How to dump your Sugar Craving

By Chad Weinrich

Everyone knows about addiction to cigarettes, alcohol, illegal drugs and prescription medications. Addiction to Sweets is another craving that can be very alarming. Addiction to Sugar can bring about excessive eating, weight gain and heart disease. In the 18th century, consumption of sugar was just 4 pounds a year. In the late 1990's, the average American consumed more than 150 pounds of sugar - a record according to the USDA.

To maintain the health, sugar should make up no more than about 7 % of the daily intake of calories. That equals approximately 6 teaspoons or hundred calories for women as it is recommended by AHA - the American Heart Association. Men should confine sugar consumption to max 150 calories or 9 teaspoons.

Simple Tips To Keep In Mind When Performing Chest Opener Yoga Pose Camel

By Heather Greaves

King Cobra and Baby Cobra, King Pigeon and Baby Pigeon, and allow me to introduce Baby Camel. A gentle way of introducing new sensations of opening the chest. Great assistance for those having respiratory challenges. In this Yoga pose, Ustrasana, the whole front of the body is lengthened. Runners might appreciate the well needed stretch in the quadriceps.

Needless to say there are many variations to this pose. For Baby Camel, start sitting on your heels in Hero Pose, Virasana with hands on the floor or block a little behind the feet fingers pointing back. Before you enter the pose, here are some tips to keep in mind.

1. If sitting on the shins is painful, place some padding to alleviate the discomfort.

Is Yoga More Beneficial To Your Mind or Body?

Is Yoga secular or spiritual? Is it an exercise routine or a spiritual path? The answers are indisputable, depending on who you ask. The student who has practiced Yoga for exercise will take issue with the answer given by the spiritual seeker who practices Yoga to be free from suffering.

We must look to the origins of this tradition for insights into the purpose of Yoga. The ancient Yoga authority, Patanjali, outlines a clear path for Yoga, a path that leads to liberation. In his Yoga Sutras of 196 succinct verses, he proposes 8 limbs sometimes called steps on the path (2.29). The physical exercises called Asanas is Limb number 3. Other Limbs include behaviour, character, breath, and mind. One could argue looking at the 8 limbs that only one limb relates to the physical body.

Today in our world where what is visible is King it is easy to believe Yoga is nothing more than an exercise routine practised by women and men to become healthy or keep fit. In days gone by Yoga was known for its power to transform. In fact the very first verse of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras defines Yoga as the restriction of the fluctuations of consciousness, sometimes translated mind.

Yoga Instructor Training: Varicose Veins

Once you become a Yoga teacher, every person with a medical condition wants to find an alternative remedy for their problem. Varicose veins can be caused by a variety of problems, but much of what you learned in your initial Yoga instructor training will help.

According to statistics published by the Vascular Disease Foundation, as many as 25 million Americans have varicose veins. These unsightly bulges often appear after pregnancy and are usually a result of weak veins or ineffective valve function. Because veins work against gravity, blood pools in the extremities and puts pressure on the vascular system, creating problems for people who stand for long periods of time.

Physical exercises that squeeze arm and leg muscles help to relieve symptoms, and Yoga poses can bring relief. Inversions, especially, ease pressure on the veins by raising the legs above the heart. As with all exercises and health-related concerns, a doctor's approval and guidance from an experienced Yoga instructor are crucial for any new practice.

Swell Yoga Moves

Swell yoga moves to beat the blues. This vinyasa can be interspersed within your practice or be a stand alone energy pick up. Challenge yourself, get the heart pumping more, and put a spring in your step. If you have sore joints - hips, knees, ankles - step rather than jump, step and hold poses longer rather than creating a vinyasa. And if you have heart problems keep arms shoulder height.

The swell yoga moves consists of a shooting Star, stabilizing Chair, and tall Mountain. Let's visualize these moves before practicing them. See the Mountain grow tall as you inhale and gracefully raise your Namaste hands from the heart to reach for the twinkling star overhead. Invite that star to join you as you move fingers apart while keeping the base of the palms, sides of thumbs and little fingers together forming the lotus mudra. Tone or chant here, if you like, then close fingers gently around that sparkling star when it arrives, thanking the star for coming and showering you with bright light. Of course you can create your own visualization and play even more.