Many participate in yoga as a physical exercise, but it’s more than just that. Yoga actually can be one of a number of simple tools used to reduce physical pain, increase body awareness and optimize health.
Gina Nick, a naturopathic physician and an experienced yogini, has devoted much of her scientific research to creating vitamins specifically formulated to optimize the body’s processes and enhance physical yoga practice. Her research focuses on what Nick calls “silent inflammation,” a process that begins as a protective mechanism against stress, but – because of the chronic toll we put on our bodies – often leads to a system malfunction that eventually works against us.
When stress arises, cortisol is pumped into the bloodstream to provide bursts of energy and decreased pain response, among other positive effects. Unfortunately, many of us continually subject the body to stress, yet do not effectively allow for relaxation from those stressful situations. This can cause an imbalance, with increased cortisol levels that lead to excessive production of inflammatory molecules. These molecules eventually cause damage to brain cells, leading to memory loss, sleep disorders and other precursors to disease.
“It’s not like a bug bite that gets red and inflamed,” says Nick. “You can’t see or necessarily feel it, but it damages blood vessels, decreases neurotransmitter function and is the culprit in depression and anxiety, fatigue and pain all the way to cancer and Alzheimer’s. Silent inflammation is the common factor in all of these conditions and happens at the cellular level.”
Nick says women are even more susceptible to these damaging effects, pointing to estrogen as a factor. “From psychological symptoms, to feeling bloated, the fatigue of PMS, all are a cause from this. This also addresses cravings – a lot of women get crazy sugar cravings. Cortisol increases craving for high-sugar foods.”
Nick recommends these simple ways to keep our bodies on track for optimal health:
Avoid trans fatty acids, which increase inflammation, cause damage to cells and make them less able to communicate with one another. Eliminate packaged foods that have a long shelf life, which means fats in the food were chemically altered to increase shelf life. Don’t buy foods with ingredients like partially hydrogenated oils or hydrogenated oils. “If you want to do just one thing, I recommend avoiding all trans fatty acids. Eliminate that from the diet – it will do everyone a lot of good,” she says.
Incorporate physical activity. Don’t drag yourself to the gym because you know it’s good for you. Rather, find something truly enjoyable that has a physical component and make it part of your weekly routine. Physical activity addresses stress levels and can help reduce the inflammatory process. And if it’s something you enjoy, that’s an added bonus.
Eat unprocessed whole foods, because the level of nutrients will be higher. “Try to eat organic as much as possible,” says Nick, pointing out that nonorganic food crops are sprayed with pesticides that increase the body’s inflammatory process.
Create an anti-inflammatory environment. Nick says it’s important to incorporate high- quality vitamins into daily life. In addition, Omega 3 fatty acids, flaxseed oil, hempseed oil, raw walnuts and fish contain anti-inflammatory acids that will encourage a healthy immune response.
Add yoga to your routine. More than just a passing fad, yoga addresses stress reduction on a number of levels. Last week we discussed the different types of yoga – all of which could help the body regulate its processes and reduce inflammation. Yoga asanas (physical postures) address the spine, flow of energy and blood circulation throughout the body.
“Yoga shifts the perception of world around us, reduces stress, helps adrenals,” says Nick, noting that yoga practice also prevents production of bodily invaders that lead to increased inflammation.
“Consistency is important with seeing results – do daily yoga and meditation to have a significant impact.”
Next week: Breathe for life.
Doni Luckett is chief executive of Divine-Basics.com, which produces lifestyle products to reconnect with moments that matter. Your questions may be addressed in the column by e-mailing enrichyourlife @divine-basics.com.
