PREGNANT WOMAN: ISTOCK; ALOE: ANAT CHANT/SHUTTERSTOCKStart Smart
Yoga newbies and recent returnees
can turn to Rodney Yee’s Complete
Yoga for Beginners, the newest
DVD release from this interna-
tional teacher. Available this
month, the 9o-minute video is
divided into four gentle sequences,
including Yoga Basics, a slow-
paced practice that breaks down
Mountain, Plank, and Cobra poses
and simple bends and twists. Use
it to gain confidence for class,
learn new poses, or refresh on
alignment if you’ve taken a break
from your mat ($ 1 5, amazon.com).Listen Up
Regularly popping over-the-counter pain relievers for minor aches and pains can
come with an unexpected consequence: hearing loss that appears to be permanent.
For instance, Harvard University researchers found that women who took ibuprofen
four to five days a week had a 21 percent greater risk for hearing loss over a 14-year pe-
riod than women who took it less than once a week. The researchers suspect the meds
restrict blood flow to the cochlea, the ear’s snail-shaped hearing center. The next time
you’re inclined to pop an OTC pill, try these natural and effective pain remedies first:Reduction in
feelings of anxiety
that pregnant
women experience
after just one
prenatal yoga class.
Depression and Anxiety journal31
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MILE-HIGH
YOGA
The largest “high-altitude”
training room in North America
is now offering a Summit Yoga
class. Located in Pleasanton,
California, The Quad’s hypoxic
chamber maintains just the right
amount of oxygen during class
to mimic a mile-high altitude, the
equivalent of doing yoga in
Denver. The logic: practicing at
altitude pumps up the heart rate
for a more vigorous class, and
over time may teach your body
to become more efficient at
using oxygen.For a headache
Try Viparita Karani
(Legs-up-the-Wall Pose)
Lie on your back and lift
your legs to a 9o-degree
angle, fl ush with a wall
(see the pose on page 72).
Spending 5– 1 o minutes
here can help release
the tight neck muscles
that can trigger a
tension headache.For joint pain
Try aloe vera juice
Sipping a few ounces
of aloe vera juice has
been shown to help
reduce joint-tissue
infl ammation. It may
also boost the powers
of OTC pain meds, so
if you do take pills, you
may get relief with a
smaller dose.For muscle aches
Try sniffing
rosemary oil
The scent of rosemary eases
muscle soreness by dialing
down stress hormones that
can cause you to tense up,
a study suggests. Sniff
rosemary essential oil for
5 minutes or brew some
rosemary tea and inhale
the aroma before each sip.what’s the buzz
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december2014yogajournal.com