Yoga of The Heart & Lungs

Cinnamon Le Blanc, CPT,E-RYT,YACEP

NCCRA Conference

March 22, 2018

Who are our participants?

Physician referred

Cardiac & Cancer

patients

Those with other

chronic illness:

COPD, Parkinson's,

MS.

Yoga: Health & Fitness

First mentioned over 5,000 years ago in the Rig Veda

Yoga – Union or Yoke mind,body,spirit

Its purpose – To cultivate health & well-being, through the regular practice of its principals.

Its benefits include – lower blood pressure, improve circulation, lower LDL, risk for heart disease improved lung function.

Using mindful movement and

the art of deep relaxation to:

regain & maintain health

manage stress

relieve pain

attain peace of mind

How Can Yoga Help Cardio-Pulmonary

Patients?

Yoga of the Heart classes offer a modified form of yoga for people with Heart Disease COPD and other chronic illness.

Participants will be introduced to gentle yoga postures using chairs, pillows, stretch straps and other props to promote ease of body & mind, while increasing strength & flexibility.

Our pranayama practice (the breath of yoga) helps improve the respiratory muscles, and promote self awareness.

A 3 month study of 29 COPD participants

provides positive outcomes.

Participants practiced yoga, meditation and relaxation

techniques consistently twice a week for four weeks, and

then one hour a week every two weeks over the next

eight weeks.

Their lung function, inflammation, quality of life and

breathing were evaluated at the beginning of the study

and at the end. All parameters showed

significant improvement

Yoga can be a low-risk, but potentially high-yield way to

improve quality of life in COPD patients.

Yoga and Heart Health

What does The AHA Say?

yoga does not count towards the ACSM physical activity requirements of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity per week. It can however offer strength building benefits.

As part of an overall healthy lifestyle, yoga can help lower blood pressure, increase lung capacity, improve respiratory function and heart rate, and boost circulation and muscle tone.

The calming benefits of yoga may help with the acute emotional stress of a cardiac event.

New Study Highlights Yoga’s Cardiovascular Benefits

(Yoga International)

Led by Professor Myriam Hunink of Erasmus University

Medical Center in Rotterdam and Harvard School of

Public Health in Boston,

a review of 37 randomized studies involving 2,768

participants found that yoga is linked to the reduction of

key risk factors for heart disease

Researchers also found that when it came to these

improved risk factors, there was not a significant

difference between yoga and other forms of exercise.https://yogainternational.com/article/view/new-study-highlights-yogas-cardiovascular-benefits

Integrative Programming

Cancer Wellness

Program

Cardio-Pulmonary Rehab

Bariatric Pre & Post Hab

Community Support &

Outreach

Stand-alone small group

or one-to-one, 4- to 8-

session program

Integrative Programming

Physical

Social/Emotional

Mental

Spiritual

Objectives of this Program

Use yogic breathing exercises to increase patients’ circulatory and respiratory efficiency and increase their lung capacities.

To improve participants’ muscle strength and resiliency using gentle yoga postures.

Group exercise ,education and camaraderie with individuals having similar health concerns

Objectives of this Program

increase their knowledge of their own bodies with a balance of introspective movement & stillness.

To teach yoga and meditation as an assist to psychotherapy.

Reduce stress and induce deep relaxation with visualization & Yoga Nidra

Improve sleep.

What you’ll need for a class

A warm, quiet space

Yoga mats and chairs

as seating

Props: pillows, stretch

straps, blankets or

large towels, yoga

blocks, eye covers

A Yoga of the Heart

Certified Instructor

Class Structure

Opening - Breathe, Relax, and Center

Gentle neck, shoulder, wrist, and ankle

stretches.

Yoga Postures that flex, extend, rotate,

and moderately invert the body

Yoga Nidra – Progressive deep relaxation

Savasana – Resting and Aware

Gratitude and Closing

Yoga of the Heart® – Cardiac and

Cancer Certification Training

Nischala Joy Devi http://www.abundantwellbeing.com/nischala-joy-devi/

Bhaskar Deva http://www.abundantwellbeing.com/bhaskar-deva

Research: Avoiding Revascularization with Lifestyle Changes: The Multicenter Lifestyle Demonstration Project

(THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF CARDIOLOGY! VOL. 82 (10B) NOVEMBER 26, 1998)

http://www.abundantwellbeing.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Multilifestyle1.pdf

Research: Lifestyle Heart Trial Study (JAMA. 1998;280:2001-2007)

http://www.abundantwellbeing.com/yoga-therapy/yoga-of-the-heart/ama

Judith Hanson Lasater

Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times in 1995 and creating a special teacher certification.

READ MORE: HTTP://WWW.OPRAH.COM/HEALTH_WELLNESS/RESTORATIVE-YOGA-HEALTH-BENEFITS#IXZZ4FRNPNKVM

http://www.judithhansonlasater.com/study-online/

YOCAS Yoga

Effect of YOCAS yoga on sleep, fatigue, and quality of life: A URCC CCOP randomized, controlled clinical trial among 410 cancer survivors

https://www.oncolink.org/conferences/coverage/asco/oncolink-at-asco-2010/saturday-june-5-2010/effect-of-yocas-yoga-on-sleep-fatigue-and-quality-of-life-a-urcc-ccop-randomized-controlled-clinical-trial-among-410-cancer-survivors

Additional Resources

https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-

topics/the-connection-between-yoga-and-

better-sleep

My Contact Information

Cinnamon LeBlanc, CPT, RYT-500, E-RYT, YACEP

Director,

FirstHealth Fitness-Southern Pines

205 Davis Rd.

Southern Pines, NC 28387

(910) 692-1672

bleblanc@firsthealth.org

https://www.firsthealth.org/fitness

https://www.facebook.com/FHCFitness

In the FirstHealth community, we view exercise as medicine.