When doctors at the HMO Group Health Cooperative in Seattle pitted 12 weekly sessions of yoga against therapeutic exercises and a handbook on self-care, they discovered the yoga group not only showed greater improvement but experienced benefits lasting 14 weeks longer. A note of caution: "While many poses are helpful, seated postures or extreme movement in one direction can make back pain worse," says Gary Kraftsow, author of Yoga for Wellness, who designed the program for the study.
From Stay Flexible, Stay Well in the October 2007 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. Date updated: February 13, 2007 Content provided by Staywell Custom Communications
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/healthy-living/fitness/workouts/pilates-yoga/yoga-to-relieve-stress?src=revolution_suggests
YOGA health benefit and review of research studies by Ray Sahelian, M.D. (index of natural medicine) - Assume the Lotus Position
I love the feeling I get after a yoga session. I feel alert, vibrant, relaxed, energized, and glow with a sense of balance and vitality. Yoga provides unique benefits not found in vigorous aerobic exercise. Yoga’s mindful stretches harmonize body and mind, and can provide a low-impact workout. And because most of us live hectic lives, yoga can be an antidote to stress, allowing us to release chronic muscle tension and break out of the “fight or flight” cycle all too common in today’s world. If you have an interest in yoga DVDs, see a few paragraphs below.
To do yoga properly, a yoga mat is helpful.
There are a variety of yoga classes you can take including ashtanga yoga, ayengar yoga, kundalini yoga, bikram yoga (high heat), and other forms of yoga listed below. Each yoga type, and even each yoga class can give you a different feeling, depending on the yoga teacher.
