Help For Your Eczema: Yoga & Meditation

Yes YOGA!  - along w/ meditation is a great way to help heal and relieve symptoms from stress-related eczema.  Part of the cause of eczema is usually stress-related - be it stresses in your life, body, surroundings, etc.
Spiritual and relaxation practices like yoga and meditation can really help your body to deal with and eliminate these stresses.

I made a New Years resolution to do yoga everyday.  I wanted to help deal with my stress, and I have been hearing for awhile that it is also really helpful in dealing with and healing eczema.  I have been doing yoga for a long time, but not nearly everyday......and I knew I could gain more benefit from it.  AND I was right!!  Yoga is helping me to feel calmer, less itchy, more balanced, and it is helping to heal my skin.  Seriously, I stopped doing yoga for two days over the past weekend and I REALLY noticed a difference.  I felt much more stiff and stressed by silly things.

Doing yoga everyday does not have to take up all of your time.  You can meditate or do a short yoga practice in 15-20 minutes.  And you can increase the time to increase the benefits!



Not only is yoga helpful for eczema, it also beneficial in that it:
-helps reduce high blood pressure
-controls asthma
-can help w/ depression by boosting oxygen to the brain - making you happier:)
-can help prevent heart disease, hypertension & stroke
-has been associated w/ lower cholesterol & triglyceride levels
-improves strength & flexibility - gives you more core strength & better posture
-helps fight fatigue and gives you more energy
-relieves symptoms of arthritis and back pain
-releases lactic acid in your muscles that causes tension
-lubricates your joints & helps your body feel more free and fluid
-stretches your muscles, tendons, ligaments &
-and of course, relieves stress!

Yoga is based on ancient Indian philosophy that views body energy as concentrated in 'chakras'.  Chakras are invisible centers of different colors and qualities running from the base of the spine up to the top of the head.

 (Just thought you might find this interesting - I really did! - I know my dad is probably thinking I'm california kooky here, but just give it a chance.........)

If chakras are not functioning properly you can feel very ill.   

Through the practice of yoga, energy balance can be realigned and and your flow can be restored.  This is done with postural and breathing exercises, meditation & diet (we're on the right track!)

There is also a universal life energy  - in India called "prana".  With good health, and using yoga practices you can have more balance and harmony throughout your life.

Yoga can also help to calm you down & put things into perspective.  It has been proven that how you think about an event really effects your stress levels.  You really CAN manifest a lot with your mind.  Yoga and meditation can bring you to your real inner self and remove all of the outer obstacles.

There are so many good things to say about yoga...........but now I wanted to share some simple ideas you can do here to help bring yourself balance & peace:)

Exercise to balance all you chakras: 

Sit in a quiet comfortable area.  Sit on the floor w/ your legs crossed or on your knees - whichever is more comfortable for you.  Sit upright & don't fall into your hips - lift your body up. Keep your shoulders relaxed & down.  Imagine the base of your spine has roots that go down through the floor into the ground.  Imagine your head and the top of your spine are reaching up towards the sky - like you have  antlers you need to hold up on your head.  Keep your spine relaxed NOT pulled.  

Now close your eyes.  Breath in and then out, very slowly from your diaphragm.   As you breath out, imagine your breath is going from the top of your head & down your spine and out through the ground.   As you breath in, breath up through the base of your spine & into the top of your head and out to the sky.  Keep this visualization w/ your breath going for a few minutes - at least 3 and more if you feel comfortable.

Here's a link to some more meditation and stress-relief techniques: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/stress_relief_meditation_yoga_relaxation.htm

You can also sit in this comfortable seated position and chant a mantra - out loud or in your head to quiet your mind & bring peace. 

Check out a yoga class or do some yoga tapes.  In the meantime, you can try this pose the plough, or Hal Asana:

-carefully practice this pose & don't put too much pressure on your neck.  Also, be sure to use your hands to support your back and spine.

Here's step -by -step instructions for the pose if you're interested: http://www.anmolmehta.com/blog/2008/02/19/yoga-plough-pose-chakra-activation/

This pose helps improve the immune system and brings balance to your throat & other chakras.  It also gives your face a nice healthy glow!!

Thanks to "Eczema: A Comprehensive Guide to Gentle, Safe & Effective Treatment" and "Beat Fatigue with Yoga".......