Yet, when you get right down to it yoga belongs in the discussion the same as massage therapy, nutrition, reflexology and the rest of the categories listed on Alternative Medicine Now.

Why?

Because alternative therapies accept one fundamental fact of human existence that “traditional” western medicine ignored a long time ago.

Which is… that health is holistic in nature, and encompasses the idea of a sound mind and a sound body.

Yoga & Your Health

Today more than ever we understand the role of stress in our lives, especially the role of stress as it relates to our immune system.  For example, this article from About.com sums it up nicely:

“Chronic, long-term stress suppresses the immune system. The longer the stress, the more the immune system shifted from they adaptive changes seen in the “fight or flight” response to more negative changes, first at the cellular level and later in broader immune function.”

The point is, reducing the harmful long-term affects of stress will improve your overall health.

And alternative health strategies like yoga focus on overall wellness, versus the traditional focus of “western” medicine on symptom reduction and treatment of disease after the fact.

Additionally, here is a quote that sums up the many benefits of yoga:

“Yoga’s many health benefits include greater flexibility, increased strength and endurance, a lessening in stress, greater coordination, greater energy, and even a relief of PMS and menstrual cramps.

Yoga is great for everyone and it is pretty possible to find a class to suit anyone’s needs.”

~Mike Bunata

So the fact remains… the benefits of yoga are too numerous to ignore.

Yoga as exercise might be “trendy.” But yoga as alternative health therapy is undeniable as well.

Find a Yoga Class Near You

Are you ready to find a yoga class or yoga instructor near you.  Kindly follow the link to our directory of yoga instructors.

Do you want to share your thoughts here?

We look forward to hearing from you. Please share your comments, criticisms, ideas or suggestions.

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Well, according to the latest research documented in the Science Daily, the answer is YES.

For practitioners of Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, and Healing Touch this news comes as no surprise.

The acknowledgment came from Dr. Shamini Jain, UCLA Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Dr. Paul Mills, Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, and the Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center in San Diego.

This welcome nod was based on the review of 66 clinical studies measuring the effects of “biofield therapies.”

This review group concluded that there was strong evidence to support the claim that these complementary therapies helped to reduce pain intensity.

The article noted that a number of patients are currently using biofield therapies, even though there is very little scientific research to date proving that the therapies actually work.  The authors concluded that there was strong to moderate evidence showing the effectiveness of these therapies to:

• help reduce pain intensity
• ease agitated behaviors for people suffering with dementia
• reduced anxiety for hospitalized patients

The article went on to conclude that there is a “strong need” for further research and study, and they suggested specific areas for further research:

“In order to better inform patients of the potential benefits or non-benefits of these biofield-based interventions, clinicians and scientists within behavioral medicine should familiarize themselves with current theory, practice and research of such techniques.”

It seems like traditional medicine is finally ready to create a space where centuries old techniques and treatments can finally be taken seriously and not written off as so much foolishness.

This is certainly a wonderful outcome for supporters of energy medicine.

Thank you to Sharyn Gooder from Stateline Reiki for suggesting this topic to us.

If you would like to find a reiki practitioner in your area, please visit our online reiki practitioner directory by following the link.  And we look forward to your comments and feedback as well.