This section displays the last 50 news articles that were published.

The waters of Dorchester Park in Whitney Point transformed into a yoga studio on Sunday as people gathered to try to an activity thats new to the Southern Tier. As our Elyse Mickalonis tells us, Stand Up Paddling Yoga combines two different ways of exercising that instructors say can really burn some calories and be a lot of fun.

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WHITNEY POINT, N.Y. -- It looks like a cross between surfing and yoga.

Its a great way to get on the water, you experience things you would never on a boat or swimming and I think its a great activity for this area, said Tina Fetton, Southern Tier Stand Up Paddle Corp.

People gathered at Dorchester Park on Sunday to try Stand Up Paddling Yoga. Instructors say the while stand up paddling offers an intense core workout on its own, the addition of yoga makes it more challenging and fun.

I thought it was a great idea and I wanted to bring it to the studio because its so exciting and so much fun and something so different, said Linda Sambursky, Yoga Body Shop. Yoga on a board, how awesome is that?

Fetton added, You really have to ground down and focus on what youre doing and taking those positions to the next level. Its a challenge to everyone who is used to yoga in the studio.

For 90 minutes, students are taught how to use the paddle board and then practice in yoga. Everyone uses a board, paddle, life vest and anchor. Some say falling in the water is the best part.

Its beautiful. I was looking forward to falling, that was one of the things I was looking forward too. Waters just gorgeous here, said John Syjas, Pennsylvania Resident.

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Stand Up Paddling Yoga hits the Southern Tier

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 12, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. David Leidich, the Raleigh Durham chiropractor who runs the Chiropractic and Wellness Center, has teamed up with a certified yoga instructor to offer yoga classes to his patients. According to Dr. Leidich, the yoga classes have helped many back pain patients and patients struggling with knee pain, shoulder pain and many stress-related health problems. Yoga instructor Ajay Bhatt was trained and grew up in India and is certified to teach Sivananda yoga. The classes are held every Monday evening from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the center and cost $15 for drop-in students.

Dr. Leidich says patients who are in Mr. Bhatt's yoga class are seeing an improvement in their overall health. "Many of my Durham and Raleigh back pain patients are experiencing pain relief, improved core strength and flexibility. Yoga is a wonderful complement to chiropractic care because it helps people focus intently on their posture, breathing and movement. It's a great stress reliever too; Ajay's students report sleeping better, some have lowered their blood pressure, and our headache sufferers have been feeling better too."

Various forms of yoga have been practiced throughout India for thousands of years and it has become widely popular in the west over the last few decades. According to yoga instructor Bhatt, yoga focuses on bringing the mind and body together to improve overall health. He teaches Sivananda yoga, which is a form of hatha yoga. Each pose focuses on strengthening and increasing the flexibility of a particular area of the body, with an overall concentration on spinal and abdominal strength, as well as improved breathing, relaxation and mental focus. Aside from the traditional yoga poses he teaches, he also incorporates elements of tai chi. He also frequently works with individual patients on exercises adapted to their particular conditions.

Dr. Leidich says that modern research on yoga shows its overall health benefits are extensive. "Often, people who practice yoga have better success with pain management, better balance and flexibility that help them avoid injuries, increased energy levels, improved cardiovascular health, and lowered stress levels. As nearly 90% of doctor visits are about stress-related illnesses, stress reduction helps people in many areas of their lives."

The current season of yoga classes will go through the end of August, and then break for about a month, and resume again in the fall. Dr. Leidich adds, "I love what Ajay is doing here. As a chiropractor heavily involved in promoting natural pain relief and recovery as well as the fitness and overall health of my patients, I recommend yoga to practically everyone."

The Chiropractic and Wellness Center has treated patients with back and neck pain, sciatica and other musculoskeletal problems since 1997. They provide spinal adjustments, therapeutic exercises, yoga classes and massage therapy; their website is http://www.cwcofnc.com.

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Raleigh Durham Chiropractor Incorporates Yoga Into Back Pain Relief Program

Government regulators have been targeting yoga studios in New York, fining them for various infractions, according to a published report.

The New York City Department of Buildings fined studios for not having a proper permit and the states Labor Department audited studios that listed their instructors as independent contractors instead of as employees, The New York Times reports.

Yoga studio owners are complaining that the government agencies are looking for ways to make money from an industry that earns an estimated $6 billion a year in the United States, according to the Times.

"Agencies are suffering," J. Brown, the owner of Abhyasa Yoga in Brooklyn told the Times. "They think they can reinterpret statutes and apply them to yoga."

At least two studio owners say they were fined by the Buildings Department for failing to have a physical culture establishment permit, a requirement of businesses the agency considers health clubs. One of the studio owner's was fined $800, the Times said.

The Labor Department audited at least three studios for not listing instructors as full-time employees, the Times said.

Leo Rosales, a spokesman for the agency, told the Times that the status of employee-employer relationships at yoga studios are assessed on a case-by-case basis. "There are no statutory guidelines specific to yoga studios," he said.

Many yoga instructors teach classes at several studios, which would incur costs if they classified the instructors as employees.

"Equating yoga centers with gyms or weight loss salons is a little like equating a painting by Rothko with a billboard sign," Alison West, the executive director of Yoga for New York told the Times.

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Yoga Studios Targeted by Government Agencies: Report

A popular yoga guru and thousands of his supporters were detained by police Monday as they tried to march to India's Parliament to intensify an anti-corruption protest and press for a change of government.

As he was led away by police, Baba Ramdev shouted slogans urging his supporters to fight to end India's endemic corruption and seek the repatriation of billions of dollars in illegal money he says Indians have stashed in foreign banks.

Waving Indian flags and shouting slogans, the protesters climbed into a row of police buses parked around the sprawling New Delhi fairground that Ramdev and his supporters had occupied for the past four days. Police said the protesters would be taken to a stadium on the outskirts of the city and would likely be released by Monday evening.

Before the march, the bearded, saffron-clad yogi urged his supporters to throw out the ruling Congress Party and bring in a "clean" government.

"Throw out the Congress; save the country," he shouted as his followers applauded and cheered wildly.

Ramdev, who had not eaten for the past four days, had set a Sunday evening deadline for a response from the government to his protest, but received none.

"The government has become completely deaf. We have to make them hear us. Now our protest will move from here to the doorstep of the Parliament," Ramdev said.

AP

Ramdev told his supporters to be prepared to go to jail during their march since police would try to stop them from holding a rally near Parliament. He urged his followers to remain peaceful and not resort to violence as police removed them from Ramlila Ground.

Ramdev has been demanding a robust ombudsman law to keep checks on government, a strong and independent Central Bureau of Investigation and efforts to act against tax evasion and illegal money sent to banks abroad.

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Indian Yoga Guru Detained After Anti-Graft Protest

A popular Indian yoga guru fasted for a fourth day Sunday and threatened to expand his anti-graft protest nationwide if the government doesn't act decisively to bring back billions of dollars of ill-gotten money that Indians allegedly have stashed abroad.

Baba Ramdev told thousands of cheering supporters at a sprawling fairground in the capital that he would announce an action plan on Monday to "intensify the protest across the country in the form of a people's revolt."

He asked his supporters to be ready to accept arrest, but urged them to be peaceful and shun violence.

"I will be the first person to go to jail and you follow me," he said.

AP

Ramdev and his supporters say they haven't eaten for three days to pressure the government to accept their anti-corruption demands, including the creation of a powerful ombudsman to check government officials, an independent Central Bureau of Investigation, and actions to prevent tax evasion and the illegal stashing of money in overseas banks.

On Thursday, the government said a committee was working on a draft of an ombudsman bill that would be submitted to Parliament next month. The finance ministry is in the process of tightening laws to curb illegal transfers of money abroad.

Ramdev started his protest less than a week after anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare halted a separate hunger strike that failed to attract widespread support. Hazare and his backers said they would give up agitating and join politics instead.

Crowds have dwindled at the site of Ramdev's fast over the past three days.

Millions of Indians tune in every day to watch Ramdev perform yoga exercises on his popular TV show. In the past few years he has used his popularity as a yoga guru to highlight his campaign against corruption.

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Yoga Guru Leads Protest Against Indian Corruption

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (WUSA) - If you scoff at the notion that Yoga might become an Olympic sport, consider this, it may be more physically challenging than some sports already in the Olympics... like table tennis or race walking.

Ha Nguyen, a Yoga Instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga in Falls Church is accepting of race walking, "They get really into it and there was form, and stuff, so I think its really cool. I'll try it out."

But some question why rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming are Olympic sports. And how about shooting?

Ha Nguyen: "I don't know about shooting. I'm not a big fan of guns. But, you know, they could be my body guard anytime."

Pole dancers may need body guards after their routines... but is it a sport worthy of a formal competition at the highest level?

Zach Street, another instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga answered, "Is dancing an Olympic sport? I don't think so. Its more of art form, right? An entertainment form...right?"

The International Pole Sports Federation and USA Yoga...are both working toward getting in the official games.

Paula Baake, owner of Dancing Mind Yoga would love to see her passion brought to the world's stage. "Let's bring it on. If it means more people understanding about Yoga and getting to see how beautiful a practice is, why not?"

If Yoga becomes an Olympic sport, it would mean yogis competing against one another and that's not what Yoga is all about ... or is it?

"With Yoga, the mind-body-spirit connection is within. So, to have Yoga as an Olympic sport, it'd be great to have coverage, but I don't believe that is the true teaching of Yoga,' said Nguyen.

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Yoga and pole dancing: the next Olympic sports?

August 9, 2012

Connie K. Ho for redOrbit.com Your Universe Online

Slow breathing. Long stretches. These are just a few of the characteristics of yoga. Researchers from the University of Michigan recently revealed that yoga helps pregnant women have less depressive moments and also increases feelings of maternal bonding.

The study, featured in a recent issue of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, is particularly helpful for expectant mothers, many of whom suffer from depression. According to the University of Michigan, one in five expectant mothers report feelings of depression. Yoga can be helpful for this particular group of women to decrease any stress or anxiety they may have.

We hear about pregnant women trying yoga to reduce stress but theres no data on how effective this method is, commented lead author Dr. Maria Muzik, assistant professor of psychiatry and assistant research scientist at the Center for Human Growth and Development, in a prepared statement. Our work provides promising first evidence that mindfulness yoga may be an effective alternative to pharmaceutical treatment for pregnant women showing signs of depression.

In the project, pregnant women who were seen as being psychiatrically high risk participated in a yoga intervention that lasted ten weeks. The intervention included 90-minute mindfulness session that featured poses for the pregnant body and an understanding of how bodies change during pregnancies. The researchers stated that they saw a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in attachment to the babies in their womb.

This promotes both mother and baby wellbeing, noted Muzik in the statement.

Furthermore, over the past few years, health professionals have become increasingly concerned about mental health disorders for women during pregnancy. Some of the disorders include anxiety and depression, genetic predisposing, hormonal changes, and social factors. Expectant mothers often cite feeling overwhelmed, have difficulties dealing with stress, and continuous irritability.

If the symptoms arent treated, it can place a toll on both the mother and the child. A few health risks related to this situation includes premature labor, poor weight gain, and difficulty in developing a relationship with the new baby. Other studies done on the topic report those pregnant women are less likely to take antidepressants to treat the mood swings, fearing that the drugs could ham the babys health and safety.

Unfortunately, few women suffering from perinatal health disorders receive treatment, exposing them and their child to the negative impact of psychiatric illness during one of the most vulnerable times, remarked Muzik in the statement. Thats why developing feasible alternatives for treatment is critical.

Continued here:
Yoga for Pregnant Women Reduces Depression, Increases Maternal Bond

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (WUSA) - If you scoff at the notion that Yoga might become an Olympic sport, consider this, it may be more physically challenging than some sports already in the Olympics... like table tennis or race walking.

Ha Nguyen, a Yoga Instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga in Falls Church is accepting of race walking, "They get really into it and there was form, and stuff, so I think its really cool. I'll try it out."

But some question why rhythmic gymnastics or synchronized swimming are Olympic sports. And how about shooting?

Ha Nguyen: "I don't know about shooting. I'm not a big fan of guns. But, you know, they could be my body guard anytime."

Pole dancers may need body guards after their routines... but is it a sport worthy of a formal competition at the highest level?

Zach Street, another instructor at Dancing Mind Yoga answered, "Is dancing an Olympic sport? I don't think so. Its more of art form, right? An entertainment form...right?"

The International Pole Sports FederationandUSA Yoga...are both working toward getting in the official games.

Paula Baake, owner ofDancing Mind Yoga would love to see her passion brought to the world's stage. "Let's bring it on. If it means more people understanding about Yoga and getting to see how beautiful a practice is, why not?"

If Yoga becomes an Olympic sport, it would mean yogis competing against one another and that's not what Yoga is all about ... or is it?

"With Yoga, the mind-body-spirit connection is within. So, to have Yoga as an Olympic sport, it'd be great to have coverage, but I don't believe that is the true teaching of Yoga,' said Nguyen.

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Yoga And Pole Dancing: Olympic Sports Or Not?

10 August 2012 Last updated at 00:12 ET

Indian yoga guru Baba Ramdev's anti-corruption hunger strike has entered its second day in the capital, Delhi.

The yoga guru says he is campaigning for the recovery of suspected bribe money allegedly held overseas.

He is also demanding strong anti-corruption laws and more autonomy for government investigation agencies.

Baba Ramdev has said he will wait for the government's response until Sunday to decide on "the next course of action".

The yoga guru has millions of supporters and his daily television programme is eagerly watched by millions of people across India.

Last June he held a nine-day anti-corruption hunger strike before the police evicted him from Delhi.

His latest protest - attended by several thousand people - is being held at the Ramlila ground in Delhi, the venue of his protest last year.

Baba Ramdev said on Thursday that he was undertaking a "symbolic" three-day-long hunger strike, and he would decide on his next move on Sunday.

"The government must pay heed to the people's demand. The money stashed away abroad does not belong to anybody. It belongs to the nation and must be brought back to the nation," he told supporters.

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India yoga guru fast continues

NASHUA The ladies of St. Christopher Parish have something to energize them Wednesday mornings: Yoga for Seniors with instructor Elizabeth Cote.

For everyone it's a chance to stretch, to get together, Cote said after a session in the church basement. There's always a little chat before and after class. It brings internal focus and kind of quiets the outside world.

Cote, who works full time as a consultant, teaches yoga on a volunteer basis. She also teaches at the Merrimack YMCA at 6 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Yoga began to take off in the Western world in the 1960s. It takes many forms, from heat yoga to medicinal yoga to yoga for seniors.

All the women who attend sessions in the church basement are members of the church and attend yoga after morning Mass. Though the class is open to men, the one male participant quit because he was the only guy.

Annette Godwin came because she was having trouble sleeping and was experiencing a lot of stress.

I was 20 pounds heavier and my blood pressure was 195 over 80, Godwin said. After doing yoga, she said, her blood pressure declined and she began to sleep normally again.

She had also been having trouble with her knee and was facing surgery.

I had chronic pain, 24/7. That type of stress plus the daily stress. Losing the weight, and the blood pressure, made all the difference, she said.

Since they weren't doing strenuous exercise, Godwin thought the results were miraculous.

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Post-Mass yoga provides time for reflection