Yoga Mindfulness Guide for Asthma

World Asthma Day is celebrated every year on the first Tuesday of May. This year it falls on 2ndMay. The day is celebrated to spread awareness about Asthma. Most people know all about it, how dangerous it is, and most importantly, with the rising levels of pollution and irritants how people are getting affected by it all over the world. All over the world, there are several people who do not opt for Asthma treatment and that proves to be a fatal mistake later in life. Chronic Asthma disease can be easily prevented by a simple treatment in the initial stages. 

The world of Georgina Miranda, a Social Entrepreneur, Mountaineer Athlete, International Speaker, Writer, Transformation Coach was struck hard when she was diagnosed with severe asthma. Being an athlete, your breath should be one of your greatest friends, and this diagnosis made her wonder if that could ever be possible again, specially when up in the mountains. Georgina could be faced with many obstacles that could make going back to the mountains an almost impossible choice for her. However, as she progressed on her journey of recovery, she soon realized how working with mindfulness in her routine could help her find the courage not only to summit mountains, but also to slow down and embrace taking things one breath at a time. Similarly, a few studies have also been conducted to look at how mindfulness training in adults with asthma can change their overall wellness. People with asthma who used mindfulness had less stress, reduced depression and improved asthma related quality of life.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of being in the here and now. It is about bringing your attention purposefully to the present moment, without judgment of good or bad.

American Psychological Association defines mindfulness as "The awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings. It is something that can help people avoid destructive or automatic habits and responses by learning to observe their thoughts, emotions, and other present-moment experiences without judging or reacting to them."

Mindfulness training was first developed to help people suffering with chronic pain. As a professor at the University of Massachusetts medical school in the late 1970s,Kabat-Zinn developed a program called Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) to treat chronic pain. He discovered that patients would often try to avoid pain—but that avoidance would lead to deeper distress. Practicing mindfulness was a more successful approach. It is now used for many different reasons. People have used mindfulness to help live with a variety of chronic illnesses and to help enhance general health and well-being.

Manocha et al. conducted study in 2000 at the Natural Therapies Unit of Royal Hospital for women, Sydney, Australia where 47 patients with severe asthma who were resistant to steroids were taken. They were divided into two groups: one group that received specialized Yoga and mindfulness treatment, and the second group received generalized relaxation treatment for over 4 months. The group who received the specialized treatment showed significant reduction in their severity of asthma compared to the control group who received generalized treatment.  ‍

Self-Guided Mindful Breathing Exercise suggested by Sahaja Yoga

 You can do this exercise as a brief daily mindfulness exercise. You may also find it helpful todo when you are having times of shortness of breath or emotional distress. The basic steps are as follows:

● Sit upright with both feet on the ground, legs uncrossed, hands on your lap.
● Close your eyes or lower your gaze. Get comfortable.
● Notice all the points of physical contact between you and your chair as well as the ground beneath your feet.
● Notice the sensation of the air around you. How does it feel on your skin?
● Bring your attention to your breath. Focus on the raise and fall of your chest/ stomach as you breath. How does the breath feel? Does it feel a bit cool? or a bit warm?     Do you feel it in your throat?
● If thoughts, feelings, other bodily sensations capture your attention, notice that and gently bring your attention back to your feet or breath.
● If you are having shortness of breath, inhale through your nose as if smelling roses for a count of 4 seconds, and exhale through your mouth, pursing your lips as if you     are blowing out birthday candles for a count of at least 8 seconds. Repeat this 3-5 times.
● When you feel your breath getting back to normal, get back to your original breathing rhythm and breath through your nose.
● When you feel ready to end the practice, bring your awareness to your body. Open your eyes again, and take the next few moments to notice how you feel now,     compared to before you started the meditation.

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Yoga and Asthma

Let's talk about the simplest solutions for asthma, yoga. There are postures and breathing exercises that you can do to reduce its affects. Some also claim it helped them cure it completely. Without beating around the bush much let's dive into it;

• The Butterfly pose

The Butterfly Pose stimulates and improves the blood circulation, relieves fatigue, and has a therapeutic effect on asthma.  

• The Wind relieving pose

This is a go to Asana for healthy and stronglungs. It controls blood pressure and helps in the release of any abdominal gas. 

• The Cobra pose

The Cobra pose expands the chest, improves blood circulation and is highly recommended for people with breathing issues.  

• The Corpse pose

the more you relax your body, the better will be your lung health.

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As for Pranayama,

• Alternate nostril breathing

Alternate breathing pranayama improves the unblocked flow of air into the circulatory and respiratory system. It is known to calm the mind and heal the body.  

• Bellow breaths

This helps in exhaling all the stale air accumulated from the lungs while energizing the body. (Start slow and then increase the rate of exhalations)

sneaking up a few minutes for these asanas and pranayama will have a guarantee effect on your asthma. Don't let asthma choose how much you enjoy your life. With a strong shield of techniques, you can experience life in its totality and be carefree.

A daily practice of these postures for asthma and breathing techniques for 15-20minutes will considerably reduce your chances of an asthma attack and may even help you get rid of it. A few minutes spent meditating will also enhance your experience and help calm your mind. Your control over asthma will let you choose how much you enjoy your life. This being said, medical consultation and professional guidance in this journey is highly recommended as well as beneficial.

 This journey can get challenging mentally as well as emotionally. In situations where you feel overwhelmed, visit our website to browse different ways you can seek help. You can also contact us on our toll-free number 1800-833-8747 or email us at transformhappily@gmail.com.

 *This article should not be considered as an alternative to medical guidance. Everyone needs an individualized plan for all diagnosis.

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