RELAXATION

For many of us breathing is just a process of inhalation and exhalation. Most of the time we do it unconsciously, and understand that without breathing there is no life. Today, modern medicine, building on ancient traditions and practices, shows us that different forms and ways of breathing can promote health and prevent diseases.

If you have found relief regarding your back pain by following the stretches and poses from the previous article, then it’s time to start with more demanding exercises that will furthermore improve the blood flow and reduce the stiffness.

Back pain is a common issue many face, and research shows that nearly 10% of people worldwide experience at some point discomfort in their lower back. Exercises often help, but when we are short on time is when yoga stretches are extremely helpful as they promote blood flow and can alleviate some of the pain, stiffness and discomfort.

With new and emerging research, the importance of a massage or any kind of physical stimulus to the body that manipulates our muscles tells us that massage therapy can assist with preventing certain health issues and complications. So why not use the full benefits of a massage on a daily basis as prevention? And the best part is, we can even do it ourselves (to some extent).

General movement and exercise reduce the risk of mortality by nearly 30%. This means that our muscles, joints and connective tissue might get banged up every once in a while, but with many of us, that rarely happens. It’s actually the opposite because of our modern, sedentary lifestyle, where our range of motion and flexibility decreases. This is where osteopathy can assist and also potentially decrease the risk of long-term health issues.