Pre-Thanksgiving Giving Thanks

by BaxterLanterns by Melina MezaSo, it’s one day from the annual gathering of families and friends that we in the USA call Thanksgiving, and it occurs to me that I haven’t yet thanked the staff here at Yoga for Healthy Aging, all of whom do their work for you as a labor of love.I am so grateful for the staff of YFHA! We have grown in the past two-plus years to an impressive eight people who regularly contribute to the posts that you read each week....

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Memory Loss—Meditation to the Rescue

by RamYellow Leaves by Melina MezaAlzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neuro-degenerative disease that is characterized by severe memory loss, unusual behavior, personality changes and a decline in thinking abilities. Death of neurons in key parts of the brain harms memory, thinking, and behavior. Neuronal death in the hippocampus area of the brain triggers short-term memory failure, and often the person's ability to do familiar...

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Bhramari Pranayama with Mudras

by TimothyRecently in a post (Pranayama for Everyone), I wrote about the "buzzing bee breath," Bhramari. I taught a simplified version so that people could get used to it, and feel this practice's almost immediately palpable soothing effects. A reader wrote in with a question about the mudra (in this case meaning a hand position) often taught as part of the practice. So today, I'll teach two more advanced versions of Bhramari, in which the hands...

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Friday Q&A: Kyphosis (Dowager's Hump)

Q: I teach chair yoga for older people. Several of my students have pretty bad kyphosis, a rounded curve in the upper back. They are not yet into a dowager's hump but they are on the way. When we do down dog with a chair, their upper backs are very humped. If I have them try to do cat/cow stretches with hands on the chair seat, their upper backs barely move. I have suggested that they try to lie on their backs with a small blanket roll under the...

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Meeting Death at the Front Door

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Differences Between Male and Female Pelvic Structures

by ShariThis is the second part of my response to William Broad’s assertion that women—because of their inherent flexibility—are more apt to injure their hips in a “dangerous” yoga class or perhaps during a home practice. I think it is important to understand that whether or not women are more inherently flexible than men, there are significant physiological and anatomical differences in the male and the female pelvis. Have a look at these two pictures!Female...

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Whey Protein increases Glucose carriers for greater muscle glycogen replenishment. By Veeraj Vic Goyaram

Supplement Research UpdateWhey Protein increases Glucose transporters for greater muscle glycogen replenishmentBy Veeraj Vic GoyaramI am very pleased to report this study because it involves Glucose Transporters in skeletal muscle, the same molecules that I do research in.  In this study, researchers from the University of Campinas in Sao Paulo showed how whey protein improves glycogen (stored muscle carbohydrate) replenishment following...

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The Importance of Independence (and Interdependence)

by BaxterBee & Flower by Melina MezaYesterday Nina dove into three key aspects of Healthy Aging, and I wanted to pick up the ball on the middle concept, that of maintaining “independence.” As Nina mentioned in her post What is Healthy Aging, Anyway?, one goal of aging well is to “continue to live independently and care for ourselves as long as possible. And Nina outlined many of the independent skills we would ideally love to preserve as time...

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What is Healthy Aging, Anyway?

by NinaDahlia by Melina MezaIt has only struck me recently that while we’ve written about what aging is and the many ways yoga can help foster healthy aging, we’ve never really addressed what “healthy aging” is. So I thought I’d take a moment to give an overview of the thoughts that Baxter and I currently have on this topic. At this point—we’re still just discussing these ideas—we consider healthy aging to have three important aspects: Compressed...

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Caffeine allows you to get more reps and feel less pain. By Veeraj V. Goyaram

Supplement Research UpdateCaffeine: Less Pain and More Gain.By Veeraj V. GoyaramIn this edition of our Supplement Science Update Bodybuilding Mauritius brings you a latest scientific study which further backs the efficacy of Caffeine as a workout booster. It is interesting to note that most caffeine-performance studies were done with aerobic-type exercise and it is nice to see some studies that concern us, iron enthusiasts. The study I report here...

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