Rheumatoid Arthritis
Health & Wellness
People with arthritis often find that their ability to engage in specific activities varies from time to time . Julia McNally , founder of The RA Yogi shares some of the benefits of deep breathing .
In yoga , the breath is called prana and considered one ’ s life force and vital energy . Yogis look at prana as something that is infinite and can be controlled through breathing exercises ( pranayama ). These breathing exercises may include full yogic breath ( breathing into the belly , diaphragm and chest and exhaling , noticing the belly fall as you exhale ), kapalabhati breath of fire , which is good for increasing energy , anuloma viloma / alternate nostril breathing to help bring focus and grounding energy if you ’ re feeling scattered or anxious and intercostal breathing
with Julia McNally
Rheumatoid Arthritis
to help aid depression / low mood because of its expansive nature . Placing the hands on sides of the ribcage , breathe in through the nostrils , notice your body expanding into your hands , try to create equal breath of each side , notice the lungs filling with air slowly and expansion of the breath as you inhale and as you exhale relax and let go of any stale energy , moving the stuck energy out of the joints and the body .
Deep breathing brings you into the present moment , so even taking 3-4 simple conscious deep breaths is such a great practice . Julia said , “ I actually have an alert on my phone and my computer to remind me to take 3 conscious breaths every day , just in case I forget .”
Read more about Julia ’ s advice on yoga for rheumatoid arthritis here .
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