Coping with stress…Healthy Living has useful tips on how to live stress-free

People cope with stress in many ways; some make use of healthy habits like exercise and mediation and others turn to alcohol and drugs. The common motivation behind these habits is stress reduction. In tonight’s edition of Healthy Living, we show you one free and easy method of relieving the stress of your day.

Marleni Cuellar, Reporting

Yoga is an up and coming discipline in Belize. Weight loss, flexibility, strength training and even improved posture are some of the reasons why some people are drawn to this combination of physical, mental and spiritual discipline. Ashanti Garcia is one of several yoga instructors in Belize. She notes that in addition to the physical benefits of yoga, many find it most beneficial for reducing stress.

Ashanti Garcia, Yoga Instructor, Health and Wellness Center

Ashanti Garcia

“Yoga involves postures as what most people familiarize themselves with. You have to make a connection with your body through the postures and the relaxation comes through the postures because even though you can relax your body and your mind is scattered and you are thinking of a lot of things the body is going to be tense so the connection comes in when you are able to relax your body and relax your mind and that’s where the yoga comes in with the breath. Allowing yourself to let go that’s really what relaxation is all about. Not to hold on to anything physically or mentally just let go. And because are not use to that; sometimes we find it challenging in the beginning but as you continue with practice like everything else it gets better.”

Now, it will take years of practice and dedication to become an “Airbender” like Ashanti, but there are stretches or yoga poses that you can do at home that will relax your muscles and instantly release some of the day’s stress. Ashanti shows us three poses to try at home.

Ashanti Garcia

“The first pose is called supine bound angle pose. You begin this pose flat on your back; your knees are together and you slowly bring the soles of the feet together and widen the knees. The first place you begin to feel this pose is in the inner thigh sand hips.  You’re crouched over for like 8 hours if you’re doing a standing so this actually allows you to relax the back muscles your legs muscles.  The second pose is the legs up the wall pose.  This is a half inversion. What are inversions? These are posses where your body is either upside down or half upside down. The benefits of inversions are many; one of the benefits is that it helps to change the flow of circulation; so it allows you to boost your brain all over again. The one I will show is accessible to anyone you just need to lay flat on your back and lay your legs up on the wall.”

According to Ashanti, the legs-up pose is also good for people with insomnia & those who suffer headaches.

Ashanti Garcia

“The third pose is shavasana or the corpse pose; it’s done during every yoga class. This pose is the complete relation pose. You lay completely flat on your mat and you’re legs about the same width as your mat and you’re not trying to hold or flex. Everything is just relaxed. Arms are a little bit away from the body, your head is centered your eyes are closed and you just try to connect with your breath in this pose. There is a common saying that when you’re angry or stressed people say just breathe; and it’s because it really has an effect.”

Each pose can be held for 5 to ten minutes. You can also play some relaxing music to set the tone.

Stress can wreak havoc on the body, leading to minor problems like headaches to other major chronic illnesses. Hopefully, you’ll be inspired to try one or two of these poses to help reduce your own stress levels.

Ashanti Garcia

“It is a physically and mental thing because you do have people that are able to relax their minds but after years of activity they’re muscles are just really tense. You would see their shoulders and it’s just everything is crunching in. so it’s a matter of just physically relaxing your body and also bringing your mind into concentration.”

Marleni Cuellar

“I’m no aspiring yogi, but I’m willing to try something new to help reduce the stresses of everyday living.”