Breathing exercises, balance balls, yoga dvds, mats and other yoga accessories

Breathing exercises, balance balls, yoga dvds, mats and other yoga accessories can be found below. I really knew nothing at all about yoga until I started to research it a bit and found it to be quite fascinating. A lot is written regarding yoga to Buddhism and Hinduism. Yoga is not a religion, though. This page focuses mainly on Asana (physical postures) and Pranayama (breathing exercises) Yoga teaches you the benefits of breathing, exercise, meditation and posture. Quite a lot of health benefits are thought to be associated with breathing exercises and yoga. Scientific studies report breathing exercises may provide benefits for anxiety disorders, relieving stress and asthma.

Some believe yoga benefits carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, epilepsy, fatigue, heart problems, high blood pressure, insomnia, lower back pain and other medical conditions, too. I've asked my doctor and he agrees. Some of the products you might want to try are balance balls, yoga books, yoga bricks, yoga dvds, yoga clothing, yoga mats, yoga sandals, yoga straps and other yoga accessories. As with any type of exercise I strongly suggest before starting any type of yoga or exercise program and I suppose maybe even breathing exercises, you should talk to your doctor or medical professional first. Don't any of you decide to just jump on in if you've been a couch potato. Don't try to act like you're a professional athlete....go slowly at first.

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Breathing exercises:

These breathing exercises below came from the Intellihealth web site.

Lie flat on your back. Place your feet slightly apart. Lightly rest one hand on your abdomen, just near your navel. Rest your other hand on your chest. Inhale through your nose and calmly exhale through your mouth until you've emptied most of the air from your lungs. Focus on your breathing and watch which hand is moving. As you slowly count to four, gently inhale, slightly distending your abdomen to make it rise.

Imagine warmth flowing into your lungs and to all parts of your body. Pause for one second. Then as you slowly count to four, gently exhale, letting your abdomen slowly fall and your diaphragm relax. Pause for another second. Repeat this process 5 to 10 times. When you become familiar with the process, you can practice relaxed breathing while seated and, then, while standing.

Breathing Awareness and Deep Breathing
1. Lie down or sit in a comfortable chair, maintaining good posture. Your body should be as relaxed as possible. Close your eyes. Scan your body for tension.
2. Pay attention to your breathing. Place one hand on the part of your chest or abdomen that seems to rise and fall the most with each breath. If this spot is in your chest you are not utilizing the lower part of your lungs.
3. Place both hands on your abdomen and follow your breathing, noticing how your abdomen rises and falls.
4. Breathe through your nose. 5. Notice if your chest is moving in harmony with your abdomen.
6. Now place one hand on your abdomen and one on your chest.
7. Inhale deeply and slowly through your nose into your abdomen. You should feel your abdomen rise with this inhalation and your chest should move only a little.
8. Exhale through your mouth, keeping your mouth, tongue, and jaw relaxed.
9. Relax as you focus on the sound and feeling of long, slow, deep breaths.

Complete Natural Breathing
1. Sit or stand with good posture.
2. Breathe through your nose.
3. Inhale, filling first the lower part of your lungs then the middle part, then the upper part.
4. Hold your breath for a few seconds.
5. Exhale slowly. Relax your abdomen and chest. Practice these two exercises, in whatever combination feels best for you, for ten minutes, twice a day.

Those last two were from Davis, Eshelman, and McKay; The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook, 2nd edition; New Harbringer Publications, 1982.) ©Academic Skills Center, Dartmouth College 2001.