Experience Stress Relief With Yoga - Practice Yoga to Reduce Stress and Bring Balance to Your Life

Practicing yoga for relieving stress can help reduce the damage that stress causes on your body, mind and soul. Did you know that over 13 million people suffer from stress related illnesses? Stress can cause a number of problems such as:

• High blood pressure
• Asthma
• Depression
• Headaches
• Fatigue

The list goes on and on not to mention when you are experiencing stress your immune system is compromised making it easy to get sick.

Yoga is not just an exercise program but a complete lifestyle. When you practice yoga breathing you allow oxygen into your body replacing negative energy with positive energy which relaxes and heals. The physical poses release endorphins which connect to sensors in your body and prevent pain signals from being sent to the brain along with bringing strength and flexibility to the muscles. Relaxation and meditation allow you to let go of all the tension and stress that has built up and restore your mind and body preparing you to continue your life calmly. Yoga will help you to:

• Sleep better
• Have more energy
• Lift your mood
• Relieve pain
• Focus on daily activities better

Starting with these three branches of yoga regularly will actually cause your subconscious to start making healthy decisions adjusting your entire lifestyle without too much conscious effort. This will bring balance to your body, mind, and spirt allowing you to reduce the stress in your life and also giving you the ability to handle stressful situations better. It does not matter what the cause of your stress is, yoga can help to relief the effects it is causing.

There are several ways you can get started on relieving stress with yoga. The ideal way would be to find a class in your area starting with a beginner class to learn and adjust to the practice. In today's busy world it is often hard to attend classes, if this is your case there are many DVD's and books available. There are also e-classes available online that can get you started and are done at your pace, during your own time schedule and can be downloaded immediately so you don't have to go to the store or wait for delivery.

Yoga Exercises to Strengthen Your Body

You can use yoga exercises to both make your body more flexibly and strong as well. It also as the effect of calming your mind and giving you more energy, whilst strenuous exercise and most sports actually use up your energy. A lot of students report in class they feel more relaxed and energized after a session.

The best way to do exercises or postures is with both a steady and slow motion, also holding a pose for between a few seconds to a few minutes whilst being totally focused and in the moment. The instructor should always remind you to stay focused and relaxed during the exercise.

To make sure you don't injure yourself or damage a muscle, you should always go into a posture gently. You should not repeat any asana too many times, or be encouraged to push your self to hard.

You should stretch to the left, and then to the right or the other way around if you prefer, remembering a session is all about balance. You should then bend forward and backwards, by doing these preliminary exercises you will establish which side is stronger or more flexible. This will bring both balance and harmony into your yoga practice.

Yoga exercises are suitable for individuals of all ages,and can be easily changed to take into account your physical condition. A properly trained instructor can adapt most exercises by using cushions and chairs, so don't be intimidated by what seem to be very difficult postures. Always remembering that a yoga practice can be tailored to your needs, and if you're finding a posture of exercise that is too difficult for you, don't do it, because you don't need to compete with yourself. Its is supposed to be a powerful type of exercise that is completely and utterly stress-free.

Yoga exercises are absolutely fantastic for relieving stress and increasing strength and flexibility. However, they do not replace all the other types of physical exercise, therefore, you should still practice cardiovascular and fitness exercises that will help you keep your weight down and your heart and body fit.

Yoga Diet to Keep Your Body and Soul Healthy

Basically a Yoga Diet is a totally vegetarian diet. The spiritual reason behind it is the fact that people who practice yoga gain some consciousness of mind which does not allow them to eat meat of living beings. They practice kindness to all animals and lay emphasis on the benefits of vegetarian diet.

Yoga Diet has been able to stand the test of time and has been around for a number of years. It primarily consists of whole grains, cereals, fresh vegetables and fruits. Practicing it not only takes care of your health but also helps in rejuvenating your soul and spirit. Also it helps you to lose weight and remain healthy, thus making you feel better.

The main contents of a Yoga diet and the ways and means in which you can stay healthy with a yoga centered diet are discussed here.

As the yoga diet is typically a vegetarian diet without any meat or fish, the protein requirement of your body is taken care by the incorporation of beans and legumes in your diet. A good quantum of salads, sprouted beans, lentils, bean soups and dishes made from lentils and beans are instrumental in providing you the much needed protein intake. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt etc. are allowed and are helpful in providing energy to the body. Seasonal and organic vegetables are the main source of nutrition. Dishes such as curries, appetizers and entrees can be made out of such fresh vegetables.

Plenty of water intakes are recommended for a healthy mind and body. According to the prescription of a Yoga Diet, your body should get at least 2 liters of water everyday which may be consumed in the form of plain water or fruits and vegetable juices, nut milk, soy milk and other liquids. Mainly recommended food are those which can be digested easily such as juices, fruits, vegetables, milk, honey etc.

Foods which are difficult to digest must be avoided. The main concept of yoga is to keep your immune system in good shape and if you intake lots of heavily processed food which cannot be digested easily then the whole purpose of Yoga diet will be defeated. You should avoid consuming food made with white flour or white sugar and packaged food which are added with preservatives to keep them fresh for a longer period. This type of food can be detrimental to your health.

Yoga diets also prescribe that you must eat your food slowly and chew it properly before swallowing so that it can be digested easily. Fibrous foods and green leafy vegetables are most recommended for easy digestion.

If you follow a proper yoga diet and supplement it with yoga workouts, you are sure to stay fit and lose weight at earliest. This is also sure to reduce the chances of heart attack, kidney diseases, stroke and cancer. Meat lovers are more prone to cancer and heart attacks than those who follow a balanced vegetarian diet.

A well chalked out yoga diet provides all the necessary protein and minerals to your body and the yogic exercises practiced along with pure vegetarian diet provides you with spiritual rejuvenation thus making your body, soul and spirit work in the right union and yield positive results.

Practice Yoga to Relieve Headache Pain - Yoga to Prevent Headaches

Practicing yoga to relieve headache pain is an effective method because it relieves tension and stress which are the main causes of headaches. When you do yoga you direct your focus to yourself allowing your body and mind to relax and release the negative energy caused by daily stress. Another cause of headaches is sinus pressure and pain, there are breathing techniques along with poses that will open the sinuses and relieve that tension. Regardless of what is causing your pain yoga can help.

Stress causes energy blocks that pull your body out of alignment resulting in pain and tension. Through your yoga practice you will go through a series of breathing techniques, physical poses and relaxation or meditation to replace the negative energy with positive energy releasing these blocks making you feel good again. Some benefits of yoga are:

• Relieve stress and tension
• Align the spine
• Stimulate the flow of oxygen
• Rejuvenate the body
• Increase vitality
• Improve strength and energy
• Maintain flexibility
• Feel relaxed and peaceful

For stress and tension related pain you will want to start with calming breaths. Start in a comfortable position and take a slow inhale as deep as you can and hold it for a second, release slowly all the way out. Focus on your breath, imagine that on each inhale the oxygen is taking over that pain and on the exhale the pain is being released out with the breath. Make sure to keep your focus on your breath, if a thought pops into your head acknowledge it and let it go out of your mind. Repeat several times keeping your focus on your breath and the release of the pain. Make sure you also release any tension you are feeling in your shoulders and neck.

Once you start using yoga to relieve your headache pain you will want to continue regularly to prevent future pain. When you have a regular practice you will find that you sleep better, have more energy, have less pain, and feel generally happy. Yoga also gives you the ability to handle stressful situations more effectively making life more enjoyable. You find your subconscious starting to make healthy choices for you that improve your health and the way you feel. Learning how to listen and respond to your body will change your life!

7 Tips to Staying Safe and Preventing an Injury in Your Yoga Class

In the recently released special edition of Time magazine, an article reported that in the past three years 13,000 Americans were treated in an emergency room or doctor's office for yoga-related injuries. Some suspect that an additional 13,000 or maybe even more have been injured in yoga classes, but have not reported them. More and more people are trying yoga and more and more yoga related injuries are taking place. It is crucial to your health and well being that you realize that any exercise or practice done incorrectly can and will most likely lead to injury.

The good news is that The American Academy of Surgeons believes that the benefits of yoga out weigh the potential risks if you are practicing with caution and perform the exercises in moderation along with a knowledgeable instructor. The problem is many people going into yoga for their first time believe in the out dated, 'no pain no gain' paradigm and are not practicing with caution and moderation. This toxic way of thinking and overdoing in yoga leads to harm and a lot of unnecessary self inflicted pain. In fact, those teachers and students that "push" themselves are not actually practicing yoga at all. The Yoga Sutra's of Patanjali states that, "Yoga poses should be easy and comfortable." That may need repeating for the many "Type A" people that are attracted to yoga. Again, yoga should be easy and comfortable!

Those who push themselves in yoga may get injured right away, although many yoga injuries take several years to show up in the form of chronic pain. Torn cartilage in the knees, joint problems from aggressive adjustments or repeatedly doing a pose incorrectly, pulled muscles, sprained necks, impinged nerves and chronic lower back pain are some of the most common injuries that are caused by practicing yoga aggressively, competitively, or unconsciously.

How can you stay safe and healthy in Yoga?

By following the following logical guidelines you can reap all the benefits of yoga and stay safe in your practice.

1. If you haven't exercised in a long time, don't expect that you will safely be able to do what you were able to do 20 or 30 years ago. Yoga is a progressive practice and doing a little less is truly more. If you do a little less than what you can achieve, you will stay safe and you will be able to comfortably advance with regular practice.

2. Get quality instruction. It may be a good idea to find a private yoga teacher if you are new to yoga. Find an experienced, educated yoga teacher that will work with your body and your personal needs one on one before you enter into a large class where you won't get the attention that you need. You can find a qualified registered yoga teacher that has met minimum requirements established by the National Yoga Alliance. Yoga Alliance's website is http://www.yogaalliance.org

3. Be open and honest with your yoga teacher. Let your yoga teacher know about any injuries old or new you may have experienced. Ask the teacher if they physically touch and adjust their students. If they do, ask them if they can do their best to refrain but instead give you verbal adjustments and let you know when you have it right. Verbal adjustments will allow you to feel and think it out to yourself as well as work on your focus and listening skills and giving you freedom and independency from your teacher.

4. Take responsibility for your body, especially for the really mobile parts. In each pose cultivate the practice of scanning your joints from head to toe. There are way too many shoulder injuries caused by a regular incorrect yoga practice. This is most likely due to incorrectly doing downward dog and plank pose. In downward dog externally rotate your shoulders. You can externally rotate your shoulders by turning the crease of your elbows towards your thumb. In plank pose depress your scapula (shoulder blades) by pressing the head of your shoulders in the direction of your heels. If you have hyper extended elbows or knees you must adjust for those in a different way so be sure to tell your teacher about these slight deviations from the norm.

5. Some poses aren't for everyBody. If any pose is causing you pain, immediately change it and modify it in a way that intuitively feels more comfortable or stop doing it all together. You should feel free to sit out poses that aren't right for you and change the dynamics and biomechanics of a pose to meet your body's needs. There are hundreds of poses and every pose isn't right for every body.

6. Realize and celebrate the fact that everyone is your superior. Yoga is not a competition. You are not practicing the principles of yoga if you are looking around the room and competing or comparing yourself to your neighbor. Focus on you. After all, you are doing yoga for YOUR health and YOUR wellbeing. After class no one is going to care or remember what you did or didn't do during the class and you probably won't care what anyone else did or didn't do. Each individual will find they are more adept and attracted to certain elements of yoga more than others.

7. Consider taking a workshop or a yoga teacher training course. Even if you don't intend to teach yoga, a yoga teacher training course or a yoga workshop may increase your knowledge and understanding of yoga and that is bound to help you stay safe in your own practice.

Jump Into the Fire With Bikram Yoga - Basic Principles of "Hot" Yoga

Of the many types of yoga currently in practice, Bikram yoga is one of the most popular. It is often called "hot" yoga because it is meant to be performed in a heated room with a humidity level of around 40%. Exercising in the humid heat is believed by the founder, Bikram Choudhury, to do two things for the body: increase flexibility and cleanse the body of built up toxins.

Flexibility with Hot Yoga

All types of yoga will increase flexibility with time, but this type of yoga in particular is believed to loosen and free the muscles through the humidity, thus making them more flexible during each individual workout. This in turn greatly reduces the risk of injuries that may occur when stretching tight, cold muscles.

Cleansing with Hot Yoga

The human body collects toxins inside the organs with time, especially within in the colon. It is becoming common now for people to go through detox diets or use colon cleansers, but the natural way of relieving toxins from the body is to sweat them out. This is another purpose of the humid temperature while doing this type of yoga.

Essentially, those who follow Bikram yoga believe that all of the benefits of yoga are greatly enhanced by the heat and steam of the room. Of course, you do not have to mimic that exact same temperature setting if you are doing this form of yoga on your own, though you may see some enhanced benefits of your practice if you do.

The Brilliance of Namaste Yoga - The Best Yoga Practice Ever to Hit TV

The television show Namaste Yoga has been growing in popularity over the past few years, thanks to a brilliant combination of peaceful, vibrant music and one of the most beneficial types of yoga: Hatha yoga.

Kate Potter is a Canadian yoga teacher with years of experience in Hatha yoga, and she originally designed the Namaste Yoga program. Today, it is a big hit shown daily on the Fit TV channel. There are also DVDs now on the market offering the peaceful, hypnotic hatha yoga experience to anyone who wishes to experience it.

Benefits of Hatha Yoga

This is one of the most graceful types of yoga. The movements are free flowing and include a lot of stretch poses as well as strengthening positions. It is intended to be done in long sequences where one movement pauses then flows right into the next. The result is a workout that strengthens, tones, elongates, and stretches the body all at once.

Breath control is also very important to this form of yoga, and in the long run can increase the capacity and functioning of your lungs. It is believed that the majority of people do not naturally use the full capacity of their lungs, and when that is corrected many people find they have more energy, can breathe better, and just feel better all around.

Benefits of Namaste Yoga

This type of yoga is so appealing to a wide number of people because it comes graceful music with a relaxing voice guiding you through each pose. You also get visual instructions by watching skilled Hatha yoga followers manipulate each sequence along with you.

The added benefits of Namaste Yoga is even greater relaxation and a clear mind at the end of the program.

The Purpose of Hatha Yoga - Clear Minds, Fit Bodies

One of the most physically demanding forms of yoga practice is Hatha yoga. While all forms of yoga have a physical component that make them excellent exercise, the Hatha poses and sequences can be especially demanding, not only of the body but of the mind. The goal of this form of yoga is to clear the mind for peaceful meditation, but it also designed to balance and relax the body in much the same way.

Clear Minds

While practicing this type of yoga you will learn to breathe deeply, controlling each breath to bring the body in line with the mind. This is difficult to understand by simply reading. Yoga is something that you only begin to fully understand by experiencing firsthand. Whether you actually have time for meditation with your Hatha yoga practice or you use it more for the physical conditioning aspects, focus on the directions for breathing and do your best to follow along seriously.

At first this may feel awkward or silly, but the relaxed mind that puts you in sync with your body movements will eventually start to overcome you. It is very rewarding for those who learn to control their breathing and allow their mind to relax with their muscles.

Fit Bodies

The poses, or Asanas, involved can be challenging, but there are always modifications if you are using a DVD or even attending a class. Push yourself a little to just try positions that may seem too difficult. It will surprise you what your body is actually capable of doing and you will make progress rapidly if you continue to practice this type of yoga.

This is especially true if you follow through with the breathing elements of this type of yoga. The physical and mental rewards to be reaped from Hatha yoga are simply amazing.

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Yoga Postures and Asanas - A Brief Description

High levels of concentration and perseverance are required for the perfect execution of any yoga pose. Fortunately, there are a number of classes training yoga to students. These classes help individuals acquire the requisite skills for performing asanas in the ideal fashion. If executed correctly and on a regular basis, yoga can be immensely beneficial, both to the human mind and body. Styles, however, should not be practiced in any haphazard manner.

Indeed, there is a prescribed sequence in which the poses need to be performed by any newcomer in this field. There are a large number of asanas (or postures) of yoga, and following their correct sequence is crucial for reaping the maximum benefits. Done the wrong way without the right guidance can also be harmful. Most yoga experts agree on a particular order in which these poses need to be practiced by students. According to them, yoga asanas need to be followed in the following sequence:

Warming-Up: There are certain warm up poses that need to be practiced before one gets into the special asanas required in different styles of yoga. The warm up asanas are unique to the style/method of yoga that is to be followed.

Standing postures: There are different body poses which students need to learn and execute properly. The hands to feet exercise, the triangle pose and the standing side-stretch pose are some of the most essential standing poses. Sun salutation, the Tree pose and the Warrior pose, along with Stand Spread Leg Forward Holding exercises, are widely taught to students as well.

Seated postures: These postures should be practiced by students while sitting on specially designed yoga mats. The Hero pose, the Child pose, the seated forward bend exercises and those related to Spread Leg Forward Hold are recommended by most teachers.

Twisted postures: These asanas are primarily aimed at boosting the strength of the back, improving the digestive system and properly toning the abdominal area. The Stage Twist and the Half Spinal Twist are some of the most recommended of the twisted yoga poses.

Supine (Face Upwards) postures: Students need to lie with their face up while performing these asanas. There are quite a number of supine poses that are widely practiced. Some of the most beneficial of such poses are Locust pose, Leg pulls, Wind relieving pose, raising the leg and the Leg reclining lunge.

Balancing postures and poses of inversion: Functioning of the abdominal organs are facilitated by practicing these poses of yoga. These poses also help to ease the working of the brain and the glandular system. The Plough, Headstand and Shoulder stand are some of the most popularly practiced of such postures.

Back bending exercises: These poses are aimed at enhancing the overall flexibility of the human body. The motor mechanism of the arms, legs, abdomen and the spinal cord can be smoother by performing these exercises in the proper manner.

Postures for finishing: At the culmination of any particular session of training, the finishing poses need to be followed. The Savasana (Corpse pose) and the Final Corpse postures are the two prescribed finishing poses of yoga.

It is also important to have a yoga mat before you start. Apart from the above general sequence of practicing the various yoga asanas, there are certain special breathing exercises that are also widely practiced. The breathing exercises known as pranayama, call for separate, and special postures. However, students should not try to perform yoga exercises that are beyond their physical capabilities. Also, they should immediately discontinue the practice of any asana, if they are feeling any discomfort while doing it. Yoga poses and asanas, if learnt properly, and practiced regularly in the prescribed form, do hold out great benefits to all students.

Fight Your Extra Fat With Yoga

Madonna does it. And so does Jennifer Aniston. Gwyneth Paltrow is a huge fan too. But can yoga, a mind-body exercise, help you get rid of unwanted pounds? Yoga devotees say that the most important benefit of yoga is calming the mind. But researchers prove that when we calm our mind, we become less stressed, and stress can stimulate weight gain. So the less stress we have, the less likely we are to gain weight. Sounds simple?

Yoga can be an excellent compliment to your existing exercise regime and can help you get in touch with your body the way nothing else can. Experts agree that many of us overeat because we are upset, angry or sad; and we end up reaching for that piece of cake to make ourselves feel better. Yoga helps our bodies become cleaner and purer and we crave better foods, like vegetables, fruit, lean protein and healthy grains. Yoga can change the relationship to food and eating by changing our relationship with ourselves. And in the process, it will make your body more flexible and strong.
Flexibility: Stretching large muscles to perform yoga poses can help you become more flexible in your hamstrings, back, shoulders, and hips.

Strength and Muscle Tone: Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including balancing on one leg or supporting yourself with your arms. Moving slowly in and out of poses will increase your strength and help shape long, lean muscles.

Better Breathing: Deep breathing is a vital element of yoga. The breathing exercises, called Pranayama, teach how to better use our lungs, which benefit the entire body. Yogic breathing energizes and cleanses the body, calms and relaxes the mind, and serves as a perfect warm-up for practicing yoga poses.

So what kind of yoga will help you lose weight? Vinyasa, the most popular of yoga practices, can be found at many local gyms and studios. Power Yoga provides a vigorous cardio workout. Both Vinyasa and Power Yoga will leave you sweat-drenched, but strong and fulfilled. Ashtanga yoga is another very vigorous style with a few distinct advantages for those who want to lose weight. It's an early morning yoga that can rev up your metabolism first thing in the morning and give you the edge for the day.

But the most important thing to keep in mind if you are considering yoga is that only by making it routine can it bring you the results and lean your body you desire.