Yoga Therapy - How Yoga Teachers Can Facilitate Health and Wellness With Yoga Therapy

How can yoga teachers, holistic health practitioners, massage therapists and other health care professionals facilitate health and wellness? How comfortable are you exploring feelings and emotions, the full spectrum of your being?

1. Yoga Therapy

Yoga techniques can be applied to enhance health and wellness. Postures, yoga breathing, deep relaxation, mantras, meditation and other yoga techniques can be used as you create a safer place for the student to explore the deeper dimensions of his/her being. You'll have to take into account each student's age, culture, religion, and specific health challenge when selecting techniques. Then take it one step further by modifying those techniques according to needs.

As a yoga teacher and or holistic health practitioner, you can select both gross techniques like postures and breathing, as well as subtle ones like deep relaxation and meditation. These would all be included in your Yoga Therapy treatment plan.

2. Body Mind Spirit

Yoga psychology and philosophy are clear that the cause of illness and disease is the lack of knowledge of the true Self. We can explore body mind spirit using the specific 8-fold path (Ashtanga Yoga). This path is given in Patanjali's yoga sutra, and has what is called Outer Limbs and Inner Limbs for a full exploration that leads to the experience of the true Self.

As a massage therapist, or therapist of another discipline, you can create a safer place for the client to examine physical challenges as as explore feelings and emotions. In Yoga Therapy, this is done within the framework of yoga psychology that amongst other beliefs identifies attachment and aversion as 2 of the forces to be investigated.

3. The Yoga Therapist

The most important key to facilitating health and wellness is the therapist herself or himself. The massage therapist, health care professional, holistic health practitioner, or yoga teacher wanting to share yoga as a healing path will bring Presence, Understanding and Compassion, having practiced both outer and inner limbs of Ashtanga Yoga during the formal training required. You, the practitioner would have explored your own feelings and emotions during the training, and your ability to be Present would have increased, as would Understanding and Compassion.

Yoga teachers, holistic health practitioners and individuals with a basic understanding of yoga can become wellness educators and offer a creative student-centered approach to sharing the techniques of yoga through Yoga Therapy. They can create a non-judgemental space for students to discover their true Self as they facilitate health and wellness.

And now, I'd like to invite you to claim your free access to information on learning Yoga Therapy when you visit http://www.yogatogo.com/yoga-therapy-yoga-therapist-training-program

From Heather Greaves - the Self Care Mentor and Body Therapies Yoga Training

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How To Rest In This Yoga Pose and Mastermind Good Health

What you do on the yoga mat does not stay on the yoga mat! Yoga positions, philosophy, lifestyle and meditations journey with us. Many yoga positions can be transferred to life beyond the yoga mat. We become much more aware of how we stand, sit and the way we move.

Basic yoga poses include resting poses like Shavasana and Child's Pose. There is another basic pose called "Wind Relieving Pose" or Apanasana, basically Child's Pose on your back. If you have a sore knee and cannot rest in Child's Pose, this is an excellent alternative. Lying on your back, hug your knees in towards your chest. If you have a round body and cannot reach your knees, use a strap around your lower legs to hold the knees in place. If your knee is sore to touch, clasp your hands underneath the knee.

To add more movement, leave one knee at the chest, and extend the other leg to the floor. Alternate legs. To strengthen the abdomen, raise the head off the floor and hands as well. If you are recovering from surgery or have weak abdominal muscles, rest the hands palms down on the floor. Always listen to the body's messages.

This yoga pose helps elimination problems, including menstrual cramps. It is a cooling pose. With both legs in towards the chest, hold for 15 minutes or more to release tension in the low back. The pose encourages surrender. As you breathe consciously and rhythmically the diaphragm massages the abdominal and pelvic areas, assisting digestion. Feel this movement in the abdomen. With eyes closed you are drawn deeper within to rest in your own secret world. Even the heart can relax.

Mastermind

When settled comfortably in the pose, with breathing stabilized, you can mastermind a plan for good health. Visualization is easier for some of us. It gets easier with practice. What does good health look like to you? Feel that good health as you hold the pose. Which system of the body is affected? How well do you know the system? If it is unfamiliar, you'll need to research what it looks like in order to visualize it. To be more effective, practice visualizing good health 3 times per day for 15 minutes.

Rest in peaceful surrender in Apanasana, with eyes gently closed. Feel the breath move within your body like a slow wave, rising and falling. Allow the mind and heart to rest in your secret sacred place of healing.

Heather Greaves helps wellness enthusiasts learn about the therapeutic benefits of yoga even though their only teacher is a book. They say, To learn more about something, teach it. Since 2005 this yoga therapist and owner of Body Therapies Yoga Training has been training yoga teachers in a certified program. For more yoga tips and information visit Body Therapies Yoga Training http://www.yogatogo.com/

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Health Should Not Depend on Disposable Income

Health is something that we need no matter what we do in life. Without health, life is not what it should be and in many cases, it ceases to exist all together. Health is important whether you are rich, poor or anywhere in between.

While health is important to the rich and to the poor alike, it shouldn't depend on which category you fall into. There is no real connection between the amount of money you have and your health. At least there shouldn't be. Unfortunately, many have let this factor become a reason for their health to take a back seat. Others have simply missed opportunities or simply didn't have them in the first place due to their economic situation.

I'm not talking about those people. There is a problem in our country, and throughout the world for that matter, that has created more health issues for those with less. That is not something I am going to deny or even argue. What I will argue is that being healthy doesn't have to cost more money.

I recently had a conversation with someone that was planning to change their health in the near future. Their plan was not to start exercising more or eating different foods. Their plan was to increase their financial standing by selling more of the products that they were paid to sell. The theory was that when they earned more, their diet and exercise would improve too.

The plan was as follows: once they earned enough, they could purchase a gym membership or even home equipment so that they could start exercising. They also said that once their budget was bigger, they would purchase healthier foods and stop eating fast food.

The theory was that they were not doing healthy things because they cost too much. The eating choices they made were based on price and their exercise was not regular because of the lack of resources they could afford. It makes sense, in theory, that they would be able to do these things if they had a budget for them. I get that, but I also get the fact that there are many options for many budgets.

Exercise

It doesn't cost anything to go for a walk. It is free to walk down the sidewalk. You can even run if you want to. You can do push-ups, sit-ups and any number of exercises in your home or in your office as many of my clients have discovered.

Even if you have no money, there are exercises that can help you live healthy and feel better.

Nutrition

This is the tricky one. I constantly hear about how expensive it is to eat healthy. I also hear about how everyone would eat better if it didn't costs so much. Honestly, this is one of the most frustrating conversations for me to have.

Food comes in many forms and is available in many places. Is it more expensive to have a private chef preparing natural meals for you every day than it is to eat fast food? Of course it is, but it is NOT cheaper to eat at a restaurant (fast-food or otherwise) than it is to prepare food at home. Grocery stores offer great deals on healthy foods and purchasing wisely can help you take your food dollar further and further the more you plan your meals.

You can buy food and prepare it for you and your family and spend less than you would by going to fast food restaurants every day.

Again, when it comes to global access and local availability, I see that economics does become a factor. If you live in a neighborhood that only has fast food and convenience stores it is more difficult and thus more expensive to get fruits and vegetables regularly. I also understand that if you can't afford a membership, you can't go to a gym. They won't let you work out there without a membership and in many cases, there may not be an option near you if you live in a certain part of town.

These are all valid reasons for some of our health problems. These issues are being addressed by many at government, corporate and community levels. Hopefully we are on the right track to improving them with programs, education and awareness. These issues, while causing many problems are not causing all of the damage.

The damage of poor health habits is being caused more by excuses than by economics. Above we talked about ways you can exercise and eat better no matter what your financial situation looks like. Keep this in mind when you are thinking that eating healthy is expensive:

A bag of chips: $3.00 for a large bag of your average chip. This bag is going to provide you with enough calories to feed an elephant, but will barely provide you with any actual nutrition.

A loaf of whole-grain bread can cost you as little as $2.00. You can purchase lean meat for a few dollars a pound. Lettuce, a tomato and even some peppers can be purchased for a few dollars. How many sandwiches can you make for the cost of that $3.00 bag of chips? When you break it down, it is quite a few and each of these sandwiches provides you with real nourishment that takes you further than an entire bag of chips can...without the empty, excess calories.

When it comes to exercise, it is easy to say that if you had more money, you would work out more. That is the excuse I hear most, second only to "more time". Sure, if we all had a live-in personal trainer, it would be easier to exercise. The point is, we don't need that. The best exercise can come from the simplest and cheapest methods. Walking, running, playing with kids or doing calisthenics is all you need.

The problem in today's society is not money. The problem is priority. The priority is not on health. We want to be healthy, but we are not making it a priority. A raise or a bonus will not help you make health a priority. On that same note, your current salary or title is not making you unhealthy. You are doing that on your own now and you will continue to do it no matter how much money you make.

It doesn't have to be this way. If we can trade the excuses for actions, we can finally see that it is the excuses that cause health issues, not the economics. In fact, the lack of priority on health is actually causing economic issues, not the other way around.

If you think that your health routine is suffering because of money, do something that doesn't cost anything. If you think it's too expensive to change, ask yourself what it will cost you if you don't change.

Business Health Expert Joe Byrd uses his passion and expertise to bring business and health together. He integrates health education in lifestyle topics such as Stress Management, Weight Management, and Smoking Cessation into businesses in order to accomplish the following:

Improving Employee Health
Decreasing Health Care Spending
Increasing Your Employee Productivity
Improving Employee Satisfaction and Retention

Joe applies his craft in the business world by making health part of business strategy. As he helps companies invest in their employees, together they create healthy and successful cultures.

Web: http://www.byrdwellnessconcepts.com/
Email: info@ByrdWellnessConcepts.com
Twitter: @josephrbyrd
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ByrdWellnessConcepts
Toll Free: 866.851.7961

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Environmental Exposures and Health: Exploration of Non-Traditional Settings Project

The National Institutes of Health, also known as NIH, is a federal government agency operating under the United States Department of Health and Human Services that is essentially accountable for financially supporting the country's biomedical and health-related research studies.

The programs of the NIH are all directed at the awareness of its main agency mission which is to"seek elemental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and scale back the burdens of illness and disability."

In according with this mission, the National Institutes of Health has partnered with the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) to establish the Environmental Exposures and Health: Exploration of Non-Traditional Settings Program.

The programme concentrates on promoting interdisciplinary research studies that at directed at promoting health, limiting symptoms and disease, and reducing health disparities in children and older adults who are residing or spending a significant amount of time in non-traditional settings.

In the frame of reference of this programme, non-traditional setting refers to places which are exposed to environmental contaminants and toxins, which could potentially result in health risks, symptoms, and other medical conditions/diseases including lower respiratory diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cardiovascular diseases.

These non-traditional settings could include community centers, pre-school and non-traditional college environments, child and older adult foster care facilities, older adult day care facilities, half-way houses, assisted living and long-term care facilities.

Fundamentally, the objectives of the program are all in conjunction with the idea of health promotion and disease prevention, as well as improving the quality of patients by successfully and steadily managing their symptoms.

In addition, the program also focuses on research studies that concentrates hard on symptom management in order to support and improve the present understanding of symptoms and at the exact same time, develop new methods that will radically improve the quality of life of the people who have been exposed to non-traditional settings.

The NIH and its partner agencies are prepared to administer funds in the amount of $275,000 to support the initiatives under this program.

The institutions and organizations who will be assumed eligible to submit an application under the Environmental Exposures and Health: Exploration of Non-Traditional Settings Program are the following:

a) Higher Education Institutions such as Private and Non-private Institutions of Higher Education

b) Nonprofit Organizations

c) For-profit Setups Like Small Businesses

d) State Governments and County Governments

e) City or Township Governments, and Special District Governments

f) Indian/Native American Tribal Governments

g) Independent School Districts and Public Housing Authorities or Indian Housing Authorities

h) Native American Tribal Organizations and Faith-based or Community-based Organizations.

Iola Bonggay is an editor of TopGovernmentGrants.com. She maintains Websites providing resources on small business grants and home improvement grants.

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Improved Health Through a Lifestyle Change

As we age we realize "We would have taken better care of ourselves had we known we would live this long". Funny but true. After years of attending to everyone else's needs it is time to once again take care of ourselves. Healthy eating and regular physical activity are keys that help lower your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer as well as keeping your mind sharp and giving you a clear mental outlook for yourself. With support of family and friends we have found through moderate changes in our eating habits and physical activity we can get our lives back on track.

With willpower and determination we have started to change our life. Daily walks and watching what we eat are having beneficial effects. At our last check up our blood pressure was lower and the cholesterol numbers have improved. The doctor felt that we are in better condition all around.

We understand that as we get older the chances of a heart attacks or strokes increases and the advantages of being active and eating well will relieve stress and depression as well as reduce the risks of chronic health problems. If we do what we can to reduce the risks to our health it can improve our life, give us more energy to do the things we want to do and have fewer aches and pains as well as feel better.

Following the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans we are eating a healthier diet of more vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products. We have added more fish and seafood to our diet and are trying to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats. We cut back on desserts to lower our intake of refined grains and added sugars found in cakes, cookies, ice cream and the like. Cutting back on junk foods like pizza, hotdogs and fast food helps keep us healthier.

It becomes easier to eat healthier if you make one-half your plate fruits and vegetables, eat beans as a natural source of fiber and protein. We have learned to limit our meat and poultry to small lean portions. We take the time to read labels to cut down on sodium and sugar intake. When we eat out we look for healthier choices and smaller portions.

It is important when starting out that you balance your calorie intake with physical activity. You should consult your health care provider before making changes to your regular routine. Don't overdo it, start slow and make things fun, it's easier to stick to the changes you make.

We have found that with this new revitalizing chapter of our life the encouragement of people around us helps in many ways. We have less stress, more energy a clearer thought process and in general we feel more confident. We sleep better wake up more refreshed and ready to face whatever the day has to offer.

We realize that it is hard to break with years of inactivity and poor eating habits. It is a continual effort for us. We all have things we like and are used to but it is our hope that you can find some inspiration in this, our effort to improve our lives. We are sure that if you can find a way to incorporate some of these things into your lives you will benefit as we have.

Randy and Barbara are baby boomers trying to get healthier, so they can enjoy their later years. For more information and helpful tips visit our blog at http://www.rbarchermedia.com/

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Habits That Most Often Lead to Health Problems

Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life but without us knowing it, we expose ourselves every day to health hazards due to wrong habits and practices that we take for granted and don't pay much attention to. It is important for us to check these habits regularly and determine which ones need to be eliminated in our everyday lives. One of the best things to do when we eliminate them from our system is to find an alternative habit that would contribute to better overall health.

Here are some of the practices that people do every day which can be hazardous to their health;

a. Using chemical-based deodorants particularly deodorant with aluminum. Most of the commercial deodorants sold in the market contain aluminum. Aluminum is a substance that can lead to various health concerns which range from simple to serious ones. It can cause cancer and can trigger a host of many other health problems when regularly used. It may not have any effect in the beginning but over time, the person using it frequently can be at a risk of developing serous physical ailments. The alternative to this is to use a deodorant without aluminum - these are those which are made of natural ingredients instead of the harmful substance called aluminum.

b. Wearing make-up and not removing them even when sleeping. Make-up must be removed during bedtime because make-up is made of chemical substances and the longer it stays in the face, the greater is the risk of skin-damage. This can lead to acne breakouts. Furthermore, the chemicals can get readily absorbed deep within the skin and can affect the function of the organs when this happens frequently. The alternative to this is to establish the habit of washing the face and completely cleaning and removing make-up before bedtime.

c. Eating more junk foods and instant foods. People nowadays prefer to buy instant foods and those that can be bought in food chains because buying them is convenient compared to cooking a healthy meal; however, when this is done frequently the person can suffer from a host of health complications such as cholesterol build-up, diabetes, kidney problem, high-blood among others. The fatty oil found in burgers and French fries for example contribute to health risks. The alternative is to eat more of foods in their natural form such as fresh fruits and vegetables and to minimize the intake of instant foods and junk foods.

d. The use of white sugar. White sugar has already been stripped off of essential and natural nutrients and has been replaced with chemicals. It can disrupt the normal functions of the organs of the body and can lead to many health problems. This should be replaced with brown sugar or other alternatives.

e. Drinking soft drinks. Soft drinks and cola are considered as unhealthy drinks. They are most often easily available as thirst-quenchers so people just grab them in shops and stores but drinking these drinks shouldn't be done regularly and must be followed by drinking a lot of pure water. These drinks have strong substances which are acidic and aren't really ideal for the body. Drinking these should be replaced by drinking more fresh fruit juices and water.

These habits are pretty common but many people don't pay much attention to them because the effects aren't really instant but are rather gradual. If people don't fix these habits, they most often lead to health problems which could have been avoided if these habits were fixed or changed. There is always an alternative to a bad habit. Again, the use of deodorant with aluminum can be replaced with a deodorant without aluminum which is safe, natural and is not associated with any side effects.

Joseph A Case is a serial entrepreneur who has been earning his living on the web since 2000. To learn more about deodorant without aluminum simply visit us.

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Yoga for Depression and Anxiety: How to Improve Your Mental Health Through Gentle Stretching

Are you Stressed or Depressed? Try Yoga!

It's well-known that yoga has numerous health benefits and is often recommended for physical ailments such as back pain, but it's interesting to delve into the use of the ancient technique to improve mental well-being and provide a healthy outlook on life.

Recent research in the United States found that three sessions of gentle yoga a week can help combat depression as it boosts levels of a chemical in the brain which is essential for a relaxed mind. In 2010, scientists at the Boston University School of Medicine found that the levels of the amino acid GABA are significantly higher in people that carry out yoga than those who do the equivalent of a similarly strenuous exercise, for example walking. This chemical is essential for the function of brain and central nervous system and promotes a state of calm within the body.

Low levels of GABA are associated with various anxiety disorders, and depression. This would suggest then that there is more to the way in which yoga makes us feel happy and relaxed than simply releasing endorphins as other exercise does.

Stress is a common occurrence in today's society; factors such as the recent credit crunch and job market on top of raising a family, relationships, studies etc. can take a toll on all of us. Our bodies and minds are not designed to handle long periods of stress- which can manifest itself in hypertension, insomnia, skin problems, asthma, ulcers, and as previously mentioned; anxiety and depression.

How to Reduce Stress and Anxiety Through Focused Breathing and Awareness

Yoga provides good results for stress management

-It physically releases stress and tension by the stretching and twisting into different postures (referred to as 'Asanas' in yoga) and unwinds knots in the back and neck muscles etc. which may be causing the body to feel tight.

-The physical exercises releases endorphins, natural hormones in the body which create a feeling of well-being.

-Yoga breathing techniques (known as 'Pranayamas') make a person take deeper breaths which fill the bloodstream with more oxygen and control blood pressure, but also being aware of your control over breathing is a very effective tool in combating stress.

-Pranayamas and Asanas, together the 'language of the body' help us get to know our innermost being, and control over ourselves through learning to control our body. Practising yoga will help realise there is an inter-connection between mind, body and spirit which in turn helps to maintain balance in daily life.

-Yoga clears the mind: Our minds are constantly racing from one thought to another and tiring themselves out in the process! The concentration used in yoga for Asanas and Pranayamas gives the brain a well-deserved break, and puts all other worries and thoughts to the side.

-Yogic philosophy also plays an important role in achieving a more optimistic outlook. Regular practising of yoga can change the way in which a person views the world and their attitude towards achieving goals and success rather than failure. Asanas and Pranayamas impart positive thinking.

-Ending each yoga session relaxing with the 'savasana' or corpse pose might feel like an enforced relaxation at first but eventually becomes a total release for both body and mind, transitioning you back into the world refreshed and ready to go!

A few key yoga postures, or asanas, for relieving stress are 'savasana' (corpse pose) as mentioned above, 'balasana' (child's pose), 'makarasana' (crocodile pose) and 'vrikshasana' (tree pose). Take a breather next time you feel stressed out and see how much of a difference yoga makes to your mood!

Evolve Wellness Centre is innovative and pioneering yoga centre in the heart of London. As well as providing a variety of yoga classes in London, evolve also hosts personal development and self growth talks, workshops and on going events. If you're looking to experience less stress, and wanting to experience yoga for depression as a possible way to help reduce and manage this condition as well as more balance and peace in your life this yoga centre could be the place for you. Learn how to reduce anxiety, practice yoga and experience increasing levels of bliss and energy. Visit http://www.evolvewellnesscentre.com/

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Yoga - Melding Mind, Body and Health

I am happy to say that I have been a yoga practitioner for eight years. As a lifelong runner, I felt something was missing from my workouts. I did some weight training, but it wasn't until I took my fifth class with Rose that it hit me. I needed yoga and I'd have to find time to fit it into my life.

Upon the completion of my first class, I realized that after forty-four years of living, coupled with the daily abuse my mind and body absorbs, my entire being was in need of a major overhaul. My mind was running in too many directions and required that I rein it in. I could hear the words flowing from Rose's lips as she sat in postures only three-year olds should be able to squeeze into. "Relax your mind. Relax your body and remember to breathe." Remember to breathe? I could hardly find a wisp of air to replenish my lungs with as I stood, shaking, in what appeared to me to be a tangled mess.

My mind too was tangled with the nagging question of how Rose was able to say a single word as she spoke clear sentences of instruction to her class while tie up in the same pose that I was attempting to strike. "Remember, she continued, I must see you in the pose for it to count." It wasn't enough that I, a runner and weight trainer, was embarrassed at my lack of yoga skill. Now my teacher had to see me struggling to make a pose for it to count. I continued to struggle while watching others who appeared to have a better grasp of poses.

After class some students relaxed and sipped tea and ate homemade cookies. I was worn out and didn't want to stand so sitting and talking made complete sense. As I listened and observed, I carefully crafted an opinion of each person's yoga skills. They were more flexible than me and understood how to get into the poses as they were instructed. I was not and felt inferior. I wanted to lose my ego when practicing yoga, but wasn't ready. Miffed, but not angry with myself, I began to drift away thinking of other pursuits that I successfully balanced my desire and ego. My wife and kids were one and work was another.

As if she could hear my thoughts, Rose looked in my direction while speaking to her students and said smiling, "Remember, yoga is a personal practice. It is never a competition. Some days you will find it easier to flow than others. One side of your body may be tighter than the other. It's okay. With practice, you'll begin to see improvement in strength, flexibility and inner peace."

Inner peace? How on earth is this stuff going to help me, I pondered as I painfully sat with my legs crossed. The years of running on the street now reminded me how painfully tight my hips were. I had limited flexibility and struggled to focus on anything but the pain this lady thirty years my senior and all of 100 pounds had put me through. I move around on the floor to find a comfortable position and smiled at Rose. A mother of three whose kids were now parents, she was an inspiration to many.

I drove home listening to music wondering what I had gotten myself into. Was it really worth the pain and humility? All this talk of inner peace, while flowing through a posture, and breathing appeared out of reach for me. The leaves on the trees were flowing and birds were flying and landing effortlessly, so why couldn't I capture some of nature's spirit and channel it into beautiful yoga poses?

I plopped down onto my den floor, staring up at my ceiling as I stretched out on my body one muscle at a time. My wife, Meg wanted to know how things went and my answer surprised her. "Babe, things didn't go so well. I struggled and made a mess of the yoga poses. I thought that everyone was looking at the new guy and laughing internally."

"I know how competitive you can be, so this must be difficult for you. It's only your first class Scott. Do you think that most of the people in class today could go on a five mile run with you and finish?"

This was an interesting question and I immediately understood her point. "Of course they couldn't, they'd have to build up their endurance a little bit at a time." I got it then. It was foolish for me to think that I could jump into an exercise class and be up to speed with those who regularly attended.

The next day at work I felt energized. Perhaps it was the good night's sleep I had and maybe my yoga class had kicked in with a dose of needed energy.

I attended two more of Rose's classes and then I found myself back once a week. Three months passed and little by little my stiffness and limited flexibility improved. My joints and muscles were feeling good and I could touch my toes while breathing for the first time since high school. A physical and mental transformation was occurring as if in slow motion and I welcomed it. A noticeable increase in energy along with better overall focus had me believing that Rose was really on to something.

Scott Lesnick is the author of Kidjacked: A Father's Story and a professional speaker. To learn more, please visit http://www.scottlesnick.com/

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Improving Health for Children With Yoga

Hatha Yoga is an ancient series of physical postures, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, which help to balance and rejuvenate the entire body-mind system. Practicing Yoga, on a regular basis, can tremendously support children's health, both physically and emotionally. A regular practice of Yoga, in the range of one to five times a week, has been shown to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, heighten self-esteem, and lower stress and anxiety levels that can contribute to the development of depression.

Yoga for Children's Health

Due to the over use of television and computer technology, childhood obesity is at an all-time high in many developed countries around the world. In fact, childhood obesity has become one of the most critical health issues children are facing in the world today. Just getting children "on the mat" and actively participating in a structured exercise program, will help them to lose unwanted pounds, feel healthier, and boost their self-esteem.

Yoga can be adapted to any age range of children and many different levels of ability. In this way, a great Yoga class can be modified and tailored for a group of first-grade students, or a group of high-school age students, and beyond. On a purely physical level, the physical postures (or asanas) of Yoga, help children to develop good coordination skills, enhance somatic capabilities, burn calories, while increasing strength and flexibility.

Yogic Solutions for Lowering Stress in Children Today

In today's fast-paced world, many children feel a significant amount of stress in school and at home. There is a lot of pressure on children and teenagers to keep pace with the increasing speed of life and to do more and more tasks in less time than generations before them. Slowing down enough to practice Yoga postures, breathing exercises, a few minutes of meditation or relaxation techniques, will help children to feel more grounded and less anxious about the pressures in their lives.

A vigorous Yoga practice will help children to release excess energy and feel exhilarated. A Yoga practice that is fun and challenging will also help to lower the high levels of stress hormones that can compromise their emotional, mental, and physical health. As children's stress levels decrease, they will be more able to focus on their school work and will gain perspective on issues that are causing them anxiety and stress. Some of these issues may require outside therapeutic support. Other issues may be resolved, without outside support, as a child's brain chemistry is re-balanced and an overactive nervous system is calmed by a regular practice of Yoga.

Summary

While there are issues regarding the safety of unsupervised Hatha Yoga practice by children, the risks pale in comparison to other physical activities. It would be wise for parents to expose children to gentle forms of Yoga in a supervised environment. Seeking out a competent Yoga teacher, who specializes in teaching children, is a must. Parents, who are serious Yoga practitioners, may find a family practice to be fulfilling; and this is healthy for family bonds. However, children need to socialize in a less competitive environment. For this reason, specialized Kids Yoga classes give children a sanctuary from multi-tasking.

© Copyright 2011 - Aura Wellness Center - Publications Division

Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500, has written many books on the subject of Yoga. He is a co-owner and the Director of Yoga Teacher Training at: Aura Wellness Center, in Attleboro, MA. He has been a certified Master Yoga Teacher since 1995. To receive Free Yoga videos, Podcasts, e-Books, reports, and articles about Yoga, please visit: http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/

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