Editor's Choice Main Category: Stroke Also Included In: Complementary Medicine / Alternative Medicine;Rehabilitation / Physical Therapy Article Date: 31 Jul 2012 - 14:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Yoga Can Help Re-Build Balance After A Stroke

Leading researcher Arlene Schmid, Ph.D., O.T.R., a rehabilitation research scientist at Roudebush Veterans Administration-Medical Center and Indiana University's Department of Occupational Therapy in Indianapolis, said: "For people with chronic stroke, something like yoga in a group environment is cost effective and appears to improve motor function and balance."

The study involved 47 participants, of which around three-quarters were male veterans. The oldest participant was in his 90s and all participants had to be able to stand unaided at the start of the study. Participants were split into three different groups. The first group attended a twice-weekly yoga group for eight weeks, whilst the second group consisted of a twice-a-week "yoga-plus" group that had a relaxation recording to use at least three times a week and the control group receiving no rehabilitation.

The yoga classes, taught by a registered yoga therapist, included modified yoga postures, relaxation, and meditation that were progressively challenging with time.

At the end of the study, the team noted that participants in the yoga or yoga-plus group had a substantial improvement in their ability to balance compared with those in the control group. The team also noted improved scores in the participant's independence and quality of life, and participants' reported to be less afraid of falling. After suffering a stroke, patients frequently suffer balance problems for long periods of time, which are linked to a higher risk of falling and greater disability.

Schmid, who is also an assistant professor of occupational therapy at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and as an investigator at the Regenstrief Institute commented: "For chronic stroke patients, even if they remain disabled, natural recovery and acute rehabilitation therapy typically ends after six months, or maybe a year."

She noted that improvements after the six-month window can take considerably longer, adding, "but we know for a fact that the brain still can change. The problem is the healthcare system is not necessarily willing to pay for that change. The study demonstrated that with some assistance, even chronic stroke patients with significant paralysis on one side can manage to do modified yoga poses."

The researchers believe that yoga's combination of postures, breathing and meditation could be produce different effects compared with traditional exercise due to its more therapeutic nature.

Schmid continued:

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Yoga Can Help Re-Build Balance After A Stroke

NARINGAL aerobics exponent Brenton Andreoli is bound for the Netherlands.

The 19-year-old will represent Australia for the fifth time at the 2012 Federation of International Sport Aerobics and Fitness (FISAF) world championships.

The world titles run from October 15 to 21 in the south-west Netherlands city of Dordrecht.

Andreoli was yesterday upbeat about another international campaign after booking his berth with strong results at Australian titles in Adelaide.

He won silver in the senior individual and teamed with Aerobics All-Stars clubmates Cameron Brown and Emily Daniels to win gold in the senior trios.

"I'm very happy," Andreoli said yesterday while travelling back from Adelaide.

"It was a much better performance in the final for the individual.

" I moved up a place in the final."

Sport aerobics uses seven scoring areas, which include artistic quality, creativity, execution and difficulty, to determine the result of national competitions.

Andreoli ranked first in two areas in the singles and second in five, putting him clear in second behind Brown, who ranked first in five scoring areas.

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Aerobic Andreoli set for international competition

The benefits of yoga have been the subject of countless studies now, over a period of several decades. Most obviously, a regular yoga practice will increase strength and flexibility and improve your balance. For us middle- and older-agers, it can keep us in the game climbing stairs, lifting heavy pots and twisting over our shoulders while driving. If you are losing these capacities, yoga can help you regain them.

Yoga promotes pain relief in numerous conditions including cancer, MS, hypertension and arthritis and can help heal conditions such as back/neck pain, sciatica and carpal tunnel syndrome. Now exercise in general produces some of these benefits, but yoga is designed to address the entire body not just muscles, but also organs, bones, joints and all the bodys systems (nervous, endocrine, etc.). And yoga cultivates slow, full breathing that oxygenates the blood, improves circulation and induces relaxation. Even a gentle yoga practice has been shown to promote weight management, reduce cortisol in the blood (decreasing stress), condition the heart, and improve endurance and immunity. For all these reasons, I describe yoga as physical therapy for the whole body at a fraction of the cost.

At the end of yoga class, practitioners report feelings of calm relaxation, openness and balance. Because it so reliably produces a sense of well-being, it is an important tool for people suffering with symptoms of imbalance and dysregulation such as anxiety, depression, and eating and substance abuse disorders, to name a few. Yoga is now a centerpiece in treatment programs for these disorders.

We in Southern Illinois are fortunate to have a thriving yoga community with more than 20 trained and certified teachers. Despite this robust, local presence, and the broad range of benefits that yoga offers, there are still misconceptions held by those who have never tried it. The one I hear most often: Im not _____ enough to do yoga. (Fill in the blank with flexible, thin, fit, just not good enough.)

Know this: You will practice beside another imperfect human who may not be able to see her or his toes much less touch them. We know its fine to move more slowly than others I do, or skip poses to rest. Your teacher may even suggest it. (Thats an exercise program you can get behind.)

If you ever feel like trying it, you will be welcomed into a non-competitive, non-judgmental space. Because students vary so greatly, teachers are trained to offer modifications, or ways of simplifying poses to make them accessible to everyone. If you cant sit onto the floor, for example, your teacher may show you how to practice from a chair.

So, if you are afraid of looking foolish, dont worry, nobody is even watching you, except maybe the teacher, who is there to help.

KATHRYN NEELY is a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice and a contributor to the Southern Illinoisan Behavioral Health Action Team. She also is the owner of Center@101 and one | o | one yoga in Carbondale.

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Yoga breathes movement and energy into every nook and cranny

So you want to be a professional coach? UEFA has been asking this question of students at its innovative UEFA Pro licence student exchange courses in recent times. Participants are confronted with a number of issues which make them reflect not only on the pleasures, but also the pitfalls of a job which brings its major share of pressure.

The latest edition of the official UEFA coaching publicationUEFAtechnician looks at the implications of becoming a coach, and how coaching is perhaps not so much a job of work but ultimately a life choice.

In his column, UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh recalls the challenging question put to UEFA Pro student exchange candidates by eminent English technician Howard Wilkinson "Are you obsessed by the subject [coaching], and are you ready to commit the rest of your life to it?"

Roxburgh emphasises the particular demands on a professional coach, and how they can endanger a person's well-being and family life due to the requirements of players, media, sponsors and owners. "In professional football," he explains, "the to-do list is exacting, but it is the pressure that is wearing. The constant demand to produce results, the burden of dealing with elite players, the stress of trying to satisfy hungry media, and the multifarious difficulties imposed by time restraints, crisis situations, intrusive agents and all-powerful owners take their toll."

This notwithstanding, Roxburgh considers that for most top coaches, the highs outweigh the lows. And for those UEFA students who do go into the profession, the realities will soon become clear. "It will be a job which quickly becomes a way of life."

Once into the job, coaches develop and mature, both as coaches and as people. UEFAtechnician analyses how many of the great coaches have learned through education, work experience and the invaluable advice given by mentors on their path towards the summit of their profession. In addition, the coaches did not necessarily have to be leading players Real Madrid CF boss Jos Mourinho is one shining example but they all count on special life experiences, qualities and personal characteristics that have moulded them into successful technicians.

"It is a mixture of coach education, playing the game, coaching teams, making contacts, using mentors and working with football people which combines to produce the mature coach," says Roxburgh.

"Coaches, then, need to know how to coach, teach, manage, lead, learn, communicate, organise, plan, prepare, analyse and select. But this will not be enough, as Vicente del Bosque, Spain's reigning world and European champion coach, said at a UEFA coaches' gathering: 'If you only know football, you are lost ... Top technicians Jos Mourinho, Sir Alex Ferguson and the others know football, but they also know about life ...'"

Women's football is flourishing in Europe, andUEFAtechnician spotlights coaching in the female game. Two women who are vastly respected, former Germany coach and triple EURO winner Tine Theune and current Scotland manager Anna Signeul, give a fascinating insight into the state of women's coaching as this area of football evolves constantly in tactical and technical terms.

The two technical observers at the recent UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals in Slovenia, Ross Mathie and John Peacock, survey the evolution of youth football and especially how the balance must be found between creating a winning, creative mentality in youth teams while also placing priority on player development rather than results.

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UEFA.technician - what makes a coach?

Her author profile indicates that Elizabeth Squires has been devoted to those in the entertainment industry, providing life coaching and management services as well as an ever-ready shoulder to cry on. It's apparent from her new book, Seasons, that she cares about the people she meets and attempts to help. In this fictional novel, based in part on the stories of those she has encountered and counseled, she introduces the reader to a group of four men who coincidentally are each faced with trauma in their lives at the same time. Their shared problems test each one of them individually, and simultaneously challenge their longtime relationship as a "family." Age-old issues between men and women run throughout the current of this contemporary story of young adults-a cheating wife, grieving the loss of a spouse and mother killed in a car accident, and second guessing important life decisions made in the inexperience of youth.

One of the premises on which the story is based is the possibility that four very different people, with seemingly little in common in terms of life goals and career paths, could maintain a close relationship over the years. I found this premise to require a considerable leap of faith which I was never able to fully make, despite the hard work of the author to forge this basis. As a result, I spent much of my time trying to understand why the author was taking a character down a particular path. I also continually wondered why several of the character's seemingly dysfunctional behavior went unnoticed by the other characters.

Readers should note that while neither the front cover nor the back cover comments make any reference to religion, the book is very much steeped in the Christian genre. But, in the author's Acknowledgements, one gets a clear sense that Squires is a person of strong faith. The matter of Christianity is used by the author in a clearly "black and white" manner, with all good things coming to the designated "good" Christians, while those who have strayed experience God's displeasure. In some instances, this device was almost absurd, and overall, God does not disappoint any of those who heeded his word. The result of the author's choice to develop the stories on this basis is the serious undermining of the book's reality, unless you are a person of faith.

For me, perhaps the most significant take-away from reading Seasons is the realization that life has in fact outpaced the old notion of seasons. Today, people develop and mature at different paces, they are subjected to intense and rapid changes that break down the walls of traditional "life periods," and they are often ill-prepared throughout their entire lives to deal with what happens to them. In essence, much as nature's seasons are changing, Squire's book suggests that so are our human seasons of life.

As a writer, Elizabeth Squires comes across as a caring, loving person. Seasons reflects the spirit of a person who loves to write. Squire's profile says that "Uplifting others through life application and storytelling is her passion and purpose." Her challenge now is to connect with readers who share that need and that passion.

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Book Review: Seasons: A Fictional Novel by Elizabeth Squires

Brett Favre lines up at the 40-yard line and takes off in a dead sprint, juking briefly to his right before heading left.

He turns and lifts his arms just before quarterback Kirk McCarty's wobbly pass hits him in stride, right on the hands.

"Nice," Favre said with a grin before firing a spiral back to McCarty. "A little ugly, but that will work."

The three-time NFL Most Valuable Player made his living as one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history. Now he serves as an assistant coach. Or receiver. Or the film editor. Or anything else he thinks needs to be done to make Oak Grove High School a better football team.

Favre is beginning his coaching career in humble surroundings as the offensive coordinator of a 1,500-student high school near his home in south Mississippi. He receives no money for the job, but that doesn't mean he's taking in lightly.

"The stress is already getting to me," Favre said, laughing. "I'll wake up in the middle of the night saying, 'Hey, maybe we can do this? Maybe that will work?'"

Favre has kept a low profile since retiring from the NFL in 2010. It's been a stark contrast from his final few years in the league, which were filled with nearly constant on- and off-the-field drama. After a couple years to decompress, he's emerged at Oak Grove, working under veteran high school coach Nevil Barr.

During his playing career, Favre would often work out at Oak Grove in the offseason, throwing passes to the receivers or lifting weights. Barr was always impressed with the way Favre interacted with the players, serving as a mentor even when he could have been aloof. So when Favre returned to Mississippi, Barr always kept in touch to see if the quarterback would be willing to join his staff.

This fall, the timing was right. And the 42-year-old was obviously having a good time Monday morning under the steamy July sun.

One moment he'd be firing passes to receivers. The next, poring over play charts with other assistants.

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Favre Coaching at Mississippi High School

JAMES R. BURNETT/THE WORLD-HERALD

Gary Bargen, who has been Nebraska's director of compliance, is retiring. He also coached NU basketball with Danny Nee from 1986 to 1995.

ATHLETICS

NU's Bargen found his life after coaching

Gary Bargen had reached a turning point in his professional career in the mid-'90s after nine seasons on Danny Nee's staff with the Nebraska basketball program.

He thought hard about returning to head coaching, something he had done well with a 339-124 record in 17 seasons at the junior college level.

But in his heart, he knew that his youngest son, Mike, was heading to Marquette, and Bargen's chances to see him play would be limited at best if he stayed in coaching.

So Bargen, then 53, chose to leave the bench, took up former NU Athletic Director Bill Byrne on an offer and joined Al Papik in the Huskers' compliance office in 1995.

Al said to me, You know, now that you're over here, you can go see him play,' Bargen recalled. I said, Well, I assumed that a little bit,' but he said, No, you go when you want to go.'

And I took him for his word, and we saw (Mike) play 72 times in four years.

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NU's Bargen found his life after coaching

Submitted July 30, 2012 3:00PM

One tip to consider incorporating into your fitness goals is to work with a personal trainer. | Submitted

storyidforme: 34378718 tmspicid: 12579237 fileheaderid: 5742609

Updated: July 30, 2012 11:58PM

Why do you exercise? Losing weight, building strong muscles and keeping a strong heart are common reasons to work out. But, the next time youre experiencing the blues, a visit to the fitness center might be the best medicine.

Exercise even a small amount of physical activity each day can positively impact your mood and overall mental health.

People who work out report they experience less stress, sleep better and find everyday tasks easier. Several studies show that individuals with depression feel better when exercise is incorporated into their treatment.

One reason is that exercise triggers the release of endorphins small protein molecules produced by cells in your nervous system and other parts of your body. Endorphins work to relieve pain and release chemicals that actually energize a person. In fact, endorphins give athletes a second wind. Instead of feeling worn out during a long race, a runner will feel energized toward the end, thanks to endorphins.

Exercise clears your mind and offers a diversion from negative thoughts. It also can be quite fulfilling, especially when you complete a workout or achieve a fitness goal, points out Dr. Lekshmit Venugopal, a psychiatrist with Linden Oaks Medical Group.

Theres even more good news: 150 minutes a week of moderate exercise is all it takes to reap the benefits of exercise, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Thats just 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and the 150 minutes can be met in multiple sessions such as 10 minutes, three times a day.

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Health Aware: Exercise can make you feel good — mind and body

Fun is a big part of the zumba workout. Pix by Chuah Bee Kim

Peggy Kua (right) leading her students in the zumba dance at the Peace Studio in Taman Sutera Utama.

Nicole Low (foreground) says the zumba makes her more energetic.

JOHOR BARU: DITCH the workout, join the party. That is the tagline of the latest fitness programme to hit Johor Baru, and its called the zumba dance.

Currently, there are five licensed zumba instructors in the city.

One of them is 29-year-old Peggy Kua.

In her zumba class, which lasts for an hour, participants dance to mostly Latin music such as for the salsa dance.

People also dance to international hits from various countries.

Its a 70:30 ratio, to be precise, and anything that does not follow this rule is not zumba.

This is because we are worried that unlicensed instructors may adopt the basic steps of zumba, but change the music and call it something else, she clarified.

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Zumba your way to health and fitness

LONDON -- The last five years have been tough for those in retirement. Portfolio valuations have been hammered and annuity rates have plunged. There's no sign things will improve anytime soon, either, as the eurozone and the U.K. economy look set to muddle through at best for some years to come.

A great way of protecting yourself from the downturn, however, is by building your retirement fund with shares of large, well-run companies that should grow their earnings steadily over the coming decades. Over time, such investments ought to result in rising dividends and inflation-beating capital growth.

In this series, I'm tracking down the U.K. large caps that have the potential to beat the FTSE 100 (INDEX: ^FTSE) over the long term and support a lower-risk, income-generating retirement fund (you can see the companies I've covered so far on this page).

Today I'll take a look at Unilever (LSE: ULVR.L) , one of the world's largest consumer goods companies, whose brands -- which include Cif, Dove, Hellmann's, Bertolli, and Domestos -- we all use.

A share to hold forever?Unilever has a strong presence in emerging markets such as India. This has helped to fuel growth over the last decade. Let's take a look at how Unilever has performed against the FTSE 100 over the last 10 years:

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

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Is Unilever the Ultimate Retirement Share?