Yoga RX: A Step-by-Step Program to Promote Health, Wellness, and Healing for Common Ailments

315 Pages·2002·67.99 MB·English

by  Larry Payne

■■MH^H ■■MH^B^H
"YOGA RX shows in simple, easy-to-undcrstand terms what a powerful
difference Yoga can make in your life. Highly recommended."
—Dean Ornish, M.D., founder, president, and director,
Preventive Medicine Research Institute
Yoga
Rx
A Step-by-Step Program
to Promote Health, Wellness, and
Healing Jor Common Ailments
Larry Pavne, Ph.D., &
Richard Usatine, M.D.
YOGA RX
LARRY PAYNE, PH.D., AND
RICHARD USATINE, M.D.
Edited By Merry Aronson
and Rachelle Gardner
Broadway Books NEW YORK
YOGA RX
A Step-by-Step Program
to Promote Health, Wellness,
and Healing for Common Ailments
To Merry, with love.
L.P.
To Moira, a loving sister
and a wonderful mother.
R.U.
YOGA RX. Copyright © 2002 by Larry Payne, Ph.D., and Richard Usatine, M.D. All rights reserved. No
part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without written permission from the publisher. For information, address Broadway Books, a division of
Random House, Inc., 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Broadway Books titles may be purchased for business or promotional use or for special sales. For
information, please write to: Special Markets Department, Random House, Inc., 1540 Broadway,
New York, NY 10036.
BROADWAY BOOKS and its logo, a letter B bisected on the diagonal, are trademarks of Broadway Books, a
division of Random House, Inc.
Visit our Web site at www.broadwaybooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Payne, Larry.
Yoga Rx : a step-by-step program to promote health,
healing and wellness / Larry Payne and Richard Usatine.
p. cm.
Includes index.
1. Yoga, Haoha. 2. Healing. 3. Health. I. Usatine, Richard. II. Title.
RA781.7.P395 2002
613.7'046-dc21
2002074781
ISBN 0-7679-0749-3
FIRST EDITION
Designed by Dana Leigh Treglia
Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt
Photographs by Blaine Michioka
3579 10 864
Contents
Acknowledgments
A Note from Larry and Richard
How to Use This Book
PART I: INTRODUCTION TO YOGA THERAPY
Chapter 1 How Yoga Heals
Chapter 2 How You Can Benefit from Yoga Therapy I 6
Chapter 3 Getting Started with Yoga Therapy 23
PART II: PUTTING YOGA THERAPY
I NTO ACTION
Chapter 4 The Wind in Your Sails: Yoga Breathing 33
Chapter 5 Relaxation and Meditation 48
Chapter 6 Core Yoga Routines That Really Heal 60
PART III: YOGA THERAPY FOR
COMMON Al LMENTS
Chapter 7 The Musculoskeletal System:
Back, Knees, Arthritis 97
Anatomy 101 98
The Yoga Advantage for Musculoskeletal Ailments I 09
The Yoga Prescription for Musculoskeletal Ailments I I I
Yoga for Musculoskeletal Ailments I 14
Chapter 8 The Respiratory System:
Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis,
the Common Cold 151
Anatomy 10 1 I 52
The Yoga Advantage for Respiratory Ailments I 5 7
The Yoga Prescription for Respiratory Ailments I 60
Yoga for Respiratory Ailments I 62
Chapter 9 The Circulatory System:
High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease I 72
Anatomy 10 1 173
The Yoga Advantage for Circulatory Ailments I 7 6
The Yoga Prescription for Circulatory Ailments I 79
Yoga for Circulatory Ailments 182
Chapter 10 The Digestive System:
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Heartburn 189
Anatomy 10 1 19 1
The Yoga Advantage for Digestive Ailments I 94
The Yoga Prescription for Digestive Ailments I 95
Yoga for Digestive Ailments I 97
Chapter 11 The Nervous System:
Tension Headaches, Migraines 202
Neuroscience 101 203
The Yoga Advantage for Nervous System Ailments 206
The Yoga Prescription for Nervous System Ailments 209
Yoga for Nervous System Ailments 2 I 0
Chapter 12 For Women Only:
Menstrual Cramps, PMS, Menopause 218
Physiology 10 1 2 19
The Yoga Advantage for Women 2 23
The Yoga Prescription for Women 22 A
Yoga for Women Only 226
Chapter 13 Mental Health: Anxiety and Depression 232
The Yoga Advantage for Mental Health 235
The Yoga Prescription for Mental Health 23 7
Yoga for Mental Health 238
Chapter 14 The Endocrine System: Diabetes, Obesity 249
Physiology I 0 I 250
The Yoga Advantage for Endocrine Ailments 2 5 3
The Yoga Prescription for Endocrine Ailments 254
Yoga for Endocrine Ailments 256
Appendices
A. Resource Guide 265
B. Finding a Yoga Therapist in Your Area 271
C. Figuring Your Body Mass Index 273
Notes 275
Bibliography 281
Quick Reference to Postures, Breathing,
Relaxation, and Meditation 285
Inde 289
Acknowledgments
- e would like to express our appreciation for the many people who
made this book possible.
If Special thanks to Rebecca Cole, our editor at Broadway Books, for
her wisdom, patience, and guidance, and to Dana Treglia for the beautiful design of
this book. We are grateful for the enormous talent of Rachelle Gardner, who helped
us find our voice and continuously gave invaluable assistance. Our technical editors
Richard Rosen and Art Brownstein, M.D., helped us keep our facts straight, and our
extraordinary photographer, Blaine Michioka, captured the beauty of Yoga in pic
tures. We thank our undaunted literary agent, Carol Susan Roth, and the consult
ants and friends who gave selflessly of their time and knowledge: Sri Mishra, M.D.;
Richard Miller, Ph.D.; Robert Forster, P.T.; Roger Cole, Ph.D.; David Allen, M.D;
James Galizia, M.D; Mike Sinel, M.D; Lesly Kaminoff; Kausthub Desikachar; Linda
Lack, M.A.; Judy Gantz, M.A.; Leroy Perry, DC; Steve Paredes, DC; Professor
Sasi Velupillai; John Schumacher; Joseph Le Page; Roberta Haas; Shinzen Young;