My name is Aamir and I’m a 24 year old microbiologist, currently on my way to becoming a Yoga teacher and a Naturopath. As I go through this process, I am teaching some basic yoga and practice naturopathy at a yoga center. I have a variety of hobbies, which include swimming, walking, reading and listening to music. And while everything may seem happy and balanced now, I was in a sad place not so long ago. I suffered from lower back pain from a sports injury, which I overcame with the help of yoga and naturopathy. Here’s the story behind it.
I always loved playing outdoors. Since I was a kid, I was good at almost every sport in my school but I was best at running and I was preparing for national sports events. Life, however, always takes you where it wants you to be. My father wanted me to become a doctor but quickly realized I didn’t want to become a physician. Instead, I studied microbiology and started playing rugby while at school. One day during I took a long jump and struck into the ground which badly injured my lower back. I fell on the ground and was not even able to stand up, my friends took me to hospital and doctor told me to rest for months on the bed lying straight with the bunch of medicines, from here my life completely changed.
Bed rest for months, eating medicines more than food, completely cut out from the outside world, my life took a big turn. Even after the complete rest and proper medication my lower back pain did not go away. People around me would tell me to accept this was part of my life now but it was hard for me to do it. As a sportsperson, I did not give up there, I went to many doctors, therapists, but none of them succeeded in curing my pain.
Despite the sheer amount of medicines I was taking, pain became part of my life and I accepted that I will have it for my whole life. I started eating more, no sports, no workout, I started gaining weight. Half of my life was on the bed watching movies, which would make me feel awful, given the person I used to be. I used to be sad constantly and I would even cry in solitude. Over time, I started worrying more and more about my life which lead me to a period of depression and stress. I failed my exams and decided to take some time off. A family member who lived in a small town invited me over to spend some time with her. I needed to get out, so I was happy to change the scenery for some time.
Living in this town had a great impact on my mental health. Things slowed down and I was more energetic than before. I started to eat natural food and I was in more contact with nature which helped me to come out of the ugly situation I was in. With time I was getting better mentally.
One day I met a guy who is a yoga teacher and I had a long conversation with him. That meeting sparked something in me that I was ready to do anything to get back to a healthy life. I decided to become a yoga teacher, despite my sports injury and started working on myself right away. It was really hard for me to get onto the routine but I did not give up. Initially, it was like rediscovering my body and learning when and how to push gently. Over time, this started to become a healthier habit.
After some time, I was doing asanas for back pain 5 times a day, which helped my back pain tremendously. Along with the asanas, I started to incorporate some naturopathic treatments, recommended by the yoga teacher. They included a detox diet, which would help with inflammation. I eliminated refined foods and saturated/trans fat. I also started incorporating supplements, like flax seed oil, glucosamine and some vitamins and minerals that would help with bone strengthening.
A few months in, and I felt yoga and naturopathy had largely resolved my sports injury. My body reminds me that I experienced a traumatic fall, but the pain doesn’t affect my activities any longer. In fact, I’ve never felt this happy or energetic before.
I never knew I would become a Yoga teacher and a Naturopath. I know, however, that my lower back injury took me here and I’m so grateful for it. From a spiritual perspective, I learned that whatever happens in our lives, happens for a reason. You never know where life is taking you, but you always can make the best out of any situation.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.