As we have discovered in previous articles, there are indeed several styles of Yoga, all of which are pretty effective in their use, based on one’s fitness levels, needs and desires.

Still it is noteworthy of mention that I singled out the Sivananda Style of Yoga made popular by Swami Vishnu-Devananda and named after his teacher.

Taking that into consideration, here is brief overview of this particular style.

Sivananda Yoga consists of the ancient methods of yoga for cleansing the body, physical exercises such as the Sun Salutations (aka Surya Namaskara in Sanskrit) “hailed as the best exercise for the human body! Shoulder Stand, Bridge Pose, Fish Pose, Plough Pose, Forward Bend, Incline Plane Pose, Bow Pose, Wheel Pose, Spinal Twist, Peacock and Crow Poses, Standing Forward Bend, Triangle and Corpse Poses.

When executed in their specific order with the detail that is attached to this art of Physical Culture, they all combine to bestow the average practitioner of these systematic and scientifically proven poses (aka asanas in Sanskrit) an improved level of strength, flexibility and confidence.

It should also be noted that this particular form of Yoga has incorporated the ancient abdominal exercises e.g. Agni Sara (Cleansing Fire Breath) which, along with doing what their names suggest, banish constipation and other intestinal disorders when practiced regularly and of course with my prescribed diet.

Furthermore, included are instructions on how to breathe properly with the prescribed breathing exercises given in up to date texts so the average reader or health seeker can start to enjoy some of their benefits without necessarily needing an expert guru subject to certain limitations.

So if executing the Sivananda Yoga Style is what you are interested in, as has been depicted in this article, when executed in its proper order and provided instructions, you can put your mind at ease that this method of Yoga does indeed stand on its own with bestowing you not only with improved health, but increased vigor and vitality.
By Foras Aje

There are many different forms and stylisations of yoga available for study in the eternal pursuit of physical and mental health and fitness – Hatha, Ashtanga, Sivananda to name but a few.

However, probably one of the most unusual is Yin Yoga.

This beautiful yogic practice combines traditional Hatha postures, Taoist philosophy and meridian theory.

The practice complements the more yang styles of exercise e.g. power yoga, Ashtanga yoga, running, swimming, etc., or a fast-paced stressful lifestyle and would, therefore, be a perfect addition to any classes in which you already participate.

The three main principles of Yin Yoga are:

(1) come to the appropriate depth of the pose, the place where the body naturally stops, where you begin to feel sensation and unfolding in the body, free from any muscular tension and pain, where your breath remains natural soft and gentle;

(2) find stillness in the body, surrendering into the shape and allowing your muscles around the targeted area to become passive;

(3) hold the posture for a long period of time. Each pose is maintained on the floor for about five minutes.

Yin Yoga focuses on strengthening and lengthening the connective tissue (ligaments, tendons, and fascia), reaching down and stimulating the flow of chi through the energy conduits of the body.

Connective tissue responds best to long passive holds, rather than rhythmic movement, which is better suited to the muscles. As a result, the practice is sometimes called yoga for the joints.

Yin Yoga brings yoga back to its internal meditative roots and has profound physical, emotional and energetic benefits:

Physically, this practice helps to maintain the agility and mobility of the joints below the navel and above the knee, finding more comfort in the body in stillness and more grace in movement.

Energetically, this type of yoga is essentially needle-less acupuncture, enabling your energy system to find its own natural equilibrium, balance and harmony.

Emotionally, creating a space to breathe, to remain still and simply observe in a non-attached way the array of emotions that ebb and flow, cultivating acceptance of what is, breeding an emotional resilience and maturity.

Psychologically, this practice can help develop the capacity to concentrate, to focus our attention, to cultivate awareness of what is arising within.

If you’re looking to expand your yoga repertoire, accessing the body’s inherent wisdom in a way not normally reached in other forms of yoga, the beautiful and unique practice of Yin Yoga is an ideal direction to consider.
ByBy Keira Benson

There are natural ways to overcome depression without medication that involve a holistic mind and body approach using several different strategies to address the symptoms. The best course of action for your particular situation will depend on the nature of your symptoms. Low level depression can often be self managed effectively, while more severe depression may benefit from professional help.

To heal depression naturally it’s important to remember that mood disorders have both a physical and psychological basis. Each case is highly individual, and it may not be obvious if one aspect plays a stronger role than the other. A thorough physical checkup may be helpful to provide some feedback in establishing a personalized course of action.

A general list of some areas to look at include:

* unresolved emotional issues
* stress reduction
* diet and digestive health

Because trauma is a natural part of being human, unresolved emotional issues are often involved in depression. It’s common that skills for dealing with and resolving traumatic events are not fully developed while growing up, so sometimes we are unconsciously still carrying around the energy of unresolved emotions from earlier in life.

This situation affects all of us to varying degrees. Some researchers believe unresolved emotional issues are the root cause of most illness and disease. If you suspect that you may have unresolved trauma involving child and/or sexual abuse, the safest route would be some form of professional therapy. For less severe issues there are many self help options available to learn more effective management of emotions.

Stress management skills are an absolute necessity in today’s fast paced and quickly changing world, and even more so if you’re consistently experiencing some level of depression or anxiety.

Biofeedback, meditation and focused relaxation training can help you release stress before it builds up to harmful levels. Regular exercise is an easy and effective way to reduce your stress levels, and is especially helpful if your daily life tends to be sedentary.

Current research is revealing the important role diet and digestion play in the emotions we experience. The stomach and intestines have a very sensitive nervous system network called the enteric nervous system. Stress negatively affects this system which can result in indigestion, acid reflux or ulcers. Paying some attention to diet can be a good way to help heal depression naturally.

Highly processed foods can cause an allergic irritation in the digestive system because of the high levels of artificial additives it contains. Some improvement in depression symptoms may be noticed from simply switching from processed food to organic, natural food. Also finding and eliminating food allergens from the diet is important.

Supplements and Herbal Remedies for Depression and Anxiety

Nutritional supplements and herbal remedies are another approach that can help ease depression. Passionflower and St. John’s wort are two of the most popular herbs used for these issues, and can be very helpful if your symptoms include insomnia.

Some other supplements for depression include:

* A high quality multi-vitamin supplement
* Omega three fatty acids i.e. fish, flax or borage oil
* Amino acids
* 5-HTP
* SAMe

A natural, holistic way to overcome depression without medication involves a strategy that considers unresolved emotional issues, stress reduction and diet adjustments. For an assessment of your condition as well as guidance on a personalized course of action, a naturopathic doctor or other natural health care provider can help.
By Max Wardlow

There are countless women who struggle each year to get pregnant. The popular solution seems to be fertility clinics, but using these do not always result in pregnancy. In addition the costs can run up into the thousands of dollars and are therefore out of the reach of many.

Perhaps turning to natural, holistic treatments can offer solutions.

Some roadblocks for those who struggle to get pregnant may require surgical intervention, such as for endometriosis, fibroids, or poly cystic ovarian syndrome. But some treatments could be natural and inexpensive. These natural alternatives can include methods for increasing a women’s cervical mucus, acupuncture, certain vitamin therapies, & or just changing the diet.

Cervical mucus is an important part of conception, helping the sperm once inside the cervix to travel up the fallopian tubes to meet with the egg, therefore causing fertilization. Certain vitamins can be helpful in increasing the cervical mucus.

Other causes of the inability to get pregnant may be hormone imbalances, extreme diets, & too much exercise. Also it is believed that high levels of anxiety or stress may interfere with ovulation. Generally it is recommended to avoid fad diets, manage stress and eat a healthy diet. Choose whole foods, grains, beans, and fiber rich carbs to help you maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid the “bad carbs”, like cookies, cakes, candies, white breads. Diet & lifestyle changes provide a significant improvement in becoming pregnant. Regular intake of foods that contain caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, cocoa, green tea (containing caffeine), black tea and colored soft drinks has negative effects on getting pregnant. According to a recent study, one and a half cups of coffee for a woman who is trying for pregnancy is sure to delay her conception. Therefore coffee should be avoided for those suffering from infertility.

Diets that include fish contaminated with PCB or Polychlorinated Biphenyls are also believed to be a cause for substantial reduction in the ability to become pregnant. According to one study, women who had more than one meal containing fish contaminated with PCBs developed reduced fertility within a month.

The best result for the treatment of infertility has been reported through the use of Chinese medicines, acupuncture and a holistic approach. The holistic approach reaches to the depth of the problem and only then delivers physical, spiritual and therefore emotional treatment, rather than only looking at modern medical treatments.

Acupuncture may also be a viable natural solution for those struggling to get pregnant. Acupuncture is a technique similar to acupressure except that fine needles are inserted at specific points along the meridians just under the skin to stimulate, disperse & balance the flow or energy relieving pain, & to treat a variety of chronic, acute, or degenerative conditions.

At times the conventional approach to the problem of infertility fails to successfully detect and remove the real causes for infertility. The holistic approach suggests a natural remedy and a way of life that can solve the problem as soon as the real cause is determined.

As more women seek drug free treatment for the conditions of pregnancy, this ancient Chinese healing art has much to offer. Acupuncture can be used in combination with other Western medicine treatments for infertility when trying to get pregnant. It greatly influences the autonomic nervous system & needling specific points can optimize the endometrial receptivity in those that opt for this treatment.
By Deb Olson

Many people today are disappointed by the traditional medical approach, if they feel sick or have any medical problems. They are tired of taking drugs that have more negative effects, than healing your organs and your body. They don’t want to poison themselves any more with chemicals, that may, or may not work. Turning to natural and holistic approaches however will require some basic knowledge, when treating different ailments.

Understanding the secrets and foundation of the holistic and natural healing can help you not only in the battle with Graves’ Disease or Hyperthyroidism, but any disease for that matter.

Authentic healing will often involve radical changes in how you live

1. Old habits and attitudes that supported the development of the disease will fall away, to be replaced by new ones that go with a new way of being in the world
2. Crisis of the body are ultimately expressions of underlying crises of the spirit.
3. Healing requires letting go what is familiar and stepping into the unknown
4. Healing may mean challenging belief systems and daring to break taboos
5. Healing is about getting past the ego, that is what out culture is build on
6. Healing involves reconnecting with lost aspects of oneself, some of which exist in other than our “familiar” reality
7. Effective holistic medical therapy depends on self-awareness
8. You make major decisions about your own treatment according to what creates a sense of well- being, what boosts your energy or what brings clarity of mind
9. Your lab is your body. Experiments going on there constantly allow you to find out what suits you and what doesn’t.
10. Herbs are used most often to affect organ systems, Homeophatic for rebalancing the overall “vital force” and flower essences (Bach flower essences) for addressing dilemmas of the mind.
11. Cell salts (Schuessler salts) are working in a horizontal fashion, affecting the structural components that run through many organs in the body.
12. Herbs are exerting their effect more vertically, tending to affect selectively one or more organ systems.
13. Generally herbs can be divided in 4 major groups- Chinese, Ayurvedic, European and Native American herbs. It is your choice which methods you choose, or a combination of them for best results.
14. There is no “magic” herb, or method that will work overnight.
15. Many holistic methods will “bypass” the diagnose and work directly on the symptoms and affected organs. The diagnose is not of primary matter, as it can shift from one to another, or can be easily mistaken.
16. Any holistic and natural treatment will involve physical exercises, diet, cleansing and detoxing and resolving psychological issues as well.
17. Parts of the body, especially if they are “damaged” in some way by a disease, tell us about the whole- your life in general.
18. Perhaps the simplest definition of healing is “to make a whole”.
19. Whenever you start to feel as a whole- body, mind and spirit together, then your healing process is over. Your healing became a way of life.
By Svetla Bankova

Are your muscles feeling tight and painful? Holistic treatments will help you to understand the source of your tension, and to relieve nagging pain in your middle back muscles.

Healing with holistic treatments.

The ‘mind-body-spirit’ trend helps us understand how to treat our bodies with holistic treatments. However, a mind-body-spirit approach is not necessarily holistic, either.

For pain relief, a holistic remedy should address pain symptoms throughout your whole body. A health practitioner might ask you questions about how you feel emotionally, but the focus will often be on immediate physical symptoms.

Physical assessments by holistic practitioners include examination of your past injuries, your posture and muscle alignment, daily habits, physical demands of work, recreation and sports, and lifestyle habits like exercise and eating nutritious foods.

Holistic treatment will address many possible causes of your pain. If you do not find the deeper source of your pain, you will only treat symptoms and the pain will return. Therefore, holistic medicine may be more effective at keeping your pain away long-term.

Relieving middle back muscles.

You need immediate and long-lasting relief. These 3 therapies can help:

1) Therapeutic Massage- To keep it holistic, make sure your therapist gives you a regular massage. You do not want them to only focus on your middle back muscles. A complete massage will contribute to stress relief, and to detecting muscle habits that may be hurting you.

2) Acupuncture- This toolbox of ancient methods redirects energy and circulation in your body. It can redirect your body to work in healthier ways.

3) Yoga- Yoga involves stretching, which loosens muscles and joints. It increases blood flow and improves movement.

Yoga is especially helpful for the middle back muscles.

Yoga involves dynamic movements, including rotation. Middle back muscles are especially vulnerable to tension due to movement in only one plane. The mid-back muscles are used excessively for forward-and-back movement (flexion-and-extension). Gentle twisting, or rotation, restores blood-flow and flexibility to the middle back, in particular.

With a holistic approach to your pain relief, you can discover more reasons that might be contributing to your back pain. And you can feel relieved that you are treating yourself with natural therapies.
by Nina Schnipper

Are you looking for natural lower back pain relief? Do you live in Fort Collins, Colorado and wish that you could get out and do all the things this beautiful city has to offer? As you know, living in Fort Collins gives one access to a multitude of outdoor activities that can be done year round, and for those who love to stay active, there really is no better place to be. But if you’re stuck at home with a bum back, it can be hard to really get out there and do all those fun things in the Colorado sun. Even daily tasks can be daunting when dealing with lower back pain.

Thankfully Fort Collins also has a wonderful holistic community that can help you get back on your feet quickly, without the use of drugs or invasive procedures. Here are some holistic techniques to try that will get you back in the saddle again…or the snowshoes…or the skis…or the snowboard, or….well, you get the idea!

Massage

Massage is probably the best known modality for releasing tension within the body, and is an excellent way to relieve back pain. There are different styles of massage ranging from relaxation to therapeutic. The severity of your back pain will more than likely determine the style you choose. Relaxation massage is wonderful for increasing blood flow, lessening pain and tension and can possibly increase the range of motion in your back. Sports massage, neuromuscular rehabilitation techniques and other therapeutic styles focus more on increasing range motion, re-organizing muscle fibers to an appropriate resting length, and correcting established muscular patterns so they are more healthy and functional. Either way, massage is great way to relieve back pain.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture has been around for thousands of years. By focusing on the channels of energy that run through the body, also known as meridians, an Acupuncturist can recognize any blocks that are causing pain and dysfunction in the body. An Acupuncturist stimulates our meridians by placing thin needles accurately and gently underneath the skin along the lines of the energy channel. This stimulation helps to remove the blocks that are preventing our life-force from flowing freely. The result is a body that is pain-free, balanced, and healthy.

Yoga

Also an ancient practice of health and wellness, yoga has been embraced by our culture enthusiastically, and its popularity continues to grow. Yoga is a wonderful exercise to help alleviate lower back pain. Its gentle, slow and methodical stretches, coupled with deep breathing can have a profound effect on the body and mind. Yoga looks to establish in its practitioners core strength, flexibility, quiet mindfulness, and overall health.
ByTasha Enright

Holistic acne treatment addresses a number of factors, but the first emphasis is to focus on diet and effective herbal medicine. Other additional efforts, such as meditation, yoga, sufficient sleep and other healthy activities, all of which soothe your body system then need to follow. Some other approaches such as acupressure, holistic treatment and aromatherapy could be followed as well.

Listed here are a few things that form a holistic acne care system to give you an idea of what exactly is expected of them, if you are looking for a course of treatment for healing acne.

1. Drink a liter of water each day. This will help your body flush out the poisons and other wastes.

2. Reduce consumption of foods that are high in fat and sugar and acid content. Avoid processed foods, high fat meat, white flour and nuts.

3. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables with high beta-carotene and chlorophyll content.

4. Avoid iodized salt. Use sea salt instead.

5. Sleep well. Give your body enough rest. If possible, take naps throughout the day.

6. Use gentle natural products on your skin. Rinse your skin thoroughly and pat dry gently.

Shop for bath soap and acne medicines made from plant extracts. These products are generally reliable and do not damage the skin. Holistic acne treatment is based on the natural approach to acne problems. Not all products are effective for everyone. Everyone is unique and need to experiment with different products to find the one that works best for them.

A unique and practical method for healing acne once and for all can be found. Click here to learn how to balance your body so you can start the wonderful journey to clear skin.
By Gerald Rosinski

Disease symptoms reveal the Body Burden of toxins in every way from allergies to cancer to Alzheimer’s and autism. When used as a natural healing method, Reiki may promote relaxation, pain reduction and reduce symptoms of disease. Documented cases involving serious disease often yield miraculous benefits to clients who receive the Universal Life Energy of Reiki. Implement holistic, natural healing and optimize the benefits of Reiki. First, remove toxins with clean, liquid, original zeolite.

The gentle Japanese art of Reiki flows like a river of energy, clean and pure, from its Universal Source to work in profound and mysterious ways. Reiki allows healing on all levels; physical, mental/ emotional as well as spiritual. Reiki energy, envisioned for the greatest and highest good, moves through the practitioner either by the gentle laying on of hands or by thought and intention, overcoming barriers of time and space. How can removing toxins maximize Reiki healing energies? Understanding the properties of zeolite and toxins provides insight.

Environmental toxins accumulate in our food, water, air and homes. These toxins are mercury, lead and other heavy metals, as well as industrial and commercial toxins like plastics, pesticides, flame retardants and non-stick coatings. Toxins, if not conscientiously removed with zeolite, build up in our bodies to create a Body Burden. Even in minute amounts, these heavy metals and other chemical substances cause damage to body cells and tissues. In a “dramatic video from the University of Calgary, itself published as a peer-reviewed scientific article, illustrates how the smallest quantities of mercury can destroy growing nerve cells, leaving the neurofibrillary tangles characteristic of Alzheimer’s Disease.”1

A zeolite granted GRAS status by the FDA, clinoptilolite, has a negative charge and attracts to itself the strong positive charges of heavy metals like mercury, cadmium, lead, arsenic and aluminum. Clean, activated liquid zeolite effectively traps these heavy metals and other toxins in the body such as pesticides, volatile organic compounds and any of the thousands of new industrial chemicals dumped into our environment yearly. People experience natural healing benefits at a cellular level because of a cleaner, better functioning body.
Exposure to toxins over time, and subsequent accumulation of toxins in the body, interferes not only with natural healing, but also compromises nerve function, mental clarity and our connection to the Universal Energy of Reiki. How much easier to receive energy, invite inspiration and clarity and respond intuitively without toxic obstacles. Optimize holistic, natural healing. Remove toxins with zeolite to allow clear thinking, proper nerve responses and to open the way for perfect Universal Energy known as Reiki to flow as intended; for the greatest and highest good.
By Rosemary Levesque

Ayurveda is an ancient Indian healing system that allows you to gain insight into your body mind. It explains how to keep the body mind balanced with the internal and external environment, and functioning optimally.

When you have insight into your unique body mind nature, you understand:

* What your potential is
* Your likes and dislikes
* Why you do the things you do
* How you are likely to respond to stress
* What diseases you are more likely to succumb to
* What your dominant tendencies are, both negative and positive

The ancient seers realized that the 5 universal elements exist within all of creation. That the qualities or metaphors of earth, water, fire, air and ether is present within nature in various combinations. For example: observe the proportion of solidness – earth – that’s within a palm tree and an oak; the quality of lightness – fire – within garlic and pepper; and the quality of movement – air – within a tortoise and a hare.

A unique combination of the elements, called doshas, form the body, and each body must be cared for it its own distinctive way to achieve and maintain balance with the environment. This is essential for health as an excess or deficiency of an element can ultimately result in disease.

Body Mind Spirit and Yoga Therapy

In the Yoga Ayurveda connection, Ayurveda emphasizes cleansing and building the physical body through herbs, massage, diet and lifestyle, and recommends yoga, meditation and breathing techniques for healing body mind spirit. With an understanding of your body mind nature, you’ll be alert to override the natural tendency to select those yoga exercises, meditation and breathing techniques that create imbalance.

Yoga therapy with Ayurveda would be guided by the principles of Ayurveda. Ayurveda recognizes the cycles of time and season, and their affect on the body. The six different times of each day has an affect on the doshas, and therefore each body. Each season of the year will increase one or two doshas within the body. And this ancient Indian healing system acknowledges three different times of our lives that also affect body and mind.

In the body mind spirit connection, the mind changes constantly. Cool and calm one moment, then agitated another, and feeling dull and lethargic yet another time. And when we understand our predisposition to a specific emotion like fear, anger or greed, these enemies of the spirit can be tackled.Ayurveda Pura Massage Oils – Exclusive Blends for the Ultimate Massage Experience

Yoga therapy and Ayurveda can rejuvenate your body and bring compassion and understanding to relationships. Get to know your body mind nature and understand why you do the things you do

By Heather Greaves Platinum Quality Author