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In Honor of Yoga Month: Medicinal Powers of Yoga

FitSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:00:00 PDT

All you yoga lovers out there and even the yoga curious, in case you hadn't heard, September is National Yoga Month. Sweet.

The purpose of this month dedicated to yoga is to educate people about the health benefits of yoga, and inspire people to live a healthy lifestyle. If you are interested in taking a holistic approach to healing rather than taking lots of meds, here's a list of some of the ways yoga can improve your health.

Yoga improves levels of cholesterol and triglycerides. In a study conducted in India, those practicing yoga had a 23 percent drop in cholesterol. It may have to do with how yoga can both decrease stress and help with weight loss, two factors that can affect cholesterol.
Improves the quality of life for cancer patients going through radiation. Researchers are also looking into how yoga may improve the immune systems of those with cancer.
Since yoga is all about controlling and slowing down your breath, it can improve the function of the respiratory system, and help alleviate asthma symptoms.
It's been shown to improve digestion. All that twisting and bending every which way helps to tone and strengthen your core muscles and keeps the organs underneath healthy by massaging them.

To learn about the other benefits of yoga

Toning your core through yoga alleviates back, neck, and shoulder pain.
By stretching your muscles, you can help to prevent injury when doing other sports or activities like running or skiing.
It has emotional benefits as well, helping to alleviate depression, stress, anger, and anxiety. It can improve your memory, attention span, and improve your outlook on life. It's also been shown to boost self-confidence.

Do you feel the power of yoga? Share how you plan to celebrate National Yoga Month in the comments section below.
Source

4 Ways to Get Your Yoga on - No Mat Required!

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 28 May 2012 14:24:00 PDT

Traditionally yoga is done on the floor, but your mat isn't the only place you can stretch, strengthen, and calm your body and mind. Since yoga's burst in popularity, people have figured out ways to incorporate basic yoga poses into other forms of movement and fitness. If you're a fan of practicing on your mat, check out these four exciting ways to deepen your love affair with yoga.

Paddleboard Yoga
If you love being on the water, try a Paddleboard Yoga class. Instead of Down Dogging on a mat, you're balancing on a board that's drifting along the surface of the water. Sounds tough? Well, it is, but that's what makes it fun. During your first few classes, you'll probably spend more time plummeting into the water than staying upright on your board, but with practice, you'll develop the core strength, stability, and concentration to do an entire practice while staying dry.

Aerial Yoga
Yoga is special on its own, but combine it with a hanging fabric trapeze, and it becomes magical. Doing yoga poses when the weight of your body is supported in the air not only feels freeing, but it helps with correct alignment and enhances the peaceful and calm feeling you love from traditional yoga. This type of yoga is a great way to approach intimidating poses like inversions or back bends, and the power of gravity allows for deeper muscle releases than you can achieve on the ground.

Keep reading to learn about Acro Yoga and Water Yoga.

Energize Your Morning with 4 Wake-Up Moves

Self — Wed, 09 May 2012 04:28:59 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Self here on FitSugar!

Can't get through your morning without your daily java fix? You're not alone. According to a survey conducted by the National Coffee Association, Americans spend an average of $164.71 on coffee per year. That's almost enough for a monthly car payment or a couple of weeks worth of groceries!

Want to wean yourself off of overdoing the caffeine without sacrificing your sanity? Then look no further than your local yoga studio. Warming up your body in the morning helps the natural release of endorphins, says Desiree Bartlett, a Los Angeles-based yoga instructor.

Not only does yoga do the body good, the energy you cultivate in a yoga class stays with you all day long. "There is a natural gauging of energy and we release old thoughts or judgments we no longer need," says Bartlett. "Through this practice of steadying the mind and observing the breath, the mind stays present, sharper and clearer because it is no longer reviewing the past or making to-do lists for the future."

Incorporate these four moves into your regular routine five days a week to start each day "with strength, clarity and a sense of empowerment." Desiree may have shot these on the beach (we're jealous!) but you can do them on your bedroom floor!

Get the moves after the break.

Should You Cleanse Before Pregnancy?

Rebecca M Gruber — Mon, 07 May 2012 08:04:46 PDT

Every mama wants to give her baby the best start possible, but just how clean should that beginning be? Anna Getty, the organic living expert and founder of Pregnancy Awareness Month (which happens to be now), recently wrote about her thoughts on preparing the body for pregnancy on the Healthy Child Healthy World website. She shared her year-long, pre-conception plan to whip her body (and soul) into shape for baby, saying:

I cut out all forms of caffeine including black or green tea and (gulp) chocolate, all refined sugars, gluten, dairy, and alcohol, any form of pharmaceutical drugs like aspirin or Ibuprofen and ate a mostly raw diet. I also included acupuncture, colonics, meditation, yoga and juicing. I had planned on cleansing for a year, however, somewhere in the middle, maybe five months, of my pre-conception cleanse the spirit of my unborn daughter decided I was "clean" enough and graced my womb with her presence.

It seems everywhere I turn these days, I hear someone talking about the latest juice cleanse. Friends, colleagues, and celebrities are busy touting the weight loss and detoxifying benefits of the drinks but I never thought about using them to prepare for pregnancy. You clean baby's linens and clothes before she uses them, but do you need to clean your womb before she enters it?

Source: Flickr User Meagan

Healthy Dose Link Time: A Hip-Opening Sequence From Power Yoga Star Baron Baptiste

Michele Foley — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:57:09 PDT

Power Yoga innovator Baron Baptiste leads a series of standing hip openers - Yoga Journal
Stave away the afternoon slump with these all-day-energizing foods - Prevention
Start May off right with this menu-planning calendar for the month - Daily Spark
Love to graze? Well then, these 150-calorie snacks were made just for you - Fitness
Learn why Cheryl Burke can't get enough of Ideology Activewear - Fit Bottomed Girls
Get inspired by these gorgeous home yoga spaces - Houzz
Satisfy a protein fix with this Sloppy Joe meat and veggie bowl - Peanut Butter Fingers
Why buy bagged salad when you can grow your own? - Vegetarian Times

Yoga Studios Across the Country Offer Week-Long Passes For National Yoga Month

FitSugar — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 00:02:39 PDT

If you've always wanted to achieve Standing Bow pose with grace, now is the time. September is National Yoga Month, and to celebrate, over 1,200 yoga studios nationwide are offering one week of free yoga through October - registration is already underway. The hope is to inspire more people to try yoga so they can reap all the physical and emotional benefits of regular practice.

All you have to do is sign up on the Yoga Month website for a free week of yoga at any of the participating studios. After choosing a studio, you'll receive a card in your email that entitles you to a free week of classes; just print it out and bring it to your chosen studio. The one restriction is that you can't use the pass to go to a studio you have visited in the past. Besides a free week of yoga, many studios will be offering free days of yoga that require no prior registration.

Healthy Dose Link Time: SYTYCD's Cat Deeley Shares Her Ab-mazing 5-Minute Workout

Michele Foley — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 11:47:08 PDT

SYTYCD host Cat Deeley demos the supereffective TransCormation 5-minute workout - Self
April is Eco Month: How green is your yoga studio? - Yoga Journal
Find out how bikini stunner Brooklyn Decker gets in shape for Summer - Shape
Nutrient-rich lunches that all fall under 400 calories - Fitness
Giada De Laurentiis shares her slim-down secrets for eating pasta - Health
Kill 20 minutes with this calorie-torching elliptical workout - Peanut Butter Fingers
Does happiness lie in an app? GPS For the Soul thinks so - HuffPost Healthy Living
Hummus gets a twist: Moroccan whole-chickpea hummus - Vegetarian Times

Easy Ways to Green Your Fitness and Daily Routine

Fitness Magazine — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:38:43 PDT

We are pumped to share one of our fave stories from Fitness Magazine here on FitSugar!

You carry your own water bottle, use a reusable shopping bag, and sort your recyclables from the trash. Here are more easy ways to green your daily routine without thinking about it.

Choose Wisely

Look for eco-friendly companies when shopping for workout clothes and gear. Gaiam, Patagonia, and GoLite are just a few of the companies that use organic fibers in their clothing and accessories. Green your yoga session by investing in a mat made from sustainable ingredients, like Manduka's eKO Mat.

Reuse Old Fitness Gear

If you've Downward Dogged your yoga mat into tatters or have equipment from your days of being in the neighborhood soccer league, blow off the dust bunnies for a cause. Bring new life to your old gear through these programs.

Recycle Your Mat: Send your old mat (or drop it off at a participating location), and this company will work with other organizations to find creative new uses for it.

Sports Gift: Organize a collection in your neighborhood, school, or office for old gear like soccer balls, tennis rackets, and athletic shoes, and this nonprofit will ship them to underprivileged children worldwide, so they can enjoy sports too.

Reuse-a-Shoe: Donate worn sneakers to Nike's Reuse-a-Shoe program, and they'll turn your pair into material for playgrounds and other Nike products. Find a drop-off location or start your own shoe drive at Nikereuseashoe.com.

Keep reading for more green fitness tips.

The 3 Most Common Mistakes Runners Make

Jenny Sugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 02:22:09 PDT

Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, because besides burning major calories and toning your tush, it costs pennies compared to other sports. If you're a runner at heart, be sure to avoid these three most common mistakes.

Wearing Sneakers For Too Long
Your trusty old pair was there for you when you shaved two minutes off your 10K time and later conquered your first half, but that doesn't mean you should wear them forever. The lack of cushion and shock absorption that comes from wear and tear can result in foot pain or a more serious injury - make sure to retire an old pair every 200 to 350 miles (about four to six months, depending on how much you run). You could always buy the exact same pair you know and love, but if you're looking for a new sole mate, here are tips on how to find the perfect pair of running sneakers.

Skipping the Postrun Stretch Session
It's hard enough squeezing in a run during your busy day, but stretching those muscles you worked so hard is a must. Increasing flexibility in often-tight hamstrings, calves, shins, and quads can prevent shin splints and runner's knee, as well as lower back pain. A good stretching session can also prevent tomorrow's soreness. Try this yoga sequence to loosen tight hips and hamstrings.

Being Married to Running
You love running. We get it. And even if you're training for your first marathon, running as your sole form of exercise is a big no-no. Since overusing the same muscles can cause repetitive stress injuries, incorporate other forms of exercise into your routine. Biking, swimming, yoga, and strength training are perfect complements because they'll strengthen other muscles, which will make you a faster runner with better endurance. Not to mention, taking a break from running makes you love it even more.

Everything You Need to Know About Retirement

LearnVest — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 12:02:28 PDT

Does the topic of retirement make you scratch your head? LearnVest breaks it down for you in simple terms.

You know what’s awesome?

Retirement.

No, really. Imagine it: Waking up every day to head to your favorite yoga/art/synchronized swimming class. Catching up with friends daily. Starting (and finishing) every book or movie that catches your eye.

It’s the ultimate extended vacation, and the best part is, by the time you get there, you’ve already paid for it. You know how that happened? You started today.

No, really, today. There’s an important deadline you need to know: April 17th. This year, it’s the deadline to contribute money to a Roth or traditional IRA for 2011-in other words, if you didn’t get around to saving the maximum you could for retirement last year, you still have this window to do so. (The maximum contribution for 2011 is $5,000-unless you’re over age 50, in which case you may contribute up to $6,000.)

Now that you know that, want to make sure you’re on the right track for retirement? Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know, right here and now.

So go ahead, start stocking up on sketchbooks.

Your Options

To set the stage, let’s refresh our memories about the main types of retirement accounts available to us. There are three: the 401(k), the traditional IRA and the Roth IRA.

401(k)

A 401(k) is a free retirement account you can only get through an employer, and it holds money taken directly from your paycheck. Sometimes, said employer also contributes money to your retirement fund-that’s called “matching.” Traditional 401(k) plans grow tax-deferred, meaning that you’ll pay taxes when you take the money out, not when you put the money in.

Read on for more.