40 Ways Yoga Heals

Yoga is part of an overall lifestyle that promotes wellness and a wicked toned and shaped body!  Yoga just isn't about aesthetics, there are numerous internal ways yoga promotes health.   Check out 40 ways yoga heals (you'll want to add yoga into your lifestyle) from Yoga as Medicine:

1. Increases flexibility
2. Strengthens Muscles
3. Improves Balance (we lose balance as we age, but you can get it back!)
4. Improves Immune Function
5. Improves Posture (decreases risk of lordosis/kyphosis)
6. Improves Lung Function
7. Leads to Slower and Deeper Breathing
8. Discourages Mouth Breathing
9. Increases Oxygenation of Tissues
10. Improves Joint Health (increases synovial fluid)
11. Nourishes Intervertebral Disks
12. Improves Return of Venous Blood
13. Increases Circulation of Lymph (detoxifies the body)
14. Improves Function of the Feet
15. Improves Proprioception
16. Increases Control of Bodily Functions (increases efficiency of the organs)
17. Strengthen Bones (reduces risk of osteoporosis)
18. Conditions the Cardiovascular System
19. Promotes Weight Loss (promotes mindfulness of what you are eating)
20. Relaxes the Nervous System (key to weight loss)
21. Improves the Function of the Nervous System
22. Improves Brain Function
23. Activates the Left Prefrontal Cortex
24. Changes Neurotransmitter Levels
25. Lowers Levels of the Stress Hormone Cortisol (key to weight loss)
26. Lowers Blood Sugar
27. Lowers Blood Pressure
28. Improves Levels of Cholesterol land Triglycerides
29. Thins the Blood
30. Improves Bowel Function (key to a healthier digestive system)
31. Releases Unconscious Muscular Gripping
32. Uses Imagery to Effect Change in the Body
33. Relieves Pain
34. Lowers Need for Medication (drug-free medicine in a bottle, no co-pay req'd!)
35. Fosters Healing Relationships
36. Improves Psychological Health
37. Leads to Healthier Habits (promotes healthier eating/lifestyle)
38. Fosters Spiritual Growth
39. Elicits the Placebo Effect
40. Encourages Involvement in Your Own Healing

Crazy Sexy Diet

Hungry for info that will give you more clean organic energy, slow down the aging process, improve your immune system, improve digestion to help eliminate bloating, constipation, etc...etc.  This info and so much more can be found in the book Crazy Sexy Diet written by Kris Carr.  This is truly not a "diet" because you can't live your life on a diet.  This is about eating a low-fat, low-glycemic, vegetarian style program that emphasizes balancing the PH of the body with delicious whole foods, nourishing organic green drinks and smoothies.  This book is witty, fun, down-to-earth, easy to understand and written by a women who has slowed down her cancer by eating whole foods, practicing yoga/meditation and changing her lifestyle for a healthier mind and body.
A few highlights from the book worth mentioning, but maybe not new to some people who already follow a plant-based/whole foods type diet:

• Ingesting bad foods and toxins creates congestion in the digestion--and that's just the beginning of your problems.
• A daily onslaught of bad eating habits creates excess mucus and problems like constipation.
• Eating a plant-based diet, with an emphasis on raw foods, assists our bodies in maintaining an alkaline environment.  The more oxygen we get in our food, the more health we experience.  Excessively acidic food creates an unhealthy cellular environment, which increases the chance of mutations.
• Get the sugar out, too much (and not even that much) of this habit-forming substance wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels, mood and weight.  That goes for the artificial stuff too.
• Not all carbs are bad, your body needs good carbs (your main source of fuel).  Simple carbs like white bread, pasta, pastries are basically sugar in disguise.

So if you are looking to become healthier, maybe not going all vegetarian, but want some great tips and recipes, use this book as a guide, as healthy foods will end up being your prescription in a bottle!