Man Bites Downward-Facing Dog: Dr. Timothy McCall Takes On William Broad of The New York Times

by Nina

Could yoga make you fat (especially if you're a woman)? Does it cause hundreds of strokes per year? Sex you up so much you'll engage in unethical behavior? Did the entire discipline start out as a sex cult? If you read The New York Times you might think so. As much as I've often disagreed with him, up until now I've been diplomatic in my responses to William Broad's writings about yoga in Times and in his book The Science of Yoga. But after his recent article in which he asserted that "yoga is remarkably dangerous — for men," I felt it was time to speak up. —Dr. Timothy McCall

In his new paper “Man Bites Downward-Facing Dog,” Yoga for Healthy Aging blogger and Medical Editor for Yoga Journal Magazine, Dr. Timothy McCall responds to William Broad’s ongoing sensationalistic claims about yoga. In his post on our blog Is Yoga Really Dangerous for Men?, Timothy addressed Broad’s most recent claim that yoga is “remarkably dangerous” for men. In this new paper, he goes further and responds to other over the top claims that Broad has made previously, such as that yoga can make you fat or that the entire discipline started out as a sex cult. He also makes it clear that he is not denying that yoga injuries are a problem; and he acknowledges that he is not in disagreement with all of William Broad's assertions.

Mugsy, the Yoga Dog by Nina Zolotow

Timothy's article is on his web site, in  PDF format rather than on a web page. So if you want to read it, you’ll need to download it and view it with Adobe Acrobat. To get your copy of the paper, you can either use the link in the previous paragraph or go to Timothy's web site www.drmccall.com. I highly recommend that you go ahead and download the paper. Then feel free to pass it on to your friends. We really want to get the word out!

Welcome Bridget Frederick, Our New Editor!

Photo Credit: Steve Jones

I’m excited to announce that Bridget Frederick has joined the staff of Yoga for Healthy Aging as a copyeditor and proofreader! Yeah, I admit it: I’ve been a bit sloppy in the past. Early on I made a conscious decision that while I would quickly edit each post for clarity and tone before I publish it, sometimes even doing a bit of a rewrite, that I wasn’t going to take the time to pour over each one for typos. And then there was the problem of the posts that I was writing myself; I had no one to edit those. So I had a pretty good idea that those typos were there, maybe even hurting the eyes of some of our more meticulous readers. So when Bridget, who is both a writer/editor and a yoga teacher, offered us her services, I jumped at the chance.

After a couple of weeks of trial, I decided to announce to everyone that Bridget was now on board and to let her tell you, via an interview, a little about who she is and why she decided to join us. I want to warn you, however, that she isn’t always able to edit the posts before they go out (as you might imagine, we have a pretty short turnaround time). While she is sometimes able to edit the draft version of the post before it is published, there are times when I publish the post first and she updates it later. I’m telling you this so you can blame ME, not her, if you see any errors in future posts.

And now let’s find out a little about Bridget —Nina

Nina: Why did you decide to offer us your services as a copyeditor and proofreader?

Bridget: The Yoga for Healthy Aging blog came out several months after I started teaching yoga, and I began reading it regularly, getting a lot out of the great insights. I teach at the North Berkeley Senior Center on Monday mornings—many of my students there either haven’t paid much attention to aging in a healthy way until now, or are just dealing with complications as they age.

And I’ve got longevity in my family. I had three great-grandparents when I was born, and they all lived through my entire childhood. The last one passed when I was 23—he was 99. Watching my two grandmothers age has shown me that living long is less pleasurable if you don’t have a healthy body to take along for the ride. The grandmother who will turn 93 this year has always had a daily exercise routine—she is still driving herself to the gym every weekday for her water aerobics class. On the other hand, my 87-year-old grandmother lived most of her life with little or no daily exercise, and has been incapacitated in a nursing home for the last seven years.

So that’s why I was interested in reading the blog. But I offered to edit it because I know it takes a lot of time to maintain a good, productive blog. Another pair of eyes to make sure it flows well can be helpful, and I’m happy that my skill set enables me to participate in this way.

Nina: Can you tell us a bit about your yoga background and your yoga practice?

Bridget: I started doing yoga in 2002, shortly after I was rear-ended while stopped at a red light. The whiplash I experienced was exacerbated by previous car accidents as well as three over-the-handlebars bike accidents—none of which I’d ever had treatment for. This time I found my way to a chiropractor, who recommended I try yoga. Well, she actually recommended Bikram yoga, but I went to the Berkeley Yoga Room instead, and have had a regular practice there ever since. The Iyengar-style focus on alignment and core strength, as well as the gentle approach of all of the Yoga Room teachers, was just what I needed to gain confidence in yoga’s ability to heal what ails me.

I completed the Yoga Room’s Advanced Studies Program in 2011. Presently I teach seven classes/week, have a regular home practice, and continue studying with my Yoga Room mentors.

Nina: Tell us something about your writing and editing background.

Bridget: I started editing in college, typing and editing other students’ papers in exchange for grocery money. While working at the Julia Morgan Center for the Arts, I wrote articles for the newsletter, and wrote and edited website content as well as creating contracts for use of the space. In all of my independent production work, I’ve been the writer and/or editor of content for all outreach and production documents, grant proposals and bios. My work as a Grant Manager is all about details – editing narratives is the start of many levels of detail in getting a proposal ready for submission. I also write and perform my own solo work, which is more about storytelling, but there’s a huge editing process involved before a piece is ready for the stage.

Nina: Is there anything else you’d like to tell our readers?

Bridget: I’m completely bicycle dependent—have been for five years. I’m getting better at hauling cargo, as well as layering for the changeable weather the Bay Area is known for. I generally ride 60-100 miles each week just getting myself where I need to be. It’s nice to have aerobic exercise built right into my commute time.

Eight years ago, I created a monthly solo performance series called Tell it on Tuesday with my friend Rebecca Fisher, and we still co-produce it together. I’ve written four of my own short works and am currently working on a fifth, to be performed in April.

I like to sew—mostly bags and cards— recently I've been more interested in altering clothing, or using the fabric from an item of clothing to create something totally different. I don’t like to plan it out, so sometimes it works great and sometimes not so much. But when it doesn’t work, there’s always a chance to re-purpose the material again!

And I make sauerkraut. Want to try some?

Achieving Stillness in Turbulent Situations

by Ram

Cataract by Brad Gibson

In chapter 3 and verse 2 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we are introduced to the topic of meditation (dhayana) as follows:

“Tatra Pratyaya Ekatanata Dhyanam”

tatra = there, therein; pratyaya = the feeling, notion, idea, cognition; ekatanata (eka = one, single- tanata = continuous, uninterrupted); dhyanam = meditation

Swami Jnaneshvara translates this as: “The repeated continuation or uninterrupted stream of that one point of idea/notion is called meditation.” To put it simply, when the mind remains undistracted (stillness) for a length of time, it is called meditation.

I do not need to elaborate on this topic as this site has extensively dealt with this aspect. In addition to defining and explaining the term dhyana (meditation), Baxter also provided a lucid explanation about ways to meditate. Both Brad and Nina followed it up by posting very interesting articles regarding the science of/behind meditation and the effects of meditation on chronic stress and brain aging (see Meditation and Brain Strength and Stress Mind, Stressed Cells. Undoubtedly, meditation has been shown to produce immense medical benefits. Among others, meditation reduces emotional stresses - including fear, worry, anxiety, anger, rage, etc - reduces chronic pain, increases cognitive function, lowers blood pressure, alleviates post-traumatic stress syndrome, increases positive states of mind and slows down cellular aging.

Interestingly, each time I am asked to teach various aspects of meditation, the one common question that I encounter is if I could suggest some tips for meditating in a challenging environment (loud noise, room is cold, neighbor’s breathing is too loud, smell of incense is too strong, mosquito/flies buzzing overhead, etc.). In fact, one of our readers recently sent us the following question:

Do you have any tips on finding one's center when one's environment isn't quiet or warm?

I agree that it does get tough to come to stillness if you are being disturbed or getting distracted due to any number of reasons, including those previously mentioned. But life is never a bed of roses, correct? Life is a balance of opposites: positives and negatives, success and failures, good and bad, mobile and grounded, etc. Our goal is to do the best we can in the given set of circumstances and try to achieve the maximum. The same principle applies to the practice of meditation as well. No doubt, it is peaceful and invigorating to meditate in a salubrious environment, but is it always possible to expect such serene surroundings? My grandfather insisted that we practice meditation in the railway station (how much tougher could it get?). That’s because meditation can be done in a challenging environment. If it is a noisy environment, you can plug your ears, or if the room is freezing, you can put on several layers of clothes to ward off the cold. But remember physical comforts have no boundaries. How far would you go to get comfortable physically in order to achieve that stillness in mind?

The goal of meditation is to be at ease, relaxed and at peace with our surroundings. It is important to not resist the disturbing/distracting influence that comes in the way of your meditation practice (in your case traffic or the cold environment). So do not try to ignore the influence or to block it out, for if you try to do, you will only meet with stiffer resistance, ending in frustration. Instead, simply let it be (“thathaasthu” in Sanskrit) and continue with your meditation. Everything is a part of meditation, all the influences including the noise, the thoughts, the emotions, and the resistance from the mind. Treat everything that arises in meditation the same way—let it be and just be there!

Staying Safe with Degenerative Disc Disease

by Shari

I thought I would follow up on Baxter’s excellent post about preventing spinal degenerative disc disease Degenerative Disc Disease and Yoga by discussing how you might practice yoga safely after receiving this diagnosis.

To begin, it is important to understand how to influence the health of your spinal discs in your asana practice. The spinal discs acquire their nourishment from movement. In asana we move the spine throughout a range of motion that includes flexion (forward bending), extension (backward bending), rotation (twists), and side bending. Almost all asanas combine these movements. Rotation and side bending always occur together, for example, in Triangle pose (Trikonasana). And flexion poses (forward bends) will often be counterbalanced with extension poses (backbends) and vice versa. A well-rounded asana practice will include all these motions in almost every single pose, even Savasana (Relaxation pose), depending on how you position your legs.

If you have received a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, this indicates that your spinal discs have become brittle and thin. Because of the inherent changes in their structure, the spinal discs are more prone to injury. The vertebral body is supposed to be the main weight-bearing surface for the spine while the intervertebral disc distributes the weight and acts as a shock absorber for stresses that occur from gravitational loading. But when the disc is compromised, more weight-bearing through the vertebra will be distributed onto other structures. Some of this weight may be transferred onto your facet joints, which are not weight-bearing structures but mobility structures of your vertebral column. And with this increased weight-bearing, your body may then respond by the formation of “more bone” for protection of these structures, which can be come painful bone spurs.

The Spine with Its
Three Curves

So what is a poor yogi to do? Start by returning to your Tadasana (Mountain pose). Because postural habits are one of the most important factors in developing degenerative spinal changes in the discs, learning to stand well both on and off the mat is critical in maintaining spinal health. When you think about it, even though you practice daily for 30 minutes, eat well, get enough sleep, have a good meditation practice, and are happy and healthy, if your posture is compromised, the result as the years go by is spinal compression. Learning to incorporate Tadasana into your everyday activities of driving, sitting, bending, and so on, will go a very long way in lessening the impact of spinal compressive forces. This means keeping a “Tadasana spine” (with all three spinal curves) as you move from your hips, and learning how to bend and reach and twist without causing excessive pressure through your discs and vertebrae.

In addition to maintaining your Tadasana spine, I would also recommend that you use props when either doing your own home practice or attending class. Using a strap, chair, block or wall can be helpful in teaching you what your own body can do without pain. To keep your body safe and healthy, you should ensure that your asana never hurts.

Those of you who practice Iyengar-style hatha yoga will know what I mean when I say “props” but for those of you who practice different styles of yoga this may be a foreign concept. In that case, I recommend that when you practice you at least pay very close attention to how you are moving. Where do you initiate movement from when you go into or out of a pose? Where do you start when you come out of a pose? How do you use your hips? And your legs? Where is the weight and force coming from? Do you quickly move through a motion because it hurts but once past that “bad spot” you are okay? What happens if you don’t go so low or so deep?

In addition, working on core strengthening, using your legs effectively, breathing correctly, and maintaining (or developing) adequate flexibility will all help in keeping your spine safe.

Finally, I suggest examining how you set yourself up in Savasana. Both Nina and Baxter have talked before about different ways to position yourself in Savasana (see Savasana Variations). The version with legs on a chair (be sure the chair is the proper height for your body proportions) puts your spine into a more “neutral position” than when your legs are straight out on the floor. But this isn’t necessarily comfortable for every one. When we lie on our backs, some of us like to feel the small of the back making more contact with the floor while others of us like a bit more arch. That is the thing with all degenerative conditions: one size doesn’t fit all. So a bit of experimentation is important. It’s also a good idea to consider your sleeping positions and the support of your bed. If you aren’t well-rested and comfortable in your bed, then no amount of yoga is going to make you feel better. So take the awareness you bring to Savasana—and all your yoga poses—into your bed with you to set yourself up for a comfortable and healthy sleep.

Friday Q&A: Spinal Stenosis and Osteoporosis

This question of the week for this week came in about an older post from A Pair of Serendipities Re: Spinal Stenosis.

Q: Hello, I found this article very helpful and appreciate your information. I have a student who just started my class at a community college who has spinal stenosis, which as described here can be relieved by mindful forward bends. However, she also tells me she has osteoporosis (all on an intake form), which from my understanding is an indication to avoid forward folding. My class is very large and is beginners yoga, and I plan on talking with her about self monitoring and awareness, emphasis on hip hinge for forward folds, however I am wondering if you have any other thoughts in that these two conditions exist in one student simultaneously. In her early 60s, she is very motivated to be in my class.

A: Thanks for your question, and I am so pleased that you were checking out a much older post. I worry they will get cyber-dusty from not being read anymore. And your question is a great one! Even if we were not talking about spinal stenosis and osteoporosis, this sort of conundrum happens quite often for those of us who are teachers and for those of us who are students: two or more difficulties happening at the same time in the same body! Can a person get a break here!  Which one takes priority, are the recommended practices for each applicable for both, are the conditions somehow connected, and other questions can come up.

But to address your question directly: If someone has symptoms from their spinal stenosis already, but has only a diagnosis of osteoporosis without ever having had any complications (such as a fracture of wrist, thoracic vertebrae or hip), this may make your approach easier. One certainly would want to be cautious about practice intensity, opting for milder styles of practice, and since we’d like to keep the osteoporosis asymptomatic, you’d want to avoid techniques that would transmit hard, sudden forces into the bones. This can happen when jumping into and out of poses, as well as coming out of arm balances without control, in a thumping manner. But since arm balances would not serve the osteoporosis person due to the fracture risk, particularly handstand-like hand positions, this last group of poses should usually be avoided.

Regarding the safety of forward bends in osteoporosis, which we have noted can be helpful for spinal stenosis, I usually suggest that osteoporosis folks can try most beginning level poses, so spinal movements, but not to their limit. I recommend entering and exiting the poses slowly and mindfully, and not pushing or pulling on the spine once in the pose. Since most of the vertebral fractures in osteoporosis that I have seen were in the thoracic area and often associated with sudden thumping action through the spine as described above, such as jumping while dancing, if cautious, your basic beginning level yoga practice would be fine for the student with double the trouble. More specifically, I would try forward bends, back bends, twist and side bends, but gently and not to maximum range of motion. If you want to modify for this person, standing forward bends are safest, seated on a chair version the next safest, and on the floor versions the least desirable. But that still does not mean that doing seated forward bends on floor could not be included if done carefully and not to full intensity. 

As far as poses you might recommend for osteoporosis, including those that are weight bearing for both the legs and arms, it is the standing poses that are good for osteoporosis. However, those are the very poses that might make the symptoms of spinal stenosis worse. So when your class is weighted towards more standing poses, you will need to check in and make sure your student is doing OK!

So keep the conversation going with your enthusiastic student, checking in for a moment before and after class. Perhaps, if you provide that kind of service, you could even offer to meet one on one with your student to design a practice more personally suited to her needs. 

—Baxter

Featured Pose: Supported Child's Pose

by Baxter and Nina

This is one of the most comforting restorative poses. The position is one that small children take naturally when they are trying to rest or self soothe. And while many of the other restorative are supine (facing up), which can make some people feel vulnerable (especially if they are suffering from anxiety), in this pose you are in a prone position (facing down), which feels safe and nurturing.

Supported Child’s Pose allows you to rest deeply without falling asleep. Most people find that even a few minutes in this pose calms the nervous system while resting the body and soul. According to the yoga tradition, Child’s Pose can be beneficial for certain digestive conditions, including constipation, bloating, and flatulence.

The supported version of Child’s Pose is more accessible than the classic version for people who are tight in the hips, knees or ankles, as well as for those who are particularly stiff in the spine. It’s also a good way to broaden and open your upper back, which gets tight from sitting and/or being upright all day.

Your head is turned to the side in this pose, creating a passive rotation of the cervical spine that could help with the range of motion of your neck (for neck health). The pose takes your knees into full flexion (bending) which can improve the range of motion for people with stiff knees. And because your feet are pointed and your ankles are stretched, the pose can increase the range of motion in those joints. Finally, this is an accessible forward bend that allows those who find seated forward bends difficult to experience the soothing qualities of a comfortable forward bend.

You can practice this pose on its own for a short rest or include it at the end of any practice or as part of a restorative sequence, such as our Mini Restorative Sequence for Digestion.

Instructions: Start by assembling your props, including a bolster, preferable a round one (though whatever you can get your hands on, including a couch cushion, can work), and one to three blankets. The number of blankets you will need depends on how stiff your ankles or the tops of your feet are, so you may need to experiment.

Fold your blankets in standard fold (see photo) and set them cross-wise in the center of your mat.

Next, kneel on the blanket stack so your knees are supported by the blanket while your with your ankles are at the back of the blanket stack so your feet can hang off the back. Point your toes backward (do not tuck them under), with your big toes lightly touching and your knees as wide apart as your bolster is wide. Before bringing your bolster into position, sit down on your heels.

Because even a round long bolster will get flat over time, take your bolter and rotate it so the thickest part is facing toward the ceiling. Then pull the bolster up to your lower belly and pubic bone, but no lower. Do not bring the bolster under your pelvis or sit on it. Now, keeping your hips relatively low, drape your belly and chest out onto the bolster, turning your head to one side and letting your cheek rest on the bolster. Check to make sure that you feel your entire front body is supported by the bolster. If there are any gaps between you and the bolster, take the time to place blocks or other props underneath the bolster to support your entire body and remove the gaps. Make sure you’re comfortable before settling into the pose.

When you are comfortably supported by the bolster, bend your arms at the elbows while keeping your upper arms in line with your shoulders. Rest your forearms on the floor, parallel to the sides of your body.

While you are in the pose, it’s more restful and relaxing if you take a focus for your mind. It’s especially easy in this pose to practice breath awareness, so try bringing your focus to feeling your back body moving with your breath. But you can can do any mediation technique you like. Stay in the pose for about three to five minutes, turning your head to the other side half way through the duration.

To come out of the pose, slide your hands back so they are on the floor beneath your shoulders. Then use the strength of your arms to roll your head and spine back toward vertical. If it’s comfortable for you to sit back on your heels, sit for half a minute to acclimate to being upright again or change to any comfortable position.

Cautions: This is a very safe pose, and with proper use of props it should be accessible to almost everyone. If you have any joint issues in the hips, knees, ankles or neck, you may have to change the propping. Although a mild stretching sensation is fine, you shouldn’t feel any pain in this pose. So if you do experience pain, come out immediately and try changing your propping. If you can’t get comfortable on your own, try asking your yoga teacher for some help. And if you really cannot get comfortable, you can try the same pose upside down! Really. Try lying on your back with the bolster along your torso, and wrap both your arms and legs around it.

Yoga and The Pursuit of Happiness

by Nina

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” — Declaration of Independence, United States of America

I don’t know about you, but I’ve always found it was a bit surprising that one of the three “unalienable rights” the U.S. Declaration of Independence recognizes is “the pursuit of happiness.” In contrast, the French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen defines the natural rights of man as: liberty, property, security and resistance to oppression. And it’s quite interesting to contemplate what our founders meant when they used the word “happiness” in this context. From what I can tell, hundreds of years later, there is still quite a bit of debate about it.

On the other hand, the Yoga Sutras make it pretty clear what “happiness” means to a yoga practitioner.

2.42 Perfect happiness is attained through contentment. —translation by Barbara Stoler Miller

And if you’re wondering what “contentment” means, in his translation of the Yoga Sutras, TKV Desikachar provides an explanation that I really love: “Contentment or the ability to be comfortable with what we have and what we do not have.”

I’m thinking about happiness this morning because I woke up with a troubled mind. There’s a problem I can’t solve right now, and maybe will never be able to solve. But I decided that I didn’t want to dwell in that troubled state, and consciously decided to let go of my negative thoughts for the time being. I wasn't particularly trying to be happy, just not weighted down by frustration and anger—in other words, more “content.” Then as I started to work at my computer, I stumbled on to some online instructions for how to fold fitted bottom sheets. Hey, I always wanted to know how to do that! So I ran downstairs and grabbed one of my mashed-up bottom sheets and refolded it. The results weren’t as perfect as shown in the instructions (which were for sheets that just had elasticized corners—mine are elasticized all around), but the technique was a great improvement over the one I’d previously been using (well, calling that a technique is a bit of a stretch). And as I stood there admiring the rather attractive rectangle I had created, I was shot through with a tiny burst of happiness.

It struck me then that by quieting my negative thoughts and achieving a more contented state, I had given happiness the space to arise. And I was reminded of Edwin Bryant’s translation of sutra 2.42 and his commentary on it:

2.42 From contentment, the highest happiness is attained.

“This sattvic happiness does not depend on external objects, which are vulnerable and fleeting, but is inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content.”

So maybe yoga is the pursuit of happiness. For if happiness is “inherent in the mind when it is tranquil and content” then the practice of yoga, whose aim is equanimity or contentment, will lead you toward happiness. The Yoga Sutras make it clear which steps to take on that journey:

1.12 Practice and detachment are the means to still the movements of consciousness.

1.33 Through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy, and indifference to pleasure and pain, virtue and vice respectively, the consciousness becomes favorably disposed, serene and benevolent.

1.34 Or, by maintaining the pensive state felt at the time of soft and steady exhalation and during passive retention after exhalation.

1.35 Or, by contemplating an object that helps to maintain steadiness of mind and consciousness.  

—translation by BKS Iyengar

Degenerative Disk Disease and Yoga

by Baxter

In my ongoing attempts to stay up on the developing information about yoga, aging and health, I look at other online sources of new information. One such resource is the online site called Yoga U, which sends out a periodic newsletter as well as offering special live interactive webinars on a variety of topics and yoga. (I’ll be doing a webinar for them in May on “Yoga and the Digestive System” so stay tuned!) As I was preparing for my Sunday session at Yoga Journal Conference last week “Yoga for Arthritis,” I came across a piece on Yoga U about a recent study that looked at degenerative disc disease. 

Degenerative disc disease is a process of change to the cushion-like discs found between the vertebrae or spinal bones. It most commonly affects the discs in the neck/cervical region and the lumber/lower back region. There is some ongoing debate on whether the deterioration of the discs is a natural part of the aging process (since it is seen in people without symptoms of back or neck pain in gradually increasing percentages as we age) or whether it is directly related to an abnormal condition of change in the discs. It is really part of the general wear and tear arthritic changes we see in other joints, as the discs represent a unique kind of cushion structure that is similar to the cartilage caps found on the ends of other bones in major joints of movement. But it is different from the regular cartilage in other joints in that it is a larger structure, not adherent to the vertebrae above and below it, as well as having a unique structure that distributes the intense force of gravity that travels down the spine in a specialized way.

Spinal Vertebrae and Discs

Despite our uncertainty as to a direct correlation between the presence of degenerative disc disease and back and neck pain, I have LOTS of patients and students who have both situations present together. So if I knew of something to offer them that could decrease the development of degenerative disc disease, I would be hopeful it would also reduce their chances of pain as well. The study discussed on Yoga U,  which was originally published in the European Health Journal, March 2011, compared the spines of long time yoga teachers, via MRI imaging, to those of a matched group who did not do yoga. Lo and behold, the yoga teachers, who had been teaching for at least 10 years, had significantly less degenerative disc disease.

The study, done in Taiwan, looked at yoga teachers that practiced a gentle and slow form of yoga. I found this quite compelling, since much of the yoga we recommend here at YFHA is somewhat gentle, and we always recommend moving mindfully into and out of poses. Those of our readers who practice similarly could benefit from this style of practice in regards to their spinal health. The researchers matched the yoga teachers and the control group for age, sex, general health and all were non-smokers. (Why non-smokers, you might ask? Smoking is considered a risk factor on its own for increased chance of back pain.) Even though yoga teachers had less degenerative disk disease in all areas of the spine compared to the control group, within the teachers themselves there was less degenerative disk disease in the cervical spine versus the lumbar spine. Finally, the researchers concluded that their results suggest that hatha yoga may have slowed the natural aging process in the discs.

They hypothesized that a combination of factors, such as stretching and positioning of the spine, as well as decreased weight-bearing on the spine while practicing yoga, may allow for more nutrients to diffuse or enter the spinal discs. Whatever the reasons, these are surely encouraging results! However, as always with these initial studies, this early evidence warrants further studies with larger groups of people. In the meantime, I am going to continue with my gentle, slow yoga, with the intention that my discs are benefiting every day. Won’t you join me?

Anger Management: Philosophy, Science and Yoga

by Ram

The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, and serves as a guiding manual for the daily conduct of life, spiritual uplift and self-realization. It is a treatise addressed to each and every individual to help him or her to solve life’s daily problems and progress towards a bright future (see also Nina’s post Acceptance, Active Engagement and the Bhagavad Gita).

Growing up in an extended family in India, we were regularly counseled by the elders on the spiritual foundations of human existence based on the principles of the Bhagavad Gita. Particularly striking and fascinating within its eighteen chapters are several references to sound mental health, which declare that the very goal of any human activity is to achieve a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed strength and triumph.

One particular verse that triggered my interest was regarding the death of an individual triggered by rage and anger.

Krodhad bhavati sammohah, sammohat smrti-vibhramah!

smrti-bhramsad buddhi-naso, buddhi-nasat pranasyati!!

“From anger comes delusion. From delusion loss of memory. From loss of memory the destruction of discrimination. From destruction of discrimination, the individual perishes.” —trans. by Swami Chidbhavananda

According to the textual commentary, the ignorant mind thinks that worldly objects will give it pleasure and happiness. Continuous thinking about the objects of senses creates attachment to them. Attachment leads to desire, and when the desire is not fulfilled, one gets angry (krodha), that in turn leads to delusion (moha) and confused memory (smriti). The confusion of memory causes destruction of reasoning (buddhi) due to which an individual is ruined and dies.

Prickly Catcus by Brad Gibson

I used to recall this relationship between anger and death during my college days and as a graduate student in neurosciences. How did these divine preachers suspect that anger could trigger the demise of an individual? Is there a causal relationship? What molecular pathways connect rage/anger to the death of a person?

Research from several diverse groups, including health professionals, behavioral scientists, psychologists and others, indicates that rage and anger are definitely hazardous to health. A high level of rage/anger has a powerful effect on the incidence of preventable cardiovascular death. Evidence indicates that anger evokes physiological responses that are potentially life threatening in triggering Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).

“When we are angry, not only do we spew out negativity to someone else, but our own body chemistry changes, and these changes can be harmful to our health” —James S. Brooks & Peter Anselmo from Ayurvedic Secrets to Longevity & Total Health

Anger triggers increased platelet activation and thrombosis, resulting in unwanted, pathological, and life-threatening clot formation. Anger also increases vulnerability to illnesses, compromises the immune system, increases lipid levels, exacerbates pain, and produces vasoconstriction of narrowed arteries. Finally, anger has been associated with chronic over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system. This increased sympathetic activity has been shown to result in increased blood pressure and heart rate, and alterations of ventricular function.

In addition, anger triggers the release of free fatty acids into the bloodstream, and elevates the levels of circulating catecholamines and corticosteroids, all of which ultimately trigger heart disease. According to the American Heart Association and National Institute on Aging, CHD patients with higher levels of anger/hostility are also more likely to engage in CHD-risk behaviors, such as, smoking, overeating, decreased physical activity, decreased sleep, and increased use of alcohol and drugs. Thus, it is imperative to understand the significance of the pathways that connect anger to death. Once a seeker understands these pathways, he or she can then master the technique of controlling/processing the anger process.

In the post by Nina, Baxter recommends pranayama techniques and certain specific asanas to curb anger and achieve calmness. Another method to control/process anger is through meditation (dhyana), the cheapest and simplest recourse to a healthy body and mind.

Meditation transcends gender, race, skin color, profession, monetary status and, above all, religion. It does not require any elaborate setup, materials, clothes, space, doctors, nurses, or hospitals. Anyone who has the time and interest can practice meditation. Its benefits are immense and it is becoming mainstream. While meditation does not cure a person of anger, a person who has a meditation practice sees and reacts to anger differently. The individual will not only have the capacity to transcend the anger process but this person will not evoke the same physical and emotional reactions that are commonly seen in a person who does not meditate. Awareness to the thought and its flow, and awareness to anger arising inside can have remedial effects. And all this can be helpful in the journey to the center.

Friday Q&A: Benefits of Squatting

Q: I recently decided to try the experiment of sitting cross-legged more, starting out on my sofa, as sitting in this position seems to help my achy hip and back. I will see if I can progress to the floor. I am also wondering about squatting more, not comfortable for me, but a common position in many countries (such as Vietnam, where many families still eat squatting on a low large table). Any thoughts on this position, besides needing to be careful of wonky knees?

A: Do I ever! I happen to like squatting, even though I have an old tear to the cartilage in my left knee, the medial meniscus, which I have to been mindful of getting in and out of squats. My hips turn out decently, which is necessary for  squatting, and my ankles also dorsiflex—what we typically refer to simply as flexing—pretty well so my heels can stay on the ground if my feet are about a foot or so apart.

I became interested in squatting as an alternative way to sit for short periods of time after a yoga adventure trip to Bali in the late 90’s. As we drove down a country road past rice fields one day, I noticed a group of men squatting and talking near an intersection. Returning the same way a few hours later, the same group was still there, squatting and talking as they had been earlier. I was shocked, remembering how challenging the pose could be for me in class when I only held it for a few minutes. So I became motivated to see if I could safely master this position, although I was not sure what I would use it for.

We do need to keep in mind that in these cultures, people squat starting from their early stages of life, and often live in places where western furniture is not the norm, as Ram mentioned in his post To Sit or Not To Sit (on the floor)?. So we are at a distinct disadvantage learning to squat as adults. However, there may be some good reasons to try it out.  I find it particularly helpful in certain social or activity situations, such as when camping and not wanting to sit directly on dirty, sometimes wet or rocky ground, or when using a primitive or non-existent loo! I use it in social situations where there are limited chairs, where I want to be down interacting with kids, or when talking with another person who is sitting and I don’t want to loom over them by standing. And when my back is flared up, being able to squat to pick things up off the floor is quite handy.

But are there any other benefits, you might ask. Well, squats take the knees into the deepest flexion possible, both active flexion (that created just by the muscles contracting) and passive flexion (created by an outside force, such as your body weight and gravity in this case). Fully flexing and then straightening the knees takes them through their full range of motion, which is generally a good thing for your joints. And the ankles also have to flex quite a bit, so their range of motion is exercised. The muscles at the front of the shins have to contract and work in a unique way not required for many other yoga poses, contributing to strengthening this area. The hips and lower back can get a nice stretch as well. You do want to increase your time in squats gradually, as there is an effect on your blood pressure, so that when you stand again, if you have timed it well, you don’t suddenly feel light headed.

If you have tight, stiff knees, you can do a modified version with a block or blocks under your sitting bones, creating a block chair of sorts that still allows you to experience the general shape of the squat.  If your heels don’t touch down easily, put a prop, such as a rolled-up blanket or yoga wedge, under your heels so they can ground. This relaxes the leg muscles and allows the bones to hold you up, which is why those men could hold the squats so long—they weren’t exhausting their muscles! And keep in mind that you might want to design a short sequence of poses that prepare you for the squat, such as, Reclined Knee to Chest pose, Reclined Leg Stretch, Warrior 1 pose, and Cobblers pose (Baddha Konasana), to name a few.

If it doesn’t work for your body to do squats, it is no big deal! There are so many other good postures that can be of benefit for you, so let go of the ones that may seem injurious for your body. And as my old friend Gary Morgan used to say as we played a silly riverside game on canoe outings, “Squat what you got!”

—Baxter

Cultivating the Opposite: Yoga Philosophy for Healthy Eating, Healthy Aging

by Nina

“People in America are addicted to sugar, and to fat and to salt,” he says, and as a nation, it’s holding us back. “Food is intensely pleasurable, and people are afraid that if they change the way they eat, they’ll stop having pleasure.” —Jan. 17, 2013 interview on NPR with John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods

This morning, as I was helping Baxter prepare for his workshop on Yoga and Healthy Eating at the upcoming Yoga Journal Conference, he told me he was struck by this quote from my interview with my friend Elizabeth D, who lost 50 pounds and learned how to eat a diet that suited her particular body:

“I also changed my perspective by viewing eating healthy and exercising as a way to do something positive for myself, not something to dread.”

Baxter went on to say that this was a form of “pratipaksha bhavanam,” which Patanjali recommends in the Yoga Sutras.

II.33 Upon being harassed by negative thoughts, one should cultivate counteracting thoughts. —trans. Edwin Bryant

The Sankrit words “pratipaksha bhavanam” from the original text of this sutra literally mean “cultivate the opposite” (or “cultivate counteracting thoughts” in Bryant’s translation). That’s what Elizabeth did when she said she changed her perspective about how she viewed healthy eating; she contemplated her original view and then consciously took another one. That reminded me of an interview I heard this morning with John Mackey, co-CEO of Whole Foods. He talked about, among other things (most of which I do not agree with, but let’s not go there right now), why Americans have trouble with unhealthy food addictions. He said that people “are afraid that if they change the way they eat, they'll stop having pleasure” and recommended they take the same approach that Elizabeth took, changing to a different perspective, in this case, that healthy food is as pleasurable as junk food. So that’s our thought for the day about yoga for healthy eating: use Patanjali's yoga philosophy to change your thinking about the way you eat.

Seattle Garden (A Detail) by Joan Webster

But, of course, Patanjali wasn’t talking about healthy eating in the Yoga Sutras. He was addressing  a much more all-encompassing subject, which is that negative thoughts can lead us away from the behavior specified in the yamas and the niyamas—including non-violence, non-stealing, non-greediness, and truthfulness—which is necessary to achieve the equanimity that is yoga. For example, thoughts about violence can lead to acts of violence. Here’s the next sutra:

II.34 Negative thoughts are violence, etc. They may be personally performed, performed on one’s behalf by another, or authorized by oneself; they may be triggered by greed, anger, or delusion; and they may be slight, moderate, or extreme in intensity. One should cultivate counteracting thoughts, namely, that the end results of negative thoughts are ongoing suffering and ignorance.  —trans. by Edwin Bryant

Again, Patanjali recommends “pratipaksha bhavanam” or “counteracting thoughts” in this sutra. As Edwin Bryant says, “For example if any aspiring yogi experiences feelings of dislike for a person, which is a type of himsa, violence, then, upon becoming aware of this feeling, the yogi can make the effort to think of the person in a nonviolent fashion, perhaps viewing him or her as simply an embodied being who is victimized by the gunas and karma, etc. and ultimately as a pure purusa soul.”

How does this tie into healthy aging? Spending less time in the grip of negative thoughts, especially anger, and thereby avoiding negative interactions, will obviously help reduce stress and stress-related diseases. And the ability to re-frame our perspective on a situation is a valuable method we can use to reduce the klesas, the five afflictions I discussed in my post The Pains Which Are To Come. Edwin Byrant likens negative thoughts to weeds in a garden:

“As in a garden, the more one makes an effort to uproot weeds, the more the bed will eventually become a receptacle for fragrant flowers, which will then grow and reseed of their own accord until there is hardly any room for the weeds to surface.”

Studying with Our Teachers

by Nina

One of the frequent questions we get here on Yoga for Healthy Aging is: how can I study with your teachers? The answer is that the best way is to attend the special workshops and retreats that our teachers offer throughout the year. While we previously had some of this information on the blog, I’ve now updated it for 2013. And to make it easier for you to find the information for a particular teacher, I’ve created separate pages for each teacher. To find the listings for an individual teacher, simply click on the tab at the top of the page that displays that teacher’s name. A new page will be displayed, which lists the teacher’s workshops and retreats in chronological order, and includes links to the web sites where you can find registration information.

We hope to meet some of you in person soon!

Experts Weigh In on Injury Risk with Yoga Poses

by Baxter

A few months back, I had the honor of moderating a panel discussion for Yoga Journal Magazine on the topic of injuries that occur when performing yoga poses. In the West, you and I know this physical part of yoga as “asana practice” or the doing of a series or sequence of yoga poses. In many settings, these yoga pose sequences can be devoid of any of the other limbs or aspects of yoga, such as meditation or lifestyle guidelines (like the niyamas). As has been suggested elsewhere, there is an inherent risk of injury to our oh-so-human bodies when we humans engage in physically demanding activities, such as exercise, and yes, even yoga asana.

Joining me for the panel discussion (which appears as an article in the February 2013 Yoga Journal Magazine) were three of the country’s most experienced yoga teachers, representing different yoga traditions:

Gary Kraftsow trained under TKV Desikachar, who focuses on one-on-one instruction, often with a more therapeutic bent.

Patricia Walden has studied with BKS Iyengar for some 40 years, with his attention to solid alignment, static held poses and the assertion that doing asana is another way of doing meditation.

Ana Forrest, also a veteran of almost four decades of teaching, is the founder of her own style of yoga, known as Forrest Yoga. From my limited experience of taking a session with her, I would describe her style as a physically demanding and strong practice, but with attention to the mind and breath.







As we began our discussion, each one of us was able to recall at least one, and sometimes more than one incident of having sustained an injury during yoga practice. In my case, through inattention, for Ana, secondary to being generally disconnected from her body when she first started practicing, for Patricia due to her ego wanting to impress her teacher, and for Gary, long inversions with unskillful sequencing or lack of adequate preparation. So we all had the personal perspective of being a human being who can get injured doing physically challenging yoga poses. Interestingly, in each case, these injuries, which could have been viewed as negative, unwanted events, actually led to important insights as healing occurred, allowing us to feel compassion for our students and for ourselves and giving some tools to help others avoid our mistakes and heal more quickly when injured. 

Some of the important take-home messages from our conversation were that we all would benefit from:

•    Remembering that the underlying purpose of yoga is not to master a bunch of difficult yoga poses, but to develop a healthy, deep relationship with our bodies as a gateway to a more important relationship with our mind and heart.

•    Working mindfully and gradually to build intelligence in your body and understanding of the poses you do decide to learn, with the guidance of a skilled and experienced instructor who has the same intention for you and who can provide feedback as to your readiness to go further safely.

•    Reframing our intention as it relates to yoga poses from mastering poses to helping bodies. If that were your underlying purpose, we would all be less likely to move into situations where we injure ourselves.

•    Realizing from the start that we often bring somewhat injured bodies to our first yoga class, just by virtue of being human and living a typical human life.  If we can keep this in mind, compassion for ourselves arises naturally and we can truly be kind to our bodies as we enjoy the challenge and newness of yoga.

•    Studying with teachers whose sequences of poses leaves us feeling really good at the end of practice and the next day. Then learning for ourselves in our home practice how to sequence to do the same. And cutting ourselves some slack if we end up tweaking our bodies now and then!  If three of the country’s most renowned teachers did it, don’t you think we probably all are going to have it happen to us at least once?

The conclusion of all four of us is that yoga’s benefits far outweigh any risk for injury that exists. Setting clear intentions as to what your purpose and hope is by doing yoga is as essential an ingredient as a safe and fruitful practice. Coming back to a relationship with the movement of the breath as a grounding focus for the mind was also strongly encouraged. And finally, as Gary mentioned, remembering the poses are just tools designed to help individuals understand their bodies and transform them, and that the practice is about you and not the poses! Such an attitude goes a long way toward keeping you safe and injury free.

For those last-minute folks who might think about joining us, Gary, Ana and I will all be teaching at the San Francisco Yoga Journal Conference this coming weekend. To read the entire article “Injuries: Why They Happen & How to Avoid Them,” pick up the February issue of Yoga Journal out now or look for it online at yogajournal.com.

Be safe out there while you are having all that fun doing yoga!

The Pains Which Are To Come....

by Nina

II.16. heyaim dukham anagatam

The pains which are yet to come can be and are to be avoided.
—Yoga Sutras, translation by B.K.S. Iyengar

Last night a friend was telling me what she loved about our blog was that it was positive and optimistic. We write about good things, she said, and have positive solutions. Well, we do believe that yoga has many answers for helping us age gracefully, and we regularly recommend various poses and practices for preventing and/or reducing many of the “pains” that accompany aging. But, I have to say, we are also realists, both about the “aging” and “yoga” parts of our mission. In the last five years, Brad and I have seen all four of parents die. All were in their eighties or nineties, and they died of diseases typical of the elderly (cancer, Alzheimer’s, stroke). Without going into details, I’ll say none of these deaths were particularly pretty, and certainly no amount of yoga poses or practices could have helped prevent the decline and pain that came at the end. In fact, with two of the deaths, from cancer and from kidney failure, we’re grateful for modern medicine’s painkillers.

As I’m sure many of you must know, experiencing the death of your own parents is sure to make you contemplate your own. We wonder for ourselves, if it is possible, how can we avoid the pains which are to come? For me, this is where yoga philosophy comes in. (Studying the scriptures is svadhyaya, one of niyamas that comprise the second branch of yoga, so this is as much a part of yoga as anything else we do and is obviously available to anyone, regardless of age or physical condition.)

Oak Tree in Late Summer Light by Brad Gibson

Although I tend to turn to the Bhagavad Gita for wisdom about cultivating equanimity, I also find the Yoga Sutras an invaluable resource. To my mind, the Yoga Sutras is a brilliant work of psychology. Patanjali deconstructs how the mind works, identifying the roadblocks to cultivating equanimity, and then goes on to recommend solutions. I find this sutra particularly relevant for those of us concerned about aging:

11.3. The five afflictions (klesas) which disturb the equilibrium of consciousness are: ignorance or lack of wisdom, ego, pride of the ego or the sense of ‘I,’ attachment to pleasure, aversion to pain, fear of death and clinging to life. —Yoga Sutras, translation by Edwin Bryant

Aversion to pain, fear of death, and clinging to life, all of which seem to come along with aging, do indeed disturb our sense of equanimity. But the very fact that these feelings are identified as “afflictions” suggests to me that while there is always difficulty, including pain and death, we don’t necessarily have to experience it as suffering. It’s the aversion to pain that causes suffering, not the pain. And it’s the fear of death and clinging to life that causes suffering, not death—or dying—itself.

I actually find this explanation alone to be very helpful. For rather than just feeling that suffering is inevitable, knowing there is a difference between a difficult situation and my reaction to it helps me from getting so caught up in it (well, it’s a work in progress). So that’s a little “wisdom” to counteract the “ignorance” that is another one of the klesas. You can find a lot more wisdom in the Yoga Sutras, and I recommend reading this if you haven’t already. But what does Patanjali recommend for overcoming the klesas? After introducing the klesas and describing each one in detail, Patanjali simply says the following:

II.11. The states of mind produced by these klesas are eliminated by meditation. —Yoga Sutras, translation by Edwin Bryant

My friends will all tell you that I take very good care of myself. I practice yoga asana regularly, in way that supports my particular body and needs, I include stress management practices for my emotional well-being as well as my physical health, and I eat a healthy diet. But I believe that, in the end, cultivating equanimity through wisdom and practice will be the most important aspect of my healthy aging.

Workshops of Interest: Timothy McCall's "The Science and Practice of Therapeutic Yoga"

by Timothy

I'm excited to be doing my most in-depth course of the year, The Science and Practice of Therapeutic Yoga, in Walnut Creek, CA at the Yoga and Movement Center. Traditionally, I've taught that course over 8 days but now for the first time, it will be held over four consecutive weekends starting Saturday, Feb. 16th. This course has more on the scientific background of yoga and research updates, and more case work than my regular Yoga as Medicine workshops. You don't have to take all four weekends if that's not possible, but it's important to attend the first weekend, as that sets the stage for the whole training.

I’ll also be teaching the five-day, 30-hour Yoga as Medicine workshop at Namaste Yoga in my adopted hometown of Oakland, CA June 3-7th. In addition, look for YAM workshops in Denver, outside of Minneapolis, and in Grass Valley, California, in the coming months.

Friday Q&A: Encouraging Men to Practice Yoga

Q: Having retired from the elementary classroom after 36 years (which included spending many of my waking hours working with females and having a wife and two daughters) I guess I continue to be drawn to traditional female types of occupation/activity. I have fallen in love with yoga and have been blessed with practicing in a studio with excellent, caring, compassionate instructors. All unique and different, all very tuned in to their students.

I am at a loss as to why more males practice yoga. Not sure if it’s the macho type no pain-no gain mentality or it LOOKS too easy and not worth the effort or maybe it's simply too intimidating. It's a tough sell to get any of my male friends to attend a class (and I even offer to pay!). I talked to the guy who started Broga-yoga and he thinks there needs to be an aerobic component to men's yoga and he believes the number of men practicing yoga will explode in the next 10 years. I hope he is correct on the latter but I disagree with his aerobic inclusion. But how to attract more men to yoga continues. For now, I just try to keep doing my practice and hope others follow. I appreciate all your insights and thoughtful responses at Yoga for Healthy Aging.

A: If you were to poll 50 men and ask them why they do not practice yoga, I am sure you will get 50 different answers. Some of them may be genuine whereas some you will fail to understand. Andrew Tilin has written an excellent piece on this very topic in the Yoga Journal Where Are All the Men?, and some of the reasons cited by him resonate with your reasons as well.

What surprised me is that this trend exists not only in this country but in India as well, the country that produced the likes of the Iyengar clan, the Shivanandas, Mahesh Yogis, Jois and present gurus like Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri (all of them male gurus). Last month I conducted a couple of workshops on Yoga, Ayurveda and Weight Management. In a class of 42, there were only 6 men (including me). When I asked the studio owner about the gender discrepancy, she remarked that she rarely had men in her yoga sessions. One of the reasons which I thought was true and genuine was accessibility to a good studio. Men who returned from work late in the evening did not wish to drive again in the traffic and pollution to get to a studio. And believe it or not, it took me one hour to drive to a studio that was only one mile from where I lived.

So what can we do to change the trend? Well, you have done your best, even to the point of offering to pay for a class. All that we can do is lay out the path; it’s for them to follow. Meanwhile you continue to be on the path as you are a role model not only to the retired community but also to men of your age.

—Ram

A: As a long-time teacher, and a man, I have been curious about this as well.  I just reviewed the Andrew Tilin article, and he brings up many good points that I think are true for many of my male students, or men who have tried a class or two with me and perhaps have not returned.

But I think there are some hurdles that exist right up front that keep men from even considering trying yoga, especially the impression that it is a woman’s domain—this, of course, despite its male dominated history prior to the 20th century. In addition, many men don’t think they will be physically challenged by the practice of yoga, if they believe it’s mostly about seated stretching and such. So we need to remind these men that there are many options today regarding intensity of physical practice that could fit their needs and desires.

The other common response when I ask a man if he has tried to do yoga is this: He says he’s too tight, while demonstrating a standing forward fold in which hands barely go past his straight knees. These guys don’t get away with this excuse with me, because that is exactly where I started! So I can speak to the dramatic changes that can happen in one’s flexibility if a man starts and stays with yoga over the long haul. And if we can link that to improvements in other activities they are involved in, such as golf, or improved concentration at work, we could have some success in getting more of these men involved.

And I do think the experience of tightness and pain can dissuade a man from returning to yoga if they do give it a try. This is such a paradox, because we know many of these same men would not bat an eye to play an aggressive game of basketball, get knocked around and even mildly injured, and head right back to the court the next week to do it again. I do think it is important to give men in class some guidelines regarding working with pain and stretching intensity, without calling them out. I have found that men are sensitive to appearing incompetent in class, so some finesse by the teacher is necessary to give them the info they need with out drawing attention to their practice specifically.

And perhaps having specialized classes for men may help. Just last evening I had a professional basketball player attend class with his girlfriend. When asked how he got into yoga, he mentioned a special summer series of classes that had been taught to his team at the studio. He found that helpful to his basketball skills, so decided to continue studying after the all-men’s class ended.

And as Nina and I know, sometimes offering a fella a free session can get them hooked for life. Don’t give up the men, because as most of us know, they need yoga now more than ever!

—Baxter

To Sit or Not To Sit (on the floor)?

by Ram

Getting Married Sitting on the Floor

As a child growing up in India I remember sitting on the floor for all kinds of activities, including eating, writing, reading and playing several indoor games. Growing up in a family of moderate means, owning several furniture items or a dining table or a cot was considered a luxury, and the pleasure of having these items at home was similar to the pleasure one achieves owning a Benz or Lexus. The dining table and its associated cutlery items were used only when there was a guest at home. On a daily basis we sat on the floor to eat, often off of a banana leaf.

Eating off of Banana Leaves

Sitting on the floor and performing all the above mentioned activities required us to lift our backs, arch our spines slightly and fold forward a few inches in order to complete the activity successfully. We could assume any sitting position, including Sukhasana, Siddhasana or Ardha Padmasana (without involving the hand mudras). Full Padmasana posture (Lotus pose) was adopted only when we sat to pray or meditate. My paternal grandfather always extolled the benefits of sitting or squatting on the floor and decried the use of chairs and tables. But peer pressure and being scoffed at by friends for sitting on the floor, often compelled us to use the chairs in the absence of grandfather’s glaring vision.

Now the benefits of sitting on the floor as advocated by my grandfather comes in the form of a published scientific paper that links sitting on the floor to overall health and life span extension. In the December 13, 2012 issue of the journal European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, in the article Ability to sit and rise from the floor as a predictor of all-cause mortality, de Brito, et al strongly suggest that the ability to sit and rise unaided from the floor serves as a predictor of mortality. The Brazilian researchers discovered that subjects who scored poorly on the “SRT score” (sitting-rising score) were at the risk of being 6.5 times more likely to die in the next six years.

The study involved more than 2,000 people ages 51 to 80, who had to sit on the floor and then rise to a standing position using as little support as possible. While the speed with which the subjects sat and stood wasn’t a factor in the scoring system, using a support to rise was a big factor in the scoring system. The more support a person required to rise (for example, placing the hand on the floor or knee or both for support), the lower the score for such action and points were deducted for using support. Rising up with an unsteady gait from a seated position or looking wobbly on the way up or down resulted in deduction of scores. A perfect score of five for each action (sitting and standing) was the goal. The final SRT score varying from 0 to 10 was obtained by adding sitting and rising scores and divided into four categories: 0-3; 3.5-5.5, 6-7.5, and 8-10. More than half the participants with ages from 76 to 80 who scored 0-3 were 6.5 times more likely to die during the course of the study (the study lasted for 6.3 years), compared to people who scored in the higher categories. Thus, during the course of the study 159 of the 2,000 volunteers died, with the majority of the deaths coming from the group that had the most trouble getting up and down. Interestingly, a 1-point increment in the SRT score was related to a 21% reduction in mortality.

The authors believe that muscle wasting and sarcopenia leading to lower limb muscle strength and poor trunk flexibility may influence the ability to sit and rise from the floor. (Baxter has already highlighted this article and mentioned several poses to strengthen the quads, lower back and hamstrings that would help in a smooth sit-rise transition. See From Independence to True Longevity.)

The work and results of the Brazilian researchers were so interesting that the editor of the journal suggested that simple tests like SRT are warranted in general health examinations in order to assess an individual’s mobility, flexibility, functional capabilities, health-related quality of life and outcomes in non-hospitalized aged adults. Meanwhile, I realized that my grandfather, who insisted and inculcated on us the practice of sitting on the floor daily, may just have been a temple priest but he sure possessed unrecognized scientific instincts!

My take home message? Spend more time sitting on the floor! Below are my ten tips for building or maintaining a daily sitting schedule. You can think of adapting one sitting pose and incorporating others gradually, or you can dive into doing most of the activities all the while sitting down. Practice rising up first with a suitable support until you are able to stand up unaided.

10) Sit and watch TV or listen to your favorite music
9) Sit and make all your phone conversations
8) Sit on the floor and do your bills
7) Sit on the floor and read your favorite book
6) Sit and browse the computer or send SMS
5) Sit and do your homework
4) Sit and do the yard work
3) Sit and play some indoor games (Uno, chess, cards, Monopoly, etc)
2) Sit on the floor and start practicing the art of eating (snacks and meals)
1) Sit in the bathtub or shower cubicle and take a shower 

The Groom With His Parents

Note from Nina: If you haven't already spent a lot of time sitting on the floor in a crossed-legs position (or any seated position where your legs are externally rotated), it might be best for you to start with shorter time periods on the floor and work up to longer periods, rather than simply changing all your seated activities to the floor. This is to prevent the possibility of injury due to over-stretching your hip and thigh muscles. Also, consider using a cushion or folded blanket under your sitting bones. And if you have hip, knee, or any other problems that prevent you from being comfortable in a crossed-legs position, feel free to experiment with propping or other seated positions that work for your body (or get some advice from your yoga teacher about alternatives). The important thing is for you to be comfortable!

Healthy Eating, Stress and Self Control

by Nina

One of the most important things you can do to support healthy eating is to practice stress management. Thought the reasons for this weren’t immediately obvious to me, the more I’ve looked into this topic, the more compelling those reasons become. Recently I wrote a post Yoga, Stress and Weight Management about how chronic stress causes weight gain by stimulating your appetite. As if increased hunger isn’t bad enough, it turns out that being stressed out can pose an even bigger challenge to your commitment to eating right: it weakens your willpower and causes you to be more impulsive. Say you had a long, traffic-jammed commute on the way to the office, there’s a critical meeting with a client that you make with a minute to spare, and someone’s left a big, pink box of fresh donuts glistening there on the table. Then, even though you planned a day of healthy eating, with a homemade lunch and a healthy snack, before you have time to stop yourself, you somehow you find yourself with a half-eaten donut in your hand.... Does this sound familiar to anyone? According to The Willpower Instinct by Dr. Kelly McGonigal, you’re more likely to cave in to temptation when you’re experiencing the stress response than you are when you are in a state of relaxation.

“While your body was getting ready to defend your life, the alarm system in your brain was busy trying to make sure you didn’t get in the body’s way. It focused your attention on the saber-toothed tiger and your surroundings, making sure no stray thoughts distracted you from the threat at hand. That’s right, the fight-or-flight response wants to make you more impulsive.”

As is often the case, a response that makes sense when your life is actually in danger (a time when over-thinking is probably not a good idea) can backfire on you in modern times. The traffic jams and the meeting with the client that were stressing you out weren’t exactly life threatening, so not being “distracted” by your plans for healthy eating won’t improve the situation (and might even make you feel worse after you come down from your sugar high).

Line of Moss by Brad Gibson

Fortunately, yoga has a few solutions to offer, both for the short term and the long term, to help you reduce the impulsive behavior that can accompany chronic stress. For the short term, Dr. McGonigal recommends slowing down your breathing to four to six breaths per minute, which she says helps shift your body from a state of stress to “self-control mode.” This is obviously something you could do discretely at your desk or even in that conference room where the donuts lay glistening at you. (Your meeting might even go better if you stopped for a minute to “center” yourself this way before it begins.) And since lengthening your exhalation is also a good way to turn down the stress response, I’d add that you could practice any form of pranayama that emphasizes the exhalation over the inhalation.

For the longer term, Dr. McGonigal recommends that you spend some time practicing conscious relaxation to “restore your willpower reserve.” She suggests lying down and breathing deeply, which sounds like Savasana (Relaxation pose) to me! Besides this, of course, yoga has a huge repertoire of ways you can de-stress, including meditation, yoga nidra, restorative yoga, supported inverted poses, and active asana poses practiced with mindfulness (see The Relaxation Response and Yoga for further information).

So if you’re having trouble sticking to your healthy eating plans for the new year, why not experiment by trying one or more of these relaxation techniques and see if they strengthen your willpower. I’d love to hear back about any results. (Besides, if worse comes to worst, you’ll at least be less stressed out!)

Music for Savasana: A Gift from Baxter

by Baxter

One of my New Year’s Intentions the past two New Year’s Eves, 2010 and 2011, was to play as much music in the coming year as I possibly could. I had discovered how much joy creating and participating in music is for me on a more conscious level in the past several years, perhaps influenced by the quieting and reflective effects of my ongoing yoga practice. And I decided I wanted more!

And the last two years have definitely exploded with music for me! Playing with friends, performing at art openings, and even sitting in with touring kirtan bands. And even prior to the last two years, if you have ever attended one of my weekend workshops or week long retreats, you know how I love to play my violin for you at the end of class during Savasana. From the feedback I routinely get at these events, I’ve learned that yoga practitioners are moved by the presence of music during this time of rest, reflection and integration.

The asana and pranayama practice releases so much held physical and mental/emotional tension that yoga practitioners seem keenly receptive to the power of sound. I’ve heard back from listeners that it liberated long forgotten memories, touched and released emotions and deepened the experience of Savasana, which for many of us was an early reason we kept coming back to the yoga practice.

So, my intention this year is to record 50 minutes of music, broken up into Savasana-like morsels, all original works, for your enjoyment. As a kick-off, I have recorded a six-minute track for you to listen to here during your next home practice Savasana.

You can listen for free on this blog or from our Band Camp page. I made it six minutes so you can take three to four minutes after the music ends to drop even deeper into your Savasana, or you can make your rest a short six-minute one. I prefer a ten- minute Savasana personally, as it gives time for the Relaxation Response to take full effect. But however you chose to use it, I hope this music adds to the deepening of your practice in 2013.

And for those who would like to own a copy of the first of my recordings, there is a $2 dollar minimum donation to purchase from Band Camp. The proceeds go to Band Camp and to help us defray the costs of producing our blog five days a week. And if you are so moved, you can of course donate more than that!  Finally, a favorite poem of mine by Sufi poet Hafiz:

When the Violin

When the violin can forgive the past it
starts singing.

When the violin can stop worrying about
the future

you will become such a drunk laughing
nuisance

the Sun will then lean down and start
Combing you into its hair.

When the violin can forgive every wound
caused by others

your soul, your soul will start singing.

Translation by Daniel Ladisnky

Namaste,

Baxter

Yoga and Shoulder Joint Replacements

by Shari

Nina and Baxter asked me to finish up the total joint replacement series with a discussion about shoulder joint replacements. Like the other joint replacements previously discussed, people will consider shoulder joint replacement when all other conservative approaches have failed. The difference in shoulder joint replacement compared to hip or knee replacements is that this procedure is far less common. So if you are thinking about a shoulder replacement, it is considered a good idea to find a physician who has already done a significant number of these surgeries (one place to look is the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeon’s Society).

Now let’s review why you might consider this treatment. Pain is often the most significant problem that an individual is suffering from. Other symptoms might include stiffness, loss of functional motion, inability to sleep on that shoulder, decreased range of motion and symptoms that are worsening with conservative treatment approaches (whether western or alternative methodologies).

Healthy Shoulder Joint

Regardless, your first step should be thorough diagnostic and physical evaluation from a qualified surgeon that includes X-rays and whatever other tests the physician orders. There has to be a differential diagnosis that separates out the cause of the pain. Rotator cuff tears or avulsions, frozen shoulder, cervical and thoracic spinal pain, shoulder bursitis and other forms of soft tissue inflammation, avascular necrosis (in which the blood supply to the joint is affected), and infections will all cause shoulder pain that can be unrelenting. Metastatic disease or other tumors can also be the cause of shoulder pain so the differential examination is critical in trying to pinpoint the problem. So only once it has been determined that your shoulder pain is due to arthritis (where the cartilage covering the joint surfaces is affected) should you explore your options for shoulder replacement. After you have determined that you’re a good candidate for the surgical joint replacement, you will probably wonder how is surgery this going to affect your yoga practice, including how longer after the surgery will you be able to do yoga again and, when you do resume practice, which poses should you avoid and for how long?

Shoulder With Joint Replacement

According to my research as well as my personal experience as a physical therapist, yoga practitioner and yoga teacher, this procedure has significant post-operative protocols. This means that there is a very specific healing algorithm that your surgeon will adhere to. It does not help if you are a “fast healer” because if you push too much and too fast, for this surgery in particular, you will be setting yourself up for significant problems in the future. This surgery is very complicated because the subscapularis is detached to expose the glenohumeral joint and then reattached after surgery. The rotator cuff may also need to be repaired because often in severe shoulder arthritis, the soft tissue ligaments and muscles are severely affected and may also need repair due to compromised biomechanics and impingement in the shoulder joint.

The literature I reviewed states conservatively a three-month recovery but more common is six to twelve months post-operative recovery with very strict dos and don’ts. And unfortunately I cannot go into what you can and can’t do here on this blog because that is totally dependent on your surgeon and which type of procedure he or she deems is appropriate for you (there are four different types of shoulder replacements).

But from a yogic perspective, here is what I can recommend. Start by being in the best possible health you can be before surgery. Understand that you will have a lot of work to do in your post-operative recovery, but believe 100% in your ability to recover and in your surgeon.

Have stress management techniques that you do regularly as part of your healing repertoire. Pain medication is not something to be shunned but used responsibly and respectfully as part of your healing process. But, because pain is a very subjective experience, yoga and stress management techniques, though not substitutions for pain medication, can be an adjunct in allowing you to “relax into the pain.” Deep breathing in particular does a world of good for your body post operatively and into your healing process. It allows your lungs to be used to prevent post-operative complications, and is also calming and a good focus for your mind when you might be counting the minutes until you can take your next pain medication dosage. Simple deep breathing also assists in decreasing muscle tension from unconscious holding and splinting because you are in pain. You may also want to work with lengthening your exhalation to assist in stimulating your parasympathetic system (triggering your relaxation response). Other stress management techniques you could explore include: meditation, Savasana (Relaxation pose), and Yoga Nidra.

Be familiar with restorative poses, such as Reclined Cobbler’s pose (Supta Baddha Konasana), Legs Up the Wall pose (Viparita Karani), and Supported Relaxation pose (Savasana) that you can do while adhering to the post-operative protocol. Shoulder positioning and propping is very important for your post-operative pain management, and your physical therapist or surgeon (or their support staff) should be able to assist you in ways to position for improved comfort. Once you understand how to position your arm in these poses (for example, using support under your arms and shoulders or having your arms in a neutral position) then you should be able to figure out how to set yourself up for restorative poses without putting your shoulder into a compromised position. Remember, how you go into and out of poses, including restorative poses is important. You may find that your bed is a perfect place to practice restorative poses because it is easier for you to position yourself.

Once you are allowed to start exercises with your physical therapist, be very clear in asking when you can do which poses, bringing pictures to demonstrate. Taking your arms out to your sides in standing poses may or may not be possible because just the weight of your arm being statically held may be contraindicated. Then, before you return to your yoga class, please contact your yoga teacher and explain your limitations and restrictions. It is your responsibility to educate your yoga teacher on your particular needs and then he or she can help you keep your practice safe within the guidelines you understand from your physician.

Finally, please be gentle with yourself and don’t overuse your arm even just a little bit. When you are allowed to stop wearing your sling, you might find that you can practice with your sling on more successfully then with your arm out of it. Stay away from weight-bearing poses like Downward-Facing Dog pose until you have medical clearance (even Half Dog pose at the Wall). Night-time positioning and pain management are often the most challenging. Make sure you understand your pain medication recommendations and do what ever your surgeon tells you. After all, you only want to do this surgery once. So be patient and creative. And good luck!