Veggie Blog

Shoosh Lettick Crotzer’s Yoga for Fibromyalgia is the first yoga book devoted exclusively to managing the symptoms of this arthritis-related condition. Her comprehensive program of twenty-six illustrated yoga poses, breathing techniques, and guided visualization and relaxation sessions can be practiced regardless of age or yoga experience. She teaches how to use simple props—a chair, a blanket—to modify poses to support your body and your changing needs, and suggests how to use each pose to ease the effects of daily activities, such as sitting, driving, and gardening. The poses are modeled by yoga teacher Deirdre Carrigan who has fibromyalgia.

Fibromyalgia, which affects more women than men, is characterized by widespread pain in muscles, ligaments and tendons, as well as fatigue and multiple tender points — places on the body where slight pressure causes pain. Although mainstream medicine has yet to devise a successful plan for treating fibromyalgia, yoga offers sensible strategies for managing, and sometimes overcoming, the pain. Written by a yoga teacher and suitable for both yoga novices and veterans, this book is grounded in simple movements, breathing techniques, and guided visualization and relaxation sessions. Readers learn to reduce stress and manage fibromyalgia through eight sequences: four for pain relief, one to diminish fatigue and improve sleep, and three for maintaining body awareness and general flexibility. The author’s simple, supportive language and mixture of theory, practice, and the latest scientific data offer hope for one of the most challenging health conditions.