Yoga instructor leads students to a healthy, balanced life
We are so proud to feature Healing Moves member Lisa Everett-Bridgewater. Lisa’s warm and caring personality, along with her extensive expertise in rehabilitative exercise, provides clients with the nurturing environment needed to restore and maintain health. After Lisa’s yoga classes you will always hear remarks such as, “I feel so much better.” “Lisa is like a breath of fresh air.”
Lisa has always had a passion to help others live a full and productive life, focusing on the healing power of movement. Lisa has been a licensed physical therapist since 1981, working with clients at all stages of life, in a variety of rehabilitation settings. (more…)
Physical Activity for People with Asthma
While exercise may be an asthma trigger for some people, research indicates that it is possible to build up tolerance to physical activity over time, making an attack less likely. In addition to reducing the risk of developing many other diseases, appropriate exercise can help individuals with asthma maintain a healthy body weight, boost immunity, reduce stress, sleep better and feel more energized. The key is to keep one’s asthma under control through proper treatment and precautions. (more…)
Exercising with Low Back Pain
Low back pain is one of the most common medical complaints in the world. Don’t let low back pain get you down! A well-designed exercise program can help speed recovery from low back pain, reduce pain levels, and possibly prevent reinjury. In fact, regular physical activity is superior to spine therapy at helping people cope with back pain and at keeping it under control! The key to maximizing the benefits of exercise is to follow a well designed program that you can stick to over the long-term. (more…)
Physical Activity for Women during Pregnancy
Physical activity during pregnancy benefits a woman’s overall health. For example, moderate-intensity physical activity by healthy women during pregnancy maintains or increases cardiorespiratory fitness.
Strong scientific evidence shows that the risks of moderate-intensity activity done by healthy women during pregnancy are very low, and do not increase risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, or early pregnancy loss. Some evidence suggests that physical activity reduces the risk of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, and reduces the length of labor, but this evidence is not conclusive.
During a normal postpartum period, regular physical activity continues to benefit a woman’s overall health. (more…)
7 Ways to Ease Into Yoga
Have you resolved to exercise and get healthier in the new year? Health and medical experts say you might want to try yoga.
In fact, a 2008 Harris poll of a cross section of 5,000 Americans found that 6.1 percent — which would translate to nearly 14 million adults — say their doctor or therapist recommended yoga to them.
Yoga is an ancient healing practice that has become increasingly popular in our modern, stressful world as a powerful way to stretch and strengthen the body, relax and calm the mind, enhance energy and lift the spirit. Doctors often recommend yoga to people over 50 because it can help lower blood pressure, ease pain and improve balance. But people stick with the ancient practice because they find it improves their mood, reduces stress and, simply put, makes them happier.
Unfortunately, many yoga instructors are not trained to adapt the practice to older bodies. And America’s booming interest in yoga has lead to an increase in classes that are called yoga, but are actually “yoga-flavored” exercise classes taught by instructors whose yoga training may be limited to a weekend workshop.
Unless a yoga teacher creates a safe class designed for older adults, this practice meant to heal may cause harm. To safely reap the many benefits of yoga, it’s important to understand these seven essential yoga facts: (more…)