Aerobics may ease menopause symptoms: study
Posted: March 15, 2012 at 9:08 pm
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In a small study of Finnish women who had recently entered menopause, those who stuck to an aerobic exercise program for six months were less likely to report night sweats, mood swings and irritability than women who didn't exercise.
The study's authors say their results suggest exercise could serve as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy for quelling bothersome menopause symptoms.
"I would definitely recommend physical activity. I think that among all the options out there that it's probably the best thing for health and also symptoms of aging," said Steriani Elavsky, a professor at Penn State University, who was not involved in the new research.
In the years just after a woman reaches menopause, up to 80 percent may experience some or all of the most typical symptoms, including hot flashes and night sweats, sleep disturbances, headache, depression, irritability, urinary problems and vaginal dryness.
Estrogen-based therapy can ease those symptoms, but concerns about health risks associated with the hormones have led many women and their physicians to shy away from that treatment.
Though not all studies have agreed, some earlier work has shown that exercise can help as well.
Dr. Riitta Luoto at the UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research in Tampere, Finland, and her colleagues found in a previous study that exercise helped to reduce the number of hot flashes women experienced.
In the latest study, published in the journal Menopause, the same team looked at other symptoms of menopause.
The researchers randomly assigned 74 recently menopausal women aged 45 to 63, all of whom were experiencing symptoms, to exercise 50 minutes a day, four days a week for 24 weeks. A comparison group of 77 women attended health lectures instead.
For the exercise group, at least two of the sessions each week had to involve walking, while the other two could include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, aerobics or other activities.
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Traps Excercise by Luimarco – Video
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On-Site Inspection: Integrated Field Excercise 2008 Movie – Video
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On-Site Inspection: Integrated Field Excercise 2008 Movie - Video
San Fran airport yoga! – Video
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NYC men's yoga class meets in the nude
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A New York man who teaches a weekly men-only nude yoga class said performing the exercises in the nude allows students to shed their "costumes and armor." File photo. UPI/David Silpa
Published: March. 15, 2012 at 1:11 PM
NEW YORK, March 15 (UPI) -- A New York man who teaches a weekly men-only nude yoga class said performing the exercises in the nude allows students to shed their "costumes and armor."
Michael Gates, 44, said he has been leading the nude yoga classes since 2006 and usually about six men will pay $20 for the weekly 90-minute session, the New York Daily News reported Thursday.
"Our clothes are costumes and armor," Gates said. "Naked yoga is an interesting metaphor for letting go of the B.S."
"I understand that women don't want to get undressed in front of strange men," he said. "When I offered co-ed sessions, I found they were attended 98 percent by men."
However, Gates said he still keeps the exact location of the classes a secret to keep away the "creeps."
"I was getting too many people that were more interested in being in a room with naked men than practicing yoga," Gates said.
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Garnet Hill Launches Exclusive Yoga Collection
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FRANCONIA, N.H., March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Garnet Hill, a leading multichannel purveyor of quality apparel and home decor, announced today the launch of the zinni yoga collection for women. Working closely with the renowned Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Garnet Hill gained insight from yoga instructors to create a truly authentic line of yoga clothing.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110214/NE47685LOGO )
The zinni collection features a palette of beautiful colors and original prints in incredibly soft, moisture-wicking fabrics, with the precise fit demanded by yoginis. Garnet Hill will offer customers a complete assortment of tops, pants, dresses, versatile layers, and essential accessories including a PVC-free yoga mat.
"The collection was inspired by our favorite iconic flower, the zinnia. We've featured it over and over on our sweaters and pajamas. Our customer loves it -- it has become our signature print," says Garnet Hill product manager Sarah S.
Garnet Hill chose highly technical fabrics and constructions to ensure the zinni collection would be a truly functional yoga line. Adds Sarah, "The Kripalu Center was a wonderful collaborator; yoginis at the center tested the clothing, and their feedback helped us develop a line with great design and authentic functionality."
"We pride ourselves on our ability to curate products our customers love, and we're thrilled to launch this exclusive collection," says VP of Merchandising Joanne M. "We know our customers are increasingly interested in practicing yoga and holistic living; the zinni collection helps them feel confident and beautiful while doing so."
Zinni by Garnet Hill launches with the Summer 2012 collection in catalogs and online beginning March 14, 2012.
About Garnet HillRenowned for superior quality, fine fibers and original design, Garnet Hill has offered distinctive merchandise and services of the highest caliber since 1976. The company began as an importer of English flannel sheets and has grown into a distinguished brand and multichannel marketer, offering unique bedding and home furnishings, women's apparel and children's clothing online and in its catalogs. Garnet Hill searches the world for exceptional items and inspiration for its extensive line of exclusive products. For more information, visit garnethill.com.
About Kripalu Center for Yoga & HealthLocated in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts, Kripalu Center is the largest retreat center for yoga and holistic living in the United States, offering more than 900 experiential programs in yoga, self-discovery, holistic health, and spirituality. For more than 30 years, Kripalu's educational programs have been providing participants with tools that present ancient yogic principles in a contemporary yet profound way that can be applied in their daily lives. For more information, visit kripalu.org.
For additional information, please contact 603.823.5545 or pr@garnethill.com
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Sex scandal has yoga industry tied in knots
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Robert Browman / for msnbc.com
Jessica Lurie, a yoga instructor and General Operations Manager for Green Monkey yoga studios in Miami, Fla., demonstrates poses at the company's Midtown Miami location.
By Bill Briggs, msnbc.com contributor
Leave it to American business to twist a 5,000-year-old Hindu philosophy of gentle poses into an emotional knot.
In a matter of weeks, a steamy sex scandal has prompted the resignation of a yoga world superstar, roiled the disciplines trendiest branch, sparked a mass exodus of teachers and transformed part of the $5.7 billion industry from namaste to nasty.
The tumult rooted in the popular form called Anusara isnt entirely surprising, according to some yoga disciples, although its undeniably ironic given the ancient regimens tenets of tranquility and self-restraint.
If you can put your feet behind your head, it doesnt mean youre enlightened or that youre not going to make mistakes, said Annie Prasad Freedom, owner of the Samadhi Center for Yoga & Meditation in Denver. The studio offers classes in Anusara and other types of yoga.
The eye of this yoga storm swirls around John Friend, a charismatic entrepreneur who earned a finance degree then went into the yoga field a juxtaposition of the usual path: a yogi who goes into business. Friend founded Anusara yoga in 1997 and ultimately Anusara Inc. draping his version on a life-affirming Tantric ideology of intrinsic goodness, selling a celebration of the heart that looks for the good in all people and all things, according to his former companys website. As the primary investor in Anusara, Friend prospered while his venture boomed and he charmed yoga conference audiences around the nation. In 15 years, his enterprise licensed 1,000 Anusara teachers and gained more than a half million followers in 70 countries.
Then the tight-knit Anusara family unraveled. Last month YogaDork.com republished anonymous accusations that Friend had engaged in sexual affairs with several married Anusara employees and teachers. On Feb. 16, Friend resigned as CEO of Anusara Inc. saying the company would become a non-profit run by one of his Anusara teachers.
Now, as dozens of licensed Anusara teachers rush to distance themselves from Friend and rebrand their businesses (calling themselves the Yoga Coalition,) the scandal has shed fresh light on the fads that so often drive business in the yoga world. Interviews with yoga industry experts including studio owners, teachers and trade journalists - found some concerned that the fiasco could taing the industry although turn away casual consumers.
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Male bonding! Naked yoga class for men
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A Brooklyn yoga instructor is taking his male students in a nude direction.
Every Tuesday night, Michael Gates teaches naked yoga to a small men-only class class in a secret South Park Slope location.
"Our clothes are costumes and armor," said Gates, 44. "Naked yoga is an interesting metaphor for letting go of the B.S."
Since opening his "Naked Space" studio in 2006, Gates has seen it all: From men who strip out of their cloths in an instant, to guys who wouldn't dare tell their wives their weekly yoga class is with nude dudes.
"There are guys who are afraid to tell their wives because they think she'll leave him," said Gates. "I mean, she knows he's taking yoga classes with a group of guys, but suddenly he's naked and it's a big deal."
For just $20, about six guys usually show up to shed their worries, anxieties, and clothing for a 90-minute intermediate yoga session in Gates simple studio. Private sessions cost $100.
Gates said having his clients naked allows him to better study students' form and alignment.
The technique works well for the regulars.
"I like being naked," said Tom B., 49, who treks all the way from the Upper West Side every week for the naked yoga class.
"By being naked without the rest of your clothes, it allows you to experience the body in all the poses."
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How Yoga Might Relieve Stress-Linked Ailments
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60-Second Health | Health
Yoga may increase parasympathetic nervous system activity and neurotransmitter levels, helping to decrease symptoms of some stress-related illnesses. Katherine Harmon reports
March 13, 2012
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Yoga and relaxation practices have been around for thousands of years. And modern research suggests that yoga could have a very real impact on many stress-related illnesses, including anxiety, depression and heart disease.
And here's another reason to be down with downward-facing dog. Stress can make symptoms of chronic pain and depression worse. But yoga might be able to help, in part by stimulating the cranial nerve and an important neurotransmitter called GABA. The new theory is in the journal Medical Hypotheses. [C. C. Streeter et al., "Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder"]
Previous research had found that people who did yoga for 12 weeks had lower anxiety and reduced chronic pain than those who went for walks or had standard medical care alone. The yoga-ers also had higher levels of GABA.
The researchers are now testing just how well yoga, combined with conventional treatments, can actually improve symptoms of real medical and psychological conditions, including epilepsy, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. And that might generate news you can take sitting down. Preferably in a lotus pose.
Katherine Harmon
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
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Brooklyn naked yoga class gives men chance to shed their worries…and clothes
Posted: at 9:08 pm
A Brooklyn yoga instructor is taking his male students in a nude direction.
Every Tuesday night, Michael Gates teaches naked yoga to a small men-only class class in a secret South Park Slope location.
"Our clothes are costumes and armor," said Gates, 44. "Naked yoga is an interesting metaphor for letting go of the B.S."
Since opening his "Naked Space" studio in 2006, Gates has seen it all: From men who strip out of their cloths in an instant, to guys who wouldn't dare tell their wives their weekly yoga class is with nude dudes.
"There are guys who are afraid to tell their wives because they think she'll leave him," said Gates. "I mean, she knows he's taking yoga classes with a group of guys, but suddenly he's naked and it's a big deal."
For just $20, about six guys usually show up to shed their worries, anxieties, and clothing for a 90-minute intermediate yoga session in Gates simple studio. Private sessions cost $100.
Gates said having his clients naked allows him to better study students' form and alignment.
The technique works well for the regulars.
"I like being naked," said Tom B., 49, who treks all the way from the Upper West Side every week for the naked yoga class.
"By being naked without the rest of your clothes, it allows you to experience the body in all the poses."
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Brooklyn naked yoga class gives men chance to shed their worries...and clothes