Yoga for Women: A Non-Violent Approach to Exercise

Many women pile up an array of small violences against themselves from the moment they wake up - caffeine, cigarettes, abrasive exercises or no exercise at all. Lots of faddish fitness programs today have this violent approach - do 50 leg raises or pound your body jogging on the pavement or jump around to a rhythm not of your own making. Is it any wonder we don't like to exercise?

For a happier, healthier life, your approach to fitness and well-being and to life in general should be nonviolent one - working smoothly with concentration and determination at your own pace without competing with anyone else. Don't be ruthless with yourself and you won't be ruthless with other people.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Yoga is a great way to start off your day on a peaceful note.
First things first, when you roll out of your bed, sit onto a mat on the floor and hug your knees to your chest. Then raise your legs in the air and stay bottoms up until your head clears. Next stand up and drop your forehead to your shins until you feel ready to tackle the toothbrush and get on with your day.

Your morning yoga routine should center on postures drawn from the 5,000-year-old technique whose name comes from the Sanskrit for sun, moon and join together. The exercises can range from deep breathing to pretzel-like stretches.

Yoga can be strenuous, but it should not be painful. It can be gentle and easy, or challenging. It helps you relax, but it can also give every inch of your body a terrific workout.

Yoga helps you maintain flexibility, build strength and muscle definition. Ideally, you could try spending 60 to 90 minutes on your yoga routine, before breakfast, five to six days a week, but as little as 10 minutes a day can really help start your day off on the right foot.

Don't space out during workouts. Use that time to tune in to your body and have a private conversation with yourself: 'How do I feel physically, mentally?' 'How is my balance and coordination today?' 'Is there something I should pay special attention to?'

Practice yoga in the early morning or early evening at least one hour after a light meal or three to four hours after a main meal. If you are hungry before practice, try tea, milk or fruit juice.

Following these basic yoga tips on a regular basis can help women obtain a more healthy and balanced life

Video: 10-Minute Office Yoga Routine

This short sequence of yoga stretches is great to do during a break in your workday, to help relieve stress and tension, loosen tight muscles, and increase flexibility in your back, shoulders, and hips - all areas that can tend to get tight during long hours sitting at a desk.

The only equipment you will need is a chair, and it only takes 10 minutes. If you don't have that long, do it in 5 minute segments a couple of times during the day to feel great and help you stay stress (and pain) free.



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The Benefits of Yoga for Businesses & Professionals

Yoga has long been regarded as one of the best forms of relaxation, and many more people are realizing the benefits of regular yoga sessions to reduce stress levels in their lives.

Some businesses have even included yoga as a benefit to their employees, as they have seen increased productivity and more contentment within the workforce as a result. Many employers have become aware of the fact that in addition to reducing stress, regular practice of yoga can also improve the healthy of their employees, and reduce sick time.

Yoga stretch. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Overall, it can be a good business decision to encourage yoga in the workplace, as it pays dividends in the long term.

Yoga has increased in popularity as well among business professionals who lead a fast-paced and stressful life, as many have found that regular sessions of yoga help to reduce their stress considerably, and make them more productive.

Yoga is also a very convenient form of exercise and relaxation as it can be performed almost anywhere without the need for special equipment.

A suitable chair in a carpeted office offers a business person may need to improve their health and mind at any time during the day when the opportunity arises.There are few forms of exercise and relaxation that offer such convenient benefits.

Yoga can also help to relieve the aches and pains that can accompany hours of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

Neck and back pain are common with office workers, as well factory workers who perform repetitive work throughout the day, and research has found that short breaks during the day where basic yoga exercises are performed, can relieve pain, reduce fatigue and increase safety in the workplace due to the improvements in these areas.

Yoga is beneficial to people of all ages and all levels of fitness. Even people who have never exercised before are able to start yoga and see results very quickly. It's a great way to help you stay healthy and fit, no matter where you work.

Video: Beginner Yoga: 10-Minute Basic Breathing Routine

This is a really nice, relaxing, short yoga session that is great for beginners, or just those who need to relieve stress and gain more relaxation. It's also a great little routine to do right before bed to help you relax and prepare for sleep.

Grab a mat and get ready to stretch, relax, and gently tone your body as you flow with the breath through this simple yoga routine.

Basic Breathing | Beginner Yoga With Tara Stiles
Follow us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=livestrongwoman Here's a basic routine to help focus on breathing, which is a vital...


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Video: 30-Minute Beginners Yoga for Relaxation & Stress Relief

This relaxing yoga session helps balance your energy and relieve anxiety, stress, and insomnia, and is great to do before bed or at the end of a long day.

Whether you have a stressful daily life (and really, who doesn't?) or you have trouble sleeping, or you just want to relax or relieve anxiety before an important event, this 30-minute yoga sequence will help you breathe more deeply, sleep better, and bring relaxation your body and mind.

These gentle stretches also improve flexibility, and are great for those who may be new to yoga, as well as those who simply need to relax after a busy day.

All you need is a yoga mat, and perhaps a towel or small folded blanket.

3 Mind-Body Exercises That Benefit Your Heart

One of the best ways to ensure good heart health is to engage in exercises that focus on the mind and the body. Most of us think that a good physical health is the only indicator of a healthy heart. However, research shows that our mood, stress levels and general outlook in life have major effects not only on the body but the heart as well. Simply put, preventing heart disease requires you to exercise regularly, make smarter food choices and engage in activities that reduce stress.

Here are 3 mind-body exercises that can improve heart health:

Yoga (Photo credit: natalielucier)

1.) Yoga- Hollywood celebs like Jennifer Aniston, Adam Levine and Michelle Williams are all hooked on yoga for a good reason. This practice relaxes the mind and body by using different disciplines, poses and breathing techniques. One of the key goals of yoga is to help a person achieve a state of peacefulness. Practicing yoga regularly can help you manage stress and anxiety effectively.

People who lived in the ancient times used yoga to improve their tranquility and spiritual insight. Today, people are also seeing its other benefits to one's health. According to some studies, yoga can help lower blood pressure, increase lung capacity, promote blood circulation and improve respiratory function and heart health.

Pilates Class (Photo credit: heraldpost)

2.) Pilates- this form of exercise was developed by Joseph Pilates. His desire to overcome physical limitations through physical fitness gave birth to the concept of Pilates- leave the body invigorated rather than drained of energy. The main objective of this discipline is to balance flexibility and strength. It focuses on uniting the mind, body and spirit through natural movements.

Unlike traditional cardiac rehabilitation programs, the exercises involved in Pilates significantly improve functional capacity in patients with heart failure according to some studies. A 16-week study was conducted to prove the effectiveness of Pilates in improving heart health. Patients with heart failure did Pilates in combination with 30 minutes of aerobic exercises. The result was lowered resting heart rate and improved oxygen levels in the blood.

Tai Chi (Photo credit: Nney)

3.) Tai Chi- this exercise is also known as moving meditation. It combines slow, controlled movements with mental concentration to help you focus. Tai Chi challenges the body and it improves life energy flow. Research suggests that this form of exercise can improve heart function. It can also lower blood pressure and stress levels.

Tai Chi is perfect for those who are looking for a low-impact exercise that do not put a lot of stress to the muscles and joints. It is generally safe for all ages and fitness levels. You do not need any equipment to practice Tai Chi and you can be indoors or outdoors.

These three types of exercise provide great benefits for both the mind and the body - both of which promote overall health and a strong, healthy heart. Plus they are a lot of fun, and make you feel great!

How Yoga Helps You De-Stress

Over the past decade, the yoga craze has been sweeping the Western world.  What previously was seen as being odd or Eastern superstition has now become a Western staple.  Yoga can strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and help you sleep better.  But perhaps the most useful effect of yoga is its ability to decrease stress; something we seem to have more and more of every day.  If it seems the world is piling up on you and you just need a break, why not finally give in to the craze and try some yoga exercises?  They’ll not only reduce your stress level, they can also help you live a longer, healthier life. 

(Photo credit: GO INTERACTIVE WELLNESS)

While there are many different kinds of yoga, most revolve around the same principles.  What we refer to as yoga now is a method of balancing the systems of your body using poses and deep breathing methods.  These methods help stretch muscles, massage internal organs, and leave your mind in a peaceful state.  The full concept of yoga also includes balancing diet and other aspects of your life. 

You should choose a method of yoga based on what classes and books are available to you, your dedication to yoga, and your physical skill level.  You should research all options available to you in order to find the best fit.

So why is yoga so good at relieving stress?  First, in addition to the poses and breathing, it emphasizes a healthy and balanced lifestyle, leading to a healthier body and mind. Yoga also helps build stamina and strength which can help you cope better with the physical aspects of stress.  It also helps to calm you physically and mentally.  This helps to relieve the stress you may have built up through the day.  It also emphasizes proper breathing methods.  Generally we take short shallow breaths.  The long deep breaths used in yoga promote relaxation by changing the carbon dioxide levels in the blood.  Lastly, yoga can help promote a full, restful night’s sleep.  Getting enough sleep is very important in helping the body and mind heal.  This leaves you ready to cope better with stressors the next day.

Adding visualization to your yoga exercises can make them even more relaxing and more effective at relieving stress.  The concept is to visualize images that will guide your mood.  If you think of sad things during your visualizations, you’ll become sadder.  This also means that if your mind wanders to work and other stressors, you’ll become more stressed.  By teaching yourself to concentrate on peaceful and relaxing images, you will help relive even more stress from your body. 

While they may take time, practice, and patience to master; yoga and visualization techniques can be great tools to help you relax, unwind, sleep better, and stay healthy and happy.