corrupting elements of Hinduism. Indonesia’s Muslim Ulema Council aped the move, issuing an edict that prohibited Muslims from practicing certain elements of yoga.

Yet, many Muslims, like people of other faiths, keep on practicing yoga as they believe it may lead them toward health and happiness.

There are many different kinds of yoga. It is not completely wrong to picture people sitting on their yoga mat on a floor with folded legs in the lotus position, or standing upright and then stretching the arms to the front and then bending forward and touching the floor with the palms, and various other kinds of moves and positions, such as those that are taught in a gym’s yoga class.

Seated exercise: Office workers can easily take a minute of relaxation with office yoga. (JP/J. Adiguna)Seated exercise: Office workers can easily take a minute of relaxation with office yoga. (JP/J. Adiguna)

But you can actually do yoga at your office, right at your desk. And it only takes a few minutes to do so.

“You don’t even have to stand. You can do it while sitting in front of your computer,” said Ravi Vempati, a yoga teacher from the Jawaharlal Nehru Indian Cultural Center, Embassy of India in Jakarta.

The so-called corporate yoga is very easy to do.

For instance, the first movement. While sitting in your chair, extend both hands forward at the shoulder level and then make a fist with the hands with the thumb inside. Point out your index fingers as a guide for the wrist movements and slowly rotate the wrist in all possible directions.

“The arms and elbows should remain perfectly straight and still,” said Ravi, while demonstrating the movement called manibadha chakra (wrist rotation).

Another hand movement is kehuni chakra or elbow rotation, In this movement, bend your right arm and elbow with the fingers toward the ceiling and place the left hand under the right elbow to support the right hand before rotating the right arm or elbow joint in all possible directions.

“Do not move the right wrist and right shoulder joint,” Ravi said.

You may repeat the same with the left hand after finishing with the right one. Other things you can do include the shoulder rotation, neck rotation, neck pull and neck push. All are easy to do and are quite helpful to release the tension and encourage some relaxation.

The most interesting movement is the so-called lion pose. You can still do it while sitting in your chair with your knees apart. Place your palms on the chair between your knees with the fingers pointing towards the body. Lean forward, rest your body on your straightened arms, arch your back and tilt your head back.

And then here is the fun part: Open your eyes and gaze toward the center of the eyebrows, relax, inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, and then open the mouth and extend the tongue out as far as possible toward the chin.

“While slowly inhaling, produce a clear and steady *aaaah’ sound from the throat,” Ravi said.

If your colleagues are around, be prepared to become the center of attention. They might laugh at you because of your funny expression. But this pose is actually very good for men and women who want to look young and beautiful or handsome.

“This posture helps in reducing the wrinkles on the face and makes the face brighter and healthy,” Ravi said. He stressed yoga is not only about physical exercise. It is about controlling the body, breath, sense and mind.

The simple, brief yoga practice will help you take control of yourself and accordingly avoid stress, while making you feel healthier and happier, on one condition: practice it regularly.

It is easy to practice basic yoga, practicing it regularly is another matter.

Yoga Connection An art & science of balancing

irwanlib2063 — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:10:05 +0000

By Devi Asmarani (The Jakarta Post)

You probably know these stories, or variations of them.

A colleague with a bad back started taking up yoga a few months ago and now he rarely complains of pain anymore.

A friend gave up smoking thanks to yoga and is now a picture of perfect health.

Someone you know with emotional problems sought solace in yoga and after a year of regular practice was transformed into a model of composure and contentment, a world apart from her former angry self.

These are some familiar stories of people whose lives have changed for the better thanks to this ancient discipline, a path to enlightenment that traces back some 3,500 years in its native India.

The yoga wave has been globally infectious as well as expansive in the last two decades. More doctors and therapists recommend it to their patients, celebrities swear by it to keep their body in shape, and athletes complement their training with it.

At health centers, muscle-bound men put down their weights for serious stretches in 50-minute yoga classes, while in cramped office spaces, employees take benefit from company-subsidized private yoga sessions to improve their physical and mental wellbeing.

Decision makers are also turning to yoga to clear their heads and give them focus, including US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, who practices every week with some of her colleagues at their office’s gym.

From kids to senior citizens, from injured patients to pregnant women, the markets for yoga are increasingly more specific.

Still, not many people, even practitioners, know much about yoga other than it teaches people to breathe properly and improve their strength and flexibility.

As a practitioner of yoga, I have been asked many times: Is it a physical or mental exercise? Is it a contemplative practice? Is it faith-based?

To answer this question, let’s take a look at yoga’s long and complex evolution.

The yoga we practice today actually bears little resemblance to its humble beginnings over three millennia ago, but it has retained elements of its ancient heritage of meditation from which it arose.

The actual word yoga first surfaced around 1,500 BCE, in Vedic literature. The oldest of the sacred texts, the Rig Veda, a collection of hymns or mantras, defines yoga as “yoking” or “discipline”, but offers no accompanying systematic practice.

Yoga as a mental discipline became prominent in the Upanishad, the sacred revelations of ancient Hinduism that date back to at least 800 BCE. Here, yoga is seen as a path taken to achieve enlightenment, or liberation from suffering, mainly through the disciplines of karma yoga (the path of action or ritual) and jnana yoga (the path of knowledge or intense study of scripture).

But it wasn’t until an enigmatic philosopher/writer known as Patanjali wrote his treatise, the Yoga Sutra, that yoga was presented as a systematic discipline.

Revered as the father of modern yoga, Patanjali compiled a collection of 195 sutras (aphorisms) in the second century CE. It is the first practical treatise on daily living, starting with how to conduct oneself in society and culminating in the act of final liberation or enlightenment.

This fascinating literature has become a standard reference point for the yoga teachers of today.

Patanjali believed suffering is the result of human attachment to external experiences, when the fruits of actions are held on to or when desire pulls us away from our connections to a higher consciousness.

According to him, only hard work (karma yoga) and deep meditation (jnana yoga) can relieve human suffering and lead to liberation. His now famous eight-limbed path of yoga (Ashtanga yoga) has been used and expanded by yoga scholars and masters as a blueprint for living in the world and for attaining enlightenment ever since.

Post Patanjali, or classical yoga, saw the rise of other schools that departed from these older tenets. One of them is Hatha yoga, which first appeared in the ninth or tenth century.

The name Hatha originates from the word “ha” or sun and “tha” or moon, signifying the union of opposites. Hatha yoga practitioners believe in bringing together the body and mind through strength, discipline and effort.

Modern day yoga is an offshoot of Hatha yoga and focuses primarily on physical poses called asana. But it was the contemplative paths of yoga that first drew in western thinkers such as Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Only at the turn of the twentieth century did Yoga asana gain prominence in the West, particularly the United States, when Hatha yoga adherents began to look more seriously at the physical benefits of the practice.

Purists often criticize the western obsessions with toned biceps, flat abs and “yoga butts”, but, ironically, the fascination with physical prowess was fueled by three Indian swamis (a Hindu honorific title) who studied and expanded the Hatha yoga repertoire in the early twentieth century.

Swami Kuvalayananda, and Swami Sivananda and T. Krisnamacharya explored the health benefits of yoga and developed a richer, more varied system of asanas and pranayama (breathing control) techniques. More importantly, they made it accessible to laymen and women.

Today, people who practice various traditions of Hatha yoga such as Ashtanga vinyasa, Iyengar or Power yoga have these three great yoga masters to thank.

Now back to earlier question: Is yoga a mind or body exercise? The answer is both.

Yoga strengthens the body and brings flexibility not only to the spine, but also to the mind. It calms the nervous system, quiets the mind and connects the practitioner more deeply to his or her spiritual center.

Certain yoga poses – such as the downward-facing dog – stretch muscles that from animal studies are known to stimulate and massage the lymph system, which carries fluid composed of white blood cells that bathes the tissues and drains the waste products of cellular activities.

Yoga also relaxes, as it manipulates the autonomic nervous system, which is comprised of the sympathetic system, the-so-called fight-or-flight response and the parasympathetic, or relaxation, response.

When you breathe deeply and release muscle tensions by stretching and when you have a relaxed focus and become present in your body, you practically switch the fight-or-flight system off and the relaxation response on.

This slows down your heartbeat, decreases your respiration, and lowers your blood pressure. It is a healing mechanism.

Yoga is often called meditation in movement because of its contemplative nature. There are numerous schools of yoga, each offering different techniques and emphasis, but all share the common goal of attaining awakening, whether in the body or the mind.

Now awakening or enlightenment may not be what you seek, but remember that Hatha yoga – just as its name suggests – is an art, as well as science, of balancing effort and relaxation. It thrives not on struggle but on a state of receptiveness and surrender.

And out of this comes bliss. Namaste.

The writer is a yoga practitioner and teacher. Yoga Connection is a regular column on all things yoga, appearing every second week in the Body & Soul section. For questions and comments please email her at dasmaran@indo.net.id.

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