our-yoga

by Ram

Yoga for Healthy Aging authors have written extensively on the power of meditation (dhyana) and its beneficial effects on so many aspects of life, including, but not limited to, disease and pain, sleep management, control of emotions, stress reduction, depression and weight-reduction goals. In all the above cases it seemed that meditation changed behavioral patterns and enhanced emotional stability. Articles by Baxter (How to Meditate, Thoughts On Dhyana ), Timothy (Starting a Meditation Practice), Brad (Stressed Mind, Stressed Cells), Nina (Meditation and Compassion)  and yours truly (Achieving Stillness in Turbulent Situations, Memory Loss: Meditation to the Rescue) have all provided lucid explanations of ways to meditate, the science of meditation and the effects of meditation on body and mind.

Vine and Wall by Melina Meza

In one of my recent posts, I also discussed meditation’s important role in slowing the progression of age-related cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Researchers had demonstrated that meditation reduced hippocampal (the hippocampus is one of the areas of the brain involved in memory) degeneration and improved functional connectivity in those areas of the brain that are affected by Alzheimer's disease (see Memory Loss: Meditation to the Rescue). In response to the above-mentioned article, one of our readers recently sent us the following question:

“What exactly is meditation? At the end of our yoga class my teacher puts us all in a brief meditation session. Each day is different, one day she puts a audio tape and tells us to meditate on it, another day she reads some verses from a book and asks us to meditate on them, a third day she tells us to meditate on a color. I just cannot comprehend these different methods. To me all these are nothing but distractions. So how do I meditate?”

In chapter 3, verse 2 of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, we are introduced to the topic of meditation (dhayana) as follows: “Tatra Pratyaya Ekatanata Dhyanam.” 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 (still) for a length of time, it is called meditation.

Needless to say, humans inherently fear stillness, as it brings them closer to their true divine nature, which they are not prepared to face. Novices in a meditation practice have a tough time closing their eyes and keeping still in mind and body. It is a very natural response. Hence, in a beginner’s class the teacher usually begins by telling the class to focus on an object, color, flower, and so on. This type of meditation not only allows beginners to focus strongly on one point but it helps to bring their attention back to that focal point when the mind wanders. Another practice might include focusing on some soft music or recitation, engaging the auditory sense. The ultimate goal of the meditation exercise is to be at ease, relaxed and at peace with our surroundings. It is important not to resist any disturbing or distracting influences that come in the way of meditation practice. Everything is a part of meditation, including noise, thoughts, emotions, and resistance from the mind.

Now that I’ve answered our reader’s question about how to meditate, I’m excited to share some news with you about the benefits of the practice. In a new study by researchers in Wisconsin, Spain, and France, mediation seems to trigger very important genetic and physiological changes in the human body. The authors of the study report the first evidence of specific molecular changes in the body following a period of mindfulness meditation. Specifically, the study shows that meditation reduces the expression of several genes associated with inflammation. For more on inflammation, see my article Chronic Inflammation and Yoga.

In this latest study, the researchers investigated the impact of a day of intensive mindfulness practice on the expression of genes involved in several physiological functions. Blood samples from 19 experienced meditators and a control group of 21 subjects with no meditation experience who engaged in leisure activities were analyzed for gene changes. The changes in the gene expression were compared before and after the meditation session. Notably, the experienced meditators showed a marked reduction in the levels of pro-inflammatory genes, which in turn correlated with faster physical recovery from a stressful situation. There was no difference in the tested genes between the two groups of people at the start of the study, clearly suggesting that the pro-inflammatory gene changes were specifically associated with meditation. Interestingly, these same genes are the current targets of anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. According to the researchers, the research findings set the foundation for future studies to further assess meditation strategies for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions. I am very excited because if these studies prove successful, one can use stillness to curb almost all the present day inflammatory-associated maladies, such as, arthritis, thyroid disease, tendonitis, myositis, and neuropathies.

The health benefits from meditation are so strong that scientists are swearing by it and more doctors are recommending the practice to their patients. So it’s no wonder that meditation is going mainstream. I know if I had to choose between anti-inflammatory drugs or calmness of my mind to curb stress and inflammation, I would choose the latter. What about you? 

by Ram

Red Leaves by Melina Meza

Ever experienced an unexplained excruciating pain in the joints, ankles, knees that lasted for some time and then subsided? Or, maybe when you bent your fingers to hold some object, you experienced a burning pain in your fingers so painful that you were unable to straighten them for some time. Or, for some of us who do yoga regularly, we may have experienced pain, burning, numbness, or tingling in the buttock, hip, low back, knees, etc. Notice how this pain subsides when you are advised by your physician to take non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, or for some of us who have been living with this chronic agonizing pain, relief comes from those powerful anti-inflammatory steroid medications.

So, what is inflammation, why does it occur, and what are the best safe and natural options to curb this disorder? Let’s start by defining the term: From the Latin term "inflammo" (meaning setting alight or igniting), inflammation is part of the body's immune/defense response, the body's attempt at self-protection. The objective of inflammation is to remove damaged cells, harmful irritants, or toxic pathogens and begin the healing process.

When something harmful or irritating affects a part of our body, there is a biological response to try to remove it. This response takes the form of inflammation for the body to heal itself. While inflammation is not infection, an infection itself caused by bacteria, virus or fungus can trigger an inflammation process. Thus, you may appreciate the fact that inflammation in a true sense is beneficial when, for example, you develop a viral infection or if your back sustains a blow and the injured tissues need care and protection. The classical signs of acute inflammation are pain, heat, redness and fluid accumulation (swelling). Inflammation may also be associated with symptoms including: fever, chills, fatigue/loss of energy, muscle aches, headaches and loss of appetite.

Chain of Events that Occur during the Inflammation Process. Just as every country maintains an army, air force and naval units to defend itself from enemy forces, our body too has an excellent defense system (aka immune system) characterized by an arsenal of molecules. Acute inflammation is the initial response of the body to harmful stimuli and is characterized by the release of (a) specialized chemicals that create a conducive atmosphere for the defense molecules (pro-inflammatory molecules) to act and (b) specialized defense molecules/cells that fight the invaders. You may have heard from your physician or other sources terms including but not limited to: leukocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, mast cells, bradykinin, histamine, and TNF. All these constitute our defense/immune system that is akin to a country’s defense system, with several layers of defenses of increasing specificity that culminate in the removal of pathogens and promote healing of any damaged tissue. Thus, in a perfect world or perfect body, the inflammatory process occurs just as it should, releasing defense/pro-inflammatory molecules when needed and then turning them off when the threat has been sufficiently addressed.

Negative Aspect of the Inflammation Process. Imagine if the defense forces take on their own country and its citizens! Similarly, chronic inflammation is characterized by a defense response that is aberrant, out of control and is not completely turned off or extinguished. Just like a slow-burning fire that does not ebb, in chronic inflammation the defense/pro-inflammatory molecules continue to be present in the body even when they are not needed. With the inflammation switch refusing to turn off, the body operates as if it is always under attack. Inflammation draws on our body’s energy and resources and having a constant, low-grade flow of powerful pro-inflammatory molecules can result in bodily damage with time. Furthermore, once this system goes out of control, it self-perpetuates and quickly spirals into disease in areas such as blood vessels (atherosclerosis), pancreatic tissue (diabetes), bones and joints (arthritis), digestive system (lactose and gluten intolerance), limbs, muscles and nerves (fibromyalgia), fat tissue (obesity), throat (thyroid issues)—just for starters. Sounds like the body going haywire in its own defense, with the immune system failing to distinguish between what is foreign and what is our own self, and making the body vulnerable to attacks from its own defense team.

Causes of Chronic Inflammation. As an aging researcher, I have learned that aging is one of the biggest risk factors for chronic inflammation because as we age, our bodies are less able to disarm the inflammatory process. Couple the aging process with a genetic predisposition, hypertension, or even smoking and it fuels the flames. In addition, stress (both physical and mental), environment, poor foods (sugary, processed, or fast food), high blood-insulin levels (type-2 diabetes), hormonal imbalance (estrogen and menopause) and obesity (leptin, adiponectin and other dietary hormone imbalance) are just a few of the factors that promote chronic inflammation.

Treatment for Chronic Inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that include drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen, reduce the level of certain chemicals called prostaglandins that are involved in inflammation. Treatment with NSAIDs can lead to less swelling and less pain. However, extended use of NSAIDS can cause intestinal bleeding and serious damage to the stomach, liver and kidneys. Commonly referred to as steroids, glucocorticoids work to calm an overactive immune system and to decrease the level of inflammation in the body. People with multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and other chronic inflammatory diseases are frequently prescribed these steroids to calm the inflammatory response. The problem is that these come with their own baggage of side effects and extended use of steroids can trigger osteoporosis, glaucoma, weight gain, high blood pressure and a lowered resistance to infections. Finally, a nutritious diet is the basis for good health. Vitamins D, E and C and folic acid have powerful anti-inflammatory actions, and foods high in omega 3s&6s, fruits, vegetables, fermented foods and unrefined carbohydrates may help to reduce the body's inflammatory response.

Yoga as an Anti-Inflammatory Therapy. There’s also good news for those of us who have a regular yoga practice. Several studies now report that a regular yoga practice (a) brings down the levels of stress hormones that promote inflammation (b) lowers the levels of a number of pro-inflammatory molecules in the body and brings down inflammation that is beneficial in conditions like arthritis, (c) reduces a subset of pro-inflammatory molecules called cytokines thereby relieving severe pain seen in diseases like fibromyalgia, and (d) inhibits inflammation that in turn weakens and even kills cancerous cells in people with cancer. See Stress, Inflammation and Yoga Practice to read one of the original studies.

In a study that confirms nearly all of the above observations, researchers at Ohio State University in Columbus divided 50 women with an average age of 41 into two groups: new to yoga and experts. The researchers than subjected these women to a battery of stress-inducing tasks, including holding their feet in extremely cold water or solving difficult math problems without the aid of a paper and pencil. Blood samples were taken several times before, during and after the stressful activities and measured for the levels of several pro inflammatory molecules. The research team found that women who were new to yoga had higher levels of nearly all the pro-inflammatory molecules tested and a much greater inflammatory response to the stressful tasks than women who were experts - suggesting that yoga may help to tune down the stress responses. See Adiponectin, leptin, and yoga practice.

Yoga’s beneficial effects on inflammation are not confined just to people with inflammatory conditions. Remember, I wrote a previous post about caregivers and how yoga could help these Karma yogis. Turns out that caregivers who exhibit high levels of stress-associated inflammation and who often don't have the time or energy to bring on a little relief from the stress of taking care of a loved one will benefit from a yoga practice even if it is for a brief period daily as it lowers stress-associated inflammation. In a study published in the  journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, researchers found that caregivers who participated in a yoga practice experienced a change in the response of 68 anti-inflammatory genes, leading to a global decrease in inflammation.

After writing this article in one sitting I am experiencing an unexplained burning pain in my fingers. So, guess what? It’s time for me to roll out the mat and do a few yoga stretches. What a cheap and effective therapy for combating inflammation!