Slow movements and deep breathing increase blood flow and warm up muscles, while holding a pose can build strength.
Try it: Tree Pose
Balance on one foot, while holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you, while you balance for one minute.
Yoga is as good as basic stretching for easing pain and improving mobility in people with lower back pain. The American College of Physicians recommends yoga as a first-line treatment for chronic low back pain.
Try it: Cat-Cow Pose
Get on all fours, placing your palms underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. First, inhale, as you let your stomach drop down toward the floor. Then, exhale, as you draw your navel toward your spine, arching your spine like a cat stretching.
Gentle yoga has been shown to ease some of the discomfort of tender, swollen joints for people with arthritis, according to a Johns Hopkins review of 11 recent studies.
Regular yoga practice may reduce levels of stress and body-wide inflammation, contributing to healthier hearts. Several of the factors contributing to heart disease, including high blood pressure and excess weight, can also be addressed through yoga.
Try it: Downward Dog Pose
Get on all fours, then tuck your toes under and bring your sitting bones up, so that you make a triangle shape. Keep a slight bend in your knees, while lengthening your spine and tailbone.
Research shows that a consistent bedtime yoga routine can help you get in the right mindset and prepare your body to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for 5 to 15 minutes.
You may feel increased mental and physical energy, a boost in alertness and enthusiasm, and fewer negative feelings after getting into a routine of practicing yoga.
According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.
Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. You can hold this pose for 5 to 15 minutes.
Participating in yoga classes can ease loneliness and provide an environment for group healing and support. Even during one-on-one sessions loneliness is reduced as one is acknowledged as a unique individual, being listened to and participating in the creation of a personalized yoga plan.
The U.S. military, the National Institutes of Health and other large organizations are listening to — and incorporating — scientific validation of yoga’s value in health care.
Numerous studies show yoga’s benefits in arthritis, osteopenia, balance issues, oncology, women’s health, chronic pain and other specialties.
Click on the Blue Box link right below to learn more about Yoga. So much talk, fashion, and products, learn what Yoga is REALLY all about.
Massage therapy's role in integrative health care has become widely accepted in major hospitals and in daily medical practice. A wealth of research has also shown the impact of massage therapy for pain management and relief.
One shift that has occurred since the pandemic began is that men are now more likely than women to get a massage.
Last year 25% of men and 21% of women got a massage.
Consumers with children under the age of 18 at home are more likely to get a massage than those without children at home.
Income has an impact on how likely consumers are to get a massage. While 36% of those making $100,000 or more got a massage last year, only 19% of those making $50,000 or less got a massage.
Over half of all massage consumers got their last massage for health and wellness reasons.
Just 16% of consumers list pampering as their primary reason for their last massage, and 30% of consumers received a massage for pampering in the last year.
Nearly half of consumers got a massage last year for relaxation or stress reduction.
Men are more likely than women to discuss massage therapy with their doctor or health care provider.
In 2021, 63% of consumers who got a massage for health and wellness reasons stated it was part of a treatment plan from a doctor or medical provider.
American massage consumers view the American Massage Therapy Association® (AMTA) as the most respected and credible name in massage therapy – four times higher than any other massage organization or business.
Finding a professional massage therapist is vital to a positive massage experience. AMTA massage therapists have demonstrated a level of ability through education and/or testing, adhere to a code of ethics and must meet continuing education requirements. AMTA offers a free professional massage therapist locator service at FindaMassageTherapist.org.
GO TO FINDAMASSAGETHERAPIST.ORG
Consumers have quickly learned the value and efficacy of massage therapy as an important approach for health and medical conditions.
75 percent of individuals surveyed claim the primary reason for receiving their last massage in the 12 months ending June 2020 was health or wellness (49 percent) or stress related (26 percent).
Health or wellness reasons included pain relief, soreness, stiffness or spasms, injury recovery, migraines, prevention, pregnancy or prenatal, and general well-being.
Of consumers that discussed massage with their doctor:
Medical providers and doctors are more commonly viewing massage therapy as a complementary option to address health concerns.
Of consumers who discussed massage therapy with their doctor or medical provider:
Click on the Blue Box link right below to learn more about Licensed Massage Therapy. So much more than a "rub down" or a "press harder"
Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, is a combination of seven sub-practices. These are licensed in the U.S. based on each state's unique laws. Onwly a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc, DAOM, etc.) is fully trained in all aspects of TCM below. Here, in Arizona, a select few Licensed Massage Therapists are fully trained in TCM (2-7 on this list. Acupuncture is only to be provided by a licensed acupuncturist. Although the law allows for Chiropractors, Physical Therapists and of course, MDs to gain additional certifications to provide needling, we strongly recommend having only a well-trained practitioner of Chinese Medicine provide this medical care service, as they typically have a broader dive into the meridian system and Qi as it pertains to overall care to the body.
1. Acupuncture
2. Moxibustion (burning of mugwort root to move the blood and remove pain)
3. Tui na (Chinese massage therapy technique for internal medical disorders as well as general
pain relief
4. Gua sha (scraping the surface of the skin, a technique which many physical therapists and
chiropractors have been incorporating for many years now)
5. Cupping (made popular by Michael Phelps)
6. Tai chi (also becoming very popular due to the Yoga movement in the U.S.)
7. Chinese Herbs
When used properly by a well-trained practitioner, TCM is powerful to aid the entire body in pain reduction and even total pain relief.
The number of licensed acupuncturists in the U.S. is rapidly growing. Consequently, it is vital to know the credentials, experience, and specialties of your Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, just like your MD or DO Primary Care Provider.
Click on the Blue Box link right below to learn more about acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Gestalt Therapy, Freudian, Jungian, whatever works, we support it. Let us work with you to find a safe space to work through your thoughts and feelings. You are so special to us, and we are grateful to have you with us. All people must know that there is a place in the United States where you may go to receive the help you need.
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) -The Meridian Systems (ppt)
DownloadLicensed Massage Therapy (LMT) Integrative Care and Pain Management (pdf)
DownloadYoga Certification Board-Information-Brochure (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-YV-1 (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-YPI-Version0.2 (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-YM (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-AYTh (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-YTh (pdf)
DownloadSyllabus-ThYC (pdf)
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