Get rid of that niggling pain with yoga. Shameem Akthar takes you through some simple asanas.

Across the world yogic stretches are used by those into hardcore sports, to heal from the inevitable aches that accompany field work. Physiotherapists use yogic stretches to heal from muscle pulls, cramps, strains or inflammation. While the first line of defence may be conventional medicine, it has to be complemented by a steady and organized yogic programme too. In the long term, the latter would be the one which sustain and support the healing completely. It would ensure the healing impact last longer too.

One way of using yoga is to follow a certain basic rules. Initially, the poses must be done very gently.

There has to be a lot of rest breaks to allow the muscles to relax. More attention should be paid to sequencing all movements with the breath, and ensuring that you are breathing, particularly where a pose may hit upon a pain spot.

To ensure that the healing is complete, after proper diagnosis, you need to eat foods that help control the problem. For instance, if the muscles are inflamed, you need foods the defuse body inflammation naturally, like Brewers yeast.

For injury, you need to include more vitamin C foods in your diet. Including foods rich in zinc is also vital.

Meditation is a super way to heal, though not taken seriously enough. Often, most people do not even understand how to meditate.

If you are new to meditation, you would do best by either downloading or buying short audio meditations, starting with just five to ten minutes initially, till the habit sets in.

Regular meditation would be a very powerful way to heal from any physical problem.

Including some healing movement everyday would go a long way in healing, instead of the avoidance tactic of not moving at all.

Excerpt from:
Muscle pain? Five really easy yoga poses will cure it!