The Department of Health and Human Services declared September to be National Yoga Month in 2008 as a way to advocate the exploration of yoga for its health benefits.
President of the American Medical Association Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D. has added his encouragement by publishing a message to all physicians on August 27, 2012 concerning National Yoga Month.
Lazarus referred to the increasing health problems affecting so many Americans. He mentioned the expanding interest of the public in organic foods. These factors suggest to him that this is the perfect time to press for healthy solutions.
As a triathlete and marathon runner, Lazarus is well aware of the importance physical activity plays in overall health and wellbeing. He encouraged all doctors to put added emphasis on making healthy lifestyle changes.
The Mayo Clinic website urges Americans to get into yoga to reduce stress and anxiety levels. Find the type of yoga that works best for you.
Hatha yoga for instance has a gentler pace with poses a beginner can do. Hatha yoga includes many types of yoga like Ananda, Anusara, Bikram, Kripalu and Kundalini.
Benefits, said the Mayo Clinic, come from performing poses and from learning to control your breathing. Working on yoga poses will increase your strength, flexibility and balance.
Chronic health problems may be eased. Excess weight may be brought under control by regular practice of yoga.
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine encourages the practice of yoga. Evidence suggests that chronic lower back pain, glaucoma, high blood pressure and sciatic may all benefit from this discipline.
The NCCAM referred to a 2007 National Health Interview Survey which reported that among complementary practices, yoga is the sixth most common practice used by Americans.
According to Yogahealthfoundation.org, science has been discovering that stress is significantly related to health conditions of all kinds. Yoga has been seen to be a useful discipline for reducing stress.
An overcharged nervous system can be slowed and relaxed with yoga poses and meditation, often within a matter of minutes.
For those who practice yoga on a regular basis, this relaxation and sense of peace can last substantially past your exercise period of performing the poses. Gradually, small stressors become less disruptive.
Check out this website for information on which hotels are offering yoga classes, yoga TV channels, yoga mats and straps, or workout kits combined with blocks, mats and DVDs
Click here for information on events and free offers for National Yoga Month.
Sources:
Let the start of school be the start of healthy living
http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/08/27/edca0827.htm
Yoga: Tap into the many health benefits
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/yoga/CM00004
Yoga for Health
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/yoga/introduction.htm
How Stress Affects Your Health and What Yoga Can Do About It
http://yogahealthfoundation.org/blog/entry/how_stress_affects_your_healt...
YMCA: September Yoga
http://myhighplains.com/fulltext?nxd_id=296652
Never Too Far From a Yoga Mat
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/04/never-too-far-from-a-yoga-...
September is National Yoga Month
http://yogahealthfoundation.org/yoga_month
Visit Jody's website and blog at http://www.ncubator.ca and http://ncubator.ca/blogger
Reviewed September 5, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN