I went to my first yoga class recently. My husband gave me a gift certificate. I think it’s his way of getting me out of the house and away from the Home Shopping Network.

So, today, I'm at the Blogher conference in San Francisco, and for those who aren't familiar, it's a educational event for women interested in blogging or essentially writing a journal online -- as we also encourage at EmpowHer.com through our SHARE feature.

WEDNESDAY, July 2 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers say they've taken a significant stride forward in understanding how relaxation techniques such as meditation, prayer and yoga improve health: by changing patterns of gene activity that affect how the body responds to stress.

The changes were seen both in long-term practitioners and in newer recruits, the scientists said.

I just heard on NPR that yoga is trying to make its way into the 2020 Olympics! Some practitioners of Bikram yoga (the fast-paced yoga, where you sweat it out in a heated room) are creating a competitive-style of yoga, in which seven poses are performed within a few minutes for judging and perfection.

I feel like a big old (hey, less of the 'old'!) hypocrite here for extolling the benefits of Yoga. Simply because I haven't the patience for it myself. I'm probably a prime candidate for needing yoga - I can't settle down, it's hard for me to watch a movie or veg out and my mind races a lot. What I need to do, what I can put on the back-burner, who needs what and on and on.

FRIDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- A specific type of yoga may help improve stability and balance in women over age 65, possibly helping them to avoid falls, a preliminary study reports.

About two years ago, after a lifetime of running, aerobics, yoga, tennis, and everything else you can think of to keep fit, I found myself suddenly limping, in a lot of pain, and losing my quality of life. When I went to my (male) family doctor, he told me to get a hip replacement. He said it just like that: “time for a hip replacement.”

We see them everywhere: staring back at us from covers of fitness magazines, in ads for some new diet pill, on infomercials for some new fitness equipment. They're six pack abs, air brushed or not, the envy of men and women. You don't need a six pack to have strong abs. But, you do get strong abs with a good "core" workout.

By Gregory Joujon-Roche

Want to “spice” up your workout? Borrow a note from the Spice Girls and try mixing things up!

That’s the approach I took when helping them get into tip-top shape for their reunion tour. Take, for instance, the workout I designed for Melanie Chisholm, aka Sporty Spice. With a nickname like that, you’ve got to look fit! So with training, we hit it hard – five days a week.

http://fitlist.msnbc.msn.com/archive/200...

(HealthDay News) - While yoga is a relatively safe form of exercise, you should take precautions, especially if you're just beginning. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers these recommendations to practice yoga safely: * If you have any medical condition, don't try yoga without consulting your doctor first. * Learn the proper technique from a certified yoga instructor. * Drink plenty of fluids. * Be sure to warm up before starting your yoga routine. * Start out slowly, making sure that you are performing each move and position correctly.