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The Alzheimer’s Epidemic:
Some really alarming statistics as per the Alzheimer’s Association:
- More than 5 million Americans are living with the disease.
- Every 67 seconds someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s.
- Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.
- There are approximately 500,000 people dying each year because they have Alzheimer’s.
- 1 in 3 seniors dies with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.
- In 2013, 15.5 million caregivers provided an estimated 17.7 billion hours of unpaid care valued at more than $220 billion.
- In her 60s, a woman’s estimated lifetime risk for developing Alzheimer’s is 1 in 6. For breast cancer it is 1 in 11.
- Almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women.
* What is Alzheimer’s disease?
Alzheimer’s disease affects the nerve cells in the brain, causing their degeneration. In such circumstances, the brain loses the ability to analyze and use incoming data, that leads to a loss of independence, loss of memory and orientation in the environment. Usually people over 65 years suffer from this disease, but occasionally people up to 50 years old can have it.
* Symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
Disability to evaluate events, sudden mood swings, anxiety and depression and Loss of sense of time.
* Causes of Alzheimer’s disease
Currently conventional medicine does not have precise data about the cause of Alzheimer’s disease. Presumably, causes are repeated vascular cerebral seizures, genetic predisposition, lack of fatty acids (especially essential ones), estrogen deficiency, frequent stresses, etc.
# Yoga: An alternative treatment for Alzheimer’s:-
It has been seen that elderly people who practice yoga can keep their minds sharper. People who practice yoga are able to bring balance to their lives. They are also able to keep their minds employed. Meditative techniques of yoga can help improve concentration as well as the ability to use the mind in the optimum manner. These key features of yoga therefore make it a very viable strategy for coping with and fighting Alzheimer’s.
# OM Mantra Dhyana:
- Sit in Padmasana or Sukh asana.
- Keep the head and spine straight and upright and place the hands on the knees in Jyana mudra.
- Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
- Repeat the word Aum loudly. In two steps of deep sounds of “0000“ followed by “mmmm”.
- Let the body be saturated with the sound of Aum.
- Daily do it for minimum 10 times.
Benefits:
- Padamasana or sukhasana provide a firm base and a triangular path to contain the flow of pran.
- Om meditation is nirigina meditation. Om sound is a form of energy made up of vibr ation certain vibration have the power to heal.
- Om mantra is the root of all the sounds. Repeating Om relaxes every atom in your body.
‪#‎Halasana‬ (Plough pose)
- Lie flat on your back with legs straight on the floor feet together, arms (palms facing down) by you side on the floor and toes pointing upwards.
- Relax the body and slowly raise your legs from the ground keeping both feet together.
- Try to touch the toes to the floor behind the head.
- Do not force the toes to touch the floor, place the arms on the floor with palms facing down.
- Breathing normal, stay in the posture for as long as is comfortable, then slowly lower your legs on the floor pressing your elbows, and hands down.
- The head should rest on the floor.
- Relax in shavaasana. Normalize your breathing.
Benefits:
- This asana improves liver and kidney functions.
- This asana influences thyroid gland, which balances the metabolic rate and the thymus gland, which strengthen the immune system.
Caution:
- Those suffering from High Blood pressure, hernia, slipped disc, sciatica or any other back problem.
‪#‎Dhanurasana‬ (Bow pose):
- Lie flat on your stomach, with the legs and feet together and the arms and hands beside the body.
- Bend the knees and bring the heels close to the buttocks.
- Place the chin on the floor clasp the hand around the ankles.
- Take a deep breath and raise your head ,trunk and legs above the ground in order to left legs, pull hands and legs in opposite direction support the entire body on the floor.
- Hold the position for as long as is comfortable and then slowly relaxing the leg muscles lower the legs, chest and head to the starting position.
- Do it minimum 3 times daily.
Benefits:
- This asana helps to improve digestion by stimulating gastric secretions.
- The liver, abdominal organ and muscles are massaged.
- This asana is recommended for the management of diabetes, menstrual disorders and neck pain.
Caution:
- Patients of colitis, hernia and slipped disc should avoid this asana.
- Heart patients and hyper tension patients should avoid this asana also.
‪#‎Bhramari‬ Pranayama:
The word Bhramari means bee. Because a sound is produced that imitates the black bee.
- Sit in Padmasana or sukh asana the spinal cord should be erect.
- Keep your eyes gently closed. Now plugging your ears with thumbs, covering the eyes with the index and middle fingers the ring finger below the nostrils and the little fingers on the chin near the lips now breathe in through the nose.
- Exhale slowly and in a controlled manner while making a deep steady humming sound like that of the black bee.
- Try to prolong the exhalation and humming sound as much as possible.
- This is one round to practice 10 rounds in the beginning and then in crease the practice according to the time.
Benefits:
- Bhramari pranayama is an absolute cure for snoring.
- It relieve stress and cerebral tension, alleviating anger ,anxiety and insomnia.
- And is excellent for alleviating diseases of throat, neck, nose, ears, eyes and mouth.
‪#‎Pawan‬ Muktasana:
- Lie down on the back with both ankles and toes together.
- Fold the knee of the left foot and lift it up towards the chest.
- Then with both hands fold the knee between both elbows push the knee towards the chin and look straight.
- In this state the other feet will remain straight similarly practice it on the other leg then on both the legs together.
- Then both legs should be folded between both arms and place the knees on the chin and look straight ahead.
- Do it three times with each leg
Benefits:
- This asana cures knee pain and arthritis.
- It massages the digestive organs and is there fore very effective in removing wind and constipation.
- This asana also massages the pelvic muscles and alleviates impotence, sterility and menstrual problem .
Contra Indication:
- People who suffer from slipped disc or sciatica should not practice pawan muktasana.
‪#‎Sarvangasana‬
- Lie down on the back and relax completely.
- Slowly raise the legs, hips and trunk in a continuous movement until vertical.
- Raise the legs – keeping the knees straight and hips by supporting the arms on the ground then bend the elbows and hold the trunk in the hand.
- In this posture the chin in buried in the upper chest. Retain the position as long as it is comfortable.
- Then come down slowly. Relax do it only once.
Benefits:
- Blood supply to the organs in the upper part of the body such as eyes, heart, face, thyroid, roots of spinal nerves and brain.
- As a result circulatory congestion is relived and hormones flow into blood freely.
- Apart from treating Alzhiemer’s, this asana is used in yoga therapy for the treatment of Asthma, Diabetes, Colitis, Thyroid disorders, Impotence and Menopause.
Caution:
- Those suffering from High B.P, Heart Ailments, Cervical pain and slipped disc should refrain from doing this asana.
‪#‎Surya‬ Bhedi Pranayama:
- Sit down in padamasana or Sukh asana keeping the neck and spine erect, close your eyes gently.
- Now make pranayam mudra (placing the two forefinger of the right hand in the root of thumb, close the left nostril with the ring finger).
- Inhale deeply, through the right nostril so much that its impact is felt from the toe to the top of the crown.
- Now close the right nostril with the thumb and exhale very slowly through the left nostril and relax.
- This is one round of Surya bhedi pranayama.
- To begin with 5 Rounds are enough. Increase the rounds gradually.
Benefits:
- It heals up the ailments of throats, tongue and voice.
- It warms your body.
- It cures many kind of diseases caused by Bile and wind in our Body.
- Very good cure for obesity.
- It destroys the intestinal worms, removes the impurities of blood and cures skin disease.
- Gastric fire is augmented.
Precautions:
- People suffering from high blood pressure should avoid this pranayama.
- Patients of heart and Asthma should practice this pranayama under the guidance of a yoga guru.
‪#‎Exercise‬ (Walking) -
Walking is an aerobic exercise that conditions the heart and lungs if performed at the proper intensity for 30-40 minutes at a time. Do it at least 3 to 4 times week.
Benefits:
- Increases your energy level, relieves tension, increases stamina, tones the muscles. To know more visit www.yogagurusuneelsingh.com or 09810210802