The Power of Placebo
The placebo effect remains one of medicine’s greatest mysteries. Here’s what we know about how it works and how we can use it to help our bodies heal. By Stephanie Anderson Witmer Dr Rachel Carlton Abrams knows firsthand how wonky teenagers’ sleep schedules can be. Three years ago, her then-17-year-old daughter couldn’t fall asleep […]
Mending the Mind with Yoga
Does the Mind Control the Body or Does the Body Control the Mind?Mending the Mind with Yoga Does the mind control the body or the body control the mind? From a yoga therapy perspective, the most effective way to impact the mind is through the breath and body. When dealing with cognitive issues, we look […]
5 Quick Yoga Poses for the Thyroid
What is the thyroid? The thyroid is the butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck. It regulates your metabolism and energy levels and is responsible for your hair, skin, nails, blood-sugar levels, brain chemistry changes, sex drive, and fertility. It produces hormones that influence every cell, tissue and organ in your body. Did you […]
Clinical Proof: Yoga Helps Smokers Quit Smoking
WE all know that a daily yoga practice can help with a litany of health issues. Now, in a world first, a randomised clinical trial of yoga as a complementary therapy for smokers attempting to quit, researchers have found that a Yoga practice, in conjunction with cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), can help improve smoking cessation efforts. […]
21 Day Yoga Detox Plan: Cure Kids’ Sniffles with Yoga and a Plant-Based Diet
With the approach of spring are you or your family experiencing seasonal hay fever, allergies, sickness and runny noses? Are you getting the urge to detox, clean out the cupboards and spring clean your wardrobe? These are all signs that spring is here. However, with the change in season, come the dreaded colds, sneezing and […]
What Do Hormones Do?
Hormones are like minions, working away on absolutely everything beneath the surface. When I say everything, I mean it. Hormones are responsible for our growth, mood, energy levels, sleep, metabolism, body mass, strength, muscle mass, heart rate, digestion – you get the idea. Most processes in the body are regulated by hormones – there are even hormones to regulate […]
Discover the Benefits of Practicing Yoga During Pregnancy
The benefits of practicing yoga during pregnancy are many. Yoga in pregnancy promotes general body flexibility and strength and improves circulation. Along with these obvious physical benefits, the deeper sense of relaxation and release of stress achieved benefits both mother and unborn child. Yoga has been shown to ease anxiety during pregnancy and to reduce […]
How to go with the flow
On a hot day last summer, I was teaching in an old brewery turned yoga studio in Berlin, Germany. It was sweltering outside, and there were no fans or air conditioning in the building, so we opened all the tiny windows that lined the walls. As I settled in to teach to a packed room, we […]
Natural Remedy: DIY home remedies every yogi needs to know
No one wants to run to the doctor for every ache, cramp, or cough. Indeed, 75 percent of respondents in a Yoga Journal online survey said they always try a home remedy first, and 98 percent said they wanted to learn more about home therapies. So, we tapped the collective wisdom of a range of […]
Food Connection: Creating peace before you eat for happy, healthy digestion
Let us say grace. This age-old tradition is often associated with religion, but in its essence, it’s a valuable practice — one that allows us to pause and reflect on the food we are about to eat. When we eat in a calm, grateful and connected manner, the impact is tenfold. We tend to consume […]