Hindus and Buddhists believe that the seven chakras -- each of which correspond to bodily functions and life issues -- regulate energy flow throughout the body. Martin Brofman, Ph.D., of The Brofman Foundation for the Advancement of Healing, says chakras are aspects of our consciousness, and their functioning relates to our experiences and beliefs. Each chakra is associated with seven endocrine glands and a group of nerves called a plexus. Chakras can become deficient or excessive depending on a person's reactions to situations, their...
Russian yoga is similar to Indian yoga in that there is a focus on asanas, or poses, done in sequence with a concentration on the breath. Russian yoga, however, does not pull from any type of yoga, whereas Indian yoga is based ...
The centuries-old system of health maintenance called yoga originated in India. Its many postures, stretching and breathing exercises can provide a range of benefits, including balanced metabolism and weight loss. Some poses ma...
Yoga focuses on creating a mind, body and spirit connection. Asanas, also called poses or postures, are the physical part of yoga. Asanas improve your strength, flexibility and balance. Other components of yoga include meditati...
It is important to keep the muscles surrounding the hip joint strong and active to maintain stability. Specific poses, or asanas, practiced in yoga may help you do just that. Consult with your doctor before practicing yoga for ...
Excess visceral fat produces hormones that can increase your risk of serious health problems, including strokes, heart disease and some forms of cancer and diabetes, according to MayoClinic.com. Toning your abdominal muscles wi...
Stable, strong hips help you walk, run, ride a bike and dance. To increase stability in your hips, practice yoga poses, or asanas, that balance and strengthen surrounding muscles, including the hamstrings, quadriceps, psoas, il...
This condition takes place when compression occurs somewhere along the path of the large sciatic nerve. This can be due to a slipped disk, narrowing of the spine or an injury. In the world of yoga, the sanskrit word "asana" is ...
The ankles allow you to move your feet inward, outward, up and down in circular directions. Yoga asanas, also known as poses, help stretch the muscles that make these movements possible. With more flexible ankles, you will be l...
Asana is an Indian term that defines a pose or position. The word is likely familiar to anyone learning or practicing yoga. Yoga asanas can be done while seated, lying down or standing, offering a variety of benefits to the bod...
Yoga can ease the transition through menopause and alleviate many of its uncomfortable symptoms. Yoga breathing through hot flashes settles the anxiety that can trigger or exacerbate them. Kapalabhati, rapid yoga breathing that...
Yoga poses, called asanas, are accessible for all levels. Just a few basic poses can increase your strength and flexibility, calm your mind, relieve stress and increase your sense of well being. As a beginner, take it slowly an...
Yoga can help relieve neck and shoulder pain by strengthening and stretching muscles. Yoga also teaches and reinforces proper posture, alignment and balance, which can help reduce pain. Yoga's concentrated, deep breathing also...
Biceps curls aren't the only way to get strong and toned arm muscles --- several yoga asanas also give your arms a workout. While yoga asanas for your arms might not get you pumped up with bulky muscles, they go beyond the bene...
Yoga is the practice of various body postures and meditations meant to increase physical awareness, increase health and harness the inner energy pathways. The first text describing yoga was written by Patanjali sometime between...
Yoga is beneficial for increasing flexibility and improving range of motion. By coupling a few yoga asanas, or poses, with deliberate and concentrated breathing, you can also reduce stress. Inhale deeply through your nose and e...
All yoga poses, or asanas, are incorporated into a practice for a purpose. Asanas benefit different areas of the body. Knowing the various yoga asanas as well as their benefits can help even an amateur yogi or yogini make a mea...
While birth control pills are the most common way to do this, participation in exercise may also help. The yoga community believes that inverted yoga asanas can help to prevent the flow of blood. However, there is no medical ba...
Over 100 poses, also known as asanas, are fundamental to the practice of yoga. Different asanas provide different benefits. Most asanas are classified into different categories such as backbends, forward bends, inversions, bala...
It added that women of African descent run a higher risk of developing them. Specific yoga asanas can help open the abdominal region and alleviate symptoms associated with uterine fibroids such as pelvic pain, heavy and prolong...
Incorporating a regular yoga practice that encompasses a wide variety of asanas, or poses, such as standing, seated, backbends and inversions, can help you to feel and look better.
As men age, the prostate enlarges and puts pressure on the urethra, which controls the flow of urine from the bladder. Some men will experience problems with urination, and other more serious complications are possible. The pra...
Bringing triglyceride levels down means making healthy lifestyle choices, such as getting regular exercise, eating healthy, losing excess weight and managing stress. For some patients, medication is also required to prevent com...
Chakra is probably not a word you use in your everyday conversations, unless you are a yoga instructor or massage therapist. Chakras are points of energy on your body. Some theories exist that claim when chakras are out of alig...
In Sanskrit, chakra means wheel, and each energy center is believed to be a sort of spinning vortex. With the rise in popularity of yoga, the chakras have become a trendy topic.
Yoga can be very beneficial during pregnancy because it helps to calm your mind, encourage breathing and improve posture, flexibility and strength. Certain poses are even helpful for specific pregnancy complaints, such as swoll...
The ancient practice of yoga dates back thousands of years. Steadily gaining popularity in the West, it has been touted as a beneficial practice to improve various physical and mental ailments. Research indicates the use of yog...
Yoga asanas, or yoga poses, constitute the physical practice of yoga. In the Western world, the poses are the main focus of a yoga practice, but in reality, they are only one of eight aspects, with the others focusing on the br...
Regular yoga practice helps to decompress your body, increase flexibility and lengthen and elongate your limbs. Various yoga asanas can promote good posture and realign the spinal cord, all of which will increase your height by...
Perform yoga asanas, or postures, regularly to help ease depression symptoms. Yoga may help relieve depression, according to Harvard Medical School. Check with your health care provider before choosing yoga as a treatment optio...
Menopause, from a medical perspective, is the cessation of your menses. Peri-menopause is a hormonal transition that typically starts somewhere between your 40s to 50s and is characterized by symptoms, such as hot flashes, nigh...
The AYA states that yoga is built on three pillars: breathing, meditation and exercise. Different branches of yoga use these pillars in different ways. The Sanatan Society states that hatha yoga is the best known type of yoga i...
Like many asthma sufferers, you know your options of inhalers and anti-inflammatories, yet simple breathing techniques and yoga postures may make a world of difference as well.
According to Yoga Journal, more people currently practice yoga in the state of California than in the entire country of India. Yoga classes in the west typically consist of a type of yoga known as hatha yoga, which involves the...
The Sanskrit names for yoga postures commonly end with "asana," such as Garurasana and Trikanasana---Eagle pose and Triangle pose, respectively. In the original yoga philosophy, asanas were just one part of a multi-faceted path...
Yoga is a form of physical exercise that has been around for 3,000 years. Yoga postures, or asanas, promote both flexibility and a sense of well-being. The spine is made up of vertebrae that houses the spinal nerves. Using yoga...
While experts at the Mayo Clinic emphasize that exercise and physical therapy can lead to a better quality of life for people with scoliosis, it also adds that these efforts will not stop the condition. Scoliosis expert and yog...
Issues from tendon and ligament damage, cartilage wear and tear, arthritis, bursitis and general joint instability or pain can seriously affect not only your fitness regime, but also your everyday lifestyle.
When done correct...
Yoga asanas are the body postures used in yoga practice. There are thousands of postures and several different styles of yoga. The sun salutation is a basic foundation of the Hatha yoga derivatives used in most Western yoga stu...
Many believe that all forms of life, most specifically human, are infused with a non-physical body of essential energy, which is necessary for us to be alive. This field of energy is called by many names. The Chinese call it "c...
