Many people see a photo of a young, well-muscled person twisting into a back bend and think "this is yoga?? I could never do that."
Thatisyoga, but the practice of asana (poses) is a small facet of what yoga is really about. In fact, yoga involves much more, focusing on the breath, working the muscles through a pose with the breath, and learning to look within through meditative techniques. In addition there is much attention on proper nutrition. All of these together can provide a healthier lifestyle that will promote improved cardiac and pulmonary function.
Heart disease and COPD are two major causes of death, especially among seniors. While it may seem challenging to begin a yoga practice later in life, it can provide many benefits.
I began to study yoga when I was 46, just entering menopause. It was a bit intimidating at first because I was about 35 lbs. overweight and while I walked and hiked daily, my cardiovascular status was not great. I found that over a 4 week period, I gained considerable strength, lost weight, improved my flexibility, and found vastly improved mental focus. I chose to practice 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week to start. That is more than most people want to commit to, but I wanted to see some changes in a short period of time. Ten years later I am much better off physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually than many people younger than me.
After teaching regular classes for 5 years, I have found myself becoming much more interested in restorative yoga, that which helps people who are in various stages of debility, whether from heart, lung or general chronic stress issues. I developed two
12-week series of classes, one for people with COPD, and one for those with chronic stress/pain syndromes and/or PTSD. The first is truly designed for those who are quite disabled, having more than just COPD, or are at an advanced stage. We focus a lot on learning different breathing techniques and using guided meditation for relaxation and relief from anxiety. The postures performed are ones that strengthen the chest muscles, open the chest, and encourage better posture and breathing. My very best students were four men ranging from 62-75!
The second class is somewhat more active, although the first 3-4 sessions are slow and gentle, taking lots of time to assure good alignment, understanding why and how our bodies move in certain ways. Again we focus on moving with our breath, bringing awareness to the body. In both classes, students are given explicit written material to encourage continued practice at home.
While many focus on the physical aspects of yoga, I like to spend time working with the mental aspects as well. It has been proven through many studies that our emotions have a huge impact on our physical well-being. A life time of denial or over expression of emotion can trigger many forms of dis-ease or distress. Regular yoga practice can help alleviate much of this.
Yoga is often recommended by cardiac and pulmonary physicians who have become aware of the many advantages of yoga such as reduction of stress and improved strength and mobility. While yoga may not cure an illness, it will certainly help you be much more able to cope.
Julianne practices Hatha and Panchatattva yoga. There are many forms available, and she encourages people to experiment and find the one that works best for them.
