February 3, 2012

What are the yoga benefits for women? Lady Gaga’s instructor speaks up

It's no secret that singer, songwriter and eccentric celebrity nonpareil Lady Gaga is a big fan of yoga.

It's no secret that singer, songwriter and eccentric celebrity nonpareil Lady Gaga is a big fan of yoga.

It's no secret that singer, songwriter and eccentric celebrity nonpareil Lady Gaga is a big fan of yoga. In fact, she's such an enthusiastic practitioner that even her instructor occasionally makes headlines. Recently, long-time friend and yoga teacher Tricia Donegan reminded the world that the singer is way beyond yoga poses for beginners.

Donegan told the New York Times Magazine that when she first met the songstress, she still went by Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. At the time, the proto-Gaga was still a student at New York University.

The two ran into each other at Donegan's yoga classes, which she had just begun teaching. Now, years later, the instructor said that Germanotta is still committed to all the yoga benefits for women.

"She is a woman of service. She uses her talent to make this world better, and that’s because she practices yoga," Donegan explained to the magazine. "She is blessed that she has talent, but what’s special about her is that she’s going to change the world."

What's wonderful about yoga is that such a versatile mind-body system can be used for isolated relaxation and reflection, or for community-building and outreach, as needed.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

January 17, 2012

Yoga benefits article says the holistic regimen leads to bliss, not stupor

If you've taken a Dahn Yoga health class lately, you've probably left your local community center feeling relaxed, refreshed, even dazed.

If you've taken a Dahn Yoga health class lately, you've probably left your local community center feeling relaxed, refreshed, even dazed.

If you've taken a Dahn Yoga health class lately, you've probably left your local community center feeling relaxed, refreshed, even dazed. This sensation – which many enthusiasts refer to as "blissing out" – has nothing to do with your mental clarity or intelligence level, according to a yoga benefits article in the Boston Herald.

A reader named "Taylor" wrote to the newspaper to describe an anecdote she'd heard from her yoga teacher. The instructor, who freely admitted that yoga occasionally makes one feel dopey or dazed, was once asked if yoga "makes you stupid."

Her response, according to the reader, was a heartfelt "No!" Yoga doesn't make practitioners stupid; instead, it stimulates parts of the brain that aren't activated during conversation or everyday mental work.

The reader quoted another prominent yoga teacher, who explained that "yoga has a sly, clever way of short-circuiting the mental patterns that cause anxiety." The resulting pleasant daze has nothing to do with effects on one's intelligence.

Of course, that doesn't mean you won't occasionally say or do something silly after a good yoga workout! If you do, you can rest easy knowing that it's because your yoga routine is so relaxing.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

January 5, 2012

Yoga benefits for women extend to, and through, menopause

One researcher discovered that even a few yoga classes each week seemed to soothe hot flashes, improve muscular fitness and lower blood pressure.

One researcher discovered that even a few yoga classes each week seemed to soothe hot flashes, improve muscular fitness and lower blood pressure.

Menopause is no picnic. This life change, which women typically reach between the ages of 45 and 55, can be accompanied by hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness. Fortunately, one of the many yoga benefits for women is the potential for a little relief from menopause-related irritation.

Recently, a study conducted at the University of Lethbridge found that yoga exercises work at least as well as walking when it comes to reducing the symptoms of menopause.

The author, kinesiologist Sophia Veroza, monitored dozens of volunteers who were perimenopausal – that is, beginning or going through the hormonal shift that signals menopause.

Over the course of several months, she monitored the hormone levels, physical fitness, blood pressure, body mass and heart rate of each participant. One-half of the group was given regular yoga instruction, while the other half undertook a weekly walking program.

In the end, the yoga health benefits for perimenopausal women were clear. Veroza discovered that even a few yoga classes each week seemed to soothe hot flashes, improve muscular fitness and lower blood pressure.

Such findings aren't small potatoes. After all, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in any given year, 37.5 million American women are in some stage of menopause!

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

December 20, 2011

Yoga benefits article explains how the holistic regimen helps all sorts

According to a survey conducted by the Yoga Journal, nearly 16 million adults use yoga as a way to unwind and unburden themselves of stress.

According to a survey conducted by the Yoga Journal, nearly 16 million adults use yoga as a way to unwind and unburden themselves of stress.

If you're wondering how far yoga poses for beginners have penetrated American culture, take a look at the numbers. According to a survey conducted by the Yoga Journal, nearly 16 million adults use yoga as a way to unwind and unburden themselves of stress. And if the Huffington Post's new yoga benefits article is any indication, that figure may soon rise even higher.

Written by Harvard Medical School physician Aditi Nerurkar, the piece focuses on the apparent utility of yoga in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The researcher said that the latest segment of American society to adopt the regimen for this purpose is the U.S. Armed Forces.

Nerurkar's colleague Sat Bir Khalsa noted that yoga is particularly well-suited for a condition that is both physiological and psychological.

"PTSD is a mind-body disorder with both mental and physical components," he told Nerurkar, quoted by the news source. "So yoga, in its blending of physical postures with conscious breathing, adds a strong dimension for the existing treatment of PTSD."

Nearly 7 percent of adults will suffer from PTSD in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Regardless of the condition's cause, scientists are looking into using yoga to reduce its severity.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

December 12, 2011

Rather than doing thousands of crunches, use yoga exercises for flat stomach

Too many crunches may warp the spine, leading to disc problems and lower back pain. By contrast, yoga evenly works all muscles, encouraging strength, flexibility and a holistic sense of well-being.

Too many crunches may warp the spine, leading to disc problems and lower back pain. By contrast, yoga evenly works all muscles, encouraging strength, flexibility and a holistic sense of well-being.

In pursuit of washboard abs, plenty of people resort to sit-ups, crunches or other intense exercises. While these pursuits are not without their merits, yoga exercises for a flat stomach can accomplish the same thing with fewer aches and pains along the way.

If you don't believe it, ask someone you know who regularly attends yoga classes. They'll probably tell you that when it comes to strengthening your core, yoga holds benefits for women and men alike.

One of the problems with doing crunches is that, quite simply, you can overdo it. An article in the Yoga Journal recently explained why engaging in sit-ups to get rippling abdominal muscles is usually a bad idea.

Essentially, crunches overwork the abs. When people specifically target their tummies, this is even more likely to be true. By doing thousands upon thousands of sit-ups, it is possible to ignore the back, chest, legs and arms, thus strengthening one's muscles unevenly.

The article in the Yoga Journal noted that this imbalance can cause individuals to hunch forward, impairing their posture. Too many crunches may also warp the spine, leading to disc problems and lower back pain.

By contrast, yoga evenly works all muscles, encouraging strength, flexibility and a holistic sense of well-being.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

October 24, 2011

Yoga benefits article says UK football team has gone holistic

A yoga benefits article published by ESPN points to the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as a group of guys who have adopted the mind-body regimen wholeheartedly.

A yoga benefits article published by ESPN points to the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as a group of guys who have adopted the mind-body regimen wholeheartedly.

Yoga health benefits men of all ages, body types and backgrounds, even if they have just come off the soccer field. A yoga benefits article published by ESPN points to the Tottenham Hotspur Football Club as a group of guys who have adopted the mind-body regimen wholeheartedly.

The UK team, which is part of both the Premier League and the Europa League, began doing yoga exercises at the behest of their head coach, Harry Redknapp. He was not shy about expressing his enthusiasm to the news source.

"It's fantastic. We have been getting into doing the yoga and I think pilates is just an amazing thing,'' Redknapp said of the holistic regimen. ''It's great for the players. They are all doing it now."

Similar phenomena have occurred in the U.S., where amateur and professional basketballers, hockey players and baseball stars have admitted to loving the way yoga strengthens and relaxes their bodies.

One doesn't have to be an athlete in some other sport to get the most out of yoga. Plenty of men consider the mind-body routine their primary source of exercise and entertainment.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

October 17, 2011

OSU club leader proves that yoga health benefits apply to men, too

As the president of the Ohio State University (OSU) Yoga Club, he is out to prove that yoga health benefits apply to males just as much as they do to females.

As the president of the Ohio State University (OSU) Yoga Club, he is out to prove that yoga health benefits apply to males just as much as they do to females.

Sure, yoga holds benefits for women, but can men improve their bodies and minds in the same way? Michael Fitzsimons says yes, they can. As the president of the Ohio State University (OSU) Yoga Club, he is out to prove that yoga health benefits apply to males just as much as they do to females.

Featured in the university's official newspaper, The Lantern, the college senior and industrial systems engineer said that his group popularity is a testament to the power of holistic exercise.

At its founding two years ago, the OSU Yoga Club was composed of five people. Today, it counts 80 students in its membership body, according to the news source's tally. Fitzsimons was unequivocal about the benefits of doing yoga as a male college athlete.

"I was so injured from playing rugby and other sports in high school so I wanted to heal my body, and it's definitely helped," he told the news source.

Studies have shown that men, like women, may experience gender-specific health improvements from doing regular yoga exercises. However, the mind-body system is flexible enough that practically anyone can adopt it and begin to improve their well-being within weeks.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

October 12, 2011

Yoga poses for weight loss can also soothe anxieties of cancer patients and caregivers

Yoga poses for weight loss can also soothe anxieties of cancer patients and caregivers

Yoga poses for weight loss can also soothe anxieties of cancer patients and caregivers

Millions of Americans perform yoga poses for weight loss and improved flexibility, but did you know that many people engage in the holistic regimen to alleviate symptoms of chronic illnesses too? This includes patients who are struggling with cancer, who often must deal with the pain and discomfort of treatment in addition to the stress of coping with a devastating disease. According to a popular article on the Washington Post, individuals who have this condition can significantly relieve tension and anxiety with the program's deep breathing exercises.

Not only can cancer patients benefit from engaging in yoga, but their caregivers may as well. The health of those who look after severely ill individuals has been of growing concern over the years, since these people tend to exhibit higher rates of mental illness, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

"It's not infrequent for caregivers to die before the person they're caring for," said geriatric psychiatrist Helen Lavretsky, quoted by the news source. She added that yoga can soothe these individuals, explaining that "meditation and breath work teach people how to be more productive and not react to minor stuff."

With so many yoga benefits for women and men, it's no surprise that so many Americans have adopted the program's gentle poses and relaxing stretches.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

October 4, 2011

New film explains yoga benefits for women

yoga benefits for women

Titled Yogawoman, the film focuses on the personal experiences many women have had with the holistic routine, using their own words to describe just how healthy and life-changing a simple yoga class can be.

Sometimes it can be hard to explain how yoga benefits for women differ from those for men, children or the elderly. Fortunately, a movie released in September explains how salutary yoga is for women.

Titled Yogawoman, the film focuses on the personal experiences many women have had with the holistic routine, using their own words to describe just how healthy and life-changing a simple yoga class can be.

Yoga instructor Tari Prinster told KSDK News St. Louis that the documentary is quite innovative, depicting how women use yoga in places ranging from the high-rises of New York City to the plains of Kenya.

"This movie is groundbreaking in that aspect, in that it brings the importance of yoga to everyone," she explained, quoted by the news source.

Narrated by actress Annette Bening, Yogawoman aims to explain the history of the spread of yoga. Its official website notes that while men brought the practice out of Asia, women have been largely responsible for repopularizing it in the 20th century.

Today, the mind-body regimen offers women the chance to reduce their menopause symptoms, shed family-related stress or try yoga poses for pregnancy, among many other applications.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

August 9, 2011

Yoga benefits for women may pick up where soy leaves off

yoga benefits for women

A study found that isoflavones - a group of natural estrogen-like molecules found in soy (pictured) - do not appear to reduce hot flashes or slow the bone loss associated with menopause.

Going through menopause can be a real pain. Fortunately, yoga benefits for women may even extend to the reduction of hot flashes, something that soy apparently cannot do, according to one of the most popular articles on CNN Health.

This finding comes from a study appearing in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, which found that isoflavones – a group of natural estrogen-like molecules found in soy products – do not appear to reduce hot flashes or slow the bone loss associated with menopause.

The news comes on the back of a meta-study, also published in the Annals, which determined that the 12 prior randomized trials conducted with soy isoflavones were, at best, inconclusive. The review also found that dong quai, Chinese herbs, evening primrose oil, vitamin E and acupuncture also do not appear to affect the symptoms of menopause.

For the latest experiment, researchers asked 248 women to take a daily supplement, which contained either 200 milligrams of isoflavones or was a placebo.

Over the course of two years, the team found that women who took the isoflavones were, in fact, slightly more likely to have hot flashes. Those who received the soy extract had a 48 percent chance of experiencing the menopausal side effect, compared to 31 percent of those taking a placebo.

Likewise, the extent of bone loss was in no way diminished through isoflavone supplementation, scientists added.

If soy does not reduce the severity of hot flashes, then what are women to do? Numerous yoga benefits articles have suggested that doing holistic exercises, like stretching, deep breathing and meditation, may naturally dampen flashes and night sweats.

Several studies published in the journal Maturitas have found that postmenopausal women report experiencing significantly fewer symptoms of the life change after taking eight weeks of regular yoga classes.

If you have been suffering from hot flashes and can find no relief, consider checking in with a local yoga community center.

People who looked at this item also looked at…

Related items

« Older Entries