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Personal Growth and Development — 1 comment
01
Aug 11

People of all stripes wear uniforms while reaching personal growth and development goals

Personal Growth and Development Goals

Studies have shown that wearing common attire can add to one's personal growth and development resources.

When you think about the phrase "wearing a uniform," you may visualize members of the U.S. Armed Forces, workers in medium-wage jobs, or Boy and Girl Scouts. Narrowly defined, the word "uniform" covers little more than the coordinated outfits of these individuals, but in a broader sense of the term, a uniform is any ensemble shared by a group of individuals.

Studies have shown that wearing common attire can add to one's personal growth and development resources. For instance, a researcher from Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi found that high school students who wore uniforms tended to academically outperform their diversely dressed peers.

The report, published as a dissertation for an EdD, determined that students who regularly wore coordinated outfits tended to do slightly better on reading-based performance exams.

A similar study, conducted by Seunghee Han of the University of Missouri, determined that elementary and middle school, students who wear uniforms tend to display milder problematic behaviors and to incur fewer disciplinary measures than peers who are allowed to dress freely.

The paper, which appeared in the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, noted that this effect occurred primarily among pre-high school students.

However, the benefits of yoga do not stop there. A study presented at the 2010 Sigma Theta Tau International Conference noted that nurse's uniforms can influence the anxiety levels of pediatric patients.

Specifically, the investigation determined that children respond most positively to nurse's outfits that are uniformly blue or pink. Likewise, the study found that other colors do not cause anxiety, and that children did not associate white uniforms with any negative emotions.

In many yoga classes, white uniforms are standard attire for community classes. The holistic regimen often employs a basic, two-piece outfit as a way to engender a sense of unity and calm. The loose, long-sleeved, natural-fiber shirt and pants worn by enthusiasts give them an unfettered range of motion while keeping them cool and making their personal growth and development activities easier.

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29
Jul 11

Yoga breathing benefits extend to people with dyspnea, COPD

yoga breathing benefits

COPD is a progressive disease that causes shortness of breath, a feeling known as dyspnea.

If you do yoga breathing exercises as part of your daily or weekly workout regimen, you may be doing your body a big favor. Breathing slowly and deeply may reduce blood pressure, bring down your heart rate and open up your body's energy channels. Also, research has shown that yoga breathing benefits some people with pulmonary conditions.

An investigation conducted by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that yoga may be safe and healthy for individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD).

These results, which appeared in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (JACM), were based on data collected from 29 elderly patients with the lung condition, some of whom were given a 12-week course of yoga-based interventions.

COPD is a progressive disease that causes shortness of breath, a feeling known as dyspnea. Most cases of the condition are caused by prolonged exposure of the lung tissue to irritants, the most common of which is cigarette smoke, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.

Over time, people with COPD find it harder to take deep breaths because their lung tissue is stiffened, damaged or coated with mucus, the agency adds.

While traditional medical treatments are typically used to treat the source of the problem, yoga breathing exercises may help patients with COPD overcome episodes of dyspnea and become more mobile.

In the JACM study, people with COPD were led through yoga postures and guided breathing sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Researchers found that those tutored in the art of yoga breathing experienced moderate reductions in the severity of dyspnea, as well as mild improvements in walking speed, muscular strength and health-related quality of life.

Though it approaches the problem in a very different way, yoga breathing is done for the same reason that patients take bronchodilators or use inhalers – namely, to open up the lung's passageways and facilitate calm, full, deep breaths.

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25
Jul 11

Yoga breathing exercises may increase GABA in brain, ease stress

yoga breathing exercises

GABA is the brain's chief inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it dampens the excitation of neurons.

Though you may not be too familiar with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) or its effects on mental and physical health, a number of researchers are, and several studies have demonstrated that yoga breathing benefits a person's GABA counts and can thus relieve stress.

GABA is an amino acid, one that acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. According to the scientific text Neuropsychopharmacology: The Fifth Generation of Progress, this substance works in concert with l-Glutamic acid, also known as glutamate.

In essence, glutamate speeds up the communication between neurons, resulting in "fast excitatory synaptic transmission," the source states. By contrast, GABA is the brain's chief inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it dampens the excitation of neurons.

These two organic compounds must work in harmony in order for the brain to function properly. The source adds that GABAergic drugs – meaning those that boost the amount of GABA in the brain – are used to treat anxiety, to prevent convulsions and to sedate or anesthetize patients.

However, for mild conditions, like anxiety, drugs are not always the answer. Several studies have found that yoga may increase the brain's store of GABA, leading to lower stress levels and increased feelings of peace and calm.

For example, a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that individuals who completed a one-hour yoga session experienced a 27 percent increase in their brains' GABA levels. By comparison, a control group that simply read for an hour displayed no change in their GABA levels.

Another report in the same journal suggested that doing yoga breathing for stress may have measurable benefits for individuals who suffer from anxiety or depression. Specifically, the report suggested that taking slow, deep, measured breaths can lower the body's levels of cortisol, a hormone that signals stress.

Likewise, the study indicated that doing yoga breathing may increase the amount of the brain's oxytocin, which is a hormone linked to feelings of contentment, lover and empathy.

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22
Jul 11

Tai chi, qigong, yoga breathing exercises get plenty of use in the U.S.

The 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that an estimated 2.3 million Americans had used tai chi.

The 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that an estimated 2.3 million Americans had used tai chi.

Do you practice tai chi, qigong, yoga breathing exercises or other mind-body healing practices? If you do, you're not alone. Not remotely – according to nationwide surveys, millions of Americans have tried these complementary and alternative treatments as ways to treat their physical or mental ills.

The 2007 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), conducted by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, found that an estimated 2.3 million Americans had used tai chi in the year prior to the study.

That's quite a few people, all practicing the yoga breathing styles, mindfulness techniques and slow, deliberate movements of tai chi. To put that figure in perspective, 2.3 million people would fill San Francisco's Candlestick Park Stadium to capacity 33 times over!

Respondents gave a number of reasons for trying the so-called "soft" martial art. These included the need to get low-impact exercise, to increase muscular strength or flexibility, to augment the sense of balance, to soothe stiff joints or sore muscles, to make it easier to fall asleep or to pursue well-being in general.

In order to get a better idea of who is using tai chi and qigong for good health, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center recently analyzed the data collected in the 2002 NHIS.

The team found that men are as likely as women to have tried tai chi or qigong. Individuals who reported using these methods were more likely to be Asian-American than Caucasian, as well as college-educated, though practitioners ultimately covered a wide gamut of backgrounds.

The survey also determined that muscular or skeletal conditions, asthma and sprains were associated with an increased likelihood of practicing tai chi or qigong. Scientists also found that most practitioners reported using these self healing methods as a way to improve physical health.

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19
Jul 11

Yoga breathing benefits may extend to patients with mesothelioma

Malignant mesothelioma, a disease often caused by exposure to asbestos (pictured), is diagnosed in 3,000 people each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Malignant mesothelioma, a disease often caused by exposure to asbestos (pictured), is diagnosed in 3,000 people each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

Being diagnosed with a rare and dangerous form of cancer may leave patients feeling like they have few options for improving their quality of life. However, many healthcare professionals are recommending complementary therapies – like yoga breathing techniques, meditation or tai chi – for pain relief and palliative care.

Consider malignant mesothelioma, a disease diagnosed in just 3,000 people each year, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS). This condition consists of cancer cells that grow in the pleura, the lining of the chest cavity surrounding the lungs, the organization states.

Men are more likely than women to be diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, and exposure to asbestos greatly increases the risk of the disease, the ACS adds.

This condition has a relatively poor prognosis. The National Cancer Institute estimates that the median survival time for a patient with localized mesothelioma is 16 months, a figure that drops to 5 months if the cancer is found to have metastasized.

That said, many patients with the disease must receive effective palliative care to keep them comfortable. In this respect, yoga breathing exercises may help individuals with mesothelioma relax, reduce their pain or take deeper, more oxygenating breaths.

In the book Surviving Mesothelioma and Other Cancers: A Patient's Guide, author Paul Kraus states that a body – even one with a serious form of cancer – needs regular activity or exercise to maintain optimal health.

"Walk, swim and learn the gentle healing arts of tai chi or yoga. All of these are very healing," he explains, adding that being candid, having forthright interpersonal relationships and maintaining a positive attitude may also improve quality of life for people with the disease.

Kraus points to the benefits of a healthy diet and yoga-based stretching exercises on other diseases, like angina and cardiovascular disease. He concludes that while such methods can sound far-fetched, they may ultimately improve a person's mental and physical vigor in a time of profound trouble.

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18
Jul 11

Yoga breathing exercises may offer some physical, mental relief

yoga breathing exercises

Scientists around the globe are increasingly finding that such yoga breathing exercises may reduce aches and impart symptom relief for a number of conditions, whether they are mental or physical.

For more than 15 years, Dahn Yoga has incorporated yoga breathing techniques into many of its relaxing and self healing sessions. Felicitously, scientists around the globe are increasingly finding that such yoga breathing exercises may reduce aches and impart symptom relief for a number of conditions, whether they are mental or physical.

Take a study lately published in the journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. Researchers from A.T. Still University's Department of Physical Therapy conducted an experiment to determine the effects of yoga on the health and wellness of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Approximately one in five U.S. adults has been diagnosed with some form of arthritis, including an estimated 1.5 million with RA, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency states that RA is a disease of the lining of the body's joints, called the synovium. Its erosion causes pain, swelling and immobility of the joint.

In the study, scientists asked postmenopausal women with RA to engage in a 10-week yoga and meditation regimen. The team found that these participants experienced improvements in mobility and balance, as well as reductions in their perceived pain and depression levels.

Is that all yoga is good for? Not by a long shot, if other studies are any indication. A report appearing in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics found that guided yoga classes helped pregnant women moderate their heart rate variability and reduce stress.

Another study, this one published in the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, determined that 12 weeks of yoga exercises may help individuals with hypertension reduce their 24-hour systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Finally, a recently published book, titled How to Use Herbs, Nutrients and Yoga in Mental Healthcare, described the inclusion of yoga and deep breathing in therapies for anxiety, depression or drug abuse.

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15
Jul 11

After giving birth, supermodel does yoga breathing for weight loss

yoga breathing for weight loss

Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr has been using yoga to get into shape after having a baby.

Yoga breathing techniques and stretching exercises have a lot to offer in terms of their ability to help individuals relax, re-energize their bodies and revitalize their minds. As such, people all around the world have looked into yoga breathing, poses and meditation as ways to try to keep themselves healthy and fit.

Take Australian supermodel Miranda Kerr, who recently had a baby with her husband, actor Orlando Bloom. According to Gossip Center, the 28-year-old catwalk-walker has been using yoga to get into postpartum shape.

She is not one to wait around for life to come to her, either. In a recent interview with InStyle Magazine, Kerr – who is a Buddhist and near-daily yoga practitioner – told the source that she repeats a mantra as a way to affirm her calm commitment to living a happy life.

 "I am a healthy, vibrant being of love and light," she said, quoted by the magazine. Kerr noted that she feels "blessed" that she can bring her baby with her to work, essentially mixing family and career.

The model also engages in a rigorous workout schedule. Her trainer, Justin Gelband, told Cleo Australia that he and Kerr run up to five kilometers twice a week, plus much more.

"We go to the gym and will work with either boxing gloves, bands, resistor balls or medicine balls, plus we do some weight work for longer, leaner, sexier legs. Miranda does leg extensions, leg presses and calf raises," he told the news website.

With so much going on at once, Kerr admits to needing yoga to relax and reflect. She recently told Access Hollywood that the holistic mind-body regimen was her secret to maintaining a trim physique during and after pregnancy.

Kerr estimated that she had been doing weekly yoga exercises for more than 10 years, and she shows few signs of slowing down.

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14
Jul 11

Richard Gere introduces son to yoga breathing for beginners

Richard Gere is a Hollywood veteran, known for his roles in films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman and Days of Heaven. However, for decades, Gere has also been a proponent of an Eastern way of life.

Richard Gere is a Hollywood veteran, known for his roles in films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman and Days of Heaven. However, for decades, Gere has also been a proponent of an Eastern way of life.

An activist, actor and long-time devotee of holistic, meditative systems, Richard Gere recently showed his son, Homer, how to do yoga breathing techniques while the two were at a basketball camp – which is to say, Gere meditated while his son played basketball, according to the New York Post.

The 61-year-old father and sometime California resident is a Hollywood veteran, known for his roles in films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Pretty Woman and Days of Heaven. However, for decades, Gere has also been a proponent of an Eastern way of life.

He regularly meditates, holds mindfulness workshops at his country inn in Westchester and practices yoga, according to New York Magazine. Even at the East Hampton Knicks Basketball Clinic, he did not miss an opportunity to take off his shoes and reflect in serenity, the Post reported.

Gere did "complicated floor stretches," followed by meditation in the "lotus" position, for a total of nearly two hours of virtually uninterrupted yoga breathing exercises, the news source said.

Engaging in stretching, meditation, deep breathing and mindfulness exercises can radically improve one's peace of mind, and Gere is not the only Hollywood star to have discovered this.

Recently, actresses Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart, Tori Spelling and even singer Lady Gaga have been spotted heading to yoga classes or leaving them looking energized.

What do they find pleasing about yoga? It could be its tendency to help individuals who are tense or stressed out to unburden themselves of some of their pent-up energy. It might also be that yoga sessions help them stay fit, since several of the actresses mentioned above attended yoga during pregnancy, apparently as a way to keep healthy.

No matter why they do it, in the end, Hollywood stars and run-of-the-mill folks have this in common: many of them love yoga because they can use it to pursue both individual health and interpersonal connections.

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13
Jul 11

Yoga breathing benefits may extend to those with tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is one of the world's deadliest illnesses, even if it is largely forgotten in America. More than 2 million people worldwide die from the disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Tuberculosis is one of the world's deadliest illnesses, even if it is largely forgotten in America. More than 2 million people worldwide die from the disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are many yoga breathing styles out there for you to choose from, but one thing that many of them have in common is that they can help you brace your body with energizing oxygen. This is one reason why yoga breathing exercises are so popular. They may also contribute to better pulmonary health.

Breathing deeply, slowly and rhythmically has been shown to improve the lungs, whose increased air capacity can in turn benefit the entire body. Many Dahn Yoga teachers, for example, emphasize that breathing shallowly can predispose you to tiredness, inertia or even anxiety.

On the other hand, taking gentle, deep breaths can put you in optimal condition, since it may help equalize your blood pressure and lower your heart rate.

The benefits of yoga-based breathing techniques are available to more than just healthy people. Individuals with lung disorders can also see improvements after doing specially designed yoga, mindfulness meditation and breathing exercises.

For instance, a study published in the journal Respirology found that yoga and breath awareness each improved the symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis, when combined with a traditional medicinal regimen.

Tuberculosis is one of the world's deadliest illnesses, even if it is largely forgotten in America. More than 2 million people worldwide die from the disease every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Scientists at the Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, India, asked 73 participants with tuberculosis to take yoga- or breathing-based therapy classes.

After two months, individuals in both groups saw a decrease in symptoms, an increase in body weight and improvements in sputum cultures and chest X-ray diagnoses, all of which indicated moderate gains in pulmonary health and function.

With long-term medical treatment, tuberculosis is often curable, the National Institutes of Health states.

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12
Jul 11

Yoga breathing styles improve meditation, may contribute to longevity

The secret is stress relief, the team said. For instance, individuals who practice yoga may experience gradual reductions in their blood pressure, heart rate and inflammation markers.

The secret is stress relief, the team said. For instance, individuals who practice yoga may experience gradual reductions in their blood pressure, heart rate and inflammation markers.

Breathe in slowly. Hold it a moment. Relax. Now, breath out, gradually expelling the air from your lungs. Repeat… Does this repertoire sound difficult? Two associate professors of psychiatry don't think so, and they recently published an article linking such yoga breathing exercises to improvements in personal growth and development.

A paper published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences stated the authors' intention of answering one simple question about yoga-based breathing techniques.

"Is there evidence that these ancient practices can ameliorate stress and the process of aging?" the study inquired.

In a word, yes, there is, said authors Richard Brown and Patricia Gerbarg. The duo noted that for many people, lifespan is as much about quality as about quantity. Essentially, living a happy, relaxed but short life is something many individuals would prefer to a long, miserable one.

That said, people who strive for more modest gains in stress reduction, physical fitness and relaxation – those who pursue years of quality rather than of quality, in other words – paradoxically are often those who live the longest.

The secret is stress relief, the team said. For instance, individuals who practice yoga breathing may experience gradual reductions in their blood pressure, heart rate and inflammation markers.

In the short term, this simply means that breathing deeply can relax and reorient you. However, this falling-away of tension can have long-lasting effects on one's body and mind.

The authors said that practicing yoga has been shown to reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, especially when combined with a good diet and healthy lifestyle. They added that slowing the onset of debilitating conditions, like heart disease or osteoporosis, can boost one's chances of living beyond the threescore-and-ten years usually thought of as man's allotment of time on Earth.

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