(stock photo) For millions of Americans of all ages, yoga is integral to helping them reduce their stress, manage their weight and increase their overall sense of well being.
Americans connecting with yoga
Delicious Reddit

JANUARY 12, 2006
By Happynews Staff

From Hollywood to the heartland, yoga has become mainstream in America, with over 16.5 million people practicing regularly. According to a recent Yoga Journal/Harris poll, over twice that number has heard about yoga's benefits and would like to give it a try. A nationwide celebration, Yoga Day USA, set for Saturday, January 28 will give them an opportunity to do just that. Free or low cost workshops are scheduled nationwide.
Yoga teachers, studios and schools all across the country will offer introductory workshops for those new to yoga and those who practice regularly but would like to try a different style.
The seventh annual Yoga Day USA is sponsored by Yoga Alliance. A non-profit organization, Yoga Alliance is the leader in setting educational standards for yoga schools and teachers. A complete listing of teachers, studios and schools offering free workshops is available at Yoga Day USA.
Mariel Hemingway is national spokesperson for the 2006 event. The Academy Award-nominated actress has practiced yoga for over 20 years and credits it not only with helping her stay fit, but with bringing balance and calm to her life.
Hemingway first came to yoga in search of just a good workout, but soon realized that the workout was mental as well as physical. I started to feel peaceful, to have a different perception of who I was and that was the key for me," she said. "Yoga helps you slow down and know yourself better. It opens an awareness of your body and mind."
She is not alone. Over 90% of the people surveyed in a 2005 American Psychological Association poll, believe that perceptions and thoughts affect physical health. For millions of Americans of all ages, yoga is integral to helping them reduce their stress, manage their weight and increase their overall sense of well being.
In fact, a recent survey conducted by the Harvard Medical School found that people who practice yoga find it helpful for health conditions including back or neck pain, arthritis, anxiety, depression and fatigue. Yoga challenges the body and calms the mind while providing a sense of relaxation and rejuvenation.
Hemingway encourages those who are curious but haven't taken the plunge to attend a free class during the January 28 Yoga Day USA celebration. "There is a style of yoga to suit everyone regardless of your age, body type or fitness level. You don't need to be flexible, you just need to be open to the possibilities," she said.
In addition to Yoga Alliance, Yoga Day USA sponsors include Yoga Journal, Yoga International, Gaiam, Inc., Wellness Business Systems and LA YOGA, Ayurveda and Health magazine.
Top 10 Reasons to Try Yoga
1 - STRESS RELIEF Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body by encouraging relaxation and lowering the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.
2 - PAIN RELIEF Yoga can ease pain. Studies have demonstrated that practicing yoga asanas (postures), meditation or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto-immune diseases and hypertension as well as arthritis, back and neck pain and other chronic conditions.
3 - BETTER BREATHING Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function and trigger the body's relaxation response.
4 - FLEXIBILITY Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movement and reducing aches and pains.
5 - INCREASED STRENGTH Yoga asanas (postures) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. Yoga also helps to relieve muscular tension.
6 - WEIGHT MANAGEMENT Yoga (even less vigorous styles) can aid weight control efforts by reducing the cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories. Yoga also encourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sense of well being and self esteem.
7 - IMPROVED CIRCULATION Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body's cells.
8 - CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering resting heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake.
9 - BETTER BODY ALIGNMENT Yoga helps to improve body alignment, helping to relieve back, neck, joint and muscle problems.
10 - FOCUS ON THE PRESENT Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind body health. It opens the way to improved coordination, reaction time and memory.
For more information please visit Yoga Alliance.