The Long Stretch

The secret to long life and health is as close as the back of your legs. With the yogic power of Life Nerve Stretch you can maintain flexibility (the key to staying young), as well as give your whole body a tune-up. This nerve runs from the back of the heels, up through the sciatic nerve and through the lower, middle and upper back. Doing this stretch every day gives you a flexible spine, helps with emotional balance and strengthens the digestive system.

To stretch your “life nerve,” sit on your mat, inhale deeply and bend forward, grabbing onto your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, hold your ankles or knees. Keep the knees on the floor—no bending the knees. Gently stretch your chest down to your knees with long deep breathing, pulling back on the toes, so you can feel the stretch in the back of the legs for 3 minutes. This is a “wonder posture” for women, helping with urinary problems, cold feet, muscle spasms and fatigue. Stretch and flex to stay young and healthy for years to come!

Yogamint Food & Flow video demonstrating Life Nerve Stretch: Limber for Life

Recommended: Full-Body Flexibility by Jay Blahnik and Kundalini Yoga Ultimate Stretch Workout with Ana Brett and Ravi Singh

http://www.yogamint.com/mints-1/the-long-stretch

Yoga Poses for Beginners: How-to, Tips, Benefits, Images, Videos

The Yoga Poses for Beginners library serves as a comprehensive intro guide to the most popular yoga poses and sequences.

Becoming familiar with and learning these poses should get you through a class in any of the types of yoga styles. 

Please keep in mind, these are just some of the most common poses to look at (and not necessarily practice). If you'd like to get started with yoga, you should take a look at The Complete Guide To Yoga Video Course here at MindBodyGreen.






Seated Yoga Poses - Grounding and calming, these poses provide some of our deepest muscle opening and twisting.









Standing Yoga Poses - Good for strength, balance and focus. These energetic poses provide a straight line to shaping our best body.











Arm Balances - These yoga poses are good for strength, body awareness and focus, providing some fun challenges for every body.











Backbends - Opening up in the spine and chest feels great and strengthens our connection to intuition.









Inversions - Good for balance and concentration, as well as circulation.












Core Poses - These poses will strengthen your core and get your abs beach ready!











Yoga Poses for Weight Loss - These poses will help you shed unwanted pounds!











Restorative Poses - These yoga poses are great for winding down and connecting to our breath.











Yoga Poses for Back Pain - Whether the origins are some acute injury or long-term stress, there are a few simple poses that can help with back pain.









Yoga Sequences & Moving (Videos) - How we move and breathe is much more important than the exact shape of our poses, for clearing our bodies and minds and creating our own best health.









Yoga Pose Videos - Watch Michael Taylor take you through a number of yoga poses step-by-step.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-682/Yoga-Poses-for-Beginners-Howto-Tips-Benefits-Images-Videos.html

Yoga for Weight Loss?

Source: http://www.webmd.com/

It can help you find your bliss, and some say yoga may also help you shed those extra pounds.

Jennifer Aniston does it. Reports are that Liv Tyler, Halle Berry, Madonna, David Duchovny and supermodel Christy Turlington do it, too. Many professional athletes are said to be doing it in an effort to improve their games.

The "it" is yoga, a sophisticated mind-body exercise many believe can do everything from tighten your buns to change your outlook on life.

But can this no-strain, work-at-your-own-level exercise really help you lose weight?

It's true most types of yoga don't have anything near the calorie-burning power of aerobic exercise. A 150-pound person will burn 150 calories in an hour of doing regular yoga, compared to 311 calories for an hour of walking at 3 mph. But it is exercise, after all, and many practitioners believe yoga can indeed help people take off extra pounds.

"Yoga is a phenomenal way to put you in touch with your body the way nothing else can, and yes, it can help you lose weight," says instructor Dana Edison, director of Radius Yoga in North Redding, Mass., and a certified personal trainer with the American College of Sports Medicine.

Celebrity yoga trainers Ana Brett and Ravi Singh, who have worked with such hotties as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow, also believe in yoga's weight-loss powers.

"We have seen it in ourselves, we have seen it in our clients – yoga can give you a real workout even if you are a beginner," says Brett, who, with Singh, created the best-selling DVD program Fat Free Yoga.

How Does It Work?

In 2005, medical researcher and practicing yogi Alan Kristal, DPH, MPH, set out to do a medical study on the weight-loss effects of yoga.

With funding from the National Cancer Institute, Kristal and colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle led a trial involving 15,500 healthy, middle-aged men and women. All completed a survey recalling their physical activity (including yoga) and their weight between the ages of 45 and 55. Researchers then analyzed the data, teasing out other factors that could influence weight change – such as diet or other forms of exercise.

The end result: They found yoga could indeed help people shed pounds, or at least keep them from gaining weight.

"Those practicing yoga who were overweight to start with lost about 5 pounds during the same time period those not practicing yoga gained 14 pounds," says Kristal.

For the study, he says, practicing yoga was defined as at least one 30-minute session per week for four or more years.

Kristal says it's not clear just how yoga might help people keep off the pounds, at least from a scientific standpoint. His own opinion is that the effects are subtle, and related to yoga's mind-body aspects.

"The buzzword here is mindfulness -- the ability to observe what is happening internally in a non-reactive fashion," he says. "That is what helps change the relationship of mind to body, and eventually to food and eating."

How To Yoga Stretches for Low Back Pain & Sciatica Relief by Jen Hilman

Yoga, Acupuncture and Massage: All Can Help Relieve Chronic Pain

Source: www.copyrightfreecontent.com NewsUSA

Many people who take medications for chronic pain sometimes wonder whether there is more they can do to manage their condition better. More and more, medical research is showing that the answer is a resounding yes.

While prescription and over-the-counter medications can be useful in treating chronic pain, efforts to manage pain can often be enhanced by using an integrative approach to care that combines traditional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies. 

Integrative care can include a variety of methods such as yoga, acupuncture, massage, physical therapy, biofeedback, tai chi and meditation. Many experts agree that integrative care must be tailored to the patient, as not every treatment will be effective or appropriate for everyone. Each patient should have a plan that meets his or her individual needs.

“A pain management plan that utilizes an integrative approach yields the best results for many people with pain. In combination with medication, alternative and complementary therapies can help patients better manage their pain and lead more fulfilling lives,” says Robert Bonakdar, M.D., of the American Academy of Pain Management. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution, so people with chronic pain may need to try different therapies to find the best approach to pain management. Communicating openly and honestly with your healthcare provider is essential to finding the right approach.” 

Today, integrative care is becoming an increasingly popular pain management strategy. In fact, the National Institutes of Health reports that 38 percent of adults in the United States (about four out of 10) use some form of complementary or alternative medicine to treat common problems such as back, neck or joint pain.

People with pain should ask their doctor if an integrative approach to pain management is right for them. Additionally, Partners Against Pain, a national educational program provided by Purdue Pharma L.P. at www.partnersagainstpain.com, contains an array of information on pain conditions and pain management.

Cancer Recovery and Yoga

The Power of Yoga for Cancer Recovery: Find Your Inner Yogi!

Photo: themindbodyfitness

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Besides Yoga being a FABULOUS form of physical fitness, it is equally an integral part of our inner ecosystem for its mental, emotional therapeutic powers. It really is the definition of a mind body connection.

We live in a world where its go... go... go... faster... harder... push... push...
Psychologically: we can get frustrated, irritable, brain fog, dare I say bitchy... feeling we are never productive enough

Physiologically: we don't breathe properly, therefore we are not oxygenating our body properly, we produce stress hormones such as cortisol, we have been known to consume the wrong foods in such a state...

The ultimate power of Yoga can be seen in a true Yogi - Now I say "true" because like anything else there are plenty of wannabe yogis: they might know the moves, but the true spirit, physicality, art & magic of the yoga has not been integrated into their being, therefore, sorry, they cannot communicate & share the true power of yoga with others.

I insist we all emit an aura. People feel a perception of us being around us. Our eyes, smile, posture, body language, scent, the way we carry ourselves... all contribute to our personal aura. There is a peacefulness, calm, friendly & welcoming positively contagious aura emanating from a yogi. A sense that is so relaxing, cathartic... makes you want to just stop and breathe, like basking in that ray of sunshine smiling through the window, you know the one the cat usually usurps! Makes our qi gush, not just flow.

Unfortunately there is a paradigm of fitness that it is all about the hard rocking and bopping until you drop - and sure I do find that a fun aspect of fitness - I love a filthy, sweaty workout. Yes, it serves an important purpose. We do have many studies that show us that relentless gruelling exercise can create damaging oxidative stress, and yes shorten lifespan. The physical flexibility & strength of yoga are matched by the mental flexibility and strength of yoga, which is equally critical to our health and wellness.

Everybody talks about stress, which is rooted in an upset in our inner ecosystem, interruptions and blockages in our flow of qi, life's energy. The ancient arts of fitness such as yoga and tai chi provide that cleansing calm to oxygenate & restore to a stronger self.

As I personally work with people on exercise for disease recovery, I know besides our knowledge of disease, exercise science, knowing the appropriate exercise protocol..of equal importance is our aura that we transmit to others. So often I believe this is even more powerful, as it allows the person to envelop the deep healing potential of the exercise. I personally use smiles and humor - By smiling together we open the windows to our souls to truly allow healing on every level. The fitness industry again unfortunately, because it sells TV shows, has pushed a boot camp, brow beating, push till you cry ( or throw up) view of exercise. What people don't see is how NOT sustainable that is, other than for another season of absurdity. If we model fitness with humor, love, peace, creating an inner symphony, than we can create a lasting, sustainable passion for health & fitness.

That peaceful calm, gentle smiles, inner strength that exudes from a yogi creates a beautiful habitat for healing. Especially working with those recovering from cancer, a yogi trained with the science of exercise for cancer recovery can truly provide the mental & physical strength, stamina and calm, allowing cancer treatment to be maximized. If you need to breathe, think better, feel better, be better... embrace the power of yoga.

Pregnancy Exercises - Yoga

Use Yoga To Be Pain Free

Photo: mnn

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

I grew up doing yoga, martial arts and gymnastics so I have had my share of injuries. But I do not have any chronic pain and I am no longer a young man. Chronic pain can lead to a more serious issue. Dr. Oz was saying that they have powerful pain killers that are opiate based now. Many people get addicted to these.

Then when they go to buy these pain killers illegally, they find that heroin is cheaper to buy. So now the rate of people in the U.S. using heroin is increasing. Also many thousands of people were using Vioxx for pain before it was recalled, not knowing that it was killing many people.

The human body has been designed to be stretched in different ways for it to operate the way that it should. Just by spending a few minutes of day of doing certain stretches can keep it feeling young. Not only does yoga stretch the muscles but it also stimulates the endocrine system glands. These glands include the sex glands, the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland.

These glands produce hormones that help the body to function. Doing yoga has a very powerful anti-aging effect on the body. This is why Dr. Oz does yoga and his patients do yoga. You can learn it at classes, from a video or even from a book. Bikram's yoga is extremely therapeutic for the body. You can talk to different people and learn the one that works best for you.

A lot of pain that people have is caused by stress. Yoga may be the best thing for reversing stress. People do not get pain so they can take a pain killer. Pain is a signal that there is something wrong with the body. Ben Franklin said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Yoga is very popular among celebrities. Even Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) does yoga.

If you want to drink a tea that helps with the above, drink nettle leaf tea. This will calm and relax the nerves and it actually nourishes the endocrine system glands. Since this tea is 98% water, it has all the benefits of getting enough water in the body. Many people have reported that yoga even helps them with mental and emotional problems.

20 Minute Weight Loss & Fatburning Yoga Workout!

How Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight Easily And Enjoyably

Photo: wikimedia

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

There are many reasons why yoga is so popular with people trying to lose weight - one of the main reasons is that it WORKS! Here are three ways that yoga helps you to start losing weight easily.

1. Yoga relaxes your body and mind.

Being overweight is an indicator that something is out of balance in your life. Excess stress is a big factor that contributes to weight gain.

Yoga is an easy way to help you relax. When you practice yoga, you bring a deep sense of relaxation to your body and your mind. As you relax, you begin to ease the stress in your life, and weight loss will begin to happen naturally.

2. Yoga assists detoxification.

Being overweight is a sign that your body is high in toxicity. Detoxifying your body can help you to lose weight for good.

When your body is toxic, it means that your detoxification organs (such as your liver and kidneys) may not be working effectively. When these organs aren't working optimally your body will tend to hold on to excess weight.

Doing yoga is an excellent place to start detoxifying your body. Yoga tones up the inner organs and helps them to work optimally again. Breathing deeply during yoga is an important part of detoxification.

There are specific poses in yoga that assist detoxification, such as yoga twists. Self massage in yoga is highly recognized in the East as a powerful tool for detoxification.

3. Yoga helps release stuck emotions.

What most weight loss experts won't tell you is that being overweight almost always has an emotional component.

In everyday life, we often address negative feelings with food or other addictions. Used in this way, food is used to numb or suppress feelings. Left unaddressed, these "pent-up" feelings can become stuck in the body.

Yoga is one tool that you can use to access and release these stuck emotions. Many people describe walking out of yoga class with an incredible feeling of lightness.

Being on the yoga mat gives you the opportunity to notice your feelings. Not only does yoga help you to notice how you're really feeling, it also helps you connect with your personal power so that you have the courage and confidence to express how you feel.

Yoga is a powerful healing tool as it aids relaxation, promotes detoxification and helps release stuck emotions. Based on my own experience, I can personally recommend yoga as a path to losing weight naturally and keeping it off for good!

The Yoga Lifestyle

The Yoga Lifestyle

An Organic Way of Life: Yoga-Lifestyle

Photo: yoganonymous

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Yoga has emerged to be something more than just a recreational activity in today's world, it is a lifestyle. Yoga has influenced the life of many to an extent that they have chosen to take it beyond than just the yoga mat; they have chosen the yoga-lifestyle. Yoga-lifestyle is the one which is based on the basic principles of yoga itself, which means it is a way to live life with determination, concentration, focus, peace and love. Yoga provides a sense of physical, mental and spiritual well being, and yoga-lifestyle is a way to implement all these into your day-to-day life.

Yoga-lifestyle focuses on living a life in peace with the environment around us. This has lead to people being conscious about what they wear and eat. This has changed the clothing trend from synthetically produced clothes to all organic clothing. Organic clothing includes the use of organic crops for the production of textile. These organic textiles are at times mixed with recycled plastic if needed to produce a final product, i.e. an organic piece of cloth. This proves to be advantageous on environmental and sustainable development end. These organic crops are farmed without using any genetically modified seeds or chemically produced pesticides. Studies have shown that these pesticides which are produced chemically and not found naturally in the environment have severe effects on the soil and land value and contaminated the air and water around it. Not just that it has also shown to cause many harmful diseases in the areas where they are used. On the other hand using recycled plastic means there will be less of plastic material which will be filled up in land or burnt, providing yet another road towards a cleaner environment.

With more and more people being conscious about environmental issues yoga-lifestyle has emerged as a way to protect the environment. Besides being a treat for the environment, organic clothing is also comfortable to wear. A good yoga practice requires complete concentration and focus, and for that you would like your clothes to be completely comfortable during all the 'asaanas'; organic yoga clothing provides just that. Organic cotton clothes even absorb sweat, and are not at all irrigating and itching like other synthetic clothes. With the explosion of this lifestyle, along with comfort these organic clothes are also a big hit in style and fashion world as many big names have started working with organic material.

2 Year Old Yoga Teacher

Kids Yoga Stories Can Benefit Your Child Immensely

Photo: radiancepoweryoga

Source: http://ezinearticles.com

They say bringing up a child is like moulding soft clay with our own hands. As a parent you therefore have to be careful about what you are teaching your child. Children are impressionable and eager to learn and if you give them the right kind of education and environment they will grow up to be strong, self-reliant individuals. Education is far from imparting bookish knowledge today, it has to be holistic in the true sense of its word and yet be simple enough for little children to enjoy the process of learning.

A great educational tool to teach kids

One such great educational tool parents can use is yoga stories. Your children need exercise and there yet has to be a child who does not love stories, so why not combine the benefits of both? Yoga stories will not only help your kids improve their health and flexibility it will spark their eager imagination senses as well. There are a lot of certified yoga trainers today who specialize in kids' yoga who say that such stories are immensely beneficial for children between the ages of two to eight.

Yoga stories are constructed in a manner to engage and encourage the children to get moving while having fun and learning all the way. Yoga stories can be practiced in a number of creative ways. Let's illustrate with an example that can be used on toddlers or young children between the ages of 3-5. Find a big bag and put in all sorts of stuffed toy animals in them. You can then ask each child to speak about a visit to a zoo and weave it in a story format.

Each child gets to pick toy animal and mimic its pose. A yoga expert who has to supervise this activity will see that the child does each pose correctly. Before you know it you will find that the kids are having a whale of time acting out the story and letting their imaginations go wild! There are several such yoga places that conduct special programs like the ones mentioned above. Such stories teach young minds not just about animals, but about different people, places and cultures.

Develops physical and creative capabilities of a child

Learning yoga in a creative way like this will help the kids develop an awareness about their bodies and improve their motor skills. The focus of this innovative way of learning is not to teach children about the perfect yogic postures, it is about promoting an attitude of kindness and gratitude. Through such programs children learn the benefits of sharing, cooperation and acceptance.

It has been noticed that children who learn through yoga stories are able to build their strength and flexibility over time. These kids are much less prone to throwing tantrums and turn out to be relaxed and calm as well as develop a keen sense of confidence and self-expression.

If you are a parent who is encouraging your kids to learn through yoga stories, do not pressure your kids to learn perfect postures or to focus on things such as losing weight. You should just encourage them to have fun in the best way they can.

4 Yoga Poses to Reduce Belly Fat

Benefits of Yoga For You

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Source: http://ezinearticles.com/

Learning the benefits of yoga will make you understand that yoga is not just about the poses- it is really about how you are breathing, the mind and body connection that you feel and how it can be tailored to your specific health situation. You will look at yoga in a whole new light. Yoga helps managed your mood. Whether you are experiencing depression, menopause or just not feeling your usual self yoga can help.

Yoga is an exercise that relaxes the mind, calm the nerve and soothe the senses. It challenges your physical body in the same manner as it challenges your mental state. After a class of yoga practice, you should feel a great sense of being, being present, knowing that you took some time to get to know you again.

The Benefits of Yoga:

You might want to know that yoga really does benefit you both mind an soul.The list to all the health benefits of yoga is very extensive. The ancient practice of yoga is not just for the new age yuppies but now even medical doctors are beginning to see the benefits and are prescribing yoga for patients that might be suffering from:

• Traumatic experiences
• Insomnia
• Stress relation issues - whether it be marital relations or job related stress
• Anxiety
• Persons who cannot tolerate psychiatric medication
• Severe mood swings

And the beauty of yoga is that you go at your own pace. You do yoga for you. You are not in a class or a private session to please anyone but yourself. You listen to your body and you let it lead.

You learn to relax and let go and as you do this your practice become easier and you feel a sense of self connection when you are done. Before you know it you will become a regular yogis, practicing regular.

And once you begin to see the changes that occur in your life, whether you stop feeling so stress or you begin to sleep better or you realize just how much better your relationships have gotten, you will be hooked.

The practice of yoga balances out your moods and create a calmer version of you. You begin to notice your change and soon others around you begin to notice the change too.

By practicing each day, you soon will begin to see the benefits of yoga and how it changes your life in a very gradual and subtle way.

Yoga and Health Benefits

Photo: eathealthyloveyoga

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Yoga-and-Health-Benefits&id=8479669

Most people who actually benefit from Yoga are those who practice, and continue to practice. Often times beginners try Yoga once and never again. They do not see how doing stretches or putting their body in uncomfortable poses helps their life. Here are 5 reasons why us Yoga lovers love the practice:

1. Yoga Relaxes:

When you practice yoga, your full attention is required. The practice allows you to detach from your long, hard day and turn in. For an hour or so, your practice requires you to be in the present moment. Most of the day, we are busy working, or making plans, or thinking about where we need to go, what we need to do... During this hour or so, your mind must focus and detach from all those things that you did or have to do because in order to do any pose, or listen to the instructor's direction, you need to pay attention. By leaving your work load behind or skipping through your thoughts about your "must do's," for that hour, you are clearing your mind. When your mind is clear, you can better reflect on the past, plan your future, and enjoy your present moment.

2. Yoga Strengthens the Body:

Yoga is workout - Of The Mind! There is no doubt that Yoga postures and poses strengthen your muscles and help you lose weight and manage cellulite. It also depends on how often you practice (on and off your mat). Practicing on a regular basis will strengthen those more than others. Yoga allows you to learn about your own body. Which poses can you do? Which poses do you like or dislike? It teaches you your physical limitations, physical capabilities, and physical preferences. How can you strengthen your body without first learning about your very own first? By practicing, you are able to find out if you are a back-bender, arm balancer, or both! I can tell you, I never considered myself flexible before I began to practice Yoga. Over time, I discovered that I am much more flexible than I thought (in my body and my mind)! Being flexible and open in the mind, allows you to be flexible and open in your body. Try it, you have everything to gain.

3. Yoga Strengthens the Mind:

Simple- "Healthy Body = Healthy Mind." Yoga offers us the tools that help us think clearly. You say, "How can going upside down help me clear my mind?" Well, actually, going upside down reverses your blood flow to your brain which washes out the old and pumps the new and fresh. Besides that, the practice of Yoga (asana) has everything to take with you off your mat. For example, as you practice, one goal is to keep your body engaged, yet soft. We call this Sthira-Sukha. (Sthira - Firm and Alert) and (Sukha- Ease and without Tension). Sound like a piece of cake? Think again. Our practice helps us to find this balance because by finding this balance, we can advance our practice. Otherwise, poses simply remain poses. Think about how this could benefit life outside your mat. In your workplace, employers favor those who have the ability to lead, be strong and firm, speak up, be quick (qualities that Sthira brings) BUT- they also need those who remain calm during crisis, have problem-solving abilities, are polite, communicate well with others (qualities that Sukha brings). Wouldn't having both benefit you in your work place? Absolutely.

Photo: mindbodygreen

4. Yoga Teaches you to Prevent:

Not only does Yoga help you reflect and sort out all of your issues (even the ones you did not realize you had), but it also helps you to prevent future problems in your life. Yoga enhances your thinking skills. Sometimes, we like to do things over and over again and hope or expect a different result each time (definition of insanity). I know that I am guilty of it as well! Yoga practice is that little light bulb that pops in your head and tells you, "hey, maybe I should try something different since this clearly is not working." So, you may ask, "how can doing a yoga pose possibly help me with this!?" Here is why: Since the poses teach you about your body, they also teach you how far you can go or if perhaps you have gone too far. If your body does not feel good in a pose or causes you pain, you are asked to COME OUT and try a different or modified pose that is better for your body. See the connection? A lot of times these concepts are not even noticed. We begin to say, "Yoga feels good, puts me in a better mood, changed my life.. etc" It is because as we begin to practice, we begin to recognize the things that are getting in our way and we recognize them more quickly than before, then by having a clear mind, we take action. Over time, this becomes a prevention tool.

5. Yoga Changes Old Habits:

You know those bad habits you have and find a very hard time stepping away from them? Well, here is where Yoga can help you in that area of your life. Yoga practice makes you recognize all sorts of things about yourself that you did not know. Simply because, as mentioned before, it requires your full attention. Once you learn about yourself, you recognize your habits (the good and bad ones). As you may know, the first step in changing anything is recognizing the problem. In this case, recognizing your bad habits. Sometimes we are not fully aware of our habits. So how can we change them if we do not even know we have them? By practicing Yoga, we learn about our body, preferences, and our health. Naturally, paying close attention to ourselves is like studying our own self and seeing ourself through the eyes of the world outside of us. This is not so easy to do, especially if we are so caught up in our stressful and busy lives. As we practice over time, we become extremely sensitive to notice everything about ourselves and that is when we clearly recognize our habits. To go into more depth, we begin to recognize how we could possibly make our habits better or shift things in other areas to help balance out the things that we cannot change. For example, excessive smokers or drinkers who wish they could stop their habits may find it almost impossible to let go. Working with your body, over time teaches the concept of "letting go of that which does not serve me." Over time, with practice and most importantly commitment, change will come and it will come naturally.