Yoga instructor Sunny Keays works with double amputees U.S. Army 1st Sgt. Chris Montera, left, and U.S. Marine Pfc. Isaac Blunt during a yoga class at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego on June 10. Headstands have helped amputees reduce pain. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

SAN DIEGO Army 1st Sgt. Chris Montera, who lost both legs above the knee and suffered third-degree burns over 60% of his body in a mortar attack in Afghanistan, is doing a headstand, guided by yoga instructor Sunny Keays.

It takes a lot of pressure off my back and spine, said Montera, 33, who was on his fourth combat tour when he was hurt. It helps with the pain.

Marine Sgt. James Bernard, 25, who returned from combat in Helmand province in Afghanistan with a severe case of post-traumatic stress disorder, is going through a series of stretching, relaxing and breathing exercises nearby, under the gentle guidance of yoga instructor Barbara Lyon.

Bernards wife, Keely, 25, said yoga is helping her husband regain the composure and self-confidence that he had before he went to war. She accompanies him to yoga classes at Naval Medical Center San Diego.

He seems more aware now of who he is, she said.

To help military personnel overcome the physical and emotional wounds from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, hospitals run by the military and the Department of Veterans Affairs are increasingly turning to the ancient Hindu practice of yoga and other alternative therapies, including tai chi, transcendental meditation and Reiki.

Although not a cure-all, such therapies can be helpful when used in conjunction with Western methods of counseling, medication, and physical and occupational therapy, according to military officials.

Preliminary military studies have found that the calming effect of yoga can assist PTSD patients in dealing with the hypervigilance, flashbacks, depression and anxiety common to the condition. For veterans with traumatic amputations, yoga can help strengthen muscles and increase flexibility, the studies suggest.

Theres a natural resonance among our warriors with things with an Eastern ethos, with things that the samurai might have used, said Navy Capt. Robert Koffman, a physician and combat-stress expert at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.

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Wounded veterans turn to yoga for strength, solace

By Anya Rath | Published 22 hours ago

Get ready to stretch and sweat. East Lansings first Bikram Yoga studio officially opened its doors on Sunday in Brookfield Plaza.

Bikram Yoga Capital Area, 1355 E. Grand River Ave., is Michigans seventh Bikram Yoga studio, and follows the teachings of Bikram Choudhury, a yoga guru who developed the sequence known as Bikram Yoga and has published several books about the benefits of yoga.

Ann Chrapkiewicz, director and an instructor of Bikram Yoga Capital Area, or BYCA, has been instructing Bikram Yoga since 2004. Bikram Yoga studios can only be owned by instructors who have been trained by Choudhury.

Chrapkiewicz, an MSU alumna, began the planning for BYCA last August. She said the studio only offers a beginners level class, but added she still finds the class challenging despite the fact she has been practicing Bikram Yoga for about 10 years.

The Bikram Yoga sequence consists of 26 postures and two breathing exercises, Chrapkiewicz said. The yoga is always done in 90-minute sessions in a room heated to 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40 percent humidity. The first 45 minutes are standing warm-ups and the remainder of the class is dedicated to the postures.

The postures are done in a very particular order and the order, for safety reasons, isnt ever changed, Chrapkiewicz said. Each posture prepares you for the next (one).

Chrapkiewicz said Bikram Yoga tends to defy what students would expect from a yoga class. She added the room is very well-lit, quiet and there is much instructor-to-student interaction.

Bikram Yoga is about constant correction by the instructor so that students are in the right posture and are safe at all times.

People perceive it as being very intense, Chrapkiewicz said. But its truly designed for all levels and if people just come do what they can and try it the right way, theyll get all the benefits they can.

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Bikram Yoga studio opens on Grand River Avenue

Here's another reason why practicing yoga is healthy for you. According to a study featured onScienceDaily.com, a 20-minute session of Hatha yoga may improve mental prowess and reaction times.

Researchers from the University of Illinois asked 30 female students to attend a 20-minute yoga session, which included seated, standing, and supine postures that worked on different muscle groups. Regulated breathing patterns were recommended for every position and transition, and the session ended with a few minutes of meditation.

The same group was then asked to join a 20-minute aerobic session, which was composed of walking and jogging on a treadmill, with a goal of maintaining 60 to 70 percent of their maximum heart rate.

After each session the participants were tested for their accuracy and speed in completing a set of cognitive tasks. The results revealed that while there was no change in mental performance after the aerobic session, the women showed improved working memory and inhibitory control after the yoga session.

The breathing and meditative exercises aim at calming the mind and body and keeping distracting thoughts away while you focus on your body, posture or breath. Maybe these processes translate beyond yoga practice when you try to perform mental tasks or day-to-day activities, explains lead researcher Neha Gothe.

(Photo by lululemon athletica via Flickr Creative Commons)

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Yoga May Improve Accuracy and Reaction Times, Says Study

By Nicki Anderson For The Sun June 17, 2013 3:16PM

Dana Fish, a yoga instructor and Naperville resident. | Submitted

storyidforme: 50879582 tmspicid: 18944021 fileheaderid: 8554222

Updated: June 17, 2013 3:58PM

Dana Fish, a yoga instructor and Naperville resident, has a strong connection to the military. Both of her grandfathers as well as her father served our country. She always has had an affinity for the military and wanted to give back in some way.

Her connection and compassion led her to research and learn more about yoga and its use in the military and those living with post traumatic stress disorder. She soon will begin training in trauma-sensitive yoga with the goal of helping veterans and their families in Naperville.

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, since Sept. 11, almost 30 percent of the Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans treated at VA hospitals and clinics have been diagnosed with PTSD. This disorder develops after a terrifying ordeal that involves physical harm or the threat of physical harm. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.

There is a lot of research coming out, from both academic and military settings, that supports the benefits of yoga on the mental and emotional well-being of all kinds of trauma survivors, Fish said. Paul Zipes, who is the founder of Yoga for Vets, notes that not all veterans are dealing with PTSD and not all will need trauma-sensitive yoga. Some are just in need of a good workout and will get the stress relief via the endorphins and breathing during the workout.

Fish wants to concentrate her efforts on veterans dealing with PTSD. Although, she is quick to point out that yoga is not a panacea for post-traumatic stress, simply a powerful tool for creating balance.

After discovering the calming and balancing effects of yoga in her own life, Fish thought about specific populations that might also benefit from yoga.

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Nicki Anderson: Yoga instructor supports veterans with PTSD

(credit: Kelsey Tucker)

If youve never practiced yoga in the great outdoors, your chance has arrived, and it wont be like anything youve ever experienced. Yoga in the City (YITC) is coming to town on Sunday, June 30 from 1 to 6 p.m., welcoming the masses to come gather in modern yogic celebration on the Santa Monica Pier.

YITC brings the essence of the wildly popular Wanderlust Festival into the city to give Angelenos a taste of their signature lifestyle events that focus on yoga, music and wellness. Over the past three years they have been met with increasing popularity, bringing together top-of-the line talent, like-minded sponsorships and a strong, mindful community of people that make up the fabric of our brand. Every year we bring the Wanderlust experience to more people in new locations, driving forward this movement of wellness enthusiasts, and this year is no exception, Wanderlust co-founder Jeff Krasno said.

(credit: Jennifer DeAngelis)

Top local instructors will lead large classes infused with musical performances that will accompany the sound of the waves under your warrior pose. Scheduled classes will be lead by Cristi Chistensen (Exhale Venice), Bryan Kest (Power Yoga Santa Monica), Mia Togo (Yoga Works Santa Monica), Brock Cahill (Equinox/Yoga Works Santa Monica) and Ashley Turner (Santa Monica). Check the schedule for details so you dont miss your favorite teacher!

MC Yogi, whose current album (Pilgrimage) fuses world beat, hip-hop, Bollywood, reggae, dancehall, house and dub will showcase his talents alongside DJ Drez, an artist that blends yesterdays roots with the innovative urban beats of today. When not making music, both artists are also yoga teachers that literally practice what they preach.

(credit: Joy Bitonio)

Attendees will be fueled by a number of healthy vendors including LYFE Kitchen, which will provide culinary demonstrations and a menu of chef-inspired, good-for-you meals and Luna, which will offer samples of its nutrition bars made with organic ingredients. Avocado Pineapple Smoothies and Avocado Toast samples will be available from Avocados from Mexico and resource, sustainably sourced 100% Natural Spring Water, will keep practitioners hydrated.

Visit the Health Lounge to relax and recharge between classes and receive great fitness, nutrition, and beauty advice from the experts. Giveaways for the mind, body and soul will be available for the taking here. Also, dont miss your opportunity to be a Health Magazine cover model on a special Wanderlust issue!

Attendees wont be able to resist moving their flexible post-savasana bodies to the beat of MC Yogis Yogi Revolution w/ DJ Drez, resulting in an all out ocean side dance party to close out the event just before the sun sets over the horizon.

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Wanderlust Festival Brings Yoga In The City To Santa Monica Pier

The Celebrity Juice star posted a snap of the Yoga Shala retreat, saying 'Amazing few days taking class at this place #HeartFlow #Namaste #Tulum'

Seems Kelly is not only on a health kick for her body, but for her heart too as her Heart Flow hashtag refers to the idea of yoga poses that open the heart.

This is supposed to not only to let love in from others, but help you love yourself just a little bit more.

In a yoga workout, this is characterised by holding poses that deliberately open the chest. Whilst the studio Miss Brook was attending offers all sorts of yoga classes, we suspect she may have been trying about a bit of Vinyasa - a vigorous type of flow yoga that's good for the body and the mind.

Kelly is a long-time fan of yoga but was photographed doing it on the beach after her break-up with Thom Evans earlier in the year as yoga is believed to help people deal with stress and heartbreak.

If you fancy opening up your heart like Kelly, take a look at this series of positions you can try:

WHAT 20 MINUTES OF YOGA COULD DO FOR YOUR BRAIN

Here's some other hot celebs who workout with yoga...

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Diet secrets of the rich & famous: Kelly Brook does yoga workout in Mexico