Home Practice The Best Way to Improve Your Health and Well Being

by Timothy

Bed in a Mirror by Nina Zolotow

"If you are taking yoga classes but not practicing at home, you may be missing the best—and potentially most therapeutic—part of yoga. Your personal practice is where the deepest work happens, when you go inward and go at your own pace."—from Yoga As Medicine

This quotation from my book got posted on Facebook the other day and generated quite a bit of interest. But not everyone, particularly those who only take classes, agrees with the statement. A woman came up to me at a yoga conference earlier this year to say she’d heard me make a similar comment at a workshop I taught in Los Angeles a few years ago, and it made her really angry. It’s easy to understand that reaction when your experience in class has been so positive, and even healing.

But now scientific research seems to back up the notion that a regular home practice really is the key to health and well-being, perhaps particularly so as we get older. A study recently published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine by researchers at the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health found that, among more than 1000 practitioners of Iyengar yoga, the frequency of home practice predicted positive health more than how long you’ve been practicing or how many classes you attend per week. According to the article “Frequency of yoga practice predicts health: results of a national survey of yoga practitioners,”:

“Frequency of home practice favorably predicted (p < .001): mindfulness, subjective well-being, BMI, fruit and vegetable consumption, vegetarian status, sleep, and fatigue.”

In other words, those who practiced at home the most reported better health and well-being, greater awareness of themselves and others, improved sleep, less fatigue, and healthier body weight. They were even more likely to eat their vegetables!

The study bore out something else I’ve been teaching for years: when you combine the various tools in the yoga toolbox including asana, breathing practices, meditation and even study of yoga philosophy you tend to get even better results. As the authors put it, “an intense practice involving all aspects of yoga practice may be more beneficial to health than a less intense practice that includes only one or two aspects of yoga practice, such as just practicing the physical poses or breath work.”

There also appeared to be additional benefits for combining different types of asana practices, such as standing poses, vigorous practices like Sun Salutations, restorative poses including Savasana, and inversions like Shoulderstand. Different practices appeared to be particularly beneficial for specific conditions. Vigorous asana and inversions seemed to help the most with insomnia and body weight, whereas, according to the authors, “because breath work and meditation appear to influence mindfulness and well-being, they may be particularly useful in treating conditions such as depression and anxiety.”

One finding that may be of particular interest to readers of this blog has to do with fatigue. Overall, older practitioners had less fatigue than younger practitioners, but both groups improved when they did yoga. But it appears to take less practice for older practitioners to experience improvements in energy.

As for the woman who was mad at me for saying that a home practice was more important than going to classes, she went on to say that, almost despite herself, she did try doing her yoga at home. Now she does it regularly and believes it’s the most important part of her practice. She thanked me profusely, though of course most of all she can thank herself!

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Vegan Probiotics Supplements To Maintain Health

By Janine Hughes

Good health is essential to our well-being. Our bodies require certain nutrients to function properly and this includes probiotics. A probiotic is basically bacteria for the digestive system, only the bacteria is good for the body and helps it to do its job. If you are on a plant based diet, then you will want to consider vegan probiotics supplements.

Normally, the only way to get these beneficial bacteria in the body was to consume dairy based products such as yogurt, which contain active cultures or other animal based products that contained them. Since many vegans try to steer clear of animal based products, the option for them to get the good bacteria was through plant based foods that contained them in order to maintain their health. Our use of antibiotics also diminishes the good bacteria in our bodies because the antibiotic cannot distinguish between good or bad bacteria and thus eliminates both. It is vital to replace the good bacteria through ingesting probiotic foods that can replenish this bacteria.

Some food sources which are beneficial to our digestive systems are sauerkraut, cultured vegetables, miso, soy products and kimchi. They are foods that are fermented and thus allows good bacteria to cultivate within them to provide the body and digestive system what it needs. There was no other way to get them other than plant based food sources for vegans.

With the introduction of supplements that contain these same bacteria that are good for our digestive systems, vegans have more choices than before. They are plant based and many of them are tested and safe for consumption. This allows vegans to choose between preparing a meal with plant food sources or taking the supplement which provides the same benefit. Some supplements can be found either in local health food shops or online. Always read the labels to see what they contain as some are made with a small amount of animal by products or ingredients that may cause an allergic reaction to those who are sensitive.

Many vegans live busy active lives and do not always have time to prepare meals that are good for their health. Taking a supplement provides one way for them to take care of their digestive systems while they are on the go. This will allow them the health benefits needed to prevent certain diseases and other disorders.

Although there are convenient sources of this nutrient, the best source of obtaining probiotics is through food sources. You get the adequate nutrition the body needs along with the pleasure of an edible meal. Food based sources are essential and should not be replaced by a supplement.

Maintaining the right amount of good bacteria in the body and the digestive system has always been the key to good health. The digestive system is a vital part of the body's overall function and in keeping it healthy. The use of probiotics ensures that we maintain that health and prevent many diseases throughout the body.

It is always recommended that before you start a nutrition plan or special diet to consult with a health care professional about your particular needs. They will be able to guide you to the best choices that you can make for your body and your general health. Take supplements with care and always use as directed.

About the Author:

Find a review of the advantages you get when you take vegan probiotics supplements and more information about a reputable supplier of dietary supplements at http://novaprobiotics.com now.

Reasons Why Acupuncture Columbus Is Good For Your Health

By Eric McDonald

This traditional 3,000 year technique that came from China is a widely popular and accepted form of alternative therapy. Many people from Columbus, OH go for this therapy whenever they can. Because it helps them find the balance between their yin and yang energies.

It never sleeps until it catches your attention and before you know it you are so stressed out that all you want to do is lie down and never move. That is why this ancient Chinese medicine called the acupuncture Columbus is mostly recommended by many health care experts. Because of its therapeutic way of using needles to restore balance and order within our system.

So you are interested about going under the needle, but you feel uncertain about it because you do not have enough knowledge. And what to expect from one session, but do not worry because this short guide will be able to give you a rough idea about what this is. By definition acupuncture is the pricking of the tissue or skin using needles, the purpose of is to treat various ailments and alleviate pain.

Once you gain the approval of your GP visiting the acupuncturist on your next appointment should not scare you. There are many things you can expect from the treatment aside from being poked with sterile needles. Before this step happens the acupuncturist will use their tool kit to assess the current state of your health, and like all medical practitioner they will often ask about your wellness and check areas around the body thoroughly.

During an acupuncture the practitioner will review your health history by asking several questions. At that point they will survey the shape and color of your tongue and the coating around it. Then they will check your pulse and extra examinations if required. Most acupuncturist carry a special kit that helps them assess your body, so they can administer the treatment properly and accurately.

Remember that each individuals have different needs and wants, so your treatment could be extensive or shorter than others. However an acupuncture procedure usually cost around a hundred dollars, and depending on how many treatments you need in a week per month totals how much you will pay. Be aware of this aspect and include it in your conversation with your general practitioner and acupuncturist first.

There are many kinds of health conditions that have been improved through the implementation of acupuncture. But most common conditions reported are problems with the pain around the neck and back, nausea, anxiety, headache, depression, infertility, and insomnia. Once you have your appointment set you should know what to expect in each session.

Mental stress often happens when there are aspects in our lives that are is not going very great, and we are very affected by these. Which is why people who undergo stress often show signs and symptoms of depression. Depression is a condition among sufferers of dejection and despondency which results in lack of sleep and appetite.

The pressure points are where your Qi flows. This is pronounced as chee, and energy flows through this channel. When you are beyond stress the warm thin needle helps release the pressure from these areas. Which allows you to feel slowly the release and relaxation.

About the Author:

If you are interested in acupuncture Columbus healer is the best person to use. Make an appointment online through this site http://ohiowholisticacupuncture.com.

Yoga and Heart Health Atrial Fibrillation

by Baxter

A yoga workshop to Cincinnati brought me face to face with my first “medical emergency” in the yoga classroom. On the first night of a two-day workshop, one of the students began to complain of a rapid heartbeat and some shortness of breath. I took her off to the side while my co-teacher continued to work with the rest of the group, and discovered, after a few more questions, that she had a condition know as atrial fibrillation. Turns out she had been feeling well lately and had decided to cut back on the medication used to keep her heart rate in a safer range. Fortunately, in this instance, I was able to get the life squad there quickly and shuttle her off to the ER for appropriate care, and the rest of the workshop continued without a hitch. Now a dozen years later, an ongoing study at the University of Kansas seems to suggest that yoga may be helpful in treating this particular heart condition!

So what is atrial fibrillation? According to the National Institutes of Health:

“Atrial fibrillation (A-tre-al fi-bri-LA-shun), or AF, is the most common type of arrhythmia (ah-RITH-me-ah). An arrhythmia is a problem with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. AF occurs if rapid, disorganized electrical signals (emphasis mine) cause the heart's two upper chambers—called the atria (AY-tree-uh)—to fibrillate. The term "fibrillate" means to contract very fast and irregularly.”

Sometimes, people who develop this condition notice the rapid, irregular beating of the heart, but sometimes it can go unnoticed for a while. And two very serious conditions can result from untreated atrial fibrillation: strokes (which occur suddenly) and heart failure (which develops more gradually). The underlying problem has to do with the heart’s electrical system not functioning correctly. And because the normal spread of the electrical impulses is both too fast and uncoordinated, the heart becomes both less efficient at sending blood out to the lungs and the body, and blood tends to pool or hang out in the heart chambers longer than it is supposed to. This pooling can lead to blood clots forming in the chambers of the heart, which could then be launched into the arteries that lead to the brain, and—whammo!—a stroke occurs. For more information about AF, check out What is Atrial Fibrillation? from the National Institutes of Health.

Back to 12 years ago, when I was confronted with someone who was having acute symptoms of her rapid heart rate, I needed to get her to a facility that could quickly get her heart rate in a safer range and make sure she was not at risk of a stroke. And I did not have information then on how yoga might impact the course of her problem. Now, research being conducted in Kansas is suggesting that yoga may be a part of the future treatment of AF. At the University of Kansas Hospital, an ongoing study is looking at the effect of regular yoga practice on irregular heartbeat. The yoga world has long known about the connection between yoga meditation and breath techniques and the ability to influence the heart rate. This connection between the mind and the heart is at the center of the theory on how yoga may help with AF. Via yoga’s ability to influence and change the autonomic nervous system, patients may be able to have more control over their heart rate than those who do not do yoga. It is also known that stressful situations and emotional moments can trigger the AF person’s heart to beat more rapidly. So the researchers are monitoring the study participants for how many episodes of recurrent AF happen while on the yoga regimen. They report that the initial results look promising.

AF is one of those medical conditions where a combination of modern western treatment, which includes medications that help control the rate and rhythm of the heart and procedures to help if meds don’t, and lifestyle modifications, like yoga as well as diet and other exercise, will optimize the health of the person with AF. The study is not yet completed, but we will try to keep an eye open for the final report and give you an update when that happens. In the meantime, see Yoga My Heart  for more about the University of Kansas Hospital study.

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