US university research shows physical benefits same as in regular yoga Study at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse monitored 24 adult yogis They found those who did hot yoga didn't work any harder than the others Fans of hot yogas like Bikram believe it helps weight loss and flexibility Celebrity devotees include Gwyneth Paltrow, Donna Air and Andy Murray

By Harriet Arkell

PUBLISHED: 03:57 EST, 6 August 2013 | UPDATED: 06:38 EST, 6 August 2013

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Its devotees emerge dripping with sweat, exhilarated after a challenging workout in searing heat.

But new evidence suggests that Bikram, and other types of hot yoga, is no better for you than normal yoga.

And worse, for its many fans who believe it helps them lose weight, it doesn't burn any more calories than traditional yoga.

Bikram or other hot yoga, which is performed in rooms heated up to a sweltering 40.6C/105F, may not burn more flab than regular yoga, a new study has claimed

Read more:
Sorry Gwyneth! 'Hot yoga' popular with celebrities does NOT burn more calories, study claims

Simple tips to fight stress and treat low blood pressure naturally.

Low blood pressure can be as pernicious as high blood pressure. It can cause more overt trouble, since its victims suffer from dizziness, a sense of fatigue, weakness, disorientation. Often, in associative emotional state, those suffering from low blood pressure may also suffer from depression and/or anxiety attacks.

It can be disturbing because people with low blood pressure may suffer symptoms such as dizziness when they stand up or move suddenly, lack of endurance, sensitivity to cold and heat, or may make one faint if one has to be on one's feet for too long.

Causes for low blood pressure include an unhealthy diet (with high glycemic foods that interfere with the blood sugar by releasing glucose too fast into the blood), irregular eating habits, high stress or inability to handle it effectively, lack of good nutrients including iron and medication for high blood pressure.

A person suffering from low blood pressure may, along with asana practice, require to introduce certain life-style habits: more meals with low glycemic index foods (that release sugar more slowly in the blood) and with shorter gaps between meals, good sleep and healthy eating habit, stress-busting strategies such as meditation or absorbing hobbies.

When using yoga to fight low blood pressure, certain details need to be remembered: you need to be regular, do the poses in a dynamic fashion (instead of doing static ones), phase your learning till your body acquires the stamina for more challenging poses, and include pranayama and meditation as a large part of the practice.

Shameem Akthar, yogacharya trained with the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center, suggests five yoga practices to help cope with this ailment.

1. Druta Utkatasana (Dynamic squat pose)

Stand with feet a foot apart. Toes should point ahead. Hold arms at shoulder level, fingers pointed ahead. Inhale, going up on toes. Exhaling, lower your hips so they rest on the heels (or do half way if body is very stiff). Tilt back to ensure you are not leaning ahead. Then, inhale, stand up. This is one round. Repeat continuously five to ten rounds, on the toes. To release from pose, inhale, standing up on toes. Exhaling, lower the heels back. Lower arms.

Benefits

Link:
Yoga poses to fight low blood pressure