Exercise and Deep Breathing - Why they are important for people

Did you know that stress contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes, and other illnesses in many individuals. Stress also affects the immune system, which protects us from many serious diseases. Tranquilizers, antidepressants, and anti-anxiety medications account for one fourth of all prescriptions written in the U.S. each year.

So, knowing that, we can each do what we can to reduce the stress in our lives by choosing healthy behaviors.

Exercise and learning to breathe deeply are two stress-busters that are known to combat the negative consequences of stress.

Endorphins are released in our bodies when we exercise. Endorphins consist of two parts: endo- and -orphin; these are short forms of the words endogenous and morphine, intended to mean "a morphine like substance originating from within the body." Releasing endorphins brings about a sense of well-being and helps us fight depression.

Relaxing and breathing deeply can help our bodies and minds rest and rejuvenate. These Breathing exercises are an ideal way to relieve stress in that they’re fast, simple, free, and can be performed by just about anyone. They can also be done anywhere and at virtually any time. This makes stress relief breathing exercises one of my most popular and convenient tension tamers.

By taking time for both - exercise and deep breathing we will reduce the stress and the pressure that we put on ourselves. Try it today!

Pigeon Pose Should Never Hurt Your Knee

While practicing yoga, any painful sensation in the knee joint should be taken very seriously. If you are feeling pressure in the front of the knee while in Pigeon Pose, it may mean your hips are tight.

Here are some poses that will help warm up the hip rotators and associated muscles before attempting pigeon.

Standing poses like Tree Pose and Warrior Pose I, II, and III are helpful.

Also, Bound Angle Pose will externally open the hip joint. Move into Half Lord of the Fishes Pose and increase the hip rotator stretch by drawing the top of the knee into your chest. Lastly, try Cow Face Pose, leaning forward to increase the action in the hips.

When you're ready to try the modified version of Pigeon, place a folded blanket under the hip of the front leg. Also, you will sometimes hear the instruction to pull the front heel away from the groin so the shin is parallel to the front of your mat. Instead, keep the front heel close to the groin. Both of these actions will reduce the amount of rotation required of the hip, which should lessen the chance of pinching the tissues in your knee.