You have probably heard the phrase “fair trade” attached to coffee, tea, home décor, or jewelry. You may have even seen a necklace with a fair trade label attached, or heard about fair trade coffee practices on the news. But what does fair trade mean—and why does it matter?

What is Fair Trade?

There are actually several definitions, but the premise is this: fair trade promotes and supports wages that are fair in the locale where goods are being made. It allows artisans and crafts people to earn a livable wage, often with fair trade associations exporting goods from developing countries to developed countries and returning 15 to 30 percent of the retail price of an item back to the artisan. Fair trade may also ensure safe working conditions for artisans, encourage whole communities by supporting sustainable business practices and providing skills training.

What Are Fair Trade Organizations?

Fair trade organizations may be local, national or international. They work to raise awareness about fair trade products and practices as well as coordinate the exporting, importing and distribution of fair trade goods. Many organizations are members of or certified by one of the larger national or international federations, which set standards for fair trade products and labeling to help consumers identify the standards.

Why Buy Fair Trade?

Buying fair trade products helps to promote and sustain the good working conditions and fair wages discussed above. For many people, it’s also a way to “vote with your dollar.” Because there are often social inequalities, unsafe working conditions and environmental destruction in developing countries, buying fair trade products helps to curb these negative outcomes. It also means you can enjoy handmade or naturally grown products.

Where to Buy Fair Trade?

Ask your favorite local retail stores if they carry these products. You can also find an immense variety of products online, including online marketplaces that offer many options. You can find more information about fair trade standards at the Fair Trade Federation or International Federation of Alternative Trade.

Nathan Joynt works with Gaiam Inc. A health and wellness media company advocating fair trade, online yoga and inspiring movies.

Having a hard time dealing with the relentless stresses and anxieties that fill our daily lives?  Can’t sleep at night because one too many things are racing through your mind?  Are your stresses taking a toll on you physically, giving you headaches or backaches?  Having trouble sitting still because there are just too many things that need to get done?  Looking for affordable and easy ways to relieve that stress and anxiety without having to go out of your way and spend money you don’t have?  Try out these simple techniques and feel the stress and anxiety begin to melt away.

Deep Breathing

If you begin to feel overwhelmed by stress or are prone to experiencing anxiety attacks, this exercise is a great in-the-moment technique to focus your mind and lower your heart rate.  Focus fully on your breathing, making sure that you pull air deeply into your abdomen.  When you take in a full breath from your abdomen, your body receives much more oxygen than it would if you pulled the air in through your lungs.  And the more oxygen your body receives the less tense and anxious you will begin to feel.  Sit up, with your back straight, and with one hand on your chest and one on your stomach, breathe in through your nose.  You’ll know if you are doing this correctly if the hand on your stomach rises while the one on your chest remains still.  Exhale your breath through your mouth, and count slowly each time you exhale.

Muscle Tensing and Relaxing

This technique will help you recognize the first physical feeling of the muscular tension associated with stress and anxiety.  And once you are able to relax your body, your mind will quickly follow suit.  Get comfortable, taking off your shoes and getting into some loose fitting clothing.  You’ll want to start with some deep breathing exercises first, to ensure that you’re beginning to feel relaxed.  Start with your feet first, then follow this steps and move up the rest of your body.  Left foot first, tense all the muscles in your foot, squeezing as tightly as you can for a ten second count.  Then relax it and feel the tension easing.  Take a few seconds to familiarize yourself with this feeling, then refocus and do the same thing with your other foot.  Next, your legs, stomach, back, arms, neck, etc.  Most importantly, don’t forget to practice your deep breathing while you do this to maintain a regular breathing pattern.

Visualization and Guided Imagery

Much like meditation, this practice is designed to lower stress levels by having you imagine a serene scene that eases your mind.  Whether you’re at home and trying to sleep or on a break from a stressful day at work or with the kids, just close your eyes and let your imagination take hold.  See, hear, feel, taste, and smell a peaceful scene, whether it be a beach, a park, an open field.  Just let your imagination run wild in the serenity of the scene.

Meditation

This can be done at home when sitting, while walking to the office, or when taking the baby on an afternoon stroll through the park.  The point of this exercise is to focus your mind and relieve stress by mentally honing in on the now, as opposed to dwelling on the past or the future.  When sitting or laying in a quiet atmosphere, get comfortable and focus your mind on a phrase or word that you can keep repeating throughout your meditation session.  If you feel your mind being distracted by other thoughts, don’t fight them or judge them, just go through them and ease your mind back to the phrase of focus.  If you’re out walking, you can meditate by focusing on the act of walking, feeling the sensation of your feet hitting the ground or the wind against your face.  Hone in on each step and let your mind be filled by the feeling of walking.

Mindful Eating

Who’d have thought that eating could be something that helps ease stress and anxiety?  Whether it’s a small fiber bar or a full portioned meal, place full attention on the act of eating, without distractions such as television or reading.  Eat slowly and enjoy the flavors and textures of the food that you are consuming.  Usually, when you’re stressed or anxious, you tend to eat faster without thinking about what you’re eating.  Taking the time to enjoy the process will slow you down and ease your anxiety.

Michelle Abrams writes for a discount vouchers website where you can find Argos discount codes and Comet.co.uk discount vouchers.

Feeling stressed out over bills, work, kids, school and just don’t how to ease your racing mind?  Exhausted by the end of the day but just can’t unwind enough to fall asleep?  Tired of paying out of your pockets for massages or trips to the spa to try and find a way to relax?

Looking for something affordable, convenient, and readily accessible to calm that worried mind?  Try aromatherapy on for size and immediately begin to feel the calming effects of this alternative form of natural medicine.  And the best part is, you never have to leave your home again to find that peace of mind, body, and soul.

Aromatherapy is a form of non-invasive, alternative medicine that harnesses the volatile materials of plants, called essential oils, to induce specific psychological and physiological responses from a person.  The essential oils can alter people’s moods, mind frames, and even influence a person’s health.  A person can choose to either inhale the aroma emitted from the essential plant oils or they can physically apply it on their body.

When inhaled into a person’s lungs, the aroma of the essential oils trigger the brain to react according to the type of oil inhaled, and the naturally occurring chemicals in the oil can even have a physical therapeutic effect.  Eucalyptus oil, for example, when inhaled is commonly known to ease congestion which can help you relax and fall asleep easier when you are sick or suffering from sinus infections or allergies.

When the essential oils are physically applied to a person’s body, the (again, naturally occurring and not man-made) chemicals are absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream.  However, because the essential oils are more often than not in a concentrated form, you must take measure to dilute a small amount before you apply it on your skin.  Because it is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream, essential oils applied this way can help better and increase your physical health.

You can also use some types of essential oils or household cleaning and laundry.  Try washing your next load of dirty clothes with a small amount of lavender oil.  This can function as a sort of aromatherapy on the go.  Your clothes will absorb the aroma and when you where them, the scent will follow you wherever you go until it wears off, keeping you relaxed mind, body, and soul even as you go through the hustle and bustle of your daily routine.

Aromatherapy candles are also a great way to wind down and relax when at home and bed time approaches.  These types of candles are made with the essential oils and are usually made from all natural bees wax as opposed to the usual paraffin, scented candles.  Because they don’t emit carcinogens and toxins when they burn like normal candles, they are better suited to help you ease your mind, body, and soul.  You can choose an aroma specific to the physical and physiological reaction that you’re hoping to experience, and are often much cheaper than buying concentrated vials of essential oils.

Jamie Myers is a writer for luxury scented candles, where you can find an amazing assortment of high end brands at competitive prices.

There are plenty of reasons to eat right and exercise.  You can lose weight, get in shape, and improve your overall health.  You can take back your life.  You can act your age (or younger).  You can set and reach goals.  And you can definitely look and feel better.  Besides all of that, improving your diet and implementing a routine of physical activity can help you to fight off illness and live a longer, happier life.  But while all of this sounds really great, the means to the end is not necessarily self-evident.  How do you eat right?  Which exercises will give you the results you want?  Where does a healthy lifestyle begin?  Here are a few helpful hints to get you on track with eating better and getting a move on.

1. Clean out your kitchen.  Get rid of the junk food!  You know what I’m talking about.  Toss the chips, the sodas, and anything that contains processed sugars, trans fats, and preservatives.  You’ll probably want to get rid of any items that are pre-packaged and exchange them for fresh foods instead.
2. Try organic.  As you may or may not be aware, fresh produce often includes traces of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and so on that are administered to fruits and vegetables during the growing process (that can stick around even after careful washing), not to mention hormones and antibiotics injected into animals intended for consumption.  Experts claim that these small amounts of chemicals aren’t harmful, but over time, many of them build up in your body.  Rather than waiting to find out what kind of damage they might do, perhaps a better course would be to remove them from your diet by purchasing all-natural alternatives.
3. Become a flexitarian.  If you haven’t heard of this, it’s basically vegetarianism for people who simply can’t give up meat.  It emphasizes healthy vegetarian fare, including fruits and vegetable, whole grains, nuts, and beans (plus animal products like dairy and eggs) but allows the inclusion of meats periodically (mainly lean protein like fish and chicken, but red meat can be included up to twice a week).  The nice thing about this diet is that it can be tailored for anyone, as long as the diet is “mostly” vegetarian.
4. Join a gym.  If you don’t know what kind of exercise will appeal to you, try going to a local gym to find out.  They have tons of equipment, many offer a schedule of classes, and resident trainers can help you learn the benefits of each type of exercise as well as setting up a routine to keep you on track.
5. Set a goal.  The best way to get yourself in gear with exercise is to set a goal so that you have something to work toward.  You can try to lose a certain amount of weight, lower your body mass index (BMI) so that you have more muscle and less fat, or train for a race (5K, 10K, marathon, triathlon…whatever strikes your fancy).  Just make sure that the target you aim for is realistic for you.  Nothing will derail you faster than the inability to reach some vast and unattainable objective.
6. Find a program.  If you’re having a hard time getting started, you’ll be happy to know that you’re not alone.  In fact, so many people need help with their health that there are a number of programs specifically designed for that purpose.  So join up with Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Curves, Bali, or any number of organizations that aim to help people learn to embrace a lifestyle that promotes health and fitness.

Dana Livingston is a writer for a culinary arts website where you can browse schools and the latest trends in the culinary arena.

In a society afraid of growing old (well, at least afraid of looking like they’re growing old), it’s no wonder that a vast amount of natural anti-aging supplements have spilled out into the market.  But the real question is, do they really work?  And if so, how?  What’s in these magic little pills that keep us looking forever young?  Have scientists really tapped into the waters trickling from the fountain of youth?  What are we really putting, ever so haphazardly, into our bodies?  Are there risks, side-effects not worth maintaining an ageless beauty?

It seems to go without saying that the best, and most inexpensive, way of staying healthy and feeling young is a strict routine of eating the right foods, getting plenty of exercise, and making sure to get an adequate amount of sleep.  If you do feel the urge to try any anti-aging supplement, make sure you inform your physician and seek their advice in filtering out the hoaxes from the tried and true fixes.

The mitochondria in our bodies cells are the sole proprietors of aging.  They produce and use the energy they need to function, and as time progresses, they eventually become damaged, and as they do, we begin to age.  Mitochondria cannot function without the coenzyme Q10, commonly referred to as CoQ10, and as we age, our bodies aren’t able to produce a sufficient enough amount of the coenzyme to keep our mitochondria from becoming damaged.  The most effective anti-aging supplements contain the CoQ10 needed that our bodies naturally become unable to produce.  Taking these supplements replenishes our bodies supply of the coenzyme and refurbishes our slowly damaging mitochondria, gradually slowing the external impact of aging.

Similarly, mitochondria also derive the energy needed to function from the amino acid acetyl-L carnitine, which basically helps the mitochondria produce the energy it uses.  Some natural anti-aging supplements contain this amino acid, which, like the coenzyme, replenishes our mitochondrial energy and slows the visual effects of aging.

Dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA, is another effective and popular component of working anti-aging supplements.  DHEA is a hormone that our bodies use to fashion other hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone that our bodies naturally lose the ability to produce as we age.  Taking supplements with DHEA provides our body with the necessary levels of hormones needed to maintain a youthful appearance, which, again, we naturally lose the ability to do as we get older.

Because our bodies are complicated, complexly layered machines, it’s almost impossible to entirely stop the process of aging.  It’s not one process or one thing that causes us to age.  Even though we may be able to provide our bodies with the energy and hormones it needs and can no longer naturally produce, there is no real hard evidence to argue against or for the effectiveness of anti-aging supplements.  Nonetheless, it’s all relative.  What works for you will not work for the person next to you.  But supplying your aging body with the supplements it needs, but can no longer produce itself, to maintain energy levels and keep functioning will undoubtedly keep you feeling healthy, which might just translate into you beginning to feel slightly younger at heart.

Sarah Neilson is a writer for Medical Coding where you can browse medical coding schools and jobs.

Feeling down in the dumps in life and in love and just don’t know how to shake the negative energy?  Looking to create a positive new start to the day, every day, and begin your quest for romance?  Tired of seeing nothing but the same old knick knacks scattered around your room, only good for collecting dust and harboring memories?  Well try something new – feng shui your room to clear out all that old, negative energy and attract new positive forces around you!  Follow these quick and easy four suggestions to begin the feng shui journey towards drawing in better, more positive energy in life and in love.

1. Out with the old, in with the new. The images you choose to surround yourself with, especially in your bedroom, have a heavy influence on the energy of your life and love.  Remove pictures that represent loneliness, anger, conflict, or any other negatively charged emotional energy from your bedroom, which really is the space that defines who and how you are in life in regards to love.  Photographs of old family members may be sacred treasures, but if harnesses any of that unwanted energy, it doesn’t belong in the bedroom; stick them in another, less intimate, part of the house.

2. Open your doors to life and love. Take heed and insure that the door to your bedroom opens with ease, without impediments that disallow the door from opening completely or that make it stick or squeak.  Eyes may be the portal to the soul, but the bedroom door is the portal to the heart, and a stuck bedroom door hinders the smooth, natural flow of positive, intimate energy from entering into your bedroom.  Check the hinges and the doorknob, as well.  Broken hinges and loose doorknobs might imply troublesome times, needing some fine-tuning and fixer-upping in the romance department.

3. Balance your bed.  The best feng shui positioning of a bed is opposed to the door of the bedroom, slightly misaligned.  If your bed is situated alongside a bedroom wall, the person sleeping against the wall may feel trapped, disenfranchised, or suffocated.  If possible, find a place in the room where there is equal space aside each half of the bed, to insure that your partner (or future partner) with share a sense of equality and welcomeness with you in your personal space.  However, if there’s a lack of space on the opposite side of the bedroom door for the bed to fir, hang a mirror; this provides a reflected view of the entry and keeps the space open for the natural flow of positive, intimate energy.

4. Manifest your destiny.  Visualize everything you wish for yourself in life and love, and bring it to life through surrounding yourself in that intimate space with images of it.  Place the collage of images somewhere you’ll see it every day, and soon those dreams will become a reality.  You can’t ascertain the things in life that you want most if you can’t visualize them and remind yourself of what they are everyday.

Kyle Simpson is a writer for Medical Coding where you can brose medical coding schools and industry jobs.

Remember when you were a kid?  You always seemed to have too much time on your hands.  Nothing exciting ever happened and you often found yourself bored to tears.  Oh, how we long for those lazy days now.  If there’s one problem that almost every adult faces, it’s a lack of free time.  No matter how you try to schedule in a little respite, you seem to fill every waking moment with something that just can’t wait.  If it’s not squeezing in your annual physical, it’s running out for the item you forgot on your grocery list, washing the dog, or dealing with any number of household “fix it” projects that have fallen by the wayside.  And you have no idea how it happened, but every time you blink, half the year is gone.  You’re almost positive time has sped up while you weren’t looking.  And in the midst of all this running around, you’ve managed to compile a huge debt of unreleased stress that leaves your mind spinning all night and your body tense and twitchy.  You need a break!  Here are the top 10 ways to take it.

1. Do some yoga.  I’m not talking about 105 degrees of Bikram or some exercise program that will leave you feeling like a pretzel.  Just do a nice, simple routine that stretches the sore spots and leaves you feeling like a fresh, new person.
2. Get a massage.  It doesn’t get much better than an hour or two of letting someone else take care of you.  So set aside some table time to let a strong pair of hands work out the kinks.
3. Go to the park.  How long has it been since you flopped down on a blanket, curled your toes in the grass, and watched the leaves flutter and the clouds go by?  Probably too long.  Embrace the favorite pastime of kids everywhere and find your inner peace.
4. Read a book.  Let’s see, you’ve had the first Stieg Larsson novel gathering dust on your nightstand for the past year without so much as cracking the cover.  So brew up some coffee, find a cozy corner, and immerse yourself in the world of Lisbeth Salander.
5. Take a dip.  Lie out on a lawn chair and soak up some vitamin D before stepping into the cooling waters of a swimming pool (laze at home if that’s an option or visit your local community pool).
6. Take a nap.  It doesn’t get any more relaxing than watching reflected light inch across your ceiling as you slowly drift off to dreamland for a mid-afternoon siesta.
7. Take a walk.  Sometimes a little motion can loosen up your limbs, get you breathing deeper, and help to clear some of the cobwebs from your mind.  So take a stroll around the block or get back to nature on a nearby hiking trail.
8. Play hooky.  If, like most people, work is number one on your list of stressors, take a page from the playbook of your teenage self and cut class (so to speak).  Spend the day loafing on the couch, lunching with friends, or shopping downtown.  But avoid anything even vaguely resembling work!
9. Plant a garden.  Tending to plants and watching them grow to maturity is not only a good way to fill your home with flowers or get organic produce.  It’s also a proven way to decompress and focus your mental faculties.
10. Pop a pill.  This should be reserved for special occasions when absolutely nothing else will work.  If you’re going out of your mind and you cannot find another way to relax, ask your doctor to prescribe something to take the edge off.  You shouldn’t make a regular habit of it, but a Xanax, Valium, or Ambien once in awhile can allow you to let go of your problems and help you get back to the well-balanced individual you know you can be.

Derwood Talbot is a writer for the popular book review website, Written Word. Browse the site to find information on the latest book gadgets and information on your favorite authors.

So much of our daily lives are spent indoors that sometimes we feel like Margot, the little girl locked in the closet, in Ray Bradbury’s All Summer in a Day.  Luckily, we have windows to see the outside world, but it’s not as good as feeling the sun warm your skin, the wind lift your hair, or the cool patter of rainfall on your upturned face.  Sitting in front of a computer all day may pay the bills, but it certainly doesn’t seem to enrich your life in any other way.  In fact, more and more people are suffering from stress-related disorders like sleeplessness and fatigue, anxiety and depression, and even hypertension (as well as more serious disorders).  So what can you do to beat the office blues?  Simple: head outdoors.  And here are a few ways to get back to nature.

1. Visit a park.  You may not realize it (especially if you don’t have kids) but there are plenty of parks in your area (most cities have a required number of parks per capita).  Leave your cell phone, iPod, and laptop at home, grab a book and a blanket, and wiggle your toes in the grass for awhile.  You’ll be surprised by how therapeutic an hour in the park can be (and you can squeeze it into your lunch break).
2. Take a hike.  If you exercise anyway, why not do it in the wilderness instead of on a machine?  Sure it gives you time to catch up on your soaps, but when you get off the treadmill you always have this nagging feeling that you haven’t gone anywhere.  By hitting a local hiking trail, you’re workout will go by fast as you drink in the beauty of your natural surroundings and inhale a little dose of happiness with every lungful of fresh air.
3. Volunteer with Parks and Rec.  If you want to work a little activism into your daily routine and still enjoy the great outdoors, consider donating some time to the Department of Parks and Recreation.  They have all kinds of programs for kids that you can help with (lead nature hikes, set up a stargazing seminar, etc.) as well as many ways to work towards a cleaner environment (plant trees, pick up trash, etc.).  Whatever activity you choose, you will not only be giving something of yourself, you will be getting something back from nature.
4. Create a garden.  This activity can be fulfilling on more than a spiritual level (although weeding can certainly take you to your Zen place).  You will have a tangible accomplishment to feel proud of when your flowers begin to bloom, and if you plant fruits and vegetables, you can also enjoy healthy, organic produce.
5. Go camping.  There’s no better way to get back to nature than a camping trip.  Separated from society by miles of wilderness, you have a chance to really slow down and let go of all the pent-up anxieties that have plagued you in your busy career.  So unplug your life and marvel at the splendor that is all around you.  It can really put things in perspective and leaving you feeling like a new (and improved) person.

Michelle Wells is a writer for the website Therapist Schools. You can browse the site to find information about educational therapist jobs and countless others.

1. It’s easy.  Treating  yourself well is not as difficult as people seem to think.  Okay, so exercise and diet can be a little difficult, but when you’re feeling good, it’s easy to keep up with a regimen that promotes healthy living.  As for a little pampering, you control the schedule, so make sure you’re not so bogged down that you don’t make a little time for yourself.
2. You’re worth it.  You must believe with everything in you that you deserve to feel good.  You have every opportunity in life to be the best you can be, so don’t phone it in!  You have intrinsic value as a person, as a body, and as a mind, so treat yourself accordingly.
3. Nobody cares about you like you.  People will run you ragged with requests, demands, and obligations, but keep in mind that you control your own schedule, so pencil in a little time for your health.  Make “no” your favorite word and use it arbitrarily or to deflect time constraints that will impede your efforts to care for yourself.  Tending to your body and mind is solely in your hands, so don’t let a lunch date, a soccer skirmish, or charity events get in the way.  If you need a break, take it.
4. You’re not a garbage disposal.  So stop dumping all that junk down your throat.  You know what I’m talking about.  Cookies, chips, and soda, while tasty, are nothing more than pollutants that foul up your system and provide little or no nutritional value.  If you need a sugar fix, go for fruits (which provide valuable nutrients and longer-lasting energy) or a smidge of dark chocolate (which has less fat and sugar).  If salt is your thing, snack on a handful of nuts.  Healthy eating can help you feel full longer, improve digestion, and increase brain activity.
5. You are divine.  Each of us has special qualities that should not be overlooked or downplayed.  Embrace your personal divinity and anoint your body appropriately (get a massage, buy those cute sandals, and basically love the skin you’re in).
6. Form follows function.  If your body isn’t working like it should on the inside, you’re going to see the results on the outside, so make sure you’re getting the level of activity, the amount of sleep, and the foods you need to function properly.  When you do, you’ll find that you’re more alert, active, and energized (and your body will respond in kind).
7. Performance matters.  You want your body in top form, but you’re going to have to work for it, so make sure you’re giving life your all.  Don’t jog a mile and then come home and eat a candy bar.  If you expect your body to go when you tell it to, you have to treat it like the high-performance vehicle it is with proper fuel and frequent maintenance.
8. You get what you give.  This is a pretty simple mantra that you can really live by.  If you subject your body to the tortures like sitting in the same position all day and sustain it with processed foods, then you can’t reasonably expect it to flee from an attacker on command.  If, on the other hand, you condition yourself for movement and ingest proper nutrients, that marathon you’ve been considering may be well within your reach.
9. You only have one body.  So don’t screw it up!  We’re not quite to the point where our aging heads can be attached to nubile younger bodies, so take care of yourself.  You’re the one that has to live with the mistakes.
10. Death is inevitable.  You have no control over when it strikes, but you do have a say in how you live your life.  Everything you do to your body will affect how easy or difficult your life is, how much pain you suffer or pleasure you enjoy in your time on Earth.  You know how to treat your body right.  You know what to eat, how to move, and when you need a break or a little pampering, so listen to what your body is telling you and treat it like the temple it is.  See every day as another chance to worship yourself and when your number is up, you can shuffle off this mortal coil with no regrets.

This post was written by Alicia Witt of Abusing Adderall. Browse the website to find out more about Adderall dependence and what symptoms to look for.

If you’ve never done yoga, you may have some preconceived notions about people who endorse the practice.  You may feel that it requires some sort of spiritual enlightenment or the flexibility of a contortionist to perform.  You might think that you have to be “new age” or a “hippie” to engage in yoga, or that it is a stand-alone exercise that has nothing to do with “real” workouts.  In fact, none of these things are true.  Yoga is for anyone and everyone, at all levels of fitness.  It is an extremely malleable form of exercise that can be tailored to the individual’s needs and abilities, and as such, it is also an excellent supplement to other types of physical training.  Yoga, in its many forms, can help you prepare for, or allow you to advance in, all other forms of exercise.

To begin with, yoga strengthens your body.  Whether you’re working a flow or holding a static pose, your muscles are responding to your demands and becoming stronger through both dynamic movement and isometrics.  The nice thing about yoga is that it requires no weights, instead using the weight of your own body to help you become stronger.  Additionally, most of the exercises promote a strengthening of the core muscles (back and abs) that will help to improve toning, posture, and balance, making it easier to increase strength in other areas.

It’s also great for improving flexibility and range of motion.  When we enter this world, our bodies seem almost infinitely flexible.  Babies and small children can bend and flex in ways that adults marvel at.  Well, the only reason you can’t do it anymore is that you’re out of practice!  Since we don’t all spend our lives training like gymnasts or ballerinas, we lose the flexibility that we’re born with (standing and sitting at work all day don’t help in this arena).  But yoga can facilitate gaining back what you’ve lost, through targeted stretching that not only elongates tight muscles, but also opens your body to enhance range of motion.  This can spell benefits for any other type of exercise routine, such as running, swimming, martial arts, or even weight-training.  Have you ever had to skip a day of exercise because muscles were too sore and tight, or felt a pinch in your shoulder blade after some heavy lifting?  Yoga can help to reduce and, over time, eliminate these aches and pains through the release of muscle tension and the creation of space in areas that we tend to compress or tense up (shoulders, ribcage, hip flexors, etc.).

Finally, there are certain types of yoga that provide an excellent cardio exercise.  If you are interested in losing weight or improving lung function and heart health, but think that slow motions and static poses are all wrong for you, then you are sadly mistaken.  Once you get the basic movements and poses down, you can begin to move more quickly through a flowing series that will allow you to enjoy the benefits listed above, all the while increasing your heart rate and breathing, just like aerobic exercise.

In short, yoga is a great all-around exercise that can supplement any other workout routine or provide a foundation to begin conditioning.  And in addition to all of the physical benefits, it also allows you to link your breath to movement, which provides for a mind-body experience that will leave you feeling relaxed and focused, something that anyone interested in health is sure to appreciate.

Martin Longreen is a fitness buff and writer for the popular self defense website Hertao.