Saturday, Feb. 11th, 2023  •  2-4 pm

In-studio workshop  •  Capped at 12 attendees

$60 ($54 for PY828 Members)  

Join Viva Banzon to learn 6 poses from Dr. Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonsall to improve your bone health. 

As we get older, our bones begin to thin, increasing our risk of getting osteoporosis, an extreme condition where the bones are so fragile they can easily break from a fall. The progression of this disease is easily missed or ignored because we cannot feel our bones weakening. Yet the consequences of a broken spine, hip, or wrist can be painful and life-altering because it can hamper your ability to do everyday tasks. Prevention is the best strategy against osteoporosis and the best time to build bone is before our thirties.

We can still, at any age, make lifestyle and activity choices that can prevent, slow down or even counter osteoporosis. Yoga has been shown to be effective and can be adapted to any level, any age, and accommodate limitations common in older adults. You also cultivate mental focus, muscle strength, coordination and balance through yoga, which help prevent falls and injuries. Besides, your bones are also important for providing minerals for energy metabolism and tissue growth, while the marrow produces cells for the blood and immune systems. Take charge of your health and join Viva Banzon to learn how to use yoga to stimulate bone building.

In this two hour course, Viva will teach 6 poses and their variations following the specific methodology she learned from Dr. Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonsall, the authors of the book Yoga for Osteoporosis. For each pose, you will learn which aspects to prioritize and explore which variations are appropriate for you. The selected poses are part of Dr. Loren Fishman’s Second Series, a sequence currently being used in a study on how yoga can improve bone quality, not just density. Viva will also explain why certain types of poses are contraindicated and give tips on how to navigate a regular yoga class. A handout will be provided.

This course is open to beginners and experienced yoga practitioners who are interested in using yoga to prevent or mitigate osteoporosis. The main focus is safety, strength, and balance, not flexibility or perfect form. Most poses will be held for about half a minute, and you will be able to find a variation that allows you to hold that long. Students should be able to get down and up from the floor, and move props without any problems. Additional factors such as nutrition and posture will be briefly discussed.

About Viva: Viva didn’t think much about bone loss until an overactive thyroid suddenly put her at risk for osteoporosis. She became highly motivated to educate herself when her doctor prescribed medicine with side effects that seemed worse than low bone density! Inspired to use yoga to build stronger bones, she has read several books and research papers on the subject and has taken courses with Dr. Loren Fishman and Ellen Saltonsall, authors of Yoga for Osteoporosis. Viva is a retired ocean scientist and has been a dedicated student of yoga since 2011.  Her initial exposure to yoga was in 1978 through a meditation practice. She is a Purna Yoga teacher at the 200-Hour level, and takes online classes weekly at Purna Yoga 828 and with Aadil Palkhilvala, the founder of Purna Yoga. She has continued to pursue her interest in using yoga for health, and completed a 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Wellness Education in December 2022. 

Sign up below. And if you have any further questions for Viva, drop her a line.

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