The Yogi Cure-All

There is a yoga posture that has often been called the "yogi cure all" and can be used for just about any ailment. The best part is that it is simple and easy to do. For anyone who held the excuse that they aren't flexible and could never do any yoga this posture is a great place to start.





Vaprita Karani or Legs Up the Wall Pose is pretty self explanatory. (see picture to the left)











Here are a couple of tips:





* Sitting next to the wall, bring your hips as close to the wall as you can.


* Protect your back by laying on your side and then gently swing your legs up against the wall. It it not imperative that your legs be at a 90 angle against the wall, only that your legs are straight. If the back of your legs feel tight, scoot your hips away from the wall until you find a place of comfort and ease in your body.


* You might also place a pillow under your hips or lengthwise along your spine for more comfort and higher elevation.


* Your arms can rest at your sides, out into a "t" or up over your head.


The ancient yogis believed that "legs up the wall" pose was a cure-all. They believed that once the feet were up over the head in a resting posture a secret serum was released from the heels and would gently trickle down to wherever the ailment was and could especially assist with headaches, low back pain, varicose veins, anti-aging and metabolism. These ancient yogis were such fans of "legs up the wall" they felt it had just as much benefit on the body if held for 10 minutes a day as a full yoga class does.





This pose is doing many things physiologically.


>> helping to traction the spine, alliviating pressure through the low back


>> reversing the direction of circulation giving the veins of the legs a break from gravity which also helps slow the aging process and nourish circulation.


>> bringing fresh circulation to the head


>> assisting the blood pressure to decrease





To release from this pose gently walk your feet down the wall and bring your knees into your chest. You might enjoy rocking from side to side. To protect your back roll on to your side (you might prefer to rest on your side for a moment) and slowly push yourself back to a seated posture.





While holding this posture close your eyes and practice some deep breathing. Imagine a balloon in your abdomen. With your inhale imagine filling this balloon up with any stress or tension and with your exhale imagine your balloon slowly deflating letting your stress or tension out. Focus on slow, long exhales to promote further relaxation in your body. You might be aware of a tingling sensation in your legs or even feel your back naturally start to loosen.





If you need some help relaxing you might consider a meditation CD. Whole Health Meditations offers 7 unique meditations ranging from a 5 minute meditation to a 30 minute meditation.

To order your CD visit http://www.wholehealthprograms.com/


For more information on restorative yoga visit www.yogajournal.com/basics/991


Whole Health Acupuncture offers gentle yoga classes in Mt. Prospect at St. Emily's Church in the gathering center every Monday and Thursday 4:00-5:00 for $5.

We also recommend Tribalance Yoga in Schaumburg http://www.hotyogis.com Stop by Whole Health Acupuncture to receive a free class pass for Tribalance.

www.yogachicago.com is also a wonderful resource for yoga classes in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Look for the free publication Yoga Chicago around town as well.

Namaste!

Best Cure For Sickness Is Prevention

The strategy of Chinese Medicine is to strengthen the body and build upon health rather then waiting for an illness to treat. Balance may seem like an illusive reality when change is our only constant. The intention of this medicine is to instead allow the body to flow with the changing rhythms within the body and around the external environment. Illness and imbalance are a part of life. Chinese Medicine supports the body to ride through an illness or imbalance instead of being disabled by it.

The Chinese use a symbol of balance called the yin yang. The yin yang is really the foundation of Chinese Medicine. The yin yang is two equal halves of white and black with smaller circles of the opposite color inside the half. You might notice that the halves are not cut right down the center, rather in a more fluid motion. This is meant to symbolize the fluidity of balance. Yin is often classified as being more cool, feminine, dark, and heavy wereas yang is seen as being more hot, masculine, bright, and light. The image of the yin yang is meant to explain the interconnectedness of life. Yin is not better then yang or vice versa. The two need each other to exist. The image of balance is yin at its greatest becomes yang, yang at its greatest turns back into yin.

In terms of your body what exactly does this mean? Well for starters balance isn't a state your body reaches and then the work is over. Maintaining your body's equilibrium means moving fluidly through life's transitions, flowing rather then fighting. For many people change is hard, fighting change is one way to knock the body's natural balance. The farther we get away from nature the harder it can be to access our bodies' innate wisdom to maintain balance. We know the only constant in life is, in fact, change. The day (yang) turns into night (yin). Summer (yang) turns into fall (yin). When we follow the rhythms of nature by adapting our habits to reflect the environment around us i.e. wearing less clothing in the summer, more clothing in the winter, eating richer foods in the winter and lighter foods in the summer, sleeping more in the winter and less in the summer our bodies know how to adapt without effort.

The famous classical text Nei Jing so eloquently states, "maintaining order rather than correcting disorder is the ultimate principle of wisdom. To cure disease after it has appeared is like digging a well when one already feels thristy or forging weapons after the war has begun."

Stay Stress Free this Holiday Season with Whole Health

Instead of fighting the malls this Black Friday Nov 27th visit Whole Health Acupuncture and purchase acupuncture, massage therapy or reiki gift certificates for your friends and family.

For each gift certificate purchased receive a complimentary 15 minute massage. Give the gift of relaxation to yourself and loved ones. Its the ultimate win-win!
1 gift certificate = 15 minutes free
2 gift certificates = 30 minutes free
3 gift certificates = 45 minutes free
4 gift certificates = 60 minutes free

If you're really not a fan of natural stress busters you can add your complimentary minutes to your gift certificates for a 75 minute massage or reiki session for the price of a 60 minute massage.

Whole Health is in its final production stages of its first meditation CD. PreOrder your meditation CD with 7 original guided meditaitons.

Makes a great stocking stuffer!

For more information or to schedule your black friday massage call 847.357.3929 or visit us at www.wholehealthprograms.com

Whole Health Acupuncture
50 Turner Ave
Elk Grove Village IL 60007
847.357.3929
visit us at www.wholehealthprograms.com

Whole Health Acupuncture Offers Solution For Health Care Crisis

Whole Health Acupuncture has recently implemented community style acupuncture on a sliding scale.

What exactly is community acupuncture?

Community Acupuncture is how acupuncture is practiced traditionally in Asia with several patients resting together at the same time. At Whole Health Acupuncture we have two community rooms with zero gravity reclining chairs. Your acupuncture treatments are tailored to your individual needs and you rest comfortably in your recliner with other individuals that are also receiving acupuncture. This system allows us to reach more people in need of health care and keeps costs down. We find in this way people are able to go into deeper states of relaxation because of the security of other people in the room that are also relaxing. Much the same way you would work out at a harder intensity in the gym vs working out alone at home.
Community Acupuncture also allows those that are nervous about the idea of needles to bring a family member or friend for moral support.

Community Acupuncture's intention is to empower You

In the West most acupuncturists treat one patient alone in a treatment room and sessions last 15-40 minutes and can cost anywhere from $65-150 a session. At Whole Health Acupuncture we find that many patients' bodies are not finished processing their session in 20-30 minutes and leave feeling fatigued instead of energized. With Community Acupuncture you determine when your treatment is over. Patients rest anywhere from 20 minutes-90 minutes depending on what their individual needs are. This fosters body awareness so that patients start to pay attention to their own body's needs.

Whole Health does not require proof of your financial situation. You choose the cost of your treatment ranging from $15-50. Each time you come in you may pay the same fee or a different fee depending on what works for your budget. What you pay for treatment does not change the quality of care. Acupuncture is most effective when done consistently over a period of time and can assist with just about any health condition from the common cold, headaches, PMS, depression to cancer recovery. Community Acupuncture on a sliding scale allows Whole Health to bring safe, effective healthcare to everyone on every budget. We are sensitive to the fact that illness and pain does not disappear when the economy is down and believe that illness is not just the absence of disease and prevention is not just early detection. Acupuncture can improve your quality of life, give you an outlet to manage stress and be used as preventative medicine.

"American's healthcare system is neither healthy, caring or a system." Walter Cronkite 1993

It is the goal of Whole Health Acupuncture to assist patients in becoming healthy and staying healthy. The practitioners of Whole Health Acupuncture went to school to serve the community with a 5000 year old tradition of effectiveness that is non invasive and without the side effects and dangers of drugs and surgery.

For more information and to schedule an appointment call 847.357.3929 or visit www.wholehealthprograms.com

Whole Health Acupuncture
50 Turner Ave
Elk Grove Village IL 60007
847.357.3929
www.wholehealthprograms.com