Health Benefits

Why consider exploring the different holistic modalities offered at The Holistic Center for Health and Wellbeing (HCHW)?

Overall Health Benefits:

The World health Organization is predicting that by 2030, Depression will be the number One presenting ailment – GLOBALLY.

HCHW offers classes, events and courses that help with depression and anxiety

Harvard University recently conducted a clinical trial over a three-month period that demonstrated that participants who took hot yoga classes, 3x/wk for three months demonstrated an 80% decrease in depression.

The HCHW offers this type of yoga.

Additional health benefits of yoga include:

  • Contracts and stretches muscles to cellular, biochemical level

  • Lipids and proteins reorganize optimally in such stretching, allowing for better circulation

  • Nerves stimulated by compression and extension, supplying fresh blood, oxygen and nutrients to the body

  • Waste products pumped out

  • Blood and calcium brought to the bones

  • Strengthens bones with additional weight and stress brought to them

  • Brain stimulated by improved circulation

  • Improves communication to the nervous system

  • Lymph nodes massaged

  • Pumps lymph into the body, helping lymphatic system work more efficiently

  • Sends out white blood cells to the body

  • Organs of immune system boosted (red marrow in bones)

  • Compression and extension of thymus, spleen, intestines and appendix

  • Lungs stretched and flushed out by increased blood circulation

  • Toxins flushed out

  • Endocrine glands encouraged to secrete appropriate hormones

  • Helps to eliminate fat and reorganizes tissues

  • Greases joints and improves range of motion

  • Strength built by use of gravity

  • Balances muscles, joint and energies of the body   

***Bikram yoga Teacher Training course, Anatomy & Physiology, 1998

Additional health benefits of various yoga & other HCHW modalities:

  • Mental relaxation & clarity

  • Stress

  • Insomnia

  • Emotional releases

  • Promotes coordination between muscles, cells & organs

  • Teaches patience and tolerance

  • Helps with bad headaches / migraines

  • Mindfulness – being present=being aware – Mental clarity

  • Builds confidence

  • Anti-aging naturally

  • Opens tissues, fascia, muscles and scar tissue

  • Sense of community and belonging

Meditation:

  • Helps with focus, concentration, sharpness and overall effectiveness in daily activities

  • Helps to quiet the activity of genes that promote inflammation

  • Brings the mind into a more calm state, tapping into the parasympathetic nervous system (Rest & Digest) 

  • Psychological stress (sympathetic nervous system being triggered) can cause inflammation to the body. When stress goes unchecked, the inflammatory response can impair both physical and mental health. People who experience stress, but practice meditation can reduce this inflammation and reverse the effects of chronic stress.

Breathing (Pranayama):

  • The effect of stress and depression on physical and mental health is wide-reaching. 

  • Anxiety and depression have been found to be co-factors in the progression of many diseases, including asthma and cardiovascular diseases. 

  • Pranayama breathing activates the nerves – through pranayama one achieves respiratory efficiency – better oxygenated blood throughout the system as well as a state of mental and physical equilibrium