Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1004438
THE PROMiSE OF YOGA HA S E VOKED A TRENDY CONVERSATiON iN OUR COUNTRY AROUND THE POSSiBiLiT Y OF SUSTAiNABLE HE ALiNG, STRESS MANAGEMENT, PHYSiCAL MAiNTENANCE AND MORE. MANY PATiENTS ARE LOOKiNG iNTO THE HE ALiNG BENEFiTS OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATiVE MEDiCAL PR ACTiCES. HOWE VER, YOGA ME ANS DiFFERENT THiNGS TO DiFFERENT PEOPLE DUE TO THE WiDE VARiE T Y OF ST YLES E XPRESSED iN TODAY'S CULTUR AL L ANDSCAPE. YOGA CA N BE as straightforward and as complex as the person participating in it. Yoga is a mind-body method of integrative practices that correct dys- functional neural patterns within the body to recover wellness and improve sustainable self-awareness. Although the promise of yoga for health is unmatched in evidence-based resea rch a nd self- repor ted outcomes, t he diversit y in types make scaling yoga for the medical field quite challenging and sometimes dangerous to refer patients out. With the growing number of perspec- tives and styles of yoga, it is imperative that medical practitioners either suggest the patient inquire about accessible styles of yoga or direct patients to a style of yoga that is suitable for their current state to prevent further injury yet empowers sus- tainable well-being. There are fast yoga styles and slow yoga styles with dynamic and stationary aspects. Some come from different cultural backgrounds or a multi- faceted application in movement sciences. Recognizing the assortment of st yles inv ites a level of responsibi lit y when suggesting yoga to patients. It may seem daunting with the abunda nce of st yles accessible in our community; however, it is not about k now ing a l l the st yles but simply empowering patients to look into classes that meet their needs a nd inquiring about what they a re doing. A lt hou g h y o ga i s der ive d f r om a geog raph ica l or i g i n a f f i l i at ed w it h relig ious contex t , yoga itself is not a religion. It proceeds no belief system but depends solely on individua l experience a nd mindful mecha nics. Yoga is about qua lity of motion and improving qua lity of life. These become t he by product of i ncrea si n g propr iocept ion , va ga l t one, dow n re g u l at i n g t he ner vou s system, improved circulation, height- ened i m mu ne f u nc t ion a nd f u r t her self-awa reness for susta inable hea lth choices. F u r t her m isconceptions to debunk within the yoga pa radig m a re t he belief yoga is on ly for t he f it a nd f lexible. Natura lly, yoga improves f lex- ibi l it y over ti me, but hy per mobi l it y a nd ex treme f lexibi lit y of ten lead to cha llenges in posture, pain and ba lance. A lthough society glorifies extreme f lex- ibility, this misperception leads to many injuries a nd feelings of inadequacy. Yoga is patient-centered, cost effective and evidence-based. This complemen- t a r y mod a l it y helps pat ient s avoid opioid prescriptions through effective pa i n m a n a gement a nd re duc e s t he possibility of readmission by provid- ing patients with sustainable lifestyle choices and tools that empower them to participate in their hea lthcare a lliance whi le becoming their ow n advocate. Yoga directs patients into flourishing hea lth practices that invite inquiry for self-reg ulation, self-care and somatic integration. By referring your patients to yoga, you are empowering your patients to become their own health advocates in the recovery and maintenance of their well-being. To learn more about Melissa Aguirre and Yoga Therapy contact melmarieyoga@ gmail.com or visit melmarieyoga.com. n PRESCRIBING BY MELISSA AGUIRRE, CIAYT ERYT 500 YOGA 1 6