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| Im only asking as I dont really know. Im very new to this, and I hear about the detox a lot, but I was wondering if there was any proof to it all?
I do feel better, (or I did) but yesterday my whole inflexible body just ached in a way it has never ached before. Ive decided to have a day or two rest and go again, maybe it is just too much when you are as bent up as I am .  |
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| no - detox is a misnomer - the body eliminates waste products primarily through urine, feces and, arguably, lymph. sweat does include some amount of waste material but it is minor - detox is mostly a newage concept that is used to sell products, some of which are snake oil. this is not to say that one doesn't feel 'cleansed' after a bikram class. it's a very commonly stated effect. |
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| so really the heat is pointless, except to make you loosen up a bit????  |
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| One of my teachers explained it like this - We use the tourniquet effect in class - hold a pose and restrict the blood flow somewhere, and then when we release, new blood rushes back, which has healing benefits (which I am sure some will dispute). But, if we were to hold a pose, rest, hold a pose, rest, our bodies wouldn't get warmed up enough to do the exercise - we all know you need to be warmed up to prevent injury. So, one of the reasons the room is warm is to ensure we are always warm enough to be exercising despite the rests we take during class. |
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| I'm sure the others will be able to explain the benefits of the heat better than I can, but here are a couple of thoughts. These are benefits that I can certainly feel in my body as I practice.
I know that the heat improves cardiovascular function--were you to do the poses at 75 degrees, you would simply not "feel it" as much. Your heart rate wouldn't be elevated, your blood wouldn't be able to race around your body as easily, etc. You'd burn less calories, too, if that sort of thing matters to you. The warmed muscles and joints would also reduce the risk of injury, in addition to allowing you to simply stretch further.
I think the heat helps me concentrate better, too. I'm a person that finds it very hard to "concentrate, meditate," and I need that combination of intense heat and fast-paced dialogue to keep me focused and present in the class. The heat helps to beat my mind into submission ;-)
Just my $.03!
Edited by Randomfemale 2009-08-19 8:41 PM
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| thanks everyone. I feel Im asking some fairly silly questions, Im just fascinated as to what people's experiences are.
XX |
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| Hey Alex! They are not dumb questions, so don't worry! Keep on asking away!
I agree that the "detox" explanation is kind of a red herring, from a medical perspective. I think that "detox" is often given as the reason for the heat, just because it's a concept that people can immediately understand. "Oh yeah, detox, I know what that is, and I sure do feel like I'm doing it!"
"Detoxing" is also a lot catchier than "bringing more oxygen into the blood stream and increasing the circulation in the body, so that when you restrict the blood flow to a certain area of the body and then release it again (i.e. the tourniquet effect), the healing powers of the postures are greatly magnified." The second one is not as simple to describe to friends at a dinner party, but I think that it is much more accurate. It's all about oxygen and circulation. There are many SO benefits to the heat. Detox is just not the most significant one.
If your studio has a copy of Bikram's "Hot Yoga" book (the one with the orange cover), pick that up sometime and check out the section on "blood and circulation", page 84 to 86. That gives a pretty clear explanation of this whole "tourniquet" idea.
Oh yeah, and welcome to Bikram yoga.  |
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| Depends on what you need or mean by proof Alex--if it's hard scientific evidence, nope--there is none for detox or tourniquet or anything regarding hatha yoga. You'll be inundated by a lot of "I think..." or "probably" or "possibly." It's like many things we face in life--if it works for you, go for it--faith. |
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| yeah, i generally agree with bikram's assertions about tourniquet effect and also with "detox" through sweat, lymph, etc, but whether or not there is western, scientific evidence--it's largely not been studied.
but here are my thoughts on it.
chinese traditional medicine, including acupuncture, has been around for a couple thousand years at least. it has been practiced throughout that culture (on a large population) over that time, and certain effects were noticed within communities. you do this with the needle, and it seems to work out this way most of the time. that's why they *kept* doing it.
so, fast forward to a pregnant 32 yr old woman looking for a family doc. she chooses one who works with a midwife and supposedly does acupuncture for pregnancy and labor. sounds fab, right?
said doc goes "well, i do it, but there's no scientific evidence to prove that it works." and i ask "what does the tradition say?" and he said "most of the time, it works, even when i have done it here in the office."
so you see, in his experience and in the tradition, it *works* even though western science has no evidence to show that it works.
it just works. because we see it work over and over.
i am heading toward a liver cleanse. i talked to my doctor about it (a different one than this guy i just mentioned). anyway, my massage therapist noted that the skin on the bottom of my feet yellows a bit. so, she said i might have my liver checked a bit.
i talk to my doctor about it. i don't want to do anything too major, seeing as i'm nursing and most cleanses (detoxes or whatever) are contraindicated for nursing moms. we come up with a plan--either hot yoga or sauna plus increase use of fennel in my diet. those do not (to our knowledge) affect the breastmilk.
now, it could all be a large load of hooey, and from a scientific standpoint it often is considered thus, but let me be honest, i have noticed that my feet are less yellow and so on. |
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| This article was in the local San Antonio newspaper this weekend:
Steps to Health: Some yoga can strengthen bones
By Jessica Belasco - Express-News
Want to strengthen your bones? A few downward facing dogs might do the trick.
A pilot study published in the current issue of the journal Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation suggests a short daily yoga routine can build bone mineral density, preventing or treating osteopenia and osteoporosis.
"The results were significant," says Dr. Loren Fishman, assistant clinical professor at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons and co-author of the book Yoga for Arthritis (W.W. Norton & Co., $18.95). "And in two years, there were no serious injuries."
Fishman says yoga is a safer alternative to bisphosphonates, drugs such as Fosamax intended to increase bone mass and reduce the risk of fracture in patients with osteoporosis, which can cause serious side effects.
Participants in the study, who had been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia and had an average age of 68, practiced 10-12 minutes of yoga daily for two years. Bone scans showed significant improvement in bone mineral density at the end of the trial.
Before you jump into yoga, though, it's important to note that not all poses are appropriate for people with fragile bones.
Some poses put pressure on the bones in a safe way, prompting their growth, but others — such as forward bends — can be dangerous for people with osteoporosis if they are not executed properly, Fishman says.
A doctor, physical therapist or qualified yoga teacher can help determine the safest movements.
Currently, the National Institutes of Health Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center recommends weight-bearing exercises, such as walking or jogging, and resistance exercises, such as weight-lifting, to build and maintain bone density.
The center states that yoga can improve balance and flexibility, reducing the chance of falling, which can cause fractures.
Because the published study was a small one, Fishman is conducting an ongoing similar study on a larger scale.
jbelasco@express-news.net
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| thanks everyone for these replies and the welcome! I think I will get a copy of the book. Ive got a class tonight, so Im really looking forward to it. Thanks for the input, this is a great forum XX |
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is there any proof of "detoxification" benefits from Bikram
