By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What does Yoga have to do with improving emotional health? All too often, people blatantly ignore their emotional state of mind. We live in a world that places importance on achievement, work, and business, in general. The more one's emotional, physical, and spiritual needs are neglected, the more out-of-balance a person's self-image becomes.

By Faye Martins Restless leg syndrome is a disorder that causes uncomfortable, urgent feelings in the body. It is considered a neurological sleep disorder. Those with restless leg syndrome can have a variety of symptoms including an insatiable need to move or shake the legs, a crawling sensation, or a tickling or itching feeling. Many people with restless leg syndrome also experience twitching or jerking of the limbs during sleep. Sensations are not limited to the legs, and may affect the arms or even limbs that have been amputated. The cause of restless leg syndrome is uncertain, but in some cases, there may be a connection to iron levels in the blood. Certain medications have been shown to cause or contribute to restless leg syndrome, as well.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Neck and shoulder pain seem to be a universal problem in the world today - thanks to the time spent hunched in front of a computer and behind the wheel in lengthy commutes. Many people tighten their neck muscles when they experience stress or when they concentrate, exacerbating the problem. How can the neck and shoulders be relaxed? How can Yoga help maintain health in the upper body?

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. Can you think of effective themes for Yoga sessions that are based on the seasons? Although many of us visualize the carefree days of summer, the summertime can also be filled with long "to-do" lists, as many of us plan assiduously to fit in all of the activities we had planned to do, during these supposed "lazy days." The same is true of many of the seasons during the year. For instance, during the fall many Yogis and Yoginis rush to fit in that final trip to the wilderness or to the ocean. In a similar fashion, the holiday season, as festive as it is, is also often a time of heightened stress, because of all the extra gatherings with family and friends.

By Kathryn Boland There I was, in my typical Tuesday night yoga class. We were warmed up and moving into some vigorous Warrior flows. Having been on my feet all day long, my quads whimpered for mercy as I bent deeper into Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose). Ok, true, maybe my alignment got a little sloppy as I backed off my deep bend slightly. The instructor, whom I looked up to highly (both as a student and a new, quite green instructor myself), came over and gave me a physical cue to deepen me in the posture. "They're watching you!" she whispered in my ear.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed Teaching Yoga poses that reduce anger will effectively detoxify negative emotions from the body and minds of your students. Angry feelings can be generated by frustration, a sense of powerlessness or the subjective experience of being disrespected, to name only a few possible scenarios. Many Yoga students and teachers alike may experience a low level of chronic anger and frustration, which is often evidenced by having a short fuse and breathing in a shallow manner.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Can Yoga help workaholics? Sometimes, each of us needs a reality check to assess work and the rest of our life. Granted, we need to work, unless we are independently wealthy, but we need balance in our lives. Yoga brings life into balance. Yoga training for the workaholic is usually long overdue. People can submit to many vices; among them are alcohol, food, cigarettes, or other addictive substances. In some circumstances, a person is not addicted to a substance; they are addicted to behavior such as: gambling, sex, and excessive work hours.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Can Yoga improve the lives of active seniors? An active lifestyle is one of the keys to a long life. In our elder years, it is important to keep moving in order to enjoy the wonderful essence of life. Yoga is a fantastic activity for seniors, as it is low impact, promotes overall wellness, and can be modified to suit the mobility of any practitioner. If you have been practicing Yoga for many years, you will see your youth extended, and your ability to practice is mildly affected as you age. Even if you are well into your senior years, and have never stepped foot on Yoga mat, it is never too late to start a healthy habit (though it is important to follow your body's own pace).

By Faye Martins Yoga is a discipline that can quickly become a passion for people of any age. As a practice that promotes physical and mental health, more and more people are choosing to attend yoga classes to build strength, increase flexibility, lose weight, tone the muscles or to get rid of stress. Unfortunately, many of the class lesson plans are not designed for beginners who are trying the discipline out for the first time. If you are in the process of targeting beginners for your class, here are some very valuable design tips for instructors designing a yoga lesson plan catering to students who have no yoga experience.

By: Virginia Iversen, M.Ed. How can your students learn to apply mindful breath awareness to life? The warm, balmy months of summer easily lend themselves to teaching Yoga classes in an outdoor environment. Traditionally, Yoga postures and breathing exercises were practiced outside, or at least within the natural confines of a cave, grove of trees or on the banks of a river. Most of the traditional sadhus of India practiced Yoga in tandem with either the dawn or the dusk hours. The reason for this was that practicing Yoga in alignment with the rhythms of the dawn and dusk hours helps to facilitate a deep connection to the natural world.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Are there any psychological benefits to be gained from Yoga practice? At this point in time, most individuals, outside of India, view Yoga as a physical activity more than anything else. This is partially true; Yoga has extensive benefits for the physical body, but these may be outweighed by the positive effects on the psychological state of the practitioner.

Battling a cold is a strategy and may require contacting your physician. Yoga might not help you build a better mousetrap, but it can help you with battling a cold. The congestion, fatigue, headache, and sore throat, which accompany the "common cold" can keep people at home all year round. Beside drinking plenty of fluids, and getting enough rest, try some of these asanas for symptom relief - and even an ounce of prevention.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 How can Yoga improve self-acceptance? Practicing asanas (postures) is very different from practicing other physical exercises - not only does Yoga help the body, but it also enriches the mind. All of us suffer from insecurities, due to issues we have with ourselves. In order to live a healthy, fulfilled life, it is important to accept our imperfections and learn to accept ourselves.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Ring the Bell, Pranayama is in Session How will Yoga fitness change schools? The rise of attention deficit disorder (ADD), decreasing emphasis on physical fitness, and the increasing stress levels of our children, worry us all. With this in mind, some educational programs and public schools are giving Yogic methods a chance, by allowing their students to practice from an early age.

By Kimaya Singh There are many variables in the type of Yoga training each of us might choose to practice and there are many ways to injure one's knee. Let's look at the safest way for a person to enter a class, without slowing down the recovery process or causing self-injury. Therefore, medical clearance in the form of your doctor's approval is imperative before considering asana (posture) practice. A conference explaining your surgery, with a certified Yoga instructor before you take a class, insures that you will get proper attention.

By Dr. Rita Khanna Prolapse is a very common problem for women, but very few women are aware of the possibility of doing something about it. Apart from surgical correction, there are many Yogic techniques, which help to reintegrate the pelvic structure and which often prove more beneficial in the long run than surgical intervention. Before taking any major steps towards removing this problem, it is important that we understand what prolapse is and how it comes about.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Is Yoga for leukemia a viable option? Leukemia, or cancer of the blood or bone marrow, is a terrifying disease that strikes both young and old. Damage to the blood stream, from the cancer, results in reduced immune response, anemia from lack of red blood cells, and other conditions. In the U.S., about 245,000 people are affected with some form of leukemia, including those currently in remission. Treatment of leukemia typically involves medication, chemotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation. The most common form of leukemia has a five-year survival rate between 15-70%, and a relapse rate from 33-78%.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 What is the quickest technique for anxiety? Pranayama is the practice of breath control. Pranayama is an extremely important tool, when practiced in Yoga, which can harness one's anxiety, reduce stress levels, and control energy flow. At the same time, controlling the flow of "prana" (vital energy), throughout one's body, is important to maintain one's emotional stability.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Are Yoga techniques for studying effective? There are some people for whom studying is easy: they simply sit down, without prompting, and work diligently until the material is covered and papers are written. They usually finish the project ahead of schedule and have time to review and revise. However, we've never met any of these people in real life. For the rest of us, carving out the time and effort, whether the material is work or school related, is difficult.

By Dr. Paul Jerard, E-RYT 500 Constant demands on our time - from work, spouses, children, and worrying about the future, can create a subtle background hum of chronic stress. It may seem invisible and inevitable, lurking just beneath the surface like an iceberg. Yet, chronic anxiety wears the body down, curtailing immune function and giving rise to more frequent illnesses, as well as conditions, such as neck and shoulder aches and tension headaches.