Stages of Disease

Disease is the disturbance in the normal functioning of the body and mind.

Paulette Millis, a Registered Nutritional Consultant writes in her book, Eat Away Illness, that there are five recognized stages that lead to a diseased state.

The first is when the proper nutrients the body requires are not supplied and the body begins to use up any stored reserves left in the body.

The second stages is the development of nutritional deficiencies.  This slows the chemistry of the body, alters it and creates a state where it is no longer functioning properly.

The third is when  symptoms begin to appear, but may not yet be recognized as such.  They may present as physical, emotional or mental symtoms.  At the beginning they could be as simple as an itchy nose or dry skin to irritability and lack of energy or the inability to concentrate.  As the cells become more and more malnourished the immune system also weakens.

The fourth stage is when one usually is experiencing more major symptoms leading to seeing doctors and having tests done to determine what is wrong.  The body is now said to have a disease.

The seriousness of the fifth stage will depend on the amount of damage the body has and whether radical diet and lifestyle changes are made.

In Mr. Iyengar's book, Light on Astanga Yoga, he says the root cause of disease is within us.  It is hidden in our own behaviour, our own habits, our characters, our nature, our mental attitude, whether good or bad, right or wrong. 

He gives an example of chocolate, saying, we like chocolate, we eat and cherish it, but we do not know when it leaves an imprint on our liver, making it sluggish or causing diabetes.  Our own behaviour and character may add fuel to diabetes.

It is only when we become aware of the danger of disease, that we embrace yoga. 
Yoga may help us to begin to question -  which bite may cause an illness? 
It is when our awareness and tuning into what our bodies need and not neccesarily want, that balance will come to the body, mind and breath.

Yoga has a healing effect on the body, mind and spirit – it is holistic healing, stimulating the body’s innate ability to heal itself.  Different asana and pranayama act on the body in different ways, affecting not only the muscles and joints but also the respiratory, digestive and circulatory, nervous, immune, endocrine and reproductive systems.  It balances the subtle energies of the mind and body, calms and steadies the nerves and dramatically reduces physical tension.

Good health means freedom from illness, absence of disease and perfect harmony in the functions of the body and mind. 
(Not so easy to do sometimes!)

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra’s II.16, he explains that the practice of yoga enables one to avoid the pains which are yet to come. 
Heyam duhkham anagatam : the pains which are yet to come can be are to be avoided.

So, by choosing yoga today you may prevent pains before they have a chance to begin!

Namaste!
Pamela Nelson
http://www.plnyoga.vpweb.com/