Aria Zarnoski

In the United States, Americans are famous for their love of prescription pharmaceuticals, as well as their expensive health care system. Prescription drug use is most present in the United States than any other country, and it is no joke that drug use quickly becomes abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the United States is 5% of the world’s population and consumes 75% of the world’s prescription drugs. Why is it that more and more people are being prescribed addictive anti-depressants? Why is it that yoga and alternative medicinal therapies such as acupuncture and massage therapy are not covered by most health insurance policies? C’mon America, let’s get our priorities in check! We live in a society that values reactionary health care, rather than preventative health care.

The difference between reactionary care and preventative care is simple; reactionary care is simply reacting to the issue, rather than solving it and preventing the issue from happening in the first case. America, and many other money-driven societies, put physical and mental health on the bottom of their long, strenuous checklists. Stress is the number one reason that many people are being placed on anti-depressants and other pain killers.

The pharmaceutical companies are making billions of dollars on our unhappiness. It has been reported by the Health Care Cost Institute (HCCI) that in 2011, prescriptions made up 17% of total per capita spending in the United States. However, it is proven that doing yoga increases happiness through the release of dopamine and endorphins, so why are we not signing up for a yoga class? Is it because the average yoga class is $15 per class and 3 day yoga retreats on average cost approximately $300-500? Yoga is a luxury my friends, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some poses that you can try at home that will prevent medical difficulties in the future. Let’s act before we need to react.

Feeling fatigued and overworked?

Instead of an espresso shot, try a backbend. Backbends wake up the body’s life force energy called prana, and rejuvinates the body.

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana): lie on your back and place your feet on your mat (or floor). Bring your heels towards your body so that your fingertips can touch them. Press your feet into the ground and lift your pelvis. The power is in your thighs, so keep your glutes relaxed. Hold for 10 breaths.

Do you have insomnia?

Bridge pose is also really good for relaxation, but if you feel like you can never get a full night’s rest, try Corpse Pose (Savasana). This is a pose of total relaxation.

Lie on your back with your feet open like a book and about 6 inches away from each other. Have your hands 6 inches away from your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes and scan your body for any tension in your face, throat, chest, legs, and feet. Stay here for 5-10 minutes breathing normally.

Do you suffer from depression?

The Maine Winter can be long. If you feel like you’re catching a bit of the Winter Blues, have no fear- Bound Angle Pose (Baddha Konasana) is here! We tend to hold a lot of negativity in our hips, so naturally, a hip-opener will do just the trick to release any negative feeling. Remember: The issues are in the tissues!

Start by sitting on your mat with a tall spine. Bring the bottoms of your feet together and open them like a book. Gently try to lower your knees towards your mat, it can be helpful to use your elbows to guide your knees. Do not fret if your knees are as high as your chest. The point is to feel a stretch. It may be uncomfortable, but you should not feel pain. Remember that yoga is a process. Accept where you are and move forward. If your body feels good here, start to lean forward with a flat back over your ankles. You can also lie on your back and try this pose for deeper relaxation in Reclined Bound Angle Pose (Supta Baddha Konasana).

For more information on preventative poses, email me at ariazarnoski@aol.com

The power is in your body, mind, and spirit.

Namaste