How Yoga Heals
It has become common knowledge that yoga is good for you.
Currently yoga is being used as a therapy for cancer, infertility,
lung disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, insomnia,
high blood pressure, and joint pain. Yet there is very little
awareness and understanding on exactly how yoga heals, even in the
yoga and medical communities. The key is to understand the
relationships between stress, yoga and disease.
Medical research estimates as much as 90 percent of illness and
disease is stress related. A few of the many diseases and
conditions that have been linked to an over active stress response
include: cardio-vascular disease, depression, anxiety,
obsessive-compulsive disorder, some types of diabetes mellitus,
some autoimmune diseases, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome,
reproductive problems, and suppression of the immune system.
What we feel as stress, is the product of the sympathetic nervous
system or the “fight or flight” response: an almost instantaneous
surge in heart rate, cardiac output, blood pressure, sweating,
shallow breathing, and metabolism, combined with a tensing of
muscles. Internally, the “fight or flight” response shuts down
digestion and elimination and reduces blood flow to the internal
organs. Short term, this stress reaction is a good thing. The
“fight or flight” response prepares us to respond to any
environmental threat by fighting against it or fleeing from it.
But long term, continuous exposure to stress is harmful, placing
excess wear and tear on the body’s systems and severely limiting
the body’s natural maintenance and healing abilities.
Chronic stress can lead to continuously high levels of cortisol.
This hormone at normal levels helps to maintain an active, healthy
body (including regulation of metabolism and blood pressure). But
excessive amounts of cortisol can suppress the immune system and
cause sleep disturbances, loss of sex drive and loss of appetite.
High levels of cortisol can also increase your heart rate, blood
pressure and your cholesterol and triglyceride levels (risk
factors for both heart attacks and strokes). The byproducts of
cortisol act as sedatives, which can lead to changes in mood,
especially to feelings of depression.
Fortunately, the body has a natural counterbalance to the “fight
or flight” response, called the parasympathetic nervous system or
the “relaxation response.” The parasympathetic nervous system
becomes activated when the threat or stressor has passed or ended,
but it can also be consciously activated by deepening the breath
and by relaxing the skeletal muscles.
When activated, the parasympathetic nervous system lowers blood
pressure, heart rate and respiration (the pace of the breath).
Digestion and elimination are allowed to be stimulated, and blood
is free to travel to the digestive, reproductive, glandular, and
immune systems — systems necessary for the promotion of long-term
health. The “relaxation response” is also known as the “rest and
renew” stage, when the body has the time and resources to heal the
body and to respond to illness. Obviously, by increasing the
frequency, time and depth of the “relaxation response” we not
only allow our body to recover from illness and disease, but we
also practice preventive medicine by allowing the body to perform
all of its essential maintenance tasks.
Yoga’s emphasis on long, deep breathing and conscious relaxation
activates the parasympathetic nervous system and promotes its
“rest and renew” functions. In fact, a recent study has shown
yoga to decrease the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the
blood. The meditative practices of yoga help to reduce the
reactiveness of the mind to stressors and to lessen the intensity
of the “fight or flight” response. Yoga also teaches us to see
potential stressors as challenges rather than threats, enabling
one to avoid the stress response entirely.
Not only does yoga’s ability to activate the parasympathetic
nervous system reduce stress and allow the body to heal itself,
but the practice of yoga also improves the body’s inherent healing
abilities. The inverting, twisting and compressing that occurs in
yoga postures enhances the circulation of blood and body fluids.
This increase in circulation not only improves the body’s ability
to deliver the materials needed to allow healing to take place,
but also activates the lymphatic system to maintain normal
functioning of the immune system and inflammation response. Yoga
poses also improve muscle strength, flexibility and range of
motion, all very important for the healing and prevention of
musculoskeletal diseases such as arthritis and osteoporosis.
Yoga’s emphasis on deep breathing combined with backbends improves
lung capacity and function. Practicing yoga also encourages one
to lead a healthier lifestyle, through developing the
self-awareness and discipline required for positive behavior
modification.
While yoga possesses such a strong support to the body’s healing
mechanisms, it is important to view yoga as an adjunct or
complementary therapy, and not relied upon as the only therapy for
healing disease.
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