yoga

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Relaxation. Some natural ways to relax and beat stress

Good Nights Sleep

Good Nights Sleep

These days we all seem to be leading more stressful lives.  Indeed in a recent blog we pointed out some of the signs and symptoms of stress so please drop round and find out a bit more here https://patienttalk.org/?p=2355.

So we thought it would be great opportunity to do a post which looks at a few natural ways of relaxing without having to resort to formal treatments.

It would be great if you could use the comments boxes below to add any suggestions you might have on how best to relax.

  • Herbal tea.  My wife and I favour camomile tea.  Not only does it promote restful sleep but some recent research suggests it may help with muscle spasms.  That being said the U.S. National Institutes of Health recommend that women who are pregnant or breast feeding should avoid it.
  • Yoga.  This ancient South Asian exercise system is a great way of both keeping the body trim and relaxed.  In fact it is used as a treatment for a number of medical conditions including multiple sclerosis.  You can find out more here https://patienttalk.org/?p=571
  • Massage.  By soothing your muscles through different pressure points it’s a great way to wind down.  You can lean how to do it yourself http://www.learn-massage-therapy-online.com/learn-massage.html and save a fortune.
  • Acupuncture.  It seems that many people who use acupuncture to treat different ailments also experience a great sense of relaxation during the session.  Advocates suggest you can develop a great sense of wellbeing.  Have you tried it?  Does it work?
  • Breathing.  Yes, really deep breathing over a few minutes on your own can really help.  It’s not an old wives tale.
  • Hot water bottle.  Try lying on your back with a hot water bottle under your neck.  I’ve tried it and it really works for me.
  • Laughing.  Yes really.  Why not watch your favourite comedy program at the end of a stressful day to help you unwind.

Obviously there are loads of ideas and as we said it would be great if you could share a few of your ideas with our readers.

Thanks very much in advance.

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Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis – Please help a student at Heidelberg University with some research into Yoga and MS


Erica Huffman, a student at Heidelberg University has asked us to help promote a survey she is

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

running into Yoga and MS as part of her studies.  It would be great if you could take part.

She writes “A requirement for my senior seminar class in marketing at Heidelberg University (www.heidelberg.edu) is to create a marketing plan for a real business. My group has taken on Real Yoga, LLC. They have created a yoga DVD designed to help those affected with Multiple Sclerosis. We have created a survey to help us gain insights on customer wants and needs.

This survey is for anyone that suffers from MS, is a caregiver of any kind or for anyone that suffers from a physical limitation. Please take our short survey and help us complete our research. Thank you in advance for your time and help! Here is the link to the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/HUWellness”

We have cover yoga and Multiple Sclerosis in a previous blog post.  For some background please have a look at https://patienttalk.org/?p=571


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Some tips for getting rid of stress – lifestyle and exercise

Yesterday was National Stress Awareness Day ( find out more here https://patienttalk.org/?p=1354).

Stress

Stress

Today we are delighted to share with you a video  on how to de-stress and unwind using exercise!

Wellbeing director Louise Day, fitness guru Justin Edwards, and Yoga expert Louise Hutchings, explore how we can help to look after and improve our complete wellbeing.

Having a healthy wellbeing plays a large role in defining our character, personality and health, but so many of us our guilty of neglecting to take care of our mind, body and soul.

Increasing numbers  are struggling to switch off and relax, resulting in damaging effects on our physical and emotional health.  With people leading increasingly busier lifestyles; it is becoming more important than ever to ensure we are taking time to relax and look after our complete wellbeing.

A report released yesterday, revealed great concern for our wellbeing; with our physical health, levels of tiredness and weight as the top three wellbeing concerns stressing the nation.  So what can we do to help boost our complete wellbeing?

 

Maintaining our fitness levels is extremely important in allowing us to lead a healthy lifestyle; and exercise can help us feel less tired and more focused on our everyday tasks; as well as help to keep our weight at a healthy balance.

Taking time out to relax and unwind is crucial to ensuring a good state of physical and emotional health.  Yoga is a beneficial form of exercise that can greatly benefit our physical, mental and spiritual state.  It can be used to increase our energy and physical well-being; and its disciplines can be incorporated into everyday life.

In this video, brought to you by Champneys, Louise; Justin and Louise will share expert advice, valuable tips and demonstrations to ensure our wellbeing is looked after even in our busy schedules.

Watch our video offering you important advice on achieving a healthy mind, body and soul.

Watch the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtwRpzj6iPs&feature=youtu.be

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Multiple Sclerosis- natural, alternative and complementary treatments for MS – Part One.


Menopause- the change of life

One of the features of this blog is to look at conventional and alternative /natural treatments for different medical conditions.  For this blog we will focus on natural treatments for multiple sclerosis.  It is interesting to note that People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) are often very receptive to non-traditional treatments.

It is worth mentioning that there are a number of treatments we won’t be covering, such as being stung by bees, because we can’t account for its veracity.  Asl this is the first of a two partpost  we won’t  cover everything so if you do have any ideas you wish us to mention in the next blog it would be great if you could mention them in the comments box below.

a)      Exercise is of course a biggie.  The key issue is “low impact” exercise so Yoga, Tai Chi and swimming all come highly recommended.  We covered yoga for PwMS in a previous blog which you may find of interest https://patienttalk.org/?p=571.

b)      Acupuncture.  This ancient Chinese system of medicine has been found by some people with multiple sclerosis to help with bladder control and spasticity.  Some useful information and very relevant links can be found at the National Multiple Sclerosis Societies’ web site http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/treatments/complementary–alternative-medicine/acupuncture/index.aspx

c)       Massage.  While not in and of itself a disease modifier it certain helps with stress and depression which are side effects of multiple sclerosis.

d)      Evening primrose oil.  Some studies have suggested that it may help with some of the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

e)      Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO).  Simply put this means that the patient breaths pure oxygen.  Some studies have suggested there are signs of improvement while many say it has no effect.

The more eagled eyed among our readers will note that we have not covered a diet at all in this post.  This is because we plan to review various diets in a set of future blogs.

The next stage is really over to you.  It would be great if you have tried any of these therapies we could have your feedback on how they worked.  You may wish to think in terms of some of the following questions:-

1)      How long have you had multiple sclerosis and what were/are your main symptoms?

2)      What treatments have you tried?  In particular which complementary treatments have you used?

3)      How effective were those non-traditional treatments?

4)      Would you recommend any treatments to others to help with the symptoms of multiple sclerosis?

 

Please use the comments box below to add your thoughts and suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.


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Exercise for people with chronic pain.

Smithsonian Yoga ManuscriptExercise if good for you!  Well yes we all know that but how do you take exercise when you suffer from chronic pain?  This blog will give you a few tips and pointers on  how to get fitter and not increase your pain at the same time.

Exercise promotes general good health as well as weight loss which are important for people suffering from chronic medical conditions.

The key principle to keep in mind is that you want your activity to be “low impact”. This means that it will not harm your joints.  This is vitally important for people with arthritis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis.  It also means that you are less likely to suffer from an ankle sprain or cartilage tear.

So what are some good types of low impact exercise which can be easily carried out by people who suffer from chronic or acute pain?  Well here are a few:-

a)      Walking.  Pretty obvious and easy.  All you need to do ii to step out of your front door.  Oh yes and you don’t have to spend all that money of gym fees.  Doctors often recommend a 20 minute walking session 5-6 times a week.

b)      Yoga.  This ancient Indian system of exercise is great for core strength and helps improve balance. It is often used by people with multiple sclerosis. We recently discussed this in a blog which you can read here  https://patienttalk.org/?p=571

c)       Cycling.  Becoming more popular each year cycling is a great way to get fit and to do a bit of two wheeled sightseeing.  You might think about cycling to work. A helmet is very much recommended especially if you live in London!  See https://patienttalk.org/?p=109 for more information.

d)      Pilates.  Developed in the early years of the last century Pilates is great for back pain as it helps strengthen the spine as well as improve  muscle strength.

e)      Swimming.  This low impact sport is great for both people with mobility issues and for those who suffer from obesity. You might also want to consider water aerobics.

f)       Gardening.  A bit of relaxed gardening is great way of dealing with stress and taking exercise at the same time.

 

It is worth mentioning that you should speak with a healthcare professional before embarking on any type of exercise regime.

Finally – what have we missed out?  Please do use the comments box below to share with your fellow readers the kinds of exercise which have worked for you. Any links would be great as well.

Thanks in advance!