When doing yoga’s neck stretching exercises, skip the headstand

Chronic neck pain is one of the most common physical problems in the U.S., which is why many yoga enthusiasts use neck stretching exercises to ease aches and increase their spinal flexibility. In response to a recent New York Times article alleging that yoga can cause serious neck injuries, a media editor for the Huffington Post recommended simply skipping the advanced poses.

Editor Sandip Roy explained that the Times article was not off-base. Yes, he said, highly acrobatic yoga poses can lead to neck or back injuries. However, Roy noted that the article – which has generated a lot of media discussion of late – comes to a fairly obvious conclusion: "Headstands are not for everyone."

Essentially, to do yoga for a healthy back and neck, it's important to stick to a soothing regimen, like Dahn Yoga, that does not push the spine to its limits. By utilizing such a routine, it is possible to improve the range of motion of the neck and reduce aches.

According to a survey conducted by the National Institute of Health Statistics, 15 percent of Americans report having neck pain, making it the third most common type of chronic ache.

People with osteoarthritis may use yoga for healthy knees

Having osteoarthritis can be seriously painful, especially when the condition affects the joints of the legs. Even for folks who are seasoned yoga practitioners, it's not always clear what the best stretching exercises for knee pain are.

Still, a new study has concluded that people with osteoarthritis can use yoga for healthy knees. In particular, the report noted that the holistic health routine is good for individuals who are over the age of 50, obese and suffering from degradation of the knee joints.

Researchers began by asking dozens of obese osteoarthritis patients to engage in weekly yoga classes. The program utilized stretching exercises that had been modified to suit people with limited mobility and flexibility.

The team found that people who used yoga tended to experience improvements in stiffness and pain level. The results, which included no negative side effects, appeared in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 27 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis. Is it any wonder that in a survey, 18 percent of adults told the agency that they had experienced knee pain in the prior 30 days?

Arizona yoga retreats say ‘No, thank you!’ to hot yoga

Even in the Grand Canyon State, where Arizona yoga retreats dot the landscape and enthusiasts pose in the shade, the idea of "hot" yoga isn't very common. And according to a recent report, such a routine may not be good for practitioners' well-being, anyway.

According to holistic expert and physical therapist Diana Zotos, hot yoga – that is, a regimen performed in an area heated to between 90 and 105 degrees F – may not be appropriate for everyone.

She explained that people who get heat stroke easily, have blood pressure problems or have difficulty avoiding dehydration may want to think twice before trying such a technique.

Rather than being yoga for healthy skin, a hot yoga class can coat the epidermis in sweat, which may be irritating. Likewise, tight clothing can add to general discomfort.

Zotos recommended always going easy on oneself, drinking plenty of water and pursuing a yoga regimen that is low-intensity and promotes temperature equilibrium.

In that vein, Dahn Yoga classes may be a prime candidate, since they promote gentle posing and stretching, uniforms made with loose-knit, all-natural fibers, cool room temperatures and the balancing of body heat with cool energy.

Yoga for healthy skin is easiest in the warm climate of Arizona

If you're shopping around for a holistic program that can help you focus on good skin care, look no further than your nearest Arizona community center. That's because yoga for healthy skin is easy to practice when done in the warm, dry climate of the Grand Canyon State.

Here are some tips for maintaining firm, younger-looking skin with mind-body practices:

1. Enjoy warm days outdoors. Doing yoga in the warmth of an Arizona sunrise can rekindle your spirit and make you glad to greet the day. Likewise, a warm, temperate climate keeps your body's energy flowing smoothly and evenly.

2. Stay cool with a yoga uniform. Rather than buying restrictive, clingy yoga outfits, stay cool with a loose, organic-fiber smock and pair of pants. Wearing such a uniform (especially one that's all white) can help your body regulate its temperature and keep your skin cool and uninflamed.

3. Get a few minutes of direct sunlight. Many Americans get far too little vitamin D in their diets. To help make sure you're topped up on this nutrient, get 15 minutes of direct sun exposure each day. This allows your skin to synthesize its own supply of vitamin D.

4. Try laughing exercises outdoors. Arizona's famous energy vortices will give your skin's firmness a boost, and so will laughing exercises, which make the perfect complement to yoga for healthy aging.