Yoga During The Covid-19 Pandemic

I originally emailed these suggestions to many of my students and friends in mid-March when we were self-isolating in our homes. I am posting them now because the pandemic is once again picking up momentum and some of you are back spending more time at home. Hopefully, practicing some or all of these suggestions will give you comfort during these trying times.

As you practice self-care, remember to use what you have learned in our yoga classes --- asanas (poses and practices) and pranayama (breathing techniques). Here a few yoga recommendations to do when you get tired of watching TV, knitting, reading or other hobbies. A short daily practice will help mitigate stress and boost your immunity.

• Do deep breathing for 5 minutes (either sitting or standing). Do the complete yogi breath (three-part breath) making sure your belly fills up and expands during the inhale and contracts back towards your spine with the exhale. Deep breathing will open your lungs and side ribs. Your lungs are your biggest lymph pumps and will clear out clutter and toxins from your body.

• Another breathing technique you can practice when standing or sitting is the 5-5-5 breath. Inhale to the count of 5, hold to the count of 5, and exhale to the count of 5. Repeat the sequence several times.

• Stand up tall in Mountain Pose and feel the strength of the pose. Concentrate on your posture. Hold the pose for several breaths then extend the arms overhead and stretch. Do a few sidebends and twists. Loosen up any tightness you have built up while sitting.

• Remember the importance of balance as we age. Standing in Mountain Pose (and holding on to a chair or kitchen cabinet, if necessary), lift one leg a few inches off the floor or bend the knee and hold for several breaths. Repeat with the other leg. Also try moving the bend knee forward and back or out and in. This will continue to strengthen your leg muscles needed to ensure balance is sustainable.

• What other yoga poses should you practice?

  • Cat/Cow (while kneeling in Table Pose, arching the back and lifting the head as you inhale; curving the back like a Halloween cat and lowering the head to look between your knees as you exhale) to keep your spine flexible, stretch the back torso and neck and opens the chest for better breathing.

  • Downward Dog (standing inverted V-pose) to calm the brain, relieve stress, stretch the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches and hands.

  • Child’s Pose (sitting back on your heels and lowering your head to the floor) to stretch the hips, thighs, and ankles while relaxing the muscles on the front of the body and stretching the muscles of the back torso.

  • Hip Opening by laying on your back and using your strap to lift each leg up and down, to the side, and across the body. Then lifting both legs up and down and spreading them to stretch the sciatic nerves down the back of the legs. Opening the hips results in more range of movement (so important for older folks), better circulation, and more support for the muscles of the back and the spine.

• Another important practice for self-care is Self-Massage. This can be done using sesame, olive, or coconut oil. It will nourish and hydrate your skin and settle frazzled nerves. It can be beneficial to massage your feet in the evening to aid relaxation, promote better sleep, and improve blood circulation.

I hope these suggestions help you to be more physically active as we go through this unexpected journey. Also get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious foods, and stay hydrated as you manage your stress.

May you be calm.  May you be healthy.  May you be happy.

Namaste,

Larkey

Kneeling Sun Salutation

This series of poses helps to build lower and upper body strength and release the lower back muscles.

• Hero Pose (sitting on heels)
• Child's Pose
• Table Pose/Cow Pose (arch back and look at ceiling)
• Downward Facing Dog
• Plank (step legs back)
• Downward Facing Dog (step legs towards hands)
• Table Pose/Cow Pose
• Child's Pose
• Hero Pose

YOGA FOR BONE HEALTH (OSTEOPOROSIS)

Dr. Loren M. Fishman, a physiatrist at Columbia University who specializes in rehabilitative medicine, has been gathering evidence on yoga and bone health for years, hoping to determine whether yoga might be an effective therapy for osteoporosis. In one of his studies, he had the participants perform 12 assigned yoga poses daily or at least every other day.  His findings showed improved bone density in the spine and femur of the participants who were moderately or fully compliant with the assigned yoga exercises.

The following list outlines the 12 yoga poses performed during the study:

• Tree
• Triangle
• Revolved Triangle
• Warrior  II
• Side-angle
• Locust
• Bridge
• Supine hand-to-foot I
• Supine hand-to-foot II
• Straight-legged twist
• Bent-knee twist
• Corpse

You may perform the poses in any order. Remember to be kind and gentle with your body as you perform each pose. Each pose is held for up to 30 seconds. The entire regimen, once learned, should take only 12 minutes to complete.

Reference: 12 Minutes of Yoga for Bone Health, Jane E. Brody, December 21, 2015.