Doctor Says
Yoga
May Be Prescription For
Better Health
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Yoga may be one of the hottest fitness
trends sweeping the country, but a Florida State University medical educator
thinks it also may be the prescription for ailments ranging from headaches to
heart disease.
Dr. Richard Usatine, associate dean of medical education at the FSU College
of Medicine, is the co-author, along with yoga therapist Larry Payne, of "Yoga
Rx," (2002, Broadway Press), a new book that offers step-by-step programs to
promote health, wellness and healing for common ailments.
"Yoga can be as important as any medication," Usatine said. "This is a
lifestyle change. This is a way to improve the quality of your life."
For each type of ailment, Usatine and Payne recommend prescriptions that
combine a specific yoga routine with common-sense suggestions, such as dietary
changes, exercise and getting enough sleep. For example, those suffering from
asthma may want to try walking as well as a yoga routine that includes the
positions of "wing and prayer," "the newspaper" and "seated chair twist."
Depressed? The authors say the "mountain posture," "cobra" and the "sitting cat"
may help to lift your spirits. Anxiety? Heartburn? Migraines? There's a remedy
for these and just about every other common malady.
Usatine, a family physician who first tried yoga in college, often
recommended yoga and yoga breathing techniques to patients to help them manage
stress and even quit smoking. In 1997, after suffering recurring back pain after
a car accident, he was referred to Payne for yoga therapy. His back pain
disappeared, and the pair began collaborating on providing yoga therapy
education to medical students at the University of California at Los Angeles.
The pair then began to work on the book, believed to be the first for the
general public that combines a medical doctor's point of view with a yoga
therapist's. While the authors are careful to note that "Yoga Rx" is not meant
to replace modern medical treatment, they assert that yoga therapy can
complement medical treatment. They say patients should see considerable results
within a couple of weeks and significant changes within three months.
In the meantime, yoga therapy is gaining more attention in the medical
community, according to Usatine.
"As more Americans are doing yoga and asking about it, there is more medical
awareness of it," he said. "As the number of yoga therapists grows and the
demand for it from patients grows, yoga will become a larger part of the
practice of medicine in this country."
Editor's Note: The original news release can be found
here.
Note: This story has been adapted from a news
release issued for journalists and other members of the public. If you wish to
quote any part of this story, please credit Florida State University as
the original source. You may also wish to include the following link in any
citation:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/12/021226071827.htm
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