Yoga is a science; and indeed, in many places in the world (such as India), it is referred to as a science. This is not merely playing with words; it truly is approached as a science, which means that it is understood in terms of scientific methods.

Yogic science seeks to verify cause and effect, and build principles based upon objective observations. Indeed, in many places in the world, to be a yogic master of any credibility, one must be highly educated in the sciences, including physics and the biological sciences.

This discussion on yoga as science is important for us to include because it allows us to sensibly ask the question: what are the benefits of yoga? After all, if yoga is a faith or a belief, then asking this question isn\’t fair; because it\’s one that yoga cannot answer in terms that we can objectively understand.

Yoga is a science; as empirical and pragmatic as kinesiology, or exercise science, which seeks to understand how the body acts and reacts to changes in the internal physical environment. And even more simply than any of this: each of us has a right to ask the basic question, \”why should I bother practicing yoga and what experience or benefits can I expect?\”

Indeed, while the experience of yoga cannot be reduced to words – just as reading a book on preparing for a marathon isn\’t going to actually physically prepare you to run a marathon – the goals and principles of yoga can easily be discussed.

Here\’s the Mayo Clinic\’s take on the benefits of meditation:

\”Meditation is used by people who are perfectly healthy as a means of stress reduction. But if you have a medical condition that\’s worsened by stress, you might find the practice valuable in reducing the stress-related effects of allergies, asthma, chronic pain and arthritis, among others.\”

Yoga involves a series of postures, during which you pay special attention to your breathing — exhaling during certain movements and inhaling with others. You can approach yoga as a way to promote physical flexibility, strength and endurance or as a way to enhance your spirituality.

The Mind-Body Connection

Yoga is centered on the mind-body connection. This mind-body harmony is achieved through three things:

- postures (asanas)

- proper breathing (pranayama)

- meditation

Mind and body draw inspiration and guidance from the combined practices of asanas, breathing, and meditation. As people age (to yogis, ageing is an artificial condition), our bodies become susceptible to toxins and poisons (caused by environmental and poor dietary factors).

Yoga helps us through a cleaning process, turning our bodies into a well synchronized and well-oiled piece of machinery.

Physical Benefits

By harmonizing these three principles, the benefits of yoga are attained. And just what are these benefits?

- equilibrium in the body’s central nervous system

- decrease in pulse

- respiratory and blood pressure rates

- cardiovascular efficiency

- gastrointestinal system stabilization

- increased breath-holding time

- improved dexterity skills.

- Improved balance

- Improved depth perception

- Improved memory

Psychological Benefits

As noted above, Yoga also delivers an array of psychological benefits; and in fact, this is a very common reason why people begin practicing it in the first place. Perhaps the most frequently mentioned psychological benefit of yoga is an improved ability to manage stress. Yoga diminishes an individual’s levels of anxiety, depression, and lethargy; thus enabling him/her to focus on what’s spiritual and important: achieving balance and happiness.

In part II of the Benefit of Yoga we\’ll reveal how yoga can help deal with stress, unhealthy habits and pain management. The benefits of Yoga go far beyond meditation and stretching, it is a way to release those toxic emotions that tend to stand in the way of living a healthy life.

About the author:———————Visit My Yoga for Life to continue reading Benefit of Yoga Part II at My Yoga for Life or visit our blog at Yoga for Life Blog.———————

Research has demonstrated that yoga can help control anxiety,
reduce asthma, alleviate arthritis symptoms, lower blood pressure,
eliminate back pain, and benefit patients suffering from multiple
sclerosis, chronic fatigue, epilepsy, diabetes, headaches, stress
and much more.

Yoga offers a lot of benefits. Perhaps its most important benefit
is it\’s ability to reduce tension and stress. Stress can lead to a
whole slew of other health problems.

Yoga increases muscle tone, strength, stamina and flexibility.
If you are overweight, yoga can help you gently reduce your weight
and keep the pounds an inches off. Yoga exercises can burn excess
fat and give you your desired figure.

Yoga can also help you improve your concentration and enhance your
creativity. It can help you to think more positively and learn to
live free of anxiety.

Your body needs to relax from time to time. Sometimes, work can
leave us feeling spent and exhausted. During busy days, we may not
be able to unwind because work is still on our mind. Yoga can help
you create a sense of calmness and well being to replace this
stress from work.

Yoga exercise improves circulation. Your organs and veins need to
move and stretch to function properly. Yoga can also help stimulate
your immune system to protect you from disease.

Don\’t confuse yoga with religion. It\’s just a method of exercise
with a long list of benefits to your health and well being. If you
begin to feel more spiritual it\’s probably because you are more in
tune with your body and life than you were before you started doing
yoga.

The pressure and demands of life can leave us stressed out. We find
ourselves rushing most of the time with the deadlines and hassles
we need to keep up with. This leaves us little time to rest our
minds and relax.

These are just a few of the many powerful benefits yoga has to
offer. Find a little time to dedicate to it every day and you will
begin to feel more calm, certain and relaxed than you thought
possible.

Your body needs to relax from time to time. Sometimes, work can
leave us feeling spent and exhausted. During busy days, we may not
be able to unwind because work is still on our mind. Yoga can help
you create a sense of calmness and well being to replace this
stress from work.

Yoga exercise improves circulation. Your organs and veins need to
move and stretch to function properly. Yoga can also help stimulate
your immune system to protect you from disease.

Don\’t confuse yoga with religion. It\’s just a method of exercise
with a long list of benefits to your health and well being. If you
begin to feel more spiritual it\’s probably because you are more in
tune with your body and life than you were before you started doing
yoga.

The pressure and demands of life can leave us stressed out. We find
ourselves rushing most of the time with the deadlines and hassles
we need to keep up with. This leaves us little time to rest our
minds and relax.

These are just a few of the many powerful benefits yoga has to
offer. Find a little time to dedicate to it every day and you will
begin to feel more calm, certain and relaxed than you thought
possible.
David A. Wells WellsAbout the author:Yoga Equipment can add comfort to and increase the results of your yoga exercises.

Addiction and substance abuse can inflict a tremendous amount of suffering, not only on the individual, but also on their family and friends. Substance and alcohol addictions have been diagnosed as a disease and are treatable. There are many avenues to choose when seeking treatment, but the most effective choice is to go to an accredited treatment center. Some treatment centers, such as CirqueLodge.com, in Sundance Utah, are enlisting the aid of equine therapy in their treatment program.

What is equine therapy? Equine therapy originally started as a program that involved the use of horses in riding therapeutically for individuals with physical disabilities. The horseback riding experience provided the rider with a gentle rhythm similar to the human gait; this often helped improve muscle strength, flexibility and balance. It has also been found that individuals with mental or emotional disabilities can benefit from interactions with horses. The individual forms a relationship with the horse that can help build their confidence, patience, and self-esteem.

The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) was formed for the purpose to promote safe, professional, and therapeutic equine activities through education and research, for people with and without disabilities. Many of us are familiar with this association; we have seen it in the news and in printed articles. Through the success of their programs, there was a need to form a new addition to the association, the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA).

This EFMHA was formed for the purpose of promoting, and educating others or clinical professionals, to work with horses. They also set the standards of horse knowledge, that pertain directly to Equine Facilitated Mental Health programs. One program that has been developed, and is ever evolving, is Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP), is a fairly new field, and still in the experimental stages. Individuals learn about themselves by interacting in a series of specially designed activities with horses. EAP is not about riding horses. It’s about therapeutic activities that take place on the ground under the guidance of a licensed psychologist and an equine specialist. The therapy on horses usually is without the use of bridles or saddles. These activities promote beneficial therapeutic healing and growth, by teaching the individual how to deal, and learn about their own emotions. It helps people increase awareness as to how their emotions affect others and their daily lives.

Why are horses used and not other animals? Horses are very social animals. They have distinct personalities and temperaments. They mirror exactly what human body language is telling them by reacting immediately to signals you may not realize you are sending. Horses are large and powerful, and their size can be intimidating to many people. Participating in an activity with a horse, in spite of their size and presence, can build confidence.

One method used in EAP; a halter is handed to a participant and the individual is then instructed go into an arena and catch a horse. Depending on the approach, the horse may back away, run, or allow the individual to place the halter over its head. It can be an easy task, or a very daunting task, it is all in how the horse interprets the participant’s body language. They may give up and walk away, because it appears to be impossible, or they try a variety of methods until they are able to approach the horse and place the halter over its head. It makes the participant stand back and access the situation. Many times it requires more than one session to accomplish this activity. Each time the individual feels like giving up, the question can be asked; how could this simple activity be compared to how people approach each other, and what are the signals your body language sends?

Another method, the participant is asked to go out into an arena without a halter, and asked to get the horse to move through a series of obstacles. This activity usually takes several sessions. If the participant is disrespectful to the horse, such as inappropriate touching or loud noises, this makes the horse fearful. When the participant makes a conscious effort, and considers what affect they are having on the horse, rather than just making demands, the horse begins to cooperate. The horse is beginning to trust and respect you. Trust and respect are earned with horses, much the same way as gaining trust and respect from people.

There is much subjective evidence on the positive therapeutic benefits of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, especially in the area of transferable social and learning skills. Depending on how the participant initially approached the horse, and by eventually learning to provide clear direction to the animal, in a calm manner, this therapy allows the participant immediate feedback, which can be discussed between the participant and a trained professional. Equine Assisted Therapy provides the individual with immediate opportunities to be aware of inappropriate behaviors, feelings and attitudes, and opens the doors to discuss a way to correct them. It is clear that Equine Assisted Psychotherapy does provide many benefits by allowing people to discover new ways of dealing with and overcoming problems. It is highly recommended to seek assistance from an accredited facility for the treatment of alcohol or substance abuse addictions. An inpatient experience at a treatment center has many advantages, allowing the individual to address their personal issues without the distractions of daily life.M.L. MannAbout the author:This article was written by M.L. Mann sponsored by http://www.cirquelodge.com/. Cirque Lodge, located in Sundance, Utah, is a world-class residential drug rehab facility providing a private, effective and serene pathway to sobriety. Reproductions of this article must include a link pointing back to http://www.cirquelodge.com/.

The benefits of meditation are indeed numerous, ranging from the physical to the spiritual. On the physical side, it can reduce the stimulus that overloads our bodies with stress hormones and elevated blood pressure. On the spiritual side it can provide a place of quiet exploration, said to be basic for the spiritual quest.

Though meditation has grown significantly in numbers over the last several decades, it is still successfully practiced by a very small percentage of the population. Many of us know how it can benefit us. Yet if you are like most, sitting still feels like being put in irons and told to sit in the corner. Let’s face it, there is a reason it’s so hard to take that leap to quiet contemplation.

The answer may come in the biology of the brain. An increasing amount of research says we form our brains around our experiences. In other words, whether we like it or not, we become biologically tuned, possibly even addicted, to the lives we lead. As our lives become faster and faster it becomes harder to make the jump back to something as slow or as or beneficial as sitting quietly.

For high speed westerners meditation has other challenges. First it was created in both foreign and ancient cultures. We don’t have a modern western language for meditation and have to borrow the sights, sounds and rhythms of India and the Far East where the traditions were strongest. Put simply, when we are already trying something new it’s hard to relate to exotic languages, chanting and sounds.

Second is a complete blurring of the dividing line between the world of commerce and the world of hearth and home. In his pivotal book, ‘The Pattern Language’, architect Christopher Alexander, calls for the fundamental, almost primal need for a transition from “street life,” to the quiet security of a home.

Home was once a place where we could cast off the pace of the outside world and feel quite safe and secure. If you envision yourself proceeding to your front door through a small Japanese garden, or through the thick, cool walls of a Mediterranean courtyard and you may get a sense of how wonderful this can feel.

Inside the traditional home, people could act out different roles that centered on relaxation and simple pleasures like eating. Meditation doesn’t seem so far from the pace of this world. On the other hand, in the modern house, the world of commerce holds equal ground inside in the form of TV, radio, internet and cell phones. You never slow down, you never experience retreat and this gives stress no outlet.

There are a few things you can do to calm your household, even with modern and ancient technology. First, consider going on a quest for music that separates you from the day to day world. Experiment with classical music from the 16th and 17th centuries known as baroque. A lot of baroque music has a tempo close to one beat per second, the pace of the human heart. This has been shown to be beneficial to mood, focus and a sense of relaxation.

Other sounds, particularly those from nature, seem to be incredibly calming. After all, humans listened intently to the sounds of nature for signals of safety or threat.

Water fountains can provide a safe, soothing sound that bespeaks safety. Wind chimes have also been used for thousands of years enliven and change the sense of time in homes and temples.

Modern recordings of the sounds of surf, rivers and birds are also very effective calming devices. These are all accessible to anyone with a CD player or IPod. Electronics extends the range of calming sources of sound and can change our entire perception of our environment. We provide an example of how this works on our web site.

A powerful but less known sound that can change our state of mind is drumming. This is not your 15 year old on a new drum set, but the soul-satisfying, rhythmic drumming of ancient, native instruments. These sounds were refined and improved over millennia. Is it any wonder it is hard to keep still when we hear a great African beat or Tahitian drum? In fact, Ayruvedic medicine teaches that certain drum tones break up stagnate energy thereby preventing disease.

Whatever audio selections you choose, play these recordings at low volume most of the time. Music and drumming is actually very stimulating to the nervous system. The lower it is played, the more likely it will be calming, centering and not ultimately fatiguing.

However, any music that calms, relaxes and creates a positive state of mind is worth trying. Specialists in the field say that non verbal, non choral music is best. Vocal music engages the active, critical and logical part of the brain, so it should be avoided as a relaxation tool.

If any of these methods help clear your mind of the day’s events, it has brought you closer to meditative calm. In fact many spiritual practices in both the east and west claim that all of life is a meditation. The essence of meditation is being aware and clear headed.

With moments of clear headedness, if you ever choose to meditate in a more traditional and quiet form, you will find it much easier to do so. The jump from the sounds of your home to actual meditation won’t be too far to take.
John Douglas Simpson, M.A. SimpsonAbout the author:John D. Simpson, M.A. is the co-creator of Ahmbi. Ahmbi designs and produces modern media products for relaxation and easy stress management. http://www.managingstresseasily.com/

Ayurveda is based on ideas from Hinduism, one of the world\’s oldest and largest religions. Some Ayurvedic ideas also evolved from ancient Persian thoughts about health and healing. Many Ayurvedic practices were handed down by word of mouth and were used before there were written records. Ancient books, written in Sanskrit on palm leaves are more than 2,000 years old and thought to be the first texts on Ayurveda–Caraka Samhita and Susruta Samhita.

Ayurveda has long been the main system of health care in India, especially in urban areas. About 70 percent of India\’s population lives in rural areas; about two-thirds of rural people still use Ayurveda and medicinal plants to meet their primary health care needs. In addition, most major cities have an Ayurvedic college and hospital. Ayurveda and variations of it have also been practiced for centuries in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Tibet. The professional practice of Ayurveda in the United States began to grow and became more visible in the late 20th century.

Ideas about the relationships among people, their health, and the universe form the basis for how Ayurvedic practitioners think about problems that affect health. Ayurveda holds that:

All things in the universe (both living and nonliving) are joined together.

Every human being contains elements that can be found in the universe.

All people are born in a state of balance within themselves and in relation to the universe. This state of balance is disrupted by the processes of life. Disruptions can be physical, emotional, spiritual, or a combination. Imbalances weaken the body and make the person susceptible to disease.

Health will be good if one\’s interaction with the immediate environment is effective and wholesome.

Disease arises when a person is out of harmony with the universe.

Ayurveda also has some basic beliefs about the body\’s constitution. \”Constitution\” refers to a person\’s general health, how likely he is to become out of balance, and his ability to resist and recover from disease or other health problems. An overview of these beliefs follows.

The constitution is called the prakriti. The prakriti is thought to be a unique combination of physical and psychological characteristics and the way the body functions. It is influenced by such factors as digestion and how the body deals with waste products. The prakriti is believed to be unchanged over a person\’s lifetime.

Three qualities called doshas form important characteristics of the constitution, and control the activities of the body. Practitioners of Ayurveda call the doshas by their original Sanskrit names: vata, pitta, and kapha. It is also believed that:

Each dosha is made up of one or two of the five basic elements: space, air, fire, water, and earth.

Each dosha has a particular relationship to body functions and can be upset for different reasons.

A person has her own balance of the three doshas, although one dosha usually is prominent. Doshas are constantly being formed and reformed by food, activity, and bodily processes.

Each dosha is associated with a certain body type, a certain personality type, and a greater chance of certain types of health problems.

An imbalance in a dosha will produce symptoms that are related to that dosha and are different from symptoms of an imbalance in another dosha. Imbalances may be caused by an unhealthy lifestyle or diet; too much or too little mental and physical exertion; or not being properly protected from the weather, chemicals, or germs.

In summary, it is believed that a person\’s chances of developing certain types of diseases are related to the way doshas are balanced, the state of the physical body, and mental or lifestyle factors.

Practitioners seek to determine the primary dosha and the balance of doshas through questions that allow them to become very familiar with the patient. Not all questions have to do with particular symptoms. The practitioner will:

Ask about diet, behavior, lifestyle practices, and the reasons for the most recent illness and symptoms the patient had

Carefully observe such physical characteristics as teeth, skin, eyes, and weight

Take a person\’s pulse, because each dosha is thought to make a particular kind of pulse

In addition to questioning, Ayurvedic practitioners use observation, touch, therapies, and advising.

The practitioner will develop a treatment plan and may work with people who know the patient well and can help. This helps the patient feel emotionally supported and comforted, which is considered important.

Practitioners expect patients to be active participants in their treatment, because many Ayurvedic treatments require changes in diet, lifestyle, and habits. In general, treatments use several approaches, often more than one at a time. The goals of treatment are to:

Eliminate impurities. A process called panchakarma is intended to be cleansing; it focuses on the digestive tract and the respiratory system

Reduce symptoms. The practitioner may suggest various options, including yoga exercises, stretching, breathing exercises, meditation, herbs and lying in the sun.

Reduce worry and increase harmony in the patient\’s life. The patient may be advised to seek nurturing and peacefulness through yoga, meditation, exercise, or other techniques.

Help eliminate both physical and psychological problems. Vital points therapy and/or massage may be used to reduce pain, lessen fatigue, or improve circulation. Ayurveda proposes that there are 107 \”vital points\” in the body where life energy is stored, and that these points may be massaged to improve health.

In Ayurveda, the distinction between food and medicine is not as clear as in Western medicine. Food and diet are important components of Ayurvedic practice, and so there is a heavy reliance on treatments based on herbs and plants, oils (such as sesame oil), common spices (such as turmeric), and other naturally occurring substances. Currently, some 5,000 products are included in the \”pharmacy\” of Ayurvedic treatments.

If you are interested in Ayurveda you should be aware that not every practitioner offering services or treatments called \”Ayurvedic\” has been trained in an Ayurvedic medical school. It is important to ask about the practitioner\’s training and experience. Tell your health care provider if you are considering or using Ayurveda or another CAM therapy. This is for your safety and a comprehensive treatment plan. It is important to make sure that any diagnosis of a disease or condition has been made by a provider who has substantial conventional medical training and experience with managing that disease or condition.

Tell your provider(s) about any dietary supplements or medications (prescription or over-the-counter) you are using or considering. Prescribed medicines may need to be adjusted if you are also using a CAM therapy.Linda Thompson ThompsonAbout the author:Discover more Yoga information and articles by visiting http://www.yogainformationonline.com

Generally, only a few people are blessed with long healthy life. But in some places, it has been found that the average life span of the inhabitants is 85-100 years! This is one such mystery of Nature. Let\’s look at the facts and figures regarding this riddle.

In Italy, on top of the mountain range between Sienna and Naples, there is a village named Campodimele. The natural beauty of this village is picturesque, blissful and stunning. In Europe, this village is also known as \”Forever Young\” village. All of the residents of this village have seen a minimum of 85 years. To uncover the mystery behind the long life of these villagers, a group of European psychologists went to Campodimele and carried out research on them. They found that the villagers live a peaceful and stress free life. Their eating habits are vegetarian and controlled. Their diet is mandated by fresh fruits, green vegetables, milk, sprouts and boiled cereals. They relax for a time after lunch. Traditionally, they sleep by the early evening and wake up fairly early in the morning. They spend their life in the proximity of Mother Nature.

Nature\’s comparable gift has been given to the people of Symi island of Greece. The average age of the inhabitants here is 90 years. All residents use tomato, vegetables and salad in abundance. Normally they eat raw or less than cooked vegetables. Due to their diet or nature\’s unique gift, these people are found working very hard even at the age of 80-90. Hard work, integrity and goodwill are the basis of this society. Their family life is bonded with strong threads of mutual love and caring with a supportive and charitable nature. Inhabitants of this island live stress-free and happy lives with their families.

In the East China Sea, there is an island group known as Okinawa Archipelago. This island is also blessed with longevity. It has been found that the vegetables like sweet potato, leafy vegetables, and cereals are part of their daily diet. Soya bean also forms an essential part of their diet. According to the physiologists, all these elements contain antioxidants, which stop the harmful effects of aging and growth of cancerous free radical cells. Significantly their food contains minimal salt, as a result these people don\’t have blood pressure and heart related diseases. Even at the age of 80, they can easily do farming. They are very fond of exercises such as, gardening, walking, folk dance and ancient marshal arts. Inhabitants of Okinawa give a great deal of importance to meditation. They successfully try to resolve all of their problems through meditation.

Much research and many tests have been conducted to understand the secret behind the longevity of inhabitants of different regions but no conclusive outcome has been achieved. One thing is for sure that by leading life in a balanced, harmonious, mutually loving, self-controlled and systematic manner and in companionship with nature, one can attain good health and longevity. Naturalists have also come to a consensus that nature and life have a deep inter-connection.

What is the reason that in today\’s world, long life has become only a dream whereas in ancient India average age of a person used to be 100 years (Jeevem Sharadah Shatam)? Ayurvedic scriptures provide an answer to this. They profess to follow the regimen of Hitbhuk, Ritbhuk and Mitbhuk to attain long and healthy life. Hitbhuk means eating according to the state of health and what is beneficial for health. Eat for health and not taste. Ritbhuk means eat food according to the season and that is prepared with goodwill. Mitbhuk means eat with moderation. Don\’t overeat. People desirous of attaining healthy body and healthy mind should strictly follow this advice.Linda Thompson ThompsonAbout the author:Discover more Yoga information and articles by visiting http://www.yogainformationonline.com

The chakras are also known in other cultures, as we have seen with the Hopis in the USA, but also by the alchemists in Europe and the Inuits of Greenland and Canada, to mention but a few of the more evident examples.

In the deep Yoga Nidra, we use eight of the major chakras to contact the various planes of consciousness.
On my newly released CD, \”Experience Yoga Nidra\” (previously on cassette tape) I use the mantras (certain sound syllables) connected to each chakra. I also use visual symbols in accordance with the traditions of India and Europe.

When I started to produce \”Experience Yoga Nidra\” while teaching in the USA, the Indian musician Roop Verma was inspired to record the ancient musical symbols of the chakras. He was the first ever to do this. This special music has been merged with my text and guidance during the deep Yoga Nidra.

Chakras are often spoken of in connection with Kundalini Yoga, a set of methods and meditations that can be used to harmonise and awaken the psychic energy. (The name Kundalini Yoga, however, is also used as the trade mark of a contemporary movement – although they only teach standard yoga).

Kriya Yoga is probably the most profound and effective form of Kundalini Yoga. In an awesome way it can strengthen the body\’s energy field, remove depressions, increase creativity and open you up for a first hand knowledge of the genuine mystical or spiritual aspects of life.

The chakras have corresponding areas in the brain. When they are relaxed and harmonised during Yoga Nidra, the release of unwanted states such as confusion and lack of concentration begins. People who awaken their chakras through yoga and meditation, open up to a previously unknown capacity for communication, insight and creativity.grata YoungAbout the author:Thomas Cates is author of Learn Yoga Free, which shows Yoga Lovers how to achieve inner peace and pratice yoga themselves at home. Please visit http://www.learnyogafree.com

If you still feel that there was no need to read this article, we would have to concede that you truly know what all needs to known about Pilates, but if the answer is no, you must be glad of reading this article.

Reading an article as well as writing an article is two different things but following the same line. When this article was written about Pilates, the main purpose was to provide readers with quality content and now it is for you to decide if we have been successful or not.

The Pilates exercise will help everyone to drip weight because the Pilates system is the only program that highlights an exclusive “core concentration” which is considered as the key to Pilates system.

Pilates is well-known for its new, trend in the fitness industry. The Pilates being a look for body conditioning basically focus on Pilates abs sculpting. Example of a famous Pilates exercise is the crisscrosses. This Pilates abs exercise is executed with the head slightly moved up, bring the knees to the chest and put the hands gently behind the head. The interlacing of the fingers is not helpful in this Pilates abs exercise. Then, inhale and gently turn to the right bringing the south elbow to the right knee while aligning the right leg. This Pilates abs labor must be repeated for five cycles with the whole of ten crisscrosses.

There are manifold more Pilates abs exercises that really tone the abs. Use the internet as a powerful tool to gather information about this ultimate fitness system.
About the author:http://www.guide-to-pilates.com |Pilates articles, direct access to daily news and exciting auction items, a store filled with Pilates merchandise, local instruction and studio directory and much, much, more …

1 – It’s a low impact form of exercise.
Unlike jogging or running, yoga doesn’t put a strain on your joints, so it’s ideal for people who cannot tolerate or simply don’t like more stressful forms of exercise. You will still be able to tone up your physique, but you won’t have to push yourself to the limits to get it.

2 – It’s relaxing.
Unlike many forms of exercise, yoga is actually extremely relaxing and enjoyable to do. Many people have said that practising yoga on a regular basis helps them to de-stress after a hard day at work (and it actually stops them from getting so stressed in the first place). It also promotes calmness and helps you to feel more grounded in life; you will feel more at peace with your mind and body.

3 – It can help alleviate physical ailments.
Because of its low impact status, yoga is an ideal activity to try for those people who suffer from physical ailments, such as back ache. It is also thought to help reduce pain, and many doctors are now beginning to recommend yoga as a form of treatment. It can also help with weight loss, and many people believe that those who practise yoga on a regular basis are less likely to suffer from a wide range of ailments in the first place.

4 – It helps to improve your general fitness.
If you’re looking to get fit, yoga might not be the first activity that springs to mind. But it’s actually one of the best all round fitness and wellbeing activities you could choose. Not only does it gradually improve your general fitness levels, it also helps you gain a better posture, promotes better muscle strength, and gives you a greater flexibility. It can also reduce your blood pressure, and leads to a whole host of other long term health benefits. Ultimately, it will give you bags more energy.

5 – It promotes a healthy mental state.
Because yoga is a gentle, low impact, easy to follow activity, it has continually brought great benefits to people that suffer from anxiety, panic attacks, stress, and other mental ailments. Yoga also teaches you better breathing techniques, which stay with you even when you’re not doing it – keeping you calmer throughout your everyday life.Allison Whitehead WhiteheadAbout the author:Allison Whitehead is the joint owner of http://www.smoo-multimedia.co.uk which has information on Yoga for Beginners – visit http://tinyurl.com/kp6v9 for more details.

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

* increases muscle flexibility and joint range of motion
* increases muscular strength, endurance, and joint stability
* improves posture, steadiness, coordination, and balance
* decreases joint and back pain
* increases immunity
* improves sleep and increases energy levels
* decreases heart rate and increase cardiovascular efficiency
* decreases respiratory rate and improves respiratory efficiency
* reduces high blood pressure
* improves digestion and normalizes gastrointestinal function
* improves excretory functions and reduces constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* improves flow of lymphatic system, thus helps in removal of toxins
* normalizes endocrine (hormone) function
* normalizes weight and body composition
* increases bone density and decreases onset of osteoporosis
* decreases blood sugar levels
* decreases sodium
* decreases total cholesterol
* increases HDL (good) cholesterol /decreases LDL and VLDL (bad) cholesterol
* decreases triglycerides
* increases grip strength
* EEG – alpha brain waves increase leading to a restful mental state
* brings autonomic nervous system to stable equilibrium
* improves dexterity, reaction time, and depth perception
* increases Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

* improves concentration and attention
* decreases anxiety, internal stress and depression
* improves mood and sense of well-being
* increases self-acceptance and self-actualization
* improves learning efficiency and memory
* increases somatic and kinesthetic awareness (body/mind connection)
* decreases aggression and hostility
* increases social skills
* improves depth perception

If you have any health concerns, consult a medical professional before entering a yoga program. When performing the poses, maintain awareness on each movement and the alignment within each position. Remember, strain or fatigue should be avoided. The more mindful and respectful you are with your body, the better it will respond to the practice. Listen to the demands of the body, observe without judgment, and always find a place of joy and contentment within each pose.

Michelle TrantinaAbout the author:Michelle Trantina is a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. She is the co-founder of My Yoga Online and My Yoga Music. She can also be seen in the national Yoga television series Namaste on HDTV and CityTV. To learn more about Michelle Trantina and My Yoga Online, visit www.myyogaonline.com and www.myyogamusic.com