Keeping flexibility with Parkinson´s

We are responsible for what we are,
and whatever we wish ourselves to be,
we have the power to make ourselves.
If what we are now has been the result of our past actions,
it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in the future
can be produced by our present actions;
so we have to know how to act.
-Swami Vivekananda

To my dear friend, I wish you all the strength
may this be the first step!

Dopamine is the chemical responsible for coordinating muscles and quick, smooth movements.
Parkinson´s disease is characterized by a loss of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the substantia nigra midregion of the brain. Although the symptoms of the disease vary from case to case, people with Parkinson's usually experience a freezing or slowing of movement as the disorder progresses. There is no cure for Parkinson's, but there are a variety of medications that can help relieve its symptoms.

While yoga cannot reverse Parkinson´s, it can slow its progression and ease its symptoms by improving the practitioner's flexibility, strength and balance. The yoga poses induces relaxation, which helps control tremors, activates affected muscle groups, and can be a steady reminder of where your body should be and how it should move."

Keeping the body physically active on a daily basis is important. Stiffness in the body's core is one of the most debilitating symptoms of PD because it hampers a person's ability to walk across a room or simply stand upright.

These following asanas are beneficial to core flexibility:
Notice that these modifications are for those in the early stages of Parkinson´s and still have good balance.

Start by doing each pose on the right side as you later follow with the left.
Inhale with your nose.
Exhale with your mouth closed.
Stay in every pose for several breaths.

Standing Head to Knee Bend

Inhale as you stand up straight.

Exhale and lean forward.

Use a necktie to support the forward bend.

Keep the standing leg straight. Keep the hips in square.










Seated Twist

Inhale stretch up the arm.

Make sure that you sit on both sitbones.
IF one sitbone lifts, put a towel under to stay parallel to the floor.


Exhale and twist









Prayer Twist

Inhale rase your arms

Use a towel to support the knee




Exhale and twist









Cat and Cow Tilts

Inhale

Spine in concave
Relax the sholders




Exhale

Spine in convex






Downward-Facing Dog
Press your feet towards the books if you can´t straighten the knees.

Spread out your fingers and push the palms down.

Keep the spine straight.

Focus on lifting the sitbones towards the ceiling.

Gaze between your feet.


Upward-Facing Dog

Put your palms on a steady pile of books to get a nice curve in the spine.

Ground your feet into the floor.

Relax the shoulders.







Rabbit

Put the top of your head down on the floor.
Use a necktie to stay in the pose or grab your ankles

or....



release stiffness in the shoulders by pointing the arms forward with support of a necktie.












Crescent Moon

Inhale and rase the arms without puting tension on the shoulders.

The towel supports you from any knee pain.




Exhale and make a nice backward curve in your spine.
Press the tailbone down.

C-h-a-l-l-e-n-g-e your balance.

or...




put your palms on the hips to stay in balance as you lean back

Make sure that our heaviest bodypart, the head, doesn´t put any tension on the shoulders!










Triangle

Inhale

Stretch out the arms parallel with the floor.




Exhale, lenghten the spine to the side.

Use a pile of books to support the side stretch and to avoid the knee to get bent.

Use the support of a wall to keep the shoulders in line instead of dropping forward.



Cobra

Lay flat on the floor gazing at the mat.

Inhale as you lift up the chest from the mat.
Make space for the lungs to breath deeply.

Press the elbows towards the ribs.

Drop down your shoulders.