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Yoga Meditation For Pain Relief

by on Jan.13, 2008, under Yoga

The purpose of this article is to provide information on methods and techniques on how to cope with pain, or in some instances, possibly even overcoming pain with the use of techniques derived from Yoga meditation.

Chronic pain sufferers spend millions of dollars to find ways of relieving their pain. This article hopes to share a process that is natural, and free.

Meditation: The Most Popular Alternative Pain Relief Therapy

According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, mind-body medicine is the most popular alternative approach for people in pain. And at the heart of mind-body medicine lies the age-old practice of meditation; a quiet, simple technique that belies an extraordinary power that has scientifically been proven to boost disease resistance and maintain overall health.

For many people who suffer from chronic pain, spending quiet time in meditation has proven to be the first step in learning how to cope with their pain. Over the years, thousands of individuals have sought help at stress reduction clinics that teach meditation techniques to people with pain. Their symptoms vary -from headaches, arthritis, and back pain to anxiety, eczema, and many other conditions- but their stories are remarkably similar:For those seeking help in coping with their problems, meditation works.

How Pain Relief Is Attained Thru Meditation (Why Meditation Decreases Pain)

The human body can produce its own natural chemical self-stimulants called endorphins. Among other things, this group of molecules alleviates stress, reduces pain, and gives a feeling of pleasure.

During meditation, when the brain is in a highly synchronous and coherent state (as measured by EEG brainwave biofeedback machines), it produces large quantities of these pleasure-causing neuro-chemicals, i.e., endorphins, making the whole experience pleasurable, giving an overall feeling of well-being. Many report a feeling of peace, happiness, connectedness, and a sense of wholeness when meditating.

Scientists have found that when the brain is stimulated by a pleasurable experience, it is capable of overwhelming or inhibiting other stimuli. Thus, pleasure can overcome depression or pain.

Yoga Meditation Methods For Coping With Or Overcoming Pain

There are many meditation methods andtechniques but they can generally be divided into several categories listed below. You may experiment with each one, and maybe even combine them to suit your needs. It all depends on what works best for you. Meditation is a very flexible tool.

Category 1: Breathing

One of the first steps in meditation is being aware of your breath. This method involves the use of specific breathing patterns to bring about relaxation. Essentially, as you slow your breathing rate, the body relaxes, and the mind calms down, as well. Based on my own personal experience, the more relaxed you are, the less pain you will feel.

Category 2: Transformational Life View

Meditation does not only involve breathing awareness. Many meditation traditions ask you to ponder on life-changing concepts such as what reality is and who you really are.Understanding your True Self, and experiencing your True Self directly thru meditation causes practitioners to undergo a profound transformation of view. This transformation of view leads them to a different way of looking at themselves, namely from a perspective of wholeness. With this change of perspective, a new and profound coming to terms with their problems and their suffering begins to take place.From feeling out of control, helpless, and beyond help, they develop a sense of inner peace and acceptance, and even a sense of the possible, a feeling of calm confidence, and control. This attitudinal and emotional transformation plays a major role towards better health and often causes a reduction in physical symptoms and improvement in a person’s physical condition.

This transformational life view brings about an ability to act with greater balance and inner security in the world, especially when encountering stress, pain, or illness.This category includes the popular mindfulness meditation which is used extensively by stress reduction clinics that have helped thousands of chronic pain sufferers and people with illnesses.

Category 3: Visualization/ Imagery

Visualization or imagery is a commonly used technique to relieve anxiety and pain. It involves imagining a pleasant and relaxing, or even exciting, place or activity that has brought you happiness in the past or is appealing to you. Mentally exploring this place or activity in great detail can help induce a sense of calm.

Category 4: Prana/ Chi / Life Force

It is said that a life force flows through our bodies, invariably known as prana or chi, and that this energy flows through the body within a psychic nervous system composed of subtle channels. There is an intimate relationship between our mind and this subtle nervous system and we can control or direct this energy for improved well-being, such as for pain relief.

You can also visualize blue, white, or pink healing light having a positive effect on the painful area.

Conclusion

These Yoga meditation techniques have been used for centuries for spiritual purposes.However, they can also be used as natural pain relief methods. By applying the meditation techniques specifically for pain control, practitioners are able to have a positive effect on such severe kinds of pain.

I hope these methods help those of you with chronic pain so that you can use meditation to lead better lives.

About the Author

***** Copyright (C), 2005 Raj Kenshin Norbu *****
You are free to distribute or publish this article provided you do not change any of the content, and/or delete my name and URL from the article. Thank you!

Raj K. Norbu is founder of a site that shows you how to experience your True Self thru Yoga meditation, enabling you to increase pain threshold and perform amazing feats.Ebooks available include The Yogic Method For Developing Supernormal Powers and The Ultimate Yoga Meditation Course. To know more, visit: http://www.PainRelief-Meditation-Yoga.com

Written By: Raj Kenshin Norbu

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How to Find the Right Yoga Teacher for You

by on Dec.28, 2007, under Yoga

In order to find a quality yoga instructor, you need to know what to look for. Since there is no universal certification program for yoga teachers, not all of them are created equal as you can see by the following example.

I had been practicing yoga in my home for a while when I decided to take some classes at a local center. I had been using a variety of yoga videos and DVDs that were taught by senior instructors with impeccable form, so I expected the same quality of yoga instruction when I arrived at this class. Unfortunately, it wasnt the case. The teacher who taught the class was sloppy in her style as she moved through the poses and it seemed more as if she were doing her own practice, rather than leading the class. She never came around and adjusted the alignment of any of the students, which really annoyed me because that was the main reason I decided to attend the class. Additionally, she was facing one way and the students were facing the opposite way, so it was very difficult to see what she was doing. Needless to say, I wasnt impressed.

I am optimistic by nature so the next morning, I took another class at the same center, but this time there was a different teacher leading the practice. Her style was more of what I was looking for. Her execution of the positions was excellent. She showed the students how to do the pose and then she got up and checked the alignment of the students and made necessary adjustments. She brought attention to those students who did a pose particularly well, and she encouraged others to go a little deeper. I was very happy with the teacher, and even though the class did not fit my schedule particularly well, I attended it on a regular basis.

Although my initial endeavor into the world of taking yoga classes was somewhat hit or miss, by asking certain questions and checking some details, you have a better chance of finding the right yoga instructor for you.

Here are some things to consider.

Decide what your goals are for your yoga practice.
Do you want to practice yoga to relieve stress, heal from an injury, or gain strength and flexibility? If a center offers yoga that is very fast paced and very physically challenging, it probably wont be the right match for you if you want to learn how to relax.

What style of yoga interests you? Make sure that the center offers that particular style.

Are you interested in a certain level of yoga instruction? If you are a beginner, you probably dont want to take a class that lumps all levels together. You also dont want a class that is too advanced where you have a greater chance of feeling discouraged because you cant keep up with the other students, or worse, you could get injured. You want a class where the instructor takes ample time to explain the postures and also helps students achieve the correct alignment.

Ask out about the teachers level experience
Find out how many years the teacher has been practicing yoga and how long he has been teaching. With my experience with the two yoga teachers, I found out that the one that didnt impress me had just become a teacher, while the one I liked had been teaching for quite some time.

Ask about how many hours of training he has received. Although there is no universal yoga teacher certification, many quality studios require that their instructors complete a minimum number of training hours before they are allowed to teach. If the instructor has 200 or more hours of training, there is a good chance that he has solid skills to work with.

Does the instructor know the benefits and contraindications of each pose? Can he offer modifications for students who have physical limitations? You want a teacher who can provide information about how each pose relates to your unique physical condition.

Also, find out if the teacher has specific training in basic anatomy. I cannot emphasize this point strongly enough. When I was in my early twenties, I took a gymnastics class which was taught by an instructor who had no training in anatomy. Each week he stretched my body in a position that caused me a great deal of pain. If he knew about body mechanics and physiology he never would never used that stretch, because it is almost guaranteed to cause injury. The end result for me was years of pain and permanent injury. If the teacher is not trained in anatomy run, dont walk, out of the class.

What is the teachers personal style?
In order for you to get the most out of yoga, you have to feel comfortable with the teacher. Is the teacher friendly, encouraging, and supportive? Does she treat students and others with respect?

Yoga is intensely personal so it is critical that you like and trust the teacher. She will be touching your body to adjust your alignment, so you need to feel totally safe with her. A good instructor will make the class a secure and peaceful experience for students.

How clean is the studio?
As you look around, do you notice dust or dirt? Is there a musty or sweaty odor? A yoga class encourages you to practice barefoot and breathe deeply. It is very difficult to get the most from your yoga instruction if you are worried about contracting a disease from an unclean studio.

How does the teacher handle your personal beliefs?
A good yoga teacher does not impose her personal beliefs on students. Yoga is not a religion. You should be able to practice any religion, or none at all, and still feel comfortable in the class. You also should not be required to eat or act a certain way to be considered acceptable to the teacher.

Yoga promotes freedom, so you should not be held bondage to someone elses beliefs. You should be free to live whichever way is right for you.

Quality yoga instruction can be very important for you in your yoga journey. By keeping these ideas in mind when you search for a yoga teacher, you are very likely to find the one that is just right for you.

About the Author

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life.

Written By: Della Menechella

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Beyond Flexibility – The Health Benefits Of Yoga

by on Nov.10, 2007, under Yoga

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.

That introduction to yoga ignited a deep love of it through which I began to see the more subtle health benefits it brought to my life. Yoga can help with a wide spectrum of physical issues and injuries, but it is also an excellent alternative to the gym for those that find the repetition and distraction of it not to their taste. It is great for toning up your body, whilst gaining flexibility.

Yoga has a reputation for flexibility, and deservedly so. But it can also develop strength. Developing strength is particularly important for women. Women tend to be more flexible than men, but not as strong, unless they have been involved in fitness regularly. But unlike many traditional forms of exercise, yoga also strengthens the inner muscles and organs in our bodies. It makes a great preparation for childbirth!

Yoga also develops discipline. This comes in making the time on a regular basis to either go to classes, or practice yoga in your living room, or in the morning sun in the garden. But there is a more subtle level of discipline. It starts with bringing your mind to focus on your breathing, and then feeling the effects of a posture on your body. This conscious exploration is quite a different experience of fitness than usually seen at the gym – where loud music, televisions and other external stimuli fight for your attention. You won’t see people with headphones on, or reading a magazine, whilst doing yoga.

This conscious exploration establishes a relationship with your body, and its importance cannot be overstated. So often, parts of us are frozen, or numb in some ways. This can express physically as pain, coldness, or stiffness. Energetically, it is as though despite trying to concentrate on an area, we just cannot feel connected to it.

In a more subtle way, when we feel the points of resistance within our body as we do a pose – when we breathe into that stiffness, and sometimes pain, we develop a resilience and mental fortitude. Yoga does, of course, help with concentration. But that process of releasing and going beyond the point of physical limitation is not limited to the body. It develops a quiet confidence and knowledge about one’s own capacity that is not held back by the boundaries we may have falsely believed about ourselves before. With a yoga practice, we can get back in touch with what yogi’s call our dharma, our purpose in life. And we find in ourselves, by virtue of our growing strength, the courage to follow that path.

And finally, a quote from a yoga teacher from Sydney, Australia, Eileen Hall, printed in the Australian Yoga Life magazine:

“Yoga is not about relaxation, it’s not about losing weight, it’s not about learning meditation. It’s about discovering the divine being within ourselves.”

References: Yoga Journal, November 2005
Australian Yoga Life, Nov 2005 – Mar 2006

About the Author

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of yoga, click here: http://www.yogatohealth.com/benefits_of_yoga.html The article talks about the psychological, physiological, and biochemical benefits a regular yoga practice can bring. Rebecca Prescott runs the website http://www.yogatohealth.com

Written By: Rebecca Prescott

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The Benefit of Yoga

by on Oct.13, 2007, under Yoga

The benefit of yoga practice goes far beyond the actual time you spend in the poses. One of the most common reasons why people begin practicing yoga is to improve their health and well-being. Yoga means union. It is a union of the mind, body and breath, so all aspects of your life are impacted by your practice.

A major benefit of yoga is physical.

Yoga improves your flexibility. The stretching that you engage in during every practice helps lengthen and stretch muscles, which helps reduce the risk of injuries.

It helps to improve your balance. The majority of yoga practices include some type of balancing in the poses. A significant number of people, especially as they began to get older, start to have problems with balance, which can lead to major injuries due to falls. By having a greater sense of balance, you are able to move more easily and safely.

Yoga can help reduce pain. – Tense muscles often contribute to pain. Relaxing muscles helps to minimize muscle tension and the pain that is associated with it. Also, breathing deeply into muscles helps lessen pain by altering your perception of it.

It tones your muscles. Yoga works all the muscles in your body. It helps strengthen and tone them and also builds endurance and stamina.

It helps to increase your level of energy. . Carrying tension in your body takes an enormous toll on your energy reserves. By learning how to relax through your yoga practice, you benefit by enjoying higher levels of energy so you can more thoroughly enjoy your daily activities.

Yoga helps promote a sense of relaxation. Most people breathe high in their chests. This not only does not allow them to get sufficient oxygen, it also triggers the stress response, which contributes to feelings of anxiety. Breathing deeply as practiced in yoga, helps relax your muscles and also brings much needed oxygen to your cells. The deep sense of relaxation also leads to better quality sleep.

Each yoga practice ends with some type of relaxation. Since your body and mind are one, by relaxing your body you also relax your mind. Many yoga experts believe that a relaxation pose is the most beneficial pose in any yoga practice.

Another benefit of yoga is mental.

Yoga clears your mind and helps you focus your attention. During your practice, you are focusing your attention on your breath and turning inward. This concentration allows you to withdraw from the distractions in your environment. A significant benefit of yoga practice is that you can take this ability to focus your attention into every aspect of your life. You can be fully present with whatever you are doing instead of worrying about tomorrow or regretting yesterday. Not only will your actions be more productive, you can also enjoy them in a greater way.

Yoga helps reduces stress. – Deep breathing helps reduce the hormones that are released when you are feeling overwhelmed, overloaded, and frazzled. The internal focus that accompanies the poses helps create a relaxation response in your body.

Yoga can help release stuck emotions. Often stuck emotions find their way into our bodies. Remember, your mind and body are one, and if you are suppressing any painful emotions, you will often experience that as pain in some part of your body. A benefit of yoga is that by breathing deeply into places in your body that hold tension, you can help release the emotions that may be buried there. You can then examine these emotions and let go of those that do not serve you.

Also, as you take your body past the limits of where it has been, you start to feel that you can move past other limitations in your life as well.

You gain a sense of peace and tranquility. – Most yoga practices include some time for meditation. Regular meditation helps your mind reach a state of inner calm. It helps you gain control over your thinking instead of being at the mercy of wayward thoughts.

As you can see, the benefit of yoga has far reaching effects in every area of your life. Maintain a regular yoga practice, and you will see for yourself, how yoga can benefit you too.

About the Author

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Here website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life

Written By: Della Menechella

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Yoga: A Beneficial Exercising Regimen

by on May.14, 2007, under Yoga

Yoga is an ancient proven tradition that exists for thousands of years and also one of the most ancient cultural heritages in India. The word yoga means, “to unite”. But it does not only mean contemplation but also communion and yoking all powers of the body, mind and soul to God. It is a very ancient and efficient system of disciplines and controls designed to produce the integration of the body, mind and spirit. It also achieves higher states of awareness and self-realization by methodical efforts to attain perfection. Even at the workplace, yoga has become extremely popular in many companies, worldwide. Working eight hours a day, five to seven days a week is really stressing. And yoga can just be the answer to this. Yoga reduces stress. It improves flexibility and muscle tone, increases circulation, relieves chronic pain and alleviates anxiety-related disorders. Best of all, it cultivates physical awareness, refreshes your energy, and offers a little vacation from the everyday grind.

There are seven divisions of yoga. Hatha yoga is concerned primarily with the body and the asanas. Bhakti yoga focuses on the path of love and devotion. Mantra yoga has something to do with recitation and repetition of words and verses. Karma yoga is a service through action and work. Janan yoga is on the intellectual path. Raja yoga is a synthesis of Bhakti, Karma, and Janan. And Laya yoga is the secret path or known as the Yoga of Dissolution.

Yoga has many advantages over other methods of maintaining health, such as aerobics, athletics, gymnastics, games, and various other forms of exercise and is often described as the best form of health insurance for all from the age of seven to seventy seven or more because it has a lot to offer to everyone. The two main advantages of yoga are prevention of disorders and ailments and maintenance of health and fitness in daily life. Other advantages include supple joints, flexible muscles, relaxed and tension-free mind and efficiently working vital organs such as the heart, lungs, endocrine glands, liver, pancreas and good balance between various functions. When doing yoga, you will not need any costly equipment and materials, or playgrounds, gyms, etc. And you dont have to worry when is the right time to do it because you can do yoga all throughout the year. It can also be practiced inside the house or in the open, just alone or if you want, in groups. The only thing you need is a thick carpet spread on the floor and covered with a clean sheet of cloth. Remember that yoga should only be practiced on empty stomach although you can do it at any time during the day.

Everyone can benefit from yoga. It will benefit you irrespective of whether you are young or old, lean or heavily built, highly educated or unlettered, rich or poor, from higher or lower middle class, busy, over busy, or retired or worker in the factory or in the field. However, this benefit may not be possible if one does not practice the correct technique of yoga or practice it irregularly. Yoga has a wide range of technique and this can fulfill needs in almost people especially those who really have the determination and the motivation to do the techniques in a regular basis. Yoga can fulfill this need irrespective of your work, or your lifestyle. This can help everyone play his or her roles more efficiently, more smoothly and more comfortably. For more info fitness tips please check out the pilates resource center

Written By: Michael Sanford

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Remain Active with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Yoga Guide

by on Mar.15, 2007, under Yoga

More and more people are performing the age-old practice of Yoga. Yoga can stretch you, it can relax you and now it may help people with arthritis. According to the American Yoga Association (AYA), Yoga may help people with arthritis deal with pain and stiffness, improve range of motion and increase strength for daily activities.

One of the most common forms of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which affects approximately two million Americans, of which more than 75 percent are women. RA is a chronic, autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy tissue lining the joints, leading to pain, deformity and disability that may be permanent. Now available is a first-of-its kind online Yoga guide specifically for people with RA, developed by the AYA, in collaboration with the Arthritis Foundation and support from RAacademy.com.

For thousands of years people have used Yoga to build flexibility and strength, improve concentration, relieve stress and increase energy. Today the benefits of Yoga may extend to people with RA. According to a pilot study published in the British Journal of Rheumatology, people with RA who participated in a Yoga program over a three-month period experienced greater handgrip strength compared to those who did not practice Yoga.

“People with RA may benefit from low-impact exercises like Yoga to help improve overall health and fitness without further damaging or hurting the joints,” said Dr. Cheryl Lambing, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California Los Angeles. “Physical activity may optimize both physical and mental health and plays a vital role in disease management.”

The unique Yoga guide, Remain Active with RA, encompasses traditional Yoga poses including range-of-motion, muscle strengthening, and endurance exercises – the three major forms of exercise typically prescribed for people with RA. Each exercise contains detailed photographs and instructions indicating the proper way to perform each movement, with variation of exercises based on disease severity. It is important for people with RA to speak to their physician before embarking on any new exercise program.

“With my rheumatoid arthritis, I never thought I would be able to do an exercise like Yoga,” said Lynn McKenzie-Collins, Ph.D. “I am now reassured that there is a Yoga guide tailored for people with my disease that may help my pain and stiffness.”

The Remain Active with RA Yoga Guide is offered free exclusively at www.RAacademy.com and can be accessed when visitors to the site register. RAacademy is a disease web site, sponsored by Aventis Pharmaceuticals that provides RA-related news and information to people with the disease and their families. In addition to the Yoga guide, the site features self-care tools and tips for living with RA.

About The Author

Courtesy of ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

Written By: ARA Content

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The Healing Power of Yoga

by on Nov.23, 2006, under Yoga

The healing effects of yoga for the every day working woman. During the 1970s when I was a young girl, I remember my mother sitting in front of the television perfecting her yoga techniques with PBS yoga guru, Lilias. Lilias, with her breathy voice and long hair, would contort her body into painful-looking yoga positions.

After watching Lilias, I equated yoga with pain. That was my first experience with yoga. My next experience occurred 25 years later. My collegiate athlete sister took yoga and she recommended that I might enjoy taking a yoga class. What did I have to lose? I danced ballet when I was a girl, and had taken jazz and ballet classes during college so I had the flexibility for yoga. I was looking for a new form of exercise, but little did I know that the psychological benefits would far outweigh the physical benefits.

I signed up for a beginning yoga class through my local recreation district. I didnt know what to expect when I walked into class. I did notice that I was one of the youngest people in the class. I met a woman named Hilda who was in her early 70s and had been taking yoga for over 25 years. She looked fantastic. I talked to other people in the class (mostly seniors and husband/wife teams) and they took yoga for various health reasons ranging from physical therapy to relieving arthritis pain.

When our yogi walked into class, I was stunned. A short, Indian man who looked about 70 years old greeted me (I learned later that he was in his mid 80s). I was in awe of him and his yoga schtick he would perform each week became my mantra: Clear all extraneous thoughts from your head. Think good, clear thoughts. Focus! he would belt out in his thick accent. After my first class, I fell instantly in love with yoga. When I danced ballet and jazz, I always loved the stretching routines and yoga proved to be even better than dance stretches.

Yoga not only challenges me physically, but it brings about a psychological consciousness inside me that I dont receive from other forms of exercise. I take classes every week and I’m addicted. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings I escape my hectic work world and stretch my body and mind and relieve it from the days aches and stressors. Most important, I meditate and finally relax after my long and busy day.

Yoga fits me. It fits my short, athletic, Mary Lou Retton-esque body shape and it fits my mile-a-minute mind. Not only do I enjoy the physical benefits from yoga, but yoga has become a healing elixir for my mind and spirit. I feel strong and powerful and I know what abdominal muscles look like now. Hopefully, Ill be in contention with Hilda and still be contorting my body when Im in my 70s.

About the Author

Therese Pope is a non-profiteer fundraiser by day and a freelance writer and poet by night. Her works have been published in various e-zines and literary anthologies. She is a yoga fiend with a penchant for writing with latte in hand. She resides in Sacramento, Calif.

Written By: T Pope

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Getting Healthy With Yoga

by on Sep.28, 2006, under Yoga

People have always believed that yoga can do more for your body than just keeping it fit and flexible. Research now shows it can help weight control, lower back pain, insomnia and even heart disease. Studies indicate yoga helps with weight loss and maintenance. In a study of 15,000 adults, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center found that those who did not practice yoga gained approximately 18.5 pounds more over a 10-year period than those who practiced for at least four years. There was also a study done at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California. This study found people who regularly practiced yoga and meditation, exercised and watched their diet lost more weight than those who exercised, and ate a balanced diet, but did not practice yoga.

Additionally Yoga can improve your range of motion in your hips, reducing lower back pain. A study done at The American College of Sports Medicine, suggest that yoga increases lower back flexibility and decreases pain. It was a small study conducted on older women age 44-62. Persistent back pain however should always be professional diagnosed before embracing on any exercise program including yoga. Yogas backbends and forward bends may exacerbate some back conditions.

Yoga can also calm your body and your mind, which can help people who suffer from insomnia. Sat Bir Singh Khalsa, PhD., an instructor of medicine, division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School recently published a study. He found a half hour to 45 minutes of daily yoga practice with a focus on meditation and breathing, helped chronic insomniacs sleep through the night. The subjects increased their overall sleep by 12%.

Yoga breathing can help lower your heart rate and calm your nervous system. The breathing techniques can help alleviate serious anxiety and depression and reduce stress. Practicing yoga for an hour and a half three times a week can make your heart healthier in just six weeks. A recent study out of Yale University School of Medicine had 33 men and women who practiced yoga at that rate. This lowered their blood pressure and improved their blood vessels ability to expand and contract by 17%. Researchers believe the improvements are based on the stress-reducing benefits of yoga.

About the Author:

Copyright Diet-Newsroom.com, All Rights Reserved.

This article was written by Kim Black of http://www.diet-newsroom.com which specializes in diet, health, fitness and exercise topics.

Written By: Kim Black

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