If you’re keen to jump aboard the latest, charitable bandwagon and flirt with
veganism in the process, then Veganuary will be right up your alley. Held each
January, Veganuary aims to inspire people to try out a vegan lifestyle. If you
missed the boat, you can actually sign up to give it a whirl for 31 days any time of
year. The best news is that restaurants and cafes will likely be offering more
plant-based goodness to take advantage of the trend. So, vegan or not, you can
indulge in more healthy, yogi-friendly delights in the process.Veganuary
That’s what researchers at the University of Newcastle and
Hunter Medical Research Institute are investigating. Aptly
named NAMASTE (Novel Activity Management in
severe ASthma – Tailored Exercise), the study aims
to increase the amount of exercise asthma
sufferers can tolerate, and also minimise their
stress levels – as both inactivity and strong
emotions can make the disease worse.
Inspired by the abundance of anecdotal
evidence to support yoga’s role in
improving the lives of people with asthma,
the study will compare the progress of
students participating in 16 weeks of yoga
and mindfulness classes with a control
group. Study coordinator Dr Sarah Hiles has
high hopes for the study and it’s potential to
improve the lives of sufferers. She says, “We
believe it has the potential to address many
unmet needs in severe asthma, including
improving activity levels, fatigue,
breathlessness, strength, mental health
and overall quality of life.” The free
classes are set to begin in February. See
http://www.hmri.org.au for more details.CAN YOGA RELIEVE ASTHMA?