Reducing Stress With Yoga Helps Lower Blood Pressure And Prevents Heart Disease

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/J_Russell_Hart/278755]  J Russell Hart

Yoga combines movement, breath awareness, and mental focus. This integrated approach to movement supports the health of the body and the mind. Some practitioners and teachers say that movement through various yoga poses makes yoga a moving meditation.

During a yoga session, each of the poses, asanas, are linked to the breath. Movement is guided with the inhales and exhales. As the practitioner takes open poses, where they extend or lengthen the body, they inhale. When a practitioner folds or contracts the body as in standing forward fold, they exhale.

Some asanas build strength and endurance. Other asanas allow muscles to lengthen and relax.

A complete yoga practice takes the spine in all six directions, forward, up, back, bending side to side and twisting to the left and right. A traditional yoga practice ends with complete relaxation, lying in Svasana, corpse pose, and includes breathing exercises as well as various forms of meditation.

What are the Benefits of Yoga?

Yoga exercises increase strength and flexibility. They also have a calming effect on the mind and nervous system. Yoga provides numerous health benefits.

Physical benefits associated with Yoga

Improves and maintains flexibility

Builds muscle strength and endurance

Elevates the heart rate (depending on the style of yoga)

Keeps the spine supple

Improves posture

Increases circulation

Maintains the cartilage and joints

Lowers blood pressure

Improves functional fitness

Improves blood circulation

Boosts heart health

And many other health benefits for the body

Mental benefits associated with Yoga

Improves depression and increases serotonin (mood nerotransimetters in the brain) levels

Improves ability to focus and concentration

Alleviates stress, and anxiety

Decreases the body's fight or flight response and increases the relaxation response

Builds confidence

Fosters an increased sense of well-being

Develops mindfulness which results in better body awareness to meet its needs

What Is Blood Pressure?

A blood pressure reading measures the level of force exerted on the walls of the body's blood vessels as blood passes through them. With each beat, the heart moves blood through the blood vessels to every part of the body. A high hypertension reading indicates the heart must work harder to do this.

Blood pressure readings measure two components, the systolic and diastolic readings. Systolic and diastolic pressure references the two stages of a heartbeat. The reading is most often notated like a fraction with the systolic reading on the top and the diastolic reading on the bottom.

A blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 falls within the normal range. High blood pressure or hypertension becomes a concern when a reading exceeds this range.

Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)

Prehypertension: 120-139 over 80-89

Stage 1 high blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99

Stage 2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above

High blood pressure in people over age 60: 150 and above over 90 and above

Consequences of High Blood Pressure

Untreated hypertension can lead to various health problems, including:

Damage to the heart and coronary arteries that can lead to heart attack, heart disease, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis and aortic dissection.

Stroke

Vision loss

Erectile dysfunction

Memory loss

Fluid in the lungs

Kidney damage

Angina

Peripheral artery disease

Yoga and Blood Pressure

Stress, obesity, and poor diet adversely affect hypertension. Stress causes a consistent pattern of adrenal stimulation and increased heart rate, essentially causing the body to remain in fight or flight mode. The heart works harder raising blood pressure.

An obese person's heart must multiply its efforts to send oxygenated blood throughout the body. A poor diet, especially one high in processed foods, sodium, and fat contributes to hardening of the arteries. As the arteries narrow, more force is required to move blood through them, which increase probability of developing hypertension, heart disease, and possibly heart failure.

Yoga addresses each of these issues and is recommended as a complementary therapy to manage and prevent high blood pressure.

The physical postures build muscle and bone density, which helps people, manage and lose weight.

They also allow the heart to grow stronger by improving circulation.

The mindfulness component allows people to build thought patterns, which lend themselves to making mindful choices across the board. According to Yoga Journal, this includes building a healthy diet.

Yoga also lowers hypertension. A recent study attributes yoga's effect on blood pressure to its mindfulness and relaxation components.

According to researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine, yoga may provide excellent benefits to people seeking to relieve anxiety and overall improvement in their mood. Yoga eases the stress and anxiety, which contribute to depression, poor dietary choices, and a sedentary lifestyle.

Yoga provides an accessible and effective way to prevent and manage high blood pressure. In this sense, it is a complementary therapy and professional guidance is necessary. People who have hypertension need to consult with their doctor and a knowledgeable yoga instructor before beginning a yoga program; some poses may increase hypertension if unmodified.

Russell (Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club, a website devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness. The site encompasses a wide variety of health and fitness activities including general health matters, pilates, yoga, CrossFit, treadmill training, running, kettlebell, swimming, baseball, camping, hunting, HIIT, triathlons, extreme sports, equestrian and more. Should this subject matter be of interest you can visit the HF & S Club home site where you'll find over 1,300 quality posts with new posts being published daily. To quickly access those that are of interest you can select any of 20 Categories broken down by over 260 Sub-Categories for easy access.

You can also visit visit any of the HF & S Club's four Stores all of which feature 1,000s of sports and health products at the very best prices. Access this website by going to [http://www.healthfitnessandsport.com]

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Reducing-Stress-With-Yoga-Helps-Lower-Blood-Pressure-And-Prevents-Heart-Disease&id=8975288] Reducing Stress With Yoga Helps Lower Blood Pressure And Prevents Heart Disease

Yoga and the Mind/Body Connection

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vaughn_Balchunas/8107] Vaughn Balchunas

Yoga is most famous for its healing ability and the peace of mind that it brings.  How does Yoga do this?

The body has two nervous systems, sympathetic, and parasympathetic.  The sympathetic system, also called the "fight or flight" system, causes blood pressure to rise, breath rate to increase, and stress hormones to flood the body.  This prepares the body for fight, and in today's world, this occurs when we are stressed or agitated.  This system, when over stimulated, can cause health problems like ulcers, migraines, and heart disease.

Raja Yoga Meditation - Achieving an Integration of Mind and Body

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/David_Barrett/102085]   David Barrett

The raja yoga meditation is an effective technique of meditating and kicking out stress and worries from your life. This technique is all about gaining control on everything that is connected with you. This is not just about controlling your breath, but in fact, it is more about controlling your mind. The ultimate purpose here is to achieve an integration of mind and body.

Raja Yoga the Royal Science of Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Arun_Kumar_Suri/37073] Arun Kumar Suri

The Indian scriptures unequivocally declare that every soul is divine and the ultimate purpose of human life is to experience that state of divinity. They advocate four different paths, which are not mutually exclusive for attaining this goal-the path of devotion (Bhakthi Yoga) the path of selfless service (karma Yoga), the path of intellectual inquiry (Jnana yoga) and the path of meditation (Raja Yoga).

Raja yoga takes us to this goal faster than other methods. This involves stilling the mind and the senses so that we cease to identity ourselves with the body mind complex and experience our true nature. We communicate with the external world through the five senses. The mind interprets the impulses from these senses. Mind is a bundle of thoughts and desires. It is an abstract entity. We cannot catch hold of the mind. How then do we still the mind?

Seafood and Ten of Its Health Benefits

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Coleen_Panetti/64344] Coleen Panetti

Who says there is something fishy on fish oils, shellfish, and other seafoods when it comes to health benefits? That is absolutely a fishy story.

Nowadays, people have come to realize the importance of seafoods in our diet. Various studies and researches have proved that the best sources of good fats, vitamins, and minerals to promote good health can actually be found on different seafoods. The only drawback is that it took so many years for most people to realize the health benefits of having seafoods in their diet.

Fruits and Vegetables and Phytochemicals

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Barbara_Pfieffer/12102] 

Barbara Pfieffer

I'm willing to bet you probably haven't heard the word 'phytochemicals' before. But you've been eating them your whole life and they are vitally important to your life and well-being. They are one of the keys to real health.

So, what are they? Phytochemicals are biologically active substances in food. They have health enhancing abilities and possibly curative abilities. They number in the hundreds in most plant foods. They are found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains.

Protective Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Cindy_N./11084]  Cindy N.

Omega-3 appear to reduce the risk of heart attack. A 20-year project at the University of Leyden in the Netherlands, comparing the eating habits of more than 800 men at risk of heart disease, found that men who ate more than an ounce of fish a day had a 50 percent lower rate of heart attacks.

Since then, a lengthening list of studies has shown similar protection among men who eat fish at least two or three times a week. One possible explanation is that omega-3 reduce triglyceride levels. Another is that you body converts omega-3 to a compound similar to prostacyclin, a naturally occurring chemical that inhibits the formation of blood clots.

Herbs for Health

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Conny_Jasper/598118]  Conny Jasper

Many years ago, I began seeking options for healing myself, other than conventional modern methods. In my search, I became interested in herbal remedies, so I started to learn about them and experiment with them. Over the years, I found the herbs to be very useful and valuable for my health.

Herbs are our allies that nourish and heal us. People have been using them for as long as people have been on this planet. Herbs bring us back into balance with Nature. Thousands of years ago countless plant species were part of our daily diet. Our bodies evolved utilizing plants and their nutritive and therapeutic properties.

Ayurvedic Nutrition: Let Your Food Be Your Medicine

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vishnu_Dass/5718]Vishnu Dass

It is ironic how something as obvious as nutrition has become overlooked in the modern health care system, and how in the name of convenience our fast paced society has given way to fast foods, microwaves, quick fix medicines, and eating on the run. Fortunately, there is a growing focus in the important role that nutrition plays in maintaining good health. In Ayurveda, India's ancient science of life, health and longevity, food plays a prominent role in promoting health and is therefore considered medicine.

Controlled Movements and Mind - The Differences between Yoga and Pilates

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vaughn_Balchunas/8107]  Vaughn Balchunas

These days, Yoga and Pilates are the "it" thing to do.  It seems as if you can't open a magazine, turn on a television, or read a newspaper without some mention of Yoga or Pilates.  It seems anyone who is anyone is doing one or both of these things.  Are these the newest fad exercise?  Certainly not!  Both techniques have been in practice for a long time, and have been time tested and proven.  Both of these things are good for you, but the two are often confused.  They are different, in many ways.

Meditation through Yoga

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Craig_Hathway/18038]  Craig Hathway

"Stop and smell the flowers."  This old adage holds great truth and advice especially for the over-worked, over-stressed citizens of the modern world.  We fill our days with fast paced activities and chores that lead to frustration, increased weight, and depression.  Trying to cram too many activities in each day can have disastrous effects.  Many ask how they can ward off the ill effects of stress.  Besides reducing your activities you can look to the beneficial effects of meditation.

Yoga Anti-Aging Health Benefits

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dennis_Harris/36980]  Dennis Harris

The most common definition of aging is not what really determines it. In reality, misusing our bodies over a long time causes the body to degenerate and consequently look older. A lifetime of remaining sedentary, consuming non-nutritious foods or having poor posture while working can cause the stiffness or aches and pains commonly attributed to getting old. Regular care and maintenance of the human body is required as much as all other types of machines ever made by man. One of the major things that make the bodies of humans unique is the ability to renew or regenerate themselves at the cellular level. Yoga is an important tool that works to help maintain the health of the human body.

Yoga and Your Heart

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Michael_Russell/12389]  Michael Russell

The leading cause of death for both men and women in United States according to American Heart Association is Coronary Heart Disease, which causes approximately 1.5 million heart attacks each year.  Recently, research has shown that yoga and meditation have been known to reduce blood pressure, regulate heart rhythm, improve the elasticity of the arteries, lower pulse rate and increases the heart's stroke volume.  In short, practicing this ancient art of body/mind wellness is good for the heart. 

The factor that contributes heavily to heart disease is stress.  Situations which are highly stressful increase the heart rate and blood pressure.  The stress hormones get released during a stressful situation; extended or recurrent exposure of these hormones can injure the heart and the blood vessels.  Yoga promotes a relaxed state of mind and body and is also widely known for playing a vital role in reduction of stress hormones, decreasing the heart rate and lowering blood pressure. 

Thinning of the Bones - Osteoporosis is Preventable

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Mike_Finding/412562]  Mike Finding

Is Osteoporosis a preventable condition?

Osteoporosis or thinning and weakening of bones is now becoming more than a disease of pregnant women and old ladies. Young people AND men are increasingly susceptible to Osteoporosis nowadays.

Osteoporosis Affects 50% of Women and 1 in 8 Men; What is it, and are you at Risk?

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Vikki_Scovell/14558]  Vikki Scovell

I want to talk about osteoporosis, a condition which affects up to 50% of women by older age.  But women are not alone, although it is often thought of as a women's disease, 1 in 8 men will develop this condition; a 13% chance, and this rate appears to be increasing; possibly because of greater intake of alcohol and tobacco.  Three million of the seven million women in the UK over the age of 60 will suffer a fracture due to osteoporosis, and more women die of complications arising from an osteoporotic fracture than die of ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer put together.  This is clearly an issue that we should understand more about. 

Osteoporosis - What can I do to Prevent it?

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Barbara_C._Phillips/927]  Barbara C. Phillips

Osteoporosis is a silent disease. You normally don't know it until something like a fracture occurs. In reality, your bones have been losing strength for years.

There are millions of people with osteoporosis, and the vast majority of them are women. Bone is a living tissue that consistently breaks down and rebuilds. As we enter our 40's and 50's, the rebuilding is having a hard time keeping up with the breaking down...thus a net loss.

Qigong Standing Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elizabeth_Reninger/24043] Elizabeth Reninger

Here's a wonderful ~ simple & powerful ~ Taoist meditation practice, which can be done either outside (in a beautiful natural setting is best!), or indoors. It's similar in many ways to Buddhist Shamata sitting meditation practice, but ~ and hence the name! ~ you're standing. (So, for one, it's less likely that you'll fall asleep ... J)

Begin by standing with your feet parallel and about shoulder-width apart. Take a couple of deep long breaths, saying "aaah" (either out loud or to yourself) with the exhales. Let go of any tension you find in your shoulders, neck or face ~ simply let it "melt" away, with the exhale ... as though that tension were a frozen river, being touched now by a warm sun, and flowing downward, like the gentle cascade of a waterfall, forming pools at your feet. Feel your energy, your awareness, settling into your feet & legs & hips & belly, connecting you strongly to the earth. Bend your knees just slightly ~ just enough to feel a softness at the backs of your knees.

What is Heart Disease?

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Fern_Kuhn/12067]  Fern Kuhn

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF YOUR HEART AND HEART DISEASE

Understand the basics associated with your heart and blood vessels. Here you will get an understanding of all the different types of cardiovascular disease that can be confusing. Get a basic overview of cardiovascular disease and the conditions that can affect your heart and blood vessels.

You probably hear a lot about preventing heart disease. But maybe you're not sure what heart disease is. Is it the same thing as cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease or other heart terms you sometimes see?

Homocysteine Heart Disease Risk Factor: What You Don't Know Can Kill You

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nicholas_Messina_M.D./12789]  Nicholas Messina M.D.

Diseases of the heart and blood vessels are still the number one health problem in the United States. Approximately 35% of all heart attacks occur in people with normal total cholesterol levels.

Research has shown that high levels of an amino acid called Homocysteine contributes to the progression of heart disease. Many researchers believe that the connection between Homocysteine and atherosclerosis is even stronger than the case against cholesterol. Some studies have shown that for each 5 micromoles per liter increase in homocysteine level, your risk for heart disease can increase by as much as 60 to 80%. The American Heart Association has indicated that a reasonable therapeutic goal for homocysteine levels should be less than 10 micromoles per liter.

Reduce Heart Disease, Strokes, and Cancer by Drinking Oolong Tea

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kevin_Woodward/20289] Kevin Woodward

There is a Chinese proverb - A daily cup of tea or more, keeps you out of the pharmacy. As you will shortly see, there is a lot of truth in this proverb. So, what is oolong tea? It is related to green tea and black tea -- they are all produced from the same plant. Green tea is made from the dried leaves, whereas black tea is made by fermentation of the leaves. Oolong tea is made by partly fermenting the leaves prior to drying.

Triglycerides and cholesterol are two important fatty substances in the bloodstream. These are essential for many things in your body but cholesterol also builds up on the wall of the arteries, causing them to narrow and restrict blood flow. This can lead to several problems including coronary thrombosis (a heart attack) and strokes, so high cholesterol levels are not a good thing. Studies in several countries have found many kinds of tea have some effect in reducing cholesterol in blood fats, though oolong seems to get the best results. It is thought that the polyphenols in tea inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, thus decreasing the cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. There is also evidence that they may decrease the blood's tendency to form thrombi, or unwanted blood clots.

What Is a Stroke, What Causes It and First Aid

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gianluca_Fontana/1655345] Gianluca Fontana

I lost already one person due to a stroke, and considering that only in the US one person dies of stroke every 4 minutes, by the time I will finish writing this post unfortunately several more people will have died. The reason why I decided to write this post is to help other people recognize the early symptoms of strokes and giving them a chance to call for help in a timely manner. Even a few minutes can greatly increase the chances of survival, so if you know somebody with high risk for a stroke please read carefully.

10 Harmful Habits That Can Prove Deadly To Your Heart

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Wale_Ologunowa/2062364] Wale Ologunowa

The heart is arguably the hub of life. It is the singular, central body organ on which every other organ or tissue depends for nourishment and survival. Why? Because it is the powerhouse that keeps pumping blood which distributes oxygen and other essential nutrients around the body.

Despite this cardinal role, the heart is usually the focus of several bad habits that tend to compromise its functions. Furthermore, while some of these habits are obviously deadly and many try to avoid them, others appear seemingly harmless. However, the bitter truth is they can all prove deadly to your heart.

CAD: Coronary Artery Disease

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nidhi_Sharma/2439675]Nidhi Sharma

Coronary heart disease, Coronary artery disease (CAD) and Ischemic heart disease (IHD) are synonyms and includes a bunch of disease like stable angina, unstable angina, myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death.

Coronary heart disease develops when the arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the heart itself gets blocked due to the cholesterol or other substances gets deposited on the inner side of the blood vessels called the plaque, this narrowing of arteries is called atherosclerosis or arteriosclerosis. If it takes place in one of the major heart supplying arteries then it causes heart attack, stroke or peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

Keeping Your Brain Young and Healthy

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Carol_Chuang/545843]Carol Chuang

The human brain is an extremely complex organ. Despite rapid scientific progress, the knowledge about how the brain works in still evolving.

The brain contains about 100 billion neurons, which are highly specialized nerve cells responsible for communicating information throughout the body. For each neuron, there are roughly anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 synapses. A synapse is the connection between neurons that permits a neuron to pass an electrical or chemical signal to another neuron. Hormones and neurotransmitters are examples of chemical signals.

The old adage of humans only using 10% of our brain is not true. Every part of the brain has a known function. Humans continue to make new neurons throughout life in response to mental activity. When you learn something new, your brain undergoes physical changes. The brain keeps growing in the frontal and temporal lobes well into middle-age, which can be associated with better emotional development and wisdom.

Meditation and the 7 Steps to Inner Peace

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/L._Meyer/460698] L. Meyer

If you want to experience inner peace, you don't need to travel to exotic locations, study with a yogi or lock yourself in a room and chant endlessly. Finding inner peace is a matter of taking time for yourself to quietly reflect on the stillness within you.

We're all so busy rushing from one thing to another, occupying our precious time with things that don't even need our immediate attention.

Sadly, we seldom take time for ourselves to be at peace.

Truth is the idea of someone having 20 minutes of free time to do nothing could very well put them in a panic! Most people wouldn't know what to do with themselves. That's because they don't know inner peace.

Meditation: A Path To Inner Peace

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gwen_Stewart/3196] Gwen Stewart

Throughout history, meditation has been an integral part of many cultures.  Records indicate that meditation was practiced in ancient Greece and India more than 5,000 years ago.  In the Buddhist religion, meditation is an important part of their spiritual practice.  Different forms of meditation are practiced in China and Japan, and Christianity, Judaism, and Islam have traditions similar to meditation.  The word meditation comes from the Latin 'meditari' which means: exercise, turn something over in one's mind, think, consider.  It is defined as "consciously directing your attention to alter your state of mind." 

    Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies that in recent years have been classified under the mind-body medicine therapies.  It is continuing to gain popularity, as more and more health experts believe that there is more to the connection between mind and body than modern medicine can explain.  Meditation has been shown to aid the immune system and improve brain activity, according to researchers.  More and more doctors are prescribing meditation as a way to lower blood pressure, improve exercise performance, for people with angina, to help people with asthma to breathe easier, to relieve insomnia, and generally relax everyday stresses of life.  Many hospitals now offer meditation classes for their patients because of the health benefits.  All promote physiological health and well-being.

Five Unknown Facts about Meditation

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Deepayan_Choudhury/2446548]  Deepayan Choudhury

The Concept of Meditation:

Meditation has become a common term among the society right now. It has spread its roots deep down starting from the corporate world to the common mass. The number of yoga institutions has boomed recently and numerous terms for meditation practices are coined to attract people in this path. The categories of meditation are several in numbers. Some are listed below.

Classical: This is the generic one which doesn't follow any specific guidelines. It generally emerges from belief and personal trend.

Tenets of Yoga Philosophy

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kevin_Pederson/18135]Kevin Pederson

In the ancient India, philosophy has been traditionally divided into two main groups. These groups are called as the orthodox group and heretic group. The orthodox group believes in the authority of Vedas in all the philosophical matters. These orthodox systems are six in all. One of the most popular systems of philosophy is yoga.

It shares the following common beliefs with the other orthodox systems:

What Is the Difference Between Bikram, Anusara, and Iyenger Yoga?

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Claire_Austen/1287637]Claire Austen

There are several different forms of yoga to choose from. This article covers the differences between three popular forms: Bikram, Anusara, and Iyenger.

Bikram

Bikram Yoga, the most popular form of Hot Yoga, is also the most structured of all yoga forms. No matter what class you attend or teacher you have, you'll always have the exact same routine.

It is practiced in a room set at 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40% humidity. The sequence always consists of the same 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises. The entire session runs exactly 90 minutes.

What is Yoga? Asana in the Context of the Six Yogas System

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elizabeth_Reninger/24043] Elizabeth Reninger

What Is Yoga?

Yoga is freedom. It is love. It is pure, radiant, unobstructed joy. It is pure awareness, wide-awake and clear.

~ Richard Freeman, director of The Yoga Workshop, in Boulder, CO

Here in the United States, on the cusp of 2006, just about everyone has heard the word "yoga." For many if not most, the word conjures images of scantily-clad beings with expanding and twisting limbs: a well-worn "scene" in health clubs, retreat centers, and yoga spaces throughout the country. In other words, it brings to mind the practice of asana ~ sequences of physical movements and postures ~ which, as it turns out, represent just a tiny slice of the entire "pie" that is the Yoga Tradition(s) of the larger world (universe, cosmos). Now there's nothing wrong with the practice of asana (I do it myself, and find it quite wonderful!), but it might be useful to be able to place this particular aspect of yoga onto its larger "map" ~ to have a sense of the tradition(s) from which it arises and to which it returns, and to understand asana to be just one of many possible entry-points into this vast and beautiful territory. So let's explore...

Beyond Flexibility - The Health Benefits Of Yoga

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rebecca_Prescott/18749] Rebecca Prescott

When I was 21 I suffered a slipped disc in my lower back. I couldn't sit down during the acute phase, only lie or stand, though standing itself was uncomfortable at the time. Once the acute phase had passed (with rest, although acupuncture and shiatsu are great), I had the fortune to meet some yoga teachers and I started going to their classes. I started out with Oki yoga, which is a Japanese form of yoga, and very good for healing the body.

I was given a series of correcting and strengthening exercises designed to improve my back and specific to the meridians that were in need of attention in my particular case. Oki yoga has postures classified on how they affect the meridians, which are like energetic pathways within our body. And that was the one thing that helped restore my back completely, to a state that was actually better than it was before I injured myself. When you are suffering an acute injury though, yoga really shouldn't be attempted until that stage has passed.

Bikram Yoga - Hot, New Energy Source

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jolene_Schwartz/23796]Jolene Schwartz

As people search for curative and restorative effects to combat the impact of a chaotic world, Yoga has become very popular in our culture. Yoga is for everyone and can be done by everybody. Yoga is the only exercise from which you gain energy instead of burning it and it doesn't matter how well you do each of the postures, only that you do it the right way. Traditional cardio exercise works on 3-10% of the body, Yoga exercises 100% of the body, from bone to the skin, from head to the toes, and to every organ, gland, tissue and cell.

Self Remains in Four States of Consciousness

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Premansu_Chand/10927] Premansu Chand

Presently most Yoga Masters teach Yoga just as a therapy or as a means to keep body and mind healthy. To keep body and mind healthy is not everything; it is the base of Yoga. The apex of Yoga is to realise the true self (atman). According to the Indian Scriptures Atman is Brahman, the Ultimate Reality. So practitioners should try to understand the 'self' first.

 Like all living beings, man has consciousness. For this he feels that he has existence. Dead matter has no consciousness and so it cannot know either its own existence or the existence of others. Since conscious man knows his existence, he has a Self. Self is intimately related to his consciousness. Consciousness awakens knowledge in him. This knowledge tells a man that he has a Self or has an existence in relation to others.

Trinity - The Three Levels of a Yoga or Qigong Practice

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Elizabeth_Reninger/24043] Elizabeth Reninger

Yoga and Qigong practice is traditionally spoken of as occurring on three levels: the outer, the inner & the secret. These three levels of practice have similarities to what in Taoist practice are known as the Three Treasures (Jing, Qi & Shen); and also to what in Buddhist practice are known as the Three Bodies (Tri-Kaya) of the Buddha/Awakened Mind (Nirmanakaya, Sambhogokaya & Dharmakaya). [They also have a less precise but still resonant relationship to the Hindu yogic system of the "five sheathes."]

The outer level of practice is the most superficial (or densely vibrating) level. In qigong, it is called the level of the "tendons" and is associated ~ in terms of the Three Treasures ~ with Jing/essence (which, among its physical substances, includes cerebral-spinal fluid, marrow & sexual fluids). In terms of an asana practice, this is the level at which one focuses on physical alignment: on creating a structure (of bones, muscles, organs, tendons) conducive to entrance into the deeper levels of the practice. This is the level at which one learns a "form" which (like a mandala, a yantra, or good feng shui) can then serve as a portal through which the energies/insights of the inner levels of the practice can more easily flow. So as practitioners, this means learning the particular form(s) associated with our chosen tradition.

Seventy (70) is the New Forty (40) - Exercising Your Total Body is Good News for Baby Boomers

By [http://EzineArticles.com/expert/V_Landry/2450418]  V Landry

Seventy (70) is the new Forty (40). To a lot of you that sounds like a lot of BS, as you sit there with aches and pains in places you never knew you had. I'm 70 so I know what you're feeling. As we age our metabolism slows down, muscle mass shrinks and our hormones and neurological responses decline. However, those facts being what they are, recent studies at the Center for Exercise Medicine at the University of Alabama ( Role Tide) for you Bama Fans, have in fact verified the statement, that seventy (70) is the new forty (40). Several of their studies show that muscle growth and strength can be achieved by us Baby Boomers, or seniors if you will. The key is consistent effort. If you put forth that effort to exercise consistently and follow a fitness scheme you will see results. I'm not suggesting that you try to bench press New Jersey and run a Forrest Gump marathon, but that you follow a fitness schemes that consists of at least thirty (30) minutes three times a week. To see results might take a little longer, to achieve, but the studies indicate if you're consistent the results will be the same as when you were in your forties. I don't know about you but I'd rather have a physique of a well-toned person in their forties then a muscle sagging person in the seventies or beyond.