Let’s start with what irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) actually is and what causes it?
Contrary to common opinion IBS is not a disease; it is a group of symptoms that occur together. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder, meaning it is a problem caused by changes in how the GI tract works. The most common symptoms of IBS are abdominal pain or discomfort, often reported as cramping, along with diarrhea, constipation, or both. In the past, IBS was called colitis, mucous colitis, spastic colon, nervous colon, and spastic bowel. The name was changed to reflect the understanding that the disorder has both physical and mental causes and is not a product of a person’s imagination.
Anxiety may be primarily a mental health issue, but it is much more than that, anxiety and associated stress has a very real effect on your body chemistry. The stress from IBS changes your hormone production, alters your immune system, and for many, it upsets their digestive tract, which in turn causes more anxiety and stress; a vicious cycle that needs to be broken.
So it should come as little surprise that anxiety is now being recognized as a contributing factor to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as a chronic condition. The symptoms of which include; bloating, gastrointestinal discomforts, erratic bowel movements, chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation.
IBS is diagnosed when symptoms such as bloating, gastrointestinal discomforts, erratic bowel movements, chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea and constipation are present without a medical cause, and while scientists believe that there are likely a number of factors that go into IBS, most gastroenterologists agree that anxiety and stress are major contributors to its development.
Yoga to the rescue
For those who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, yoga helps greatly to alleviate symptoms and keep stress in check. We all, at one time or another, have eaten something that “just doesn’t quite sit right.” But for the more than 30 million adults in the United States who suffer from IBS (two-thirds of whom are women) those awful symptoms are an ongoing struggle, not a temporary discomfort.
Of course, there are times when a particular food or an allergy triggers an episode, but generally no one factor can held responsible. IBS has frequently been dismissed as psychosomatic, but recently it has been redefined as “a disorder with variable symptoms having possible neurological, immunological, or psycho-emotional roots,” to quote Gary Kraftsow, the founder and wellness instructor of American Viniyoga Institute and author of Yoga for Transformation.
Because there is no known organic cause (or cure) for IBS, treatment generally focuses on symptom relief. Medications such as antidiarrheals, antispasmodics, or tricyclic antidepressants have been found to be helpful when symptoms become overwhelming. Yet research studies have shown that lifestyle modifications can be an effective drug-free method of dealing with the symptoms and easing the pain. A Mayo Clinic study in the reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology (February, 1998) showed that exercise, diet, and stress management reduced IBS symptoms.
This is reason many experts recommend regular stress reduction exercise like yoga as a more effective way to prevent recurrences over the long run. “With IBS the goal is to reduce symptoms and restore efficient functioning to the system,” says Kraftsow. “And certain yoga postures may be restorative no matter where on the spectrum your symptoms lie.”
Abdominal breathing in particular has proven to be helpful in IBS sufferers and deep inhalations and exhalations may benefit those who tend to breathe shallowly when stressed or those who swallow air while eating and/or talking, which traps air in the stomach.
Most IBS sufferers often battle irregular bowel habits that are painful and unpredictable. During one of these flare-ups, Kraftsow recommends engaging postures that provide a soothing effect, suggesting forward bends and simple abdominal twists like Jathara Parivrtti (abdominal twist) and Apanasana (knees-to-chest pose); both of which may work to help soothe a hyperactive bowel or stimulate a sluggish one.
For those who suffer irregularity and constipation, digestion can be stimulated by working the abdominal area a bit more strongly with Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) or Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose); simple move into the postures with the stomach remaining held in after an exhalation.
Although yoga is one effective way to combat IBS, when symptoms recur, experts recommend a care plan that incorporates a diet that eliminates “aggravating foods” (especially fatty meats and dairy) and includes plenty of nutritionally balanced foods as well as probiotics (The best foods for IBS health are those that are gentle on the digestive system and encourage “smooth passage” through the intestines)…as Kraftsow says, “treatment that respects the whole person.”
Summary: In particular, yoga is an excellent (and enjoyable!) way to manage IBS and relieve it’s symptoms of diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, nausea etc. Yoga also helps stabilize the digestive process. Yoga is also tremendously beneficial for preventing or minimizing menstrual cramping, which often aggravates IBS.
For those people with IBS, yoga is perhaps the most helpful for its ability to reduce the stress, anxiety, and pain of this chronic illness. Regular practice will indisputably improve your physical and mental fitness, promoting relaxation, and giving you a sense of control over your overall health and well-being. As with other stress management techniques, the more you practice, the greater your improvement will be.
It is often quite confusing for those interested in beginning a regular yoga practice to choose from all the yoga studios online. Which style of yoga would be best suited for them, can be a major concern. Before they figure out which class they’d be most interested in taking, they need to know what the differences are. Discounting Bikrams, which is controversial (besides, all Bikrams is hot yoga, but all hot yoga is not Bikrams), the differences between the other styles aren’t so clear. Hatha and Ashtanga yoga may appear to the novice as the same style, but yet they are often found to be very different when put into actual practice.
Let’s start with Intensity
Hatha yoga is often used as an umbrella term that encompasses all styles of physical yoga practice, including Ashtanga, but yoga studios that typically promote the slower, gentler yoga classes are known as Hatha yoga. These less challenging classes are generally considered more appropriate for beginners. Even though Hatha classes are commonly taught at a relatively low intensity level, it is still best to speak with each individual instructor beforehand to decide if the class is right for you. Some yoga instructors teach Hatha yoga classes at a more strenuous level than others. Some studios assign a numerical value to the difficulty level, such as 1, 2 or 3, with level 3 being the most demanding class.
Flow (or pace)
In Sanskrit the word for flow is “Vinyasa” and this determines the difference between Hatha yoga and Ashtanga yoga in terms of the class’s structure. Whenever you see the word Vinyasa or flow added onto the end of the class or studio name, this probably means that you will be moving from Asana (posture) to asana without stopping (or in a flow). This is usually the way Ashtanga yoga is taught. Hatha yoga, on the other hand typically goes into one asana, holds the pose, and then comes out of it after a determined amount of time. With Hatha yoga there isn’t any transition between each asana as there is in Ashtanaga yoga classes.
Primary Objectives of Hatha Yoga
Hatha yoga practice focuses on perfecting the asanas and doing pranayama (breath control), to increase the flow of prana (life force) through the nadis (channels throughout the body through which the prana flows). Prana is similar to the concept of chi (or Qi). Pranayama is the scientific practice of first controlling and then directing the prana through breathing exercises. Hatha works to balance increase this flow of energy. Asana and pranayama practice are part of Ashtanga yoga as well, but they are only two of the “Eight Limbs” (aka branches or objectives) of Ashtanga.
So basically, when you join a Hatha class it means that you will get an easy, gradual introduction to the most basic yoga asanas and then strive to perfect them. It’s unlikely you’ll work up a sweat in a Hatha yoga class, but you probably will end up leaving the class feeling taller, looser, and more relaxed. Posture is also usually improved.
Primary Objective of Ashtanga Yoga
A student or practitioner of Ashtanga yoga not only works on asanas and pranayama but also all the other six limbs which are; yama (the do not’s), niyama (the do’s), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (bliss or effortless meditatio). The Yamas & Niyamas are yoga’s ten ethical guidelines and are the foundation of skillful living. Pratyahara is a means of withdrawing all sensory perceptions. Dharana, dhyana and samadhi are connected, being successive stages which lead to enlightenment.
Today, Ashtanga yoga is based on ancient yoga teachings that were popularized and brought to the West by K. Pattabhi Jois in the 1970s. It’s a more rigorous style of yoga that follows a specific sequence of postures similar to Vinyasa yoga (both styles links every movement to a breath). Ashtanga performs the exact same asanas in the exact same ordered sequence. This can a hot, physically demanding practice and you will break a sweat.
Summary…
Hatha Yoga has become the most popular style of Yoga in the United States. It focuses on the physical well-being of a person and teaches that the body is the vehicle of the spirit. There are lot of different Yoga Styles that have their roots Hatha Yoga, but all these styles strive to balance the mind, the body, and the spirit through the asanas, although the emphasis sometimes varies. Some put the emphasis on the strict alignment of the body while others focus on the coordination of breath and asana.
Ashtanga yoga may be the perfect yoga for those who want a serious workout. Students and participants move through a series of flows, sequencing from one asana to another in order to increase strength, flexibility and stamina. This is not for beginners or anyone who taks a casual approach to fitness. Ashtanga Yoga Practice involves performing challenging sequence of poses with Ujjayi Breathing and vinyasas (a flow of postures). “Power Yoga” is based on Ashtanga.
Nooch is slang for “good tasting nutritional yeast”, a yeast that is deactivated (meaning it has no fermenting ability). It is produced by culturing pure strains of yeast with a mixture of sugarcane and beet molasses, it’s then dried, and packaged as flakes, both large and small. Despite this process, there are no glucose or gluten concerns and it cannot cause or contribute to Candida yeast infections. So, nutritional yeast flakes are generally considered okay for those on yeast free diets.
One of the things that many strict plant-based vegetarians and vegans report having a hard time giving up is cheese, and the main reason nooch is so popular with many of them is due to its “cheesy” flavor. Since both B12 and dairy are ruled out once you commit to an entirely plant-based diet, you can see why something that offers the best of both worlds is so enticing. Furthermore, nobody needs cheese to survive, but everyone does need vitamin B12 and it is the only vitamin that is not recognized as being reliably supplied from a varied whole food, plant-based die.
Because nutritional yeast is a type of fungus, similar to mushrooms but not like Candida, it won’t produce its vitamin B12 on its own, it requires bacteria to create it.
Bragg’s and Red Star are both popular brands that put out a B12 fortified nutritional yeast that can be found in many health food stores and in some grocers bulk sections, you can also order it online. Bob’s Red Mill also has packaged yeast products that are fortified with B12. Always check individual ingredient labels to make sure of the nutritional content.
Good nutritional yeasts are naturally fat and sodium free and will supply “the essentials for life.” The following is a brief list of what you can expect to get when you include nutritional yeast in your diet…
• A complete and digestible protein, with essential and non-essential amino acids.
• B complex vitamins.
• Macro- and micro-minerals.
• Complex carbohydrates (beta-1,3 glucan and mannan).
• Glutathione, an intracellular antioxidant.
• Phospholipids such as lecithin.
What does it look and taste like?
It looks like yellow dried flakes (it may sound a bit gross but the flaky texture looks similar to fish food). Nutritional yeast isn’t anything like the chemical and preservative filled faux cheese mixes. It’s delicious, with kind of a nutty/cheesy flavor.
How do you use it?
You can add it to just about anything and everything. You can put it in a shaker and literally sprinkle it on all your meals…soups, veggies, salads, etc. One of the most common uses is in place of parmesan cheese, and it’s a fantastic topping for popcorn.
Nutritional yeast is much more than just a condiment. You can use it in recipes for a cheesy flavor without and dairy; mashed potatoes are one good example. And, if you want to make a healthy (and tasty) vegan cheesy sauce or spread, nooch is definitely the go-to ingredient.
Recipe idea – A great vegan “cheesy” flavored dip/spread…
1 Can – 15½ oz. Great Northern, Navy or Cannellini Beans (drained)
Part 3 of this series continues with “Some unexpected benefits of eating a plant-based diet.”
First,
A lot of people who claim to be vegetarian eat more than simple plant-based foods and a little research will show that there are many different types of vegetarian diets and the four most common ones are:
1.Vegan – Strictly plant based: No animal flesh, no eggs, and no dairy products are allowed.
2.Lacto-vegetarian – Mostly plant-based: No animal flesh or eggs, but dairy products are OK.
3.Lacto-ovo-vegetarian – Partly plant-based: No animal flesh but dairy products and eggs are OK.
4.Pescatarian – Questionably whether vegetarian (The Vegetarian Society, does not recognize pescatarians as true vegetarians): Pescatarians eat no animal flesh except seafood; dairy products and eggs are optional.
The rest of the text in this article (and the preceding two articles) applies to veganism or a strict plant-based diet as opposed to the “vegetarian” types (2, 3, & 4) mentioned above.
Research
In an analysis published in 2009 in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers noted that plant-based diets are associated with:
• Lower levels of triglycerides
• Lower concentrations of inflammatory markers such as C-reative protein (CRP)
• Lower blood pressure
• Decreased body weight and body mass index (BMI)
• Decreased risk of premature death from any cause, including heart disease
• Improved insulin sensitivity
• Better blood sugar control in patients with diabetes
The heart benefits of eating more plant foods are well-established by large-scale studies such as the “Nurses’ Health Study” and the “Health Professionals Follow-up Study.” These studies show that people who eat the most fruits and vegetables have a 20% reduced risk of heart disease and a 27% reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, especially stroke.
The American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada say that plant-based diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Vegans also have substantially lower rates of the following health problems:
• Heart disease
• Blood cholesterol levels
• Blood pressure
• Hypertension
• Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes
• Prostate cancer
• Colon cancer
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), a nonprofit organization of doctors and others promoting preventive medicine, recommends a quality plant-based diet for the treatment and prevention of many health conditions.
Some of the world’s populations are known to have extraordinary long, healthy and happy lives. There are areas in the world where disease is virtually unknown, even in the oldest persons. Studies have shown that their exceptional health is largely attributed to low-calorie, plant-based, whole foods diets. Genetics are ruled out as a significant factor because when these same people are exposed to Western-style diets they quickly develop the same diseases common to Westerners.
Okay, so here are some unexpected benefits of eating a plant-based diet.
• You’ll be doing a huge favor for the environment: Most people don’t realize it, but our insatiable appetite for animal protein contributes 50% more greenhouse gases than our planes, trains, trucks, cars and ships? Needless to say, our environment benefits greatly every time someone cuts animal foods out of their diet.
• You’ll feel more connected to your higher (or spiritual) self: Not getting nearly enough fiber is one pitfall of eating the standard American diet, and that equates to sluggishness. When provided with the valuable fiber found in a plant-based diet your body is better able to cleanse itself and space is opened up within. Whenever someone upgrades to a plant-based diet, this naturally brings about a desire to connect to our source and our highest self. When we can be our truest selves then we are in the best position to share our inherent gifts with others.
• Compassion naturally arises in someone when they stop eating meat: This isn’t meant to imply that you didn’t care about animals before, but I’ll bet you didn’t know (and probably didn’t want to know) what was actually happening to the cows, pigs, and chickens before they turned up in your supermarket. Two billion animals suffer and then are killed every week just so they can show up on our dinner plates. It’s unconscionable.
• You’ll be saving money: By eating an assortment of veggies, whole grains, beans and legumes as the base for your meals is actually quite cost effective. That difference makes up for the slightly higher priced organic produce, you’ll be comfortable knowing it’s an investment in your long-term health and that can mean big savings.
• Creativity is enhanced: Cleaning up your diet and switching to plant-based foods will bring about a profound change in your creative expression. Your thinking will be clearer and new and inspiring ideas will come in abundance.
• You’ll lose unwanted weight: Nearly all plant-based foods are much less caloric and very dense nutritionally, a sure “win-win” situation for weight loss. You’ll likely never feel deprived when eating this way, and quite possibly you’ll feel satisfied more quickly because your body is telling your brain it’s getting what it needs.
In summary: Contrary to popular myth, vegans have healthy bones and higher blood protein levels than omnivores. Vegans in fact average fewer nutrient deficiencies than average omnivores. But there are a couple important nutritional considerations. There are two vitamins not readily available in plants: vitamins D and B-12…Unless you live in the extreme northern (or southern) hemisphere, you can get ample vitamin D from the sun, and very little sun exposure is needed to provide your body’s needs. A natural source of vitamin B-12 can be found in nutritional yeasts. One brand of nutritional yeast, Red Star, has been tested and shown to contain active vitamin B-12. Those sensitive to other yeasts can also use it. Also recommended for vegans are algae-based long chain omega 3 fatty acids.
Part 2 of this series continues with “Reasons why you should eat plant-based diet.”
Ever since the introduction of documentaries such as “Forks Over Knives” (click on – trailer), “Vegucated” (trailer), and “Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead” (full documentary), American’s are being exposed to the ever growing list of benefits of eating a plant-based diet. At first the claims may seem doubtful that a plant-based diet will greatly decrease your chances of Cardiovascular disease (aka heart disease), reduce or eliminate your risk of cancer, help you to shed those unwanted pounds. Additionally, plant-based diet has been shown to be an effective solution for type II diabetics and those with osteoporosis have seen it reversed. Simply stated, a diet high in animal protein is disastrous to our health, while a plant-based (vegan) diet prevents disease and is restorative to our health. And doctors and nutritional scientists say this with peer-reviewed (the gold standard of studies) science to back them up.
People are also finding that going vegan is much more than being selective about what you are eating. When you convert to a plant-based diet you are literally saving hundreds of animals’ lives each year, you’re helping preserve our Earth’s fragile environment and you’re being kind to your body in the process. You’ll experience a fundamental philosophical shift in your mind, body and spirit, resulting in an overall transformation of yourself. It will change your life.
Now on to the reasons why you should eat plant-based diet…
•Eating plant-based foods will be a tremendous aid for you to attain, maintain or regain an optimal state of health. Undeniable medical evidence has now shown conclusively that a whole foods plant-based diet is instrumental in preventing and/or reversing a plethora of diseases and conditions, including inflammation, anxiety, depression, Lupus, MS, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, and the list goes on. The China Study which surveyed over 6,500 people from over 65 countries remains the largest and most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted and proves beyond a doubt that a plant-based diet is prolonging lives. After the publication of this book, there’s not much room left for debate.
•Cancer prevention. Because Cancers originate from your body’s damaged cells, it is critical to preserve the health of those cells and in today’s world this is both a challenge and your responsibility. “The science base is very strong that fruits and vegetables are protective for all the gastrointestinal cancers and all the smoking-related cancers,” to quote Tim Byers, professor of preventive medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver.
•Constipation and bowel disorders. What a worthwhile benefit a plant-based diet is for a country that spends millions on pharmaceuticals, supplements, vitamins, herbs and laxatives all so that you can loosen your stool and become regular. This condition can be prevented or reversed simply by changing your diet; when you eat a healthy plant-based diet, regularity is greatly enhanced, resulting in much lower incidence of colon cancer and other diseases of the colon.
•Compassion for animals. As stated above, each and every individual will be saving hundreds of animals from inhumane treatment and slaughter by going vegan. There is no such thing as a ‘kind slaughter’ as some in the meat industry would have you believe and this even includes those animals that graze exclusively. The documentary “Earthlings” (
This post begins a three part series discussing the advantages and benefits of a plant-based diet:
Part 1 – The philosophical and ethical reasons to eat a plant-based diet instead of consuming animal products.
Part 2 – Reasons why everyone should consider eating a plant-based diet.
Part 3 – Some unexpected benefits of eating A plant-based diet
We begin with Part 1 – As yogis, yoginis and students of yoga begin to seek liberation, they strive to perfect their actions and in so doing they quickly come to realize that every action is preceded by a thought. To perfect an action, thoughts must first be perfected. So, you might ask, what are perfect thoughts? Perfect thoughts are ones that are devoid of selfish motives; they’re free of anger, greed, hate, jealousy, etc.
Adopting a compassionate vegetarian diet is a good place to start if you truly intend to move toward a transcendental reality and have a lighter impact on the planet. Not everyone practices yoga asana (poses) every day, but everyone eats. And therefore everyone has the opportunity to practice compassion three times a day when they sit down to eat. This is one of the main reasons so many yoga practitioners and students choose make the change and become vegetarians.
This article is focused primarily on ethical vegetarians and foremost in the list of reasons they eat only plant-based food is in order to show compassion toward animals and other sentient beings which in turn benefits the entire planet. There are those who say they are vegetarians but still consume milk products, eggs, and fish. These are actually not strict vegetarians but “lacto-ovo” vegetarians (milk & eggs) and “pescatarians” (includes fish) and ethical vegetarians do not consume any dairy products, eggs, or fish because these are not plant-based and eating them causes great suffering to other beings and the planet. Vegans are ethical vegetarians who endeavor to extend their ethics to include not just what they eat but everything they use: including (but not limited to) food, clothing, medicine, fuel, and entertainment. When using the term vegetarianism in this article, keep in mind that refers to ethical vegetarianism or veganism.
Many, if not most meat eaters defend their food choices by claiming that it is natural, because in a natural, wild state animals eat one another. Whenever people bring this up as a rationale for eating meat, they need to be reminded that the animals that end up on their table aren’t those who eat one another in the wild. The animals that are exploited for food aren’t the lions, tigers, and bears of the world. We eat the passive ones, the vegan animals that, when given free choice, would never even think of eating the flesh of other animals, although sadly, they are forced to do just that on today’s factory farms where they are fed “enriched feed” containing dead, rendered animal parts.
The majority of Americans believe a plant-based (or vegan) diet is difficult to follow. But what does difficult mean when compared to suffering and eventually dying from heart disease caused by an animal diet high in saturated fats and cholesterol? Even so, many people will still choose to go through invasive bypass surgery or have a breast, colon section, or kidney removed. And/or they may opt to take powerful pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of their lives rather than change their diets – all because they mistakenly think veganism is drastic and extreme. Do these who choose to eat meat ever consider how difficult it is for the animals who suffer degrading confinement and cruel slaughter, dying for their dining convenience and the satisfaction of their appetites?
When yoga practitioners and students begin following the yamas prescribed in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, they begin to realize that suffering is inevitable only to those who are unenlightened (or turn a blind eye) about the truth, which exists to connect us all. Real responsibility means realizing that our own actions bring about the situation we live in and that is reflected in the first yama “Ahimsa” (non-harming). Yoga practice has the potential to heal the one common disease that we are all suffering from; the disease of disconnection. War, destruction of the environment, extinction of species, and even domestic violence, all of these originate as a result of the disease of disconnection. Others can only be abused and exploited by those who are disconnected from them and have no idea about the potent consequences inherent in their own actions. When someone feels connected, they know it’s them, as well as other living things, who will suffer from the anguish they inflict.
Eating meat and consuming animal products is a long-standing (and generally accepted) habit in American culture. Many Western yoga practitioners will argue that they have to eat meat and that they need the protein to keep up the strength required for a physically challenging asana practice. Ironically, Sri K. Pattabhi
It’s time to give a little support to the yogis in the age old “yoga versus exercise” debate. A recent study shows 20 minutes of yoga beats out 20 minutes of aerobic exercise for overall positive effect on the brain’s cognitive abilities.
Studies conducted by researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are soon to be published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health as a peer-reviewed article titled “The Acute Effects of Yoga on Executive Function“, and will summarize their findings in regard to yoga’s effect on cognitive processes (I.e.; working memory, reasoning, problem solving, attention, planning, etc.). The study involved 30 non-yoga practicing undergraduate women who participated in 20 minutes of Hatha yoga, accompanied by meditation and deep breathing as well as 20 minutes of “aerobic activity” like running on a treadmill.
For most, worse than having to run on a treadmill for 20 minutes was the required test afterwards. Researchers had participants do cognitive testing following both the yoga practice and the aerobic exercises to measure working memory and inhibitory control (attention span). And surprisingly (or not), yoga beat the pants off aerobics, especially when it came to brain function.
Lead researcher Neha Gothe (currently a professor of kinesiology at Wayne State University) told the Daily Mail: “It appears that following yoga practice, the participants were better able to focus their mental resources, process information quickly, more accurately and also learn, hold and update pieces of information more effectively than after performing an aerobic exercise bout.” This in opposition to when the participants, in Gothe’s words, “showed no significant improvements on the working memory and inhibitory control scores” after the 20 minutes of jogging or walking on the treadmill.
Now all the scientists’ light bulbs light up because this is cause for further research and investigation. Edward McCauley, co-author of the study and director of the Exercise Psychology Lab where the research was conducted, notes: “This study is extremely timely and the results will enable yoga researchers to power and design their interventions in the future. We see similar promising findings among older adults as well. Yoga research is in its nascent stages and with its increasing popularity across the globe, researchers need to adopt rigorous systematic approaches to examine not only its cognitive but also physical health benefits across the lifespan.”
Of course this is a small (but ground-breaking) study, and there is much more to be explored about the effects of not just physical yoga poses, but the meditation and breathing components of most Western yoga practices (this would be for guys, too). So regardless, this is good news! News, that most students of yoga probably already knew? And besides, you can simply nod your head and smile the next time your runner/jogger friends talk about how amazing their “runner’s high” is and how they don’t really need to do yoga because running is their meditation. (No offense meant for runners. Yoga students love endorphins, too!)
The study does conclude that more research needs to be done on non-traditional, mind-body exercises like yoga (and tai chi, for example) and just how much they seep into the rest of our daily activities when out of the studio or off the mat.
“The breathing and meditative exercises aim at calming the mind and body and keeping distracting thoughts away while you focus on your body, posture or breath,” Gothe told the Telegraph. “Maybe these processes translate beyond yoga practice when you try to perform mental tasks or day-to-day activities.”
The practice of Self-enquiry (“Atma-vichara” in Sanskrit) is the most important meditation practice in the Advaita-Vedanta tradition. It is the primary practice of the yoga of knowledge (Jnana Yoga), which is traditionally regarded as the highest of the yogas because it is the most direct method of attaining liberation through Self-realization. This is how the realization of our true nature (beyond the mind and the body) is achieved.
Self-enquiry is the culminating practice through which Self-realization (the realization of our true nature beyond mind and body) can be achieved. It is emphasized in the entire Vedantic tradition since the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita. Many texts of Advaita (non-dualistic Vedanta) describe it in detail, particularly the works of Shankaracharya, but also Ashtavakra Samhita, Avadhuta Gita, Yoga Vasishta and Adhyatma Ramayana.
Self-enquiry is known today mainly through the teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (1878-1950) The Maharshi made this direct approach available to the general public, offering it as his main teaching to any individual who was capable of receiving the teaching.
The Actual Practice…
You may wonder… how do I put Self-enquiry into constant practice? There is only one way, by turning your attention inwards, to the sense of “I am” and that which is aware of the “I am.”
Simply put; turn your attention to the source of the ‘I’ thought.
Your hand doesn’t tell you it’s yours, you feel it is. There’s no part of the body that tells you it’s yours, not even the breath or heartbeats, yet you feel they are all yours. Thoughts keep appearing in the mind, they don’t tell you they are yours, but you believe that they are – that you’re the one who is thinking. From where does your sense of I, me, mine arise?
The objective is to discover your true self; therefore your practice begins with an enquiry into your real self by simply asking, “Who am I?”
Begin by setting aside some time for quiet reflection, preferably every day. To start, just ponder this question, “if I keep referring to everything, including body, senses, thoughts and mind as mine, then who am I? What is the source of this sense of “I, me and mine?” Where does this sense of ‘I’ arise from?
Ignore intruding thoughts and everything else that distracts you; keep your attention on this ‘I’ thought, remain intent on finding the very source from where it arises. If you keep paying attention in this manner, you’ll find that all other perceptions will start fading away.
If you get distracted, you can turn inwards again by asking; ‘I got distracted, but where did this feeling of ‘I’ arise from?
Soon you’ll find that you can keep this attention on your Self (the sense of ‘I’) by asking at any time during your normal daily routine; “Who is experiencing all this? Who is aware of all this?” Follow this by paying attention to where the sense of where ‘I’ arises from. It helps if you de-focus your eyes as you enquire, de-focusing will automatically draw your attention away from all other thoughts and objects in your perception.
Take a deep breath, pausing for a moment. Pay attention to the feeling/being when the lungs are full and the breath has stopped then stay with that feeling. Focus your attention on that ‘I am’ when the breath has stopped. Now, breathe out and pause for a moment, again noting the feeling/being when the breath has stopped and stay with that feeling.
You’ll begin to notice that this feeling is the same whenever the breath has stopped, whether after breathing in or breathing out.
Continue, but do not focus on the breathing itself, and notice how that being/feeling stays in the background even while the breath is going in and out. Now put your attention entirely on this feeling/being instead of the breath. As you do this, abide in that feeling/being as it appears in the gaps, do not focus on the breathing. If your mind wanders occasionally (and it will), bring your attention back to the pause (gap) between the breath and then keep paying attention to that. Abide in the pure awareness of your “being,” for as long as you can.
Eventually, you’ll be able to continue being aware of your being even during your normal daily activities. When walking, remain with the awareness that appears before each step is taken and after, and notice how this awareness stays with you in between the steps as well.
If when meditating using a name or mantra in your mind, be aware of the being/feeling in the gap between the repetitions until you stay with that; and then ignore the chanting.
When your mind seems extremely active (cluttered with too many thoughts), remind yourself to turn your attention to the pause between the breath as outlined above.
Remember to focus not on the objects that you see, but your awareness of the seeing (or hearing, smelling, touching, etc). Continue to remind yourself that all objects in your sensory perception merely prove that you are aware; meaning you turn your focus away from the objects themselves and into the awareness that you are aware.
Be aware of your being whenever and wherever possible and abide in that awareness, know that you are only awareness, not any object that you perceive, including your body, senses, thoughts or your mind. This is not an intellectual exercise, and these guiding, reminding thoughts should be kept to a minimum, always returning to abiding in the feeling of being.
Ever wonder what makes life a joyful experience for some, while it’s a sad, often frustration filled journey for others? Is it due to their basic disposition? Is it fate or luck? Could it be Karma? These somehow seem like excuses. You are supposed to be happy, it’s your birthright – inherently you’re supposed to be full of joy and wonder. And yet for some of us, somehow, somewhere during the course of our lives, things got out of control and we are spiraled into the monotony of everyday life and find our lives filled with conflict and suffering. We are then left with the never ending pursuit of happiness, as if it exists somewhere else.
If this is indeed the case, how do we get out of this rut? How do we find our way back to that joyful and peaceful state? Well, as the old saying goes – “When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.”
Here are five useful tips which you may find helpful on your journey to reclaim your birthright; fundamental, inherent happiness.
1st – Understand Your Problem:
The first thing you need to do is understand the root cause of your frustration and distress. Inquire as to why you are so restless and discontented? Why is so hard to return to your default state of happiness? Take a moment to pause and examine this very moment in your life and investigate your situation honestly and openly. If you do this, it is likely you’ll discover time is the root cause.
Whenever you think in terms of time, those very thoughts will bring the issue of “becoming,” into your psyche. Perhaps you are unhappy and bored with your life because you believed in an ideal or a goal to be achieved sometime in the near or distant future, and you think this will make you happy when you finally achieve it. This seeking tends to destroy the natural beauty of your life, just the way it is, right here and right now. It sabotages the wonder of the present moment and of a simple, ordinary life.
So by dropping all your ideals for a while, and just attending to your life exactly the way it is, will help you realize that happiness and joy are are as present as the nose on your face.
2nd – Learn to Live Your Passion:
One of the most important things to do in order to live a joyful, happy life is to discover your true passion and live it, passionately. If you are able do this, you will break free from the restricting clutches of society, and you’ll be immersed in doing what you really love without concern about the secular, materialistic world.
Your orientation will shift from result based to doing based, and the actions themselves will be the reward; then you will have something that can’t be lost and no one can take away from you. This unique “something” comes from deep within you.
If only all parents could learn this most important lesson. One of their biggest responsibilities is to help their child discover what it is that he or she loves to do and then provide them with the opportunity and the tools to do that without concern for success or even survival.
3rd – Establish a Basic Trust in Life:
Our faith and our trust in life will constantly be challenged and over time (if we allow it), our life will slowly be eroded away by endless failures and continuous problems, and we will be forced to strive rather than thrive. Without the establishment of a basic trust our life will be filled with worry and anxiety. How easily we can become obsessed with self-security and preservation, forcing us to rely on specific conditions for our happiness, rather than simply experiencing the joy of “being.” So instead of trusting in life and going with the flow, we become the products of fear and worry and as a result are unable to find true peace within.
When we dump burden of self-interest, a sense of great freedom and joy arise within spontaneously.
4th – Put a Stop to Isolation and Perpetual Self-Interest:
All our continual thinking about ourselves and our endless selfish activity isolates us even more from the “whole” of life. It’s like progressively building more and more walls around ourselves until we eventually find ourselves utterly alone, cut-off from the world; lonely miserable and unhappy. Change this approach by simply dropping your endless self-interest and choosing instead to live in a connected way. By uniting with all aspects of life you’ll come closer and closer to being “one” with the great play of life, and by connecting with awareness and intelligence, to both nature and all others, this will bring you to happiness.
5th – Start Meditating:
All the tips given above for being happy are really only a part of meditation. They are all based on living a meditative life. Mediation is a process which generally starts in time and then gradually transcends it. Meditation withdraws our consciousness from the superficiality of isolation (separateness), self-interest and limitation and offers it to the Spirit.
You can resurrect your inherent happiness with daily meditation, until it become habitual and seamless; so if you really want to be happy, if you really want to be at peace, then meditation is the way.
According to science, this world we live in has existed for about 4.5 billion years; spinning in space while continuously evolving, giving us life as we know it today. Suddenly, almost miraculously, something fascinating happened! Approximately 3 billion years ago, a single celled micro-organism began an incredible journey, exploding into a diverse biota of blue-green algae; commonly known today as marine or aquatic phytoplankton.
Well over 70% of our earth’s oxygen supply comes from these microscopic organisms. They possess a unique and amazing ability to utilize the energy of sunlight to drive the process of photosynthesis which in turn synthesizes oxygen…and without oxygen, life on our planet would be absolutely impossible.
Although I am using the term “blue-green algae,” (aka, chlorella and spirulina and their kin) they are actually cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria are classified as bacteria because their genetic material is not organized in a membrane-bound nucleus. And, unlike other types of bacteria, they contain chlorophyll and use the sun as their energy source, in much the same way plants and other forms of algae and seaweed do.
So it comes as no surprise that because of blue-green algae’s evolutionary history and its longevity, a huge amount of interest and science has been directed towards aquatic phytoplankton over these past thirty to forty years. And this research is not just conducted by oceanographic and other aqua explorers. Forty years ago, when the research began, it was preliminary, mostly based on supposition and anecdotal evidence about the potential health benefits of using phytoplankton as a viable food source.
But now, the most recent findings are nothing short of incredible! Advanced molecular technology shows that these ‘plankton’, also contain an array of the most potent and powerful biological substances known to mankind; being of great benefit to our bodies as well as our earth.
Blue-green algae is unparalleled in the animal and plant kingdoms because of its biological efficiency and effectiveness, delivering the highest vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content per gram than almost any other substance known! These humble phytoplankton continue to amaze and inspire scientists and laypeople alike…They contain up to 60% protein by weight, compared to 22% for beef, and please keep in mind, that once beef is even slightly cooked, it contains 50% less protein leaving only 11%! Heating, frying, grilling, basically adding any high heat, even for a short amount of time, destroys almost all of the protein content found in animal and fish meats.
Another (relatively new) discovered fact, is that they are now considered a “complete” protein source; containing all nine of the essential amino acids that we cannot produce in our own bodies, and these amino acids are contained in great abundance in every single cell of these phytoplankton. Additionally they include almost every other element in the “Periodic Table of Elements;” each one in proper balance and totally bio-available to your body, almost instantly upon ingestion!
From a biological standpoint, they are the richest, most nutritionally dense food source on the planet. It’s no wonder then that people’s lives and their health have been transformed forever, when they begin supplementing with blue-green algae on a regular, daily basis!
This begs the question of why we don’t hear much about this, if only for our own health. Well, one primary reason is the harvester/producers don’t have as big a voice, lobbying power or nearly as much money, as the dairy, beef, and poultry industries have! Another reason may be that these potent micro-organisms just don’t seem as appetizing or as friendly to eat” to the modern day palate, especially when compared to most of the other things people are tempted to eat. Most people prefer their food cooked (or dead) before they eat it, even if it’s a powerful and nutritious substance that might well be the key to attaining and maintaining optimal health.
Today, some forty years later, through science and technology we’re finally discovering the truth about these “aquatic phytoplankton.” Chlorella, spirulina and other blue-green algae may just become the next “evolutionary” food, while at the same time, becoming our most effective agent for fighting disease. We currently live in a chemical world, and we’re confronted by toxins everywhere we go. Fortunately, these microscopic miracles are also known to be powerful natural detoxifiers, and purifiers; they can even eliminate radiation and heavy metal toxins from deep within our bodies, down to a cellular level.
One of the best products on the market today is E3live – a type of “wild” blue-green algae known as Aphanizomenon Flos-Aqua (AFA for short) that grows in the glacier fed Klamath Lake in Oregon, which is extremely mineral rich. E3Live, is a wild-grown, organic, USDA approved, certified kosher liquid super-food that has more blood-building, oxygen-attracting chlorophyll than any other food substance. It has every mineral, all the B vitamins including Vitamin B12 (human active) and is a complete protein. E3Live%