My interest in yoga  
    
      Yoga has exploded in the past couple years. Suddenly, it is the latest fitness trend. Yoga classes are now being offered daily at the gym, clothing companies have developed new athletic gear just for yoga, and there is even one of those Sunday morning workout sessions on television for yoga.
       I have always been skeptical of yoga. I don't really know that much about yoga, but I don't understand how someone can call stretching and controlling your breathing a "workout." Thus, I know I must be missing something, and am interested to find out what all the hype is all about.
       I would like to learn briefly about the history of yoga, the different types of yoga, and what each type involves. Primarily, though, I would like to learn of the benefits and effects yoga has on the body and mind. Do you gain muscle and burn fat by practicing yoga or does it just make you more flexible? Does yoga help your breathing so you can run better or play other sports? What are the long term effects of practicing yoga? How long are yoga workouts? What are the differences between the different types of yoga?
      These questions are targeted for other people of all ages who are health conscious and are interested in learning more about yoga and its benefits.

Yoga and its effects on the body and mind

       Yoga is a system of disciplined and meditation that works to integrate body, mind, and spirit through stretching, breathing, and relaxation. The beginnings of Yoga date back to 200 BCE in India. Patanjai, the compiler of the Yoga-Sutra, outlined the eight "limbs" of the yoga path: (1) moral discipline (yama), (2) self-restraint (niyama), (3) posture (asana), (4) breath control (pranayama), (5) sensory inhibition (pratyahara), (6) concentration (dharana), (7) mediation (dhyana), and (8) ecstasy (samadhi). Yoga teachings are also in other religions such as Buddhism and Jainism. (1)
        Yoga became popular in America late in the second millennium. However in the past five years, there has been a growth in yoga that mirrors a national trend. According to IDEA, an association of health clubs and fitness processionals, 31 percent of clubs offered yoga classes in 1996. Last year 69 percent did. Some experts explain this trend due to the baby boomer generation who has adopted yoga because their bodies have begun to age. (2)
        Yoga involves performing a number (usually around 8) postures (or positions) in a specific sequence. Different forms of yoga are characterized by different sequences. Some forms such as Hatha focus more on the physical aspects of yoga and have more difficult stretching. Whereas Raja, another forms, focuses more on the spiritual aspect of yoga. Power yoga/Ashtanga yoga is the newest trend in yoga. It is called the "aerobic form" of yoga that involve dynamic workouts consisting of a flowing series of poses that test your flexibility and endurance.
       Yoga builds muscle tone, can help balance metabolism, stretch muscles, nerves and tendons, improve posture and flexibility, and increase energy and your ability to relax. (3) Yoga can also be used often as an alternative medicine to heal a variety of different problems such as, colds, asthma, emphysema, obesity, sinuses, migraines, insomnia, back pain, and menstrual disorders. (2) It can also be used for mental health such as relieving stress, depression, anxiety, and fighting addictions.
        In addition to the ability to improve your health, yoga can also help one's overall well-being. Yoga is about training the mind to be tranquil, so that one can calmly and confidently focus on what really matters and also get in tough with one's inner being. (1)

NOTES:
(1) Chisholm, Caroline. (2002, January 29). Stretching the Point. Good Health, 25. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].
(2) Thomas, Doug. (2002, January 21). A new twist on an old discipline the centuries old practice of yoga has gained new appreciation among runners and other athletes. Who has used yoga? Living, 1e. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, Febraury 3].
(3) Klotz, Hattie. (2001, October 21). Putting your heart into yoga: Along with other lifestyle changes, yoga has been said to reverse the effects of heart disease. The Ottawa Citizen, A11. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].

 

Non-Internet Sources:
Two print sources:
Fugh-Berman, Adriane. 1997. Alternative medicine-what works: a comprehensive, easy
to-read review of the scientific evidence, pro and con. Baltimore: Williams & Williams.
Call number: WB 890 F9583a 1997

Fields, Gregory P. 2001. Religious therapeutics: body and health in Yoga, Ayurveda, and
Tantra. Albany: State University of New York.
Call number: R606 .F53 2001

One non-paper source from the UNC libraries:
Moyers, Bill. Healing from within. (New York, New York: David Grubin Productions, 1993).
Call number: WB 880 VC3 1993

LEXIS-NEXIS Sources:
Chisholm, Caroline. (2002, January 29). Stretching the Point. Good Health, 25. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].

Thomas, Doug. (2002, January 21). A new twist on an old discipline the centuries old practice of yoga has gained new appreciation among runners and other athletes. Who has used yoga? Living, 1e. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].

Klotz, Hattie. (2001, October 21). Putting your heart into yoga: Along with other lifestyle changes, yoga has been said to reverse the effects of heart disease. The Ottawa Citizen, A11. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].

Jardine, Kay. (2001, December 6). Therapy that puts people in touch with their inner being has gained a celebrity following; why yoga occupies the first position. The Herald (Glasgow), 7. Available: LEXIS-NEXIS [2002, February 3].

Hyatt, Vicki. (2001, October 1). Well Being: Minding Your Pain. Yoga Journal, 35. Available: Alt-Health Watch [2002, February 3].

Feeney, Bill. (2000, June 6). Yoga & Cancer. Harmony: New Approaches to Cancer, 5.
Available: Alt-Health Watch [2002, February 3].

Web Sources:
Articles of Yoga Therapy and Articles of Related Interest
http://www.iayt.org/articles.html
Brief Description: Links to a variety of different articles concerning yoga: what it is, brief history, the evolution of yoga, the research that has been done concerning yoga's effects on mind and body. This page also contains a link to a list of all the health benefits of yoga. This is a great page for an overview of yoga, though it has some technical, medical language that may not cater to the ordinary person of interest.

The Yoga Site: an eclectic collection of yoga connections
http://www.yogasite.com/
Brief Description: This page contains a variety of articles concerning yoga from a variety of sources. It contains many different abstracts and articles that show the many different benefits of yoga, such as yoga and stress, yoga and pms, yoga and insomnia, etc. It also has a link that contains answers to the most frequently asked questions about yoga. This site caters to a broad audience, while containing information that introduces yoga to the beginners and has useful information that helps beginners decide which type of yoga is best for them, it also provides information to experienced yoga users, such as the latest new positions and news on yoga.

Welcome to Yoga Supersite in Holisticonline!: Everything you want to learn about yoga and more.
http://www.holisticonline.com/yoga/hol_yoga_home.htm
Brief Description: This page contains an incredible amount of information about yoga organized into different categories with over 50 other links. It contains an introduction to yoga, benefits, history, different types of yoga, then it goes into more detail about the many different types of breathing and postures and techniques of yoga. Some links even contain images of the different positions of yoga.

WebMDHealth
http://my.webmd.com/
Brief Description: After typing in yoga under the search box, this site provides a number of articles published on WebMD relating to yoga. It contains a variety of articles that show the benefits of yoga on the mind, body, and health. This site can provide specific information for someone searching alternative treatment, such as yoga, research and articles written about it. For example, there are a number of articles containing research that supports that yoga is a valuable treatment for those with asthma.

Yoga Journal
http://www.yogajournal.com/
Brief Description: This site provides information for everyone who is interested in yoga. It contains answers to the yoga beginners' questions while also including tips for the experienced yoga lover. It covers all aspects of life with yoga, such as the food one should eat with yoga, information on yoga retreats, tips on how to continue yoga while traveling, and personal stories of yoga practicers.

This site was created for JOMC 50 in the
School of Journalism and Mass Communication at UNC-CH

This page was last updated on 4/14/02

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