You might imagine how obscure yoga was in the advent of its day. With a few bearded men in caves secretly ‘oming’ themselves into higher states of consciousness, and barely a whisper of its benefits landing only on select ears, yoga used to be as rare as rain in the desert. Today it is highly unlikely that we will find a town without at least one yoga studio, and in some cities, there might even be a place to practice on every street
Enjoy yoga in a trance rave setting
corner. As one would expect with anything that explodes in popularity, people are putting their own spin on yoga, and looking for new ways to practice.
In the late 1960’s, several respected Indian gurus brought yoga to the west. America’s introduction to Kundalini, Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga created a small yet devout group of followers who practiced the traditional methods as taught from the masters. Sticking to the rigid principals and concepts, these classic styles of yoga attracted those with discipline and a strong desire to live a yogic lifestyle.
Today, yoga in America is a 6 billion dollar industry with over 16 million practitioners. Its popularity is mindboggling and the demographics of people who practice are extensive. From retired couch potatoes to retired athletes, yoga’s benefits are now seeping into the minds and bodies of all types.
Who knew that 5000 years after the birth of yoga we’d be throwing yoga parties, complete with champagne and glow sticks, teaching yoga to our four legged friends, and doing an inverted lotus pose whilst hanging from a silk hammock? The course that yoga has taken over the last forty years is truly fascinating.
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35 million people die each year due to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The major risk factors causing these diseases are tobacco use, alcohol use, and poor diet. Two of these factors are regulated by the government: tobacco and alcohol. Professionals are now arguing that sugar is the other main culprit of these diseases and should also be put through the same regulations as alcohol and tobacco.
In the past 50 years the worldwide sugar consumption has tripled. This has contributed to an obesity epidemic. As a result, there are now 30 percent more obese people in the world than malnourished people.
Just in America alone, people are consuming nearly 500 calories a day in added sugar. That’s not naturally occuring sugars like the ones found in fruit, but food and drink with sugar specifically added in. Soda is a major source of this added sugar as the average American is is consuming 57 gallons of soda a year, over half on which is not diet or sugar free soda.
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In a surprise announcement after last weekend’s Golden Globes, mega heartthrob George Clooney says he’s given up drinking.
The 50-year old movie star, who was awarded the Best Actor in a Motion Picture award, declared that he was not going to toast to his success with alcohol, saying that he’d like to give his liver a chance to catch up.
Clooney isn’t the only actor who has given up the sauce. He joins Daniel Radcliffe, Bradley Cooper, and Samuel L Jackson, all of whom have been teetotalers for impressive lengths of time, considering the field of employment that they enjoy.
Many people find that their lives are improved when they decide to give up drinking. It can be confusing, however, as the news frequently touts the benefits of enjoying a glass of red wine for heart health or other, similar reports. Many of us are conflicted as to if we should drink at all, and how much is too much. Are there health benefits to drinking alcohol?
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One out of eight Americans are addicted to alcohol or drugs. Of those with a substance abuse problem, at least 40 percent have a contemporaneous mental disorder of some type. While the root of addictive behavior varies from person to person, studies show correlations between an inability to process emotions and cope with stress in a healthy manner, and subsequent misuse of alcohol and drugs.
The estimated cost to our country in direct relation to alcoholics and drug addicts is over 250 billion dollars annually. With 70 percent of illegal drug users that are employed, the expense of substance abuse caused accidents, absenteeism and decreased productivity is on the rise. Health care costs are 300 percent higher for untreated alcoholics versus non-alcoholics.
Addiction treatment centers and agendas such as Alcoholics Anonymous’ 12 Step Program aim to minimize a person’s drive to drink alcohol or use drugs by addressing psychological and mental health issues. Using therapy techniques to calm, soothe and diminish anxiety, these programs are deemed helpful for those needing assistance.
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With holiday parties scheduled nearly every weekend and the New Year right around the corner, many of us enjoy the occasional cocktail, or ten. If you are suffering from a hangover, keep reading. Even though there is no known cure that will positively eliminate or prevent the painful effects of a hard night of drinking, the following yoga inspired tips and poses can help relieve your suffering so you can get on with your day in a productive manner.
Yoga Tip #1
Take Five Deep Breaths, preferably outside
Your pounding head in the morning is often caused by a lack of oxygen to your brain because drinking alcohol slows down your respiratory rate. To get the oxygen flowing again, practice some yogic breathing.
Take a deep breath in and at the very top of your inhale, take in just a little bit more breath. Hold your breath for two to three seconds and exhale slowly. Repeat up to five times. This will help flood your brain with the oxygen you may be lacking and give your whole body a blast of fresh air, especially if you can practice this yogic breath in the great outdoors.
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