spinal tension Archives

Posted by Ellen Sichel on November 21, 2011

Many of us have digestion problems and even if you do not, this time of year we tend to overeat, leaving us with bloating and indigestion.

We have tension in our internal organs which decreases the oxygen supply. This directly impacts our ability to take in nutrients from food.

The more oxygen that is absorbed in our internal organs, the healthier they are.

Yoga practices can be helpful:

Specific yoga poses help with this because the internal organs get a massage, bringing in more blood and oxygen. There are also poses that are effective in relieving bloating and gas.

Some yoga styles help to decompress spinal tension which helps take the pressure off your organs, increasing blood supply.

Breath is another yoga technique that is very powerful. The slower, deeper breath creates movement in the diaphragm which massages your stomach and other organs, increasing oxygen and nutrients absorbed as well as expediting the exit of waste.

An easy beginning to get more blood-flow through your organs is to focus is on your breathing.

Custom Calm specializes in both simple, gentle yoga poses to help with internal tension as well as breathing techniques. Practices are easy, accessible and quite effective.

Throughout the holidays, slow down your eating and remember to take slow easy breaths.

Let me know in the comments below what you noticed about your digestion. Were you able to slow down and breathe? If not, why do you think got in your way?

Helen is an Attorney Living with Stress

Posted by Ellen Sichel on April 13, 2011

Helen’s Challenges

I am an attorney, teacher and mother and grandmother, and life is stressful. I was looking for ways to reduce my stress level. I want both my body and mind to be more flexible, particularly as I age.

What Helen Tried

I had been to yoga classes before and did enjoy them, but nothing seemed to shift in my daily life. I was looking for more.

What Worked

What I love most about the Custom Calm yoga practice is kindness and its consistency. Every posture helps to release my spine from tension without causing pain or discomfort. Each Custom Calm teacher is trained to support the student’s individual progress and recognize the student’s needs. The basic postures are simple and effective; the philosophy that frames the sessions is equally so.

Ellen is a devoted practitioner and gifted teacher of the postures and spiritual principles. She continually deepens her own practice and understanding through intensive training periods and retreats. With her own students she inspires because what she teaches is so well grounded in her life.

Practicing for the last five years, I have become more flexible and less brittle in the storms of my life, more tranquil with my children, more patient with my associates. I take better care of myself, give more easily, relax more quickly, and remember more often to keep my head in line with my heart.

What you can learn from Helen’s Experiences

You do not need to wait until life gets out of control to make changes. There are practices that can be done to help get more enjoyment out of relationships. The Custom Calm practices helped Helen on much more than the physical level and are easy to integrate into daily living.

*Last name has been left off for anonymity.

Tags: discomfort, easy practices, exoerienced teacher, increased flexibility, pain, patience, spinal tension, stress relief, yoga

Posted in: This Stuff Works

Season for Overeating: Yoga can Help!

Helen is an Attorney Living with Stress