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There are a lot of disease conditions that can be improved with proper yoga techniques. You can make use of them to reduce the negative effects of infertility, lung disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, cancer, high blood pressure, and joint pain. The beneficial effects/healing powers of yoga techniques have been duly recognized not only by the yoga believers but also by medical fraternity.

One of the common sources of disease is stress. Being at the root of a large number of sicknesses, this cause, which we develop in our minds, can be almost eliminated through a proper practice of yoga methods. Here are just some of the problems that are related to an over active stress response - depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, some types of diabetes mellitus, cardio-vascular disease, several autoimmune diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, reproductive problems, and an aggravated suppression of the immune system.

Stress is initiated by reaction of the sympathetic nervous system in our body. This reaction to several external stimuli is defined as the “fight or flight” response - the mind and body, faced with an endangering or disturbing element, react in a peculiar way. Physically, immediate outcome is increase in heart beats, and a high ascent of blood pressure. Breathing becomes shallow and the muscles stiff in expectation of the following action. Internally, this response reduces the blood flow to internal organs and processes that are not essential in that particular moment (such as digestion and elimination) are shut down. This state of increased awareness and readiness is beneficial on a short term, preparing our body to react to the outside interventions and stimuli. Both in a “fight” and in a “flight” situation, the body is physically and mentally prepared to act. The problem arises when long-term exposure to similar stress takes place. This “fight or flight” response is only meant to help on short periods of time - the longer it is activated the less resources will the body have to function normally.

There is a natural countermeasure for the “fight or flight” response. It is called the parasympathetic nervous system or the “relaxation response”. It is automatically activated when the elements that caused the stress are gone but you can as well increase its effects by breathing deeply and relaxing your muscles. By increasing the length of this process we allow our body to recover quickly, enabling it to eliminate the harmful effects of stress in a prompt and efficient manner.

Yoga underlines the fact that by employing breathing and relaxation techniques you can reduce the harmful effects of stress factors on your body. A lessened “fight or flight” response can also be maintained by looking at adverse factors as challenges rather than threats. This way,your mind can focus on getting a solution, rather than creating an abrupt response. Another concept employed by this technique is that of acting versus reacting, of taking initiative versus responding to outside factors.

Statistics suggest that yoga can have substantial positive impact on your mind and body. However, you should use them as secondary cure and not as the primary remedy.

You can achieve maximum success when you use yoga in conjunction with a proper treatment. Because yoga takes care of mind in a big way - benefits of yoga - health benefits of yoga.

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