CARROLLTON, Ga. -

For those living with cancer, their bodies and minds are under unusual stress. But one form of exercise, yoga, is helping them breathe a little deeper and heal a little faster.

Yoga is known for its calming effects on the mind. But Carrollton yoga instructor July Nicholas believes it can do even more for the body.

"Everything that you think is normal, you're just in a rut and everything is great and then when this turns your life upside down...," said Janet Baty.

In January of last year, Baty found out she had a rare form of breast cancer. After several rounds of chemotherapy and major surgery, she says simple movement was difficult. But one woman convinced her yoga would do her a world of good.

"Although yoga is not a cure for cancer, when it's used as an integrated therapy, it's very beneficial. It has amazing benefits," said Nicholas.

Nicholas is certified fitness instructor and specializes in physical and health disabilities. She's developed a yoga program specifically for cancer survivors. She says yoga can help in the recovery of a person going through cancer by improving circulation, alleviating toxins.

"Initially after my surgery, I had a lot of weakness in my arms. And so a lot of the poses, I didn't have the strength, so we would do things perhaps on our elbows," said Baty.

The program is tailored to each survivor depending on their ability. Baty says after just six weeks, she's already seen a major improvement in her health and her ability.

"Even just putting plates up into a shelf, it was so much easier to do that once I had done the yoga. I found that I walked up and down steps so much easier than I had before. And I just felt as though I had better posture, I walked taller," Baty said.

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Plans have been announced for the fourth annual Texas Yoga Conference to be held March 1-3, 2013 at the George R. Brown Convention Center located at 1001 Avenida De Las Americas, Houston, Texas 77010.

The Texas Yoga Conference attracts the best regional and national yoga teachers who give classes at all levels of experience with yoga, from the beginner to the advanced practitioner.

With over 70 presentations on the schedule, the conference acts as a city retreat beginning with a three day "Anatomy of Yoga Training" by New York Citys Leslie Kaminoff from Feb. 26 to 28 as an option to learn more about yoga anatomy.

The official conference continues March 1 to 3, featuring lectures and presentations for beginners and advanced yoga enthusiasts.

Attendees also have an option to join a special post-conference "Krama Training" with instructor Ricky Tran from March 4 to 9.

The event is a great way to learn more about yoga and the science behind it, as well as enjoy unique lecture topics related to the philosophy of yoga. There will also be exhibitors displaying natural products, healthy foods, and yoga clothing.

The Texas Yoga Conference isn't a conference in the traditional sense. It's a yoga retreat and a yoga party. After immersing themselves in yoga, participants will have the opportunity to attend concerts on both Friday and Saturday or enjoy a little Thai massage.

On Friday afternoon, the conference will feature famous singers and groups such as Action Required Now, Patrice Pike, Bhakti House Band, Sean Johnson & the Wild Lotus Band, Joel Laviolette and the Rattle Marimba, David Berkeley, Josh Fletcher and The Willy Collins Band. The concert is open to the public with tickets on sale for $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Sunday morning, Beatrice Ward and her gospel singers will open up the day. There will also be Mariachis to close the conference and serenade attendees to the evening reception.

The Texas Yoga Conference will benefit local charities such as Action Required Now - Healing with Song and Breathe the Cure, a non-profit organization that recently released its first children's book in collaboration with Crow Collection of Asian Art and Yoginos: Yoga for Youth. Breathe the Cure focuses on educating others on the benefits of proper breathing techniques, meditation and yoga as a preventative practice to disease and as a complementary tool to Western treatments.

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“Yoga party” comes to Houston this year

Third-graders at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School in Encinitas, Calif., perform chair pose with instructor Kristen McCloskey last month.

Third-graders at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School in Encinitas, Calif., perform chair pose with instructor Kristen McCloskey last month.

During first period at Olivenhain Pioneer Elementary School in Encinitas, Calif., Kristen McCloskey leads about two dozen third-graders through some familiar yoga poses.

"All right, so let's do our opening sequence A," she says, instructing the kids. "Everyone take a big inhale, lift those arms up. Look up."

At the end of the half-hour class, 8-year-old Jacob Hagen says he feels energized and ready for the rest of the day. "Because you get to stretch out and it's good to be the first class because it wakes you up," he says.

Schools across the country are focusing more on teaching students to make healthy choices; Encinitas Superintendent Tim Baird says yoga is just one element of the district's physical education curriculum.

"We also have a nutrition program," he says. "We also have a life-skills program where kids learn about perseverance and responsibility."

The whole wellness program is supported by a $500,000 grant from the K.P. Jois Foundation. The Encinitas-based group promotes a kind of yoga called Ashtanga, which was introduced to Encinitas from India in 1975 by founder Krishna Pattabhi Jois.

But when Mary Eady visited one of the yoga classes at her son's school last year, she saw much more than a fitness program.

The third-graders at Olivenhain Pioneer take three deep breaths in the downward dog position during one of their two weekly yoga classes.

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