A 12-week yoga course and practicing at home eases insomnia felt by many women going through menopause. But the relaxation exercise did not significantly improve hot flashes and night sweats, two other common complaints of women nearing the end of their childbearing years.

The multi-center trial recruited nearly 250 healthy, previously sedentary women to see whether yoga and other natural approaches would help ease their menopause complaints. In addition to yoga, investigators compared moderate aerobic exercise and the potential benefits of taking fish oil supplements.

Yoga was linked to better quality sleep and less depression, but there was no statistically significant improvement in hot flashes and night sweat symptoms among women in the yoga group. In comparison, moderate aerobic exercise slightly improved sleep and eased depression. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil was not linked to any improvements in menopause symptoms.

The findings are part of a US trial called the "Menopause Strategies: Finding Lasting Answers for Symptoms and Health study," looking for alternatives to supplemental hormone therapy.

So-called hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, is currently the only regulatory-approved treatment for menopause symptoms. But researcher Katherine Newton of Group Health in Seattle, Washington notes fewer women are opting to take HRT. So, researchers are looking for healthy alternatives to ease menopause complaints.

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Yoga Eases Some Menopause Symptoms

By Jessica Mendoza, Globe Correspondent

The early-autumn sun dips behind Fenway Park, and the lights come on at the 101-year-old stadium. But instead of the usual baseball buffs clutching beers in the stands, theres a long row of men and women striking one unusual pose after another at the edge of the parks celebrated field.

FenwaYoga the firstever yoga session in Fenway Park, and the start of what the Red Sox Foundation intends to make an annual event was held Monday, Sept. 23, to raise money for the Red Sox Scholars Program, the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities program, and the Jimmy Fund. The three programs are designed to help young people find equal opportunity in education, sports, and quality of life.

Dr. Charles Steinberg, executive vice president for the Boston Red Sox, said the Red Sox Foundation landed on the idea of yoga while looking for new ways to raise funds while connecting to the people of New England We felt that the obvious popularity of yoga plus the use of Fenway Park may strike a chord.

Locals responded. More than 150 participants took to the stadium to do their favorite asana sequences along the warning track of Americas most beloved ballpark, all in the name of charity.

Its a great opportunity to do yoga at the greatest ballpark in America, said Marie Ruzzo, who came with her friend Joyce Chan, both regular yogis and Sox fans.

While most of the participants were female, there were also men, including Adam Blake, a Mohawk-sporting graphic designer, and Jim Masterman, a gray-haired trial lawyer. All were happy to raise the minimum $250 requirement to participate with some even going so far as to bring in over $1,000 for the cause and to go barefoot on a windy fall evening, when temperatures dropped below 60 degrees as night fell.

Gena Borson, interim executive director for the Red Sox Foundation, said the group picked yoga because it has become mainstream, in terms of health and wellness. She said that although the event drew fewer participants than the venues capacity, the Foundation was still able to raise more than $50,000 well beyond expectations for a first-time event, on a Monday in September.

Continued here:
Yoga-for-charity takes over Fenway Park

Soccer player Tim Cahill features in a spoof exercise video to mark the launch of EA Games FIFA 14.

In the video Cahill appears in a parody of the cult 1980s series Aerobics Oz Style, titled Tim Cahills FIFA 14 Celebrations Oz Style.

Aerobics Oz Style was an Australian aerobic exercise instruction TV series shown in Australia, andy syndicated around the world, on early morning television. The series began in 1982 and was shot outdoors at scenic locations around Sydney. Wendi Carroll was one of the shows instructors.

The ad is part of a global campaign, created by Wieden & Kennedy,for FIFA 14. The Tim Cahill video is one of a number of FIFA 14 Celebrations from around the world which utilise football ambassadors in fun ways.

EA regional PR manager Snezana Stojanovska said: We wanted something uniquely Australian for this segment, something that was fun but still carried a message about new features in FIFA 14. The theme of our local video is a parody of the popular Aerobics Oz Style program which was popular in the UK & Australia during the 90s & early 2000s. Instead of aerobics moves, the segment demonstrates new celebrations in the FIFA 14 game one of the most popular and talked-about new additions to our game every year. We also felt Tim was perfect for this as he has a trademark celebration that also features in the trailer the shadow boxer.

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Tim Cahill pushes Oz Style aerobics in spoof for FIFA 14