Exercise your way to pain relief

If the health benefits of exercise could be put in a pill, you would have perhaps the most powerful anti-aging medicine available. Regular physical activity supports virtually every system in your body, from your bones and muscles to your heart and cardiovascular system. Exercise also improves immune function, aids digestion and elimination, and increases endurance and energy. What's more, for every hour of exercise, there is a two-hour increase in longevity.

Exercise is powerful preventive medicine for pain, as it strengthens the joints and promotes healthy circulation, making it less likely that you'll succumb to injury — and more likely that you'll recover quickly if you are injured. Vigorous physical exercise also stimulates the production of endorphins, your body's "feel-good" neurotransmitters. Though more famous for their effects on mood, endorphins (the word is a combination of endogenous + morphine) are actually powerful natural pain relievers.

If you suffer from pain, exercise may sound like nothing more than a way to add insult to injury. But a vast body of research clearly show that exercise is extremely effective in restoring function, movement, and flexibility. People who regularly exercise can make significant gains in flexibility and mobility as well as their ability to function.

Many people find yoga extremely helpful to relieve pain. Yoga includes stretching, breathing and relaxation techniques that will increase your flexibility, teach you the proper alignment of the body, and provide you with tried and true methods for relieving the tension that contributes to pain. A well-qualified yoga teacher can help you develop a practice specially suited to you.