5 Ways to Relieve Pain Without Pills
We know you'd roll your eyes if we even suggested you cure agonizing pain with deep breathing and some yoga. But hear us out: Complementary and alternative therapies can provide serious help.
By Karen Asp
Yoga
What it is: A form of exercise that incorporates breath work and poses to build balance, strength, and flexibility.
Science says: Yoga may help counteract chronic pain by building gray matter in the brain: In one study, neuroscientists compared gray matter in the brains of people who practiced yoga for an average of ten years with those who, although healthy, never had. Overall, yogis had more gray matter in regions of the brain related to pain regulation and tolerance.
Best for: Lower back pain (alleviated especially by poses that strengthen your core).
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From the April 2016 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine