“… a growing body of scientific evidence is building the case that the spiritual balance created by yoga provides proven health benefits.” – from article (link here)
Yoga is becoming very “mainstream”. It is growing in popularity around the world. Yoga studios are popping up all over the place and classes are offered routinely in local gyms and even recently physical rehab centers (and possibly covered by insurance)!
For MM patients it is wonderfully “soft” on the skeleton, yet strengthening and increasing flexibility.
You can go to classes, hire a private instructor, get a book, watch DVDs or tape shows on cable. There are many different “approaches” to Yoga, so don’t give up if you don’t like the first class. Keep trying to find one that you like and an instructor that embodies those things that you think are important.
As I have mentioned before in previous posts, we had a yoga instructor who stayed with us last summer. And in lieu of rent she wanted to pay, I asked her to work with Dave. He was in sorry shape with his MM diagnosis and treatment. Losing dramatic weight and muscle mass, then gaining it back, not the muscle, but the weight over 40 pounds above his normal weight. Feeling bloated, being inactive, having muscle spasms with the slightest exertion. Difficulty sleeping. Waking up with “charlie horses”. Fatigue. It was not pretty. Because it was one on one, though this should happen in classes as well, she was able to work to modify all the poses to give Dave success in his stretching and strengthening. She started out with about 10 minutes and eventually, over the summer, he was doing the full poses and 30 minutes! He said he was sleeping better (I attest he did!) and stopped having muscle spasms in his back mid day. His walking pace picked up to a normal speed and his fatigue began to abate. While he has no exercise restrictions, he’s still too afraid to pound his bones, but mostly his flexibility, or lack thereof, keeps him from trying to do things. He worries about the potential discomfort.
Anyway, give the article a read and see if you can’t incorporate some daily Yoga poses in your life.
“Yoga can help people deal with body aches and pains, she said, by making them stronger, showing them how to move in a less-painful way and improving their ability to cope with pain and relax.”
PS Don’t forget to drink plenty of water and/or CalMac afterwards to ward off muscle spams and cramps from the exertion for those of you who have atrophied a bit during your dx and treatment…
