The book’s title, Pranayama, is taken from a yoga term for a type of breathing. It is derived from the words “prana” and “yama” literally meaning “vital energy” and “self-control.” It is the goal of Pranayama to teach readers more about the medical aspects of mind body response and the role it plays in personal health. Readers who are skeptical about breathing and meditation will find strong support from the hard science presented within Pranayama’s pages.

There are many books on meditation and relaxation response. However, few, if any, have illustrations to show precisely how stress actually affects the human body. Without knowing the mechanisms of stress and anxiety, a reader may not understand how mind body responses reverse with deep breathing. The mechanism of mind body response is truly amazing. Pranayama’s color illustrations allow readers to understand complex practical medical information. Pranayama brings the Eastern practices of yoga and meditation into the world of Western medicine. Readers will find pertinent information on subjects such as anxiety, insomnia, depression, addiction and the technique of pranayama interesting and useful.

Portions of Pranayama are based on information in a peer-reviewed article written by Dr. Jerath and published in The Journal of Integrative Medicine pertaining to the power of breathing in mind body response. Dr. Jerath’s article discusses how relaxation practices such as meditation, transcendental meditation, Tai Chi, yoga, and pranayama are augmented by deep slow breathing.

For more information, visit authorhouse.com.

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The Gresham location will feature all the bells and whistles of what makes Crunch unique — high-tech fitness equipment, expert personal training, an online fitness and nutrition program and free tanning — with lower membership rates. A variety of Crunch’s signature group fitness classes will also be offered, such as BodyWeb w/TRX, Belly, Butt & Thighs, Bosu Bootcamp and Yoga Body Sculpt. Creative design elements, quirky messaging and in-gym entertainment make Crunch Gresham not just a gym but a community where fitness meets fun.

A recent study from the Center for Disease Control shows that 85% of Portland adults are physically active, the 2nd highest percentage in the nation. With over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry, local owners specifically chose to open their first Crunch outpost in the Gresham area, and are confident this active and health conscious community will welcome Crunch with open arms.

For more information, visit crunchportland.com.

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Go for a run – this had to be in our top list of things to do either during your lunch-break or after work. Running is one of the best forms of exercise not just for getting fit but for weight control too. A running break away from your desk will leave you with boundless energy for the afternoon.

Hit the gym – Many gyms offer shorter classes to accommodate the lunch-time market, a quick spin class or a yoga class could relieve any tension, and leave you totally refreshed for the afternoon and ready for the evening ahead.

Music for the Mind – As you head to work in the morning listen to upbeat music something a little more rousing to shake off any sleepiness and prepare you for the day ahead. As you leave work play music that will relax and de-stress you from the daily pressures surrounding work. Listening to calming music on your journey back should have the impact of shaking off work anxiety.
Power Walking – heading out on a power walk will definitely give you a boost throughout your day. It relieves stress, tension and enables you to lose calories quickly.

Book a holiday – Sorting your next holiday will completely reinvigorate you and give you a focus over the forthcoming months. Once you’re booked you can look at getting fit for your holiday, you can’t head to the beach without feeling your absolute best?

Take the Plunge – Half an hour’s swimming burns off 300 calories and is great for improving you all over body shape. You’ll feel totally alive when you have had a quick session in your local pool. Or if you’re lucky enough to have an open-air lido or open water pool near you then head there this summer and experience something a little different.

Do things you enjoy – In the evenings head to your favourite restaurants and maximise the time you have with your friends and family. Leave work behind for the day and concentrate on what you like doing best!

For more information, visit realbuzz.com.

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Stress can cause all sorts of unwelcome side affects including high blood pressure, decreased immunity function, reduced energy levels – even your attitude can be affected. It might even do a number on your appearance – acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis flare ups are all stress-related, and can be addressed with the help of an esthetician at your local spa.

Work is often cited as the main trigger point for stress. The American Psychological Association reports that 62 percent of Americans are stressed about work. Utilizing spa techniques like meditation and yoga poses in your cubicle to help calm and balance yourself is an easy and discreet way to manage stress while at work. It’s time to visit the spa when you need stress-busting treatments such as massage, acupuncture or guided imagery.

For more information, visit experienceispa.com.

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Maternal stretching and meditation for expecting mothers gives women an option to be comfortable and healthy during their pregnancy. Yoga is an excellent choice for maintaining strength and flexibility, focusing on breathing techniques, and continued relaxation. Pregnant women and yoga-enthusiasts alike also need to practice yoga properly to avoid muscle or joint injury, especially if weight is not distributed properly or the body feels overworked.

• According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2008, more than 5,500 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors’ offices, clinics and other medical settings for injuries related to yoga.

• Common yoga injuries include straining and overstretching of the neck, shoulders, spine, legs and knees.

To reduce yoga-related injuries, the AAOS recommends the following:

• Speak to your doctor before participating in yoga or other exercise during pregnancy. Your doctor may advise you to limit your maximum heart rate during activity at this time.

• Work with a qualified yoga instructor. Ask about his or her experience and credentials. If you choose to use a yoga DVD at home, look for one that comes highly recommended by your physician or other reliable sources.

• Warm up thoroughly before a yoga session–cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are vulnerable to injury. Make sure you cool down as well to relax your muscles and restore your resting heart rate and breathing rhythm.

• Wear appropriate clothing that allows for proper movement. Today, maternity yoga pants are readily available.

• Beginners should start slowly and learn the basics first, focusing on breathing rather than trying to stretch too far. The purpose of this is to make you and baby feel comfortable, strong, and relaxed, not to “win the race.”

• If you are unsure of a pose or movement, ask questions. As you enter the third trimester, you will want to focus on poses performed while standing, kneeling, or on your side. Avoid lying on your belly or back, doing backbends, or attempting balance poses on one leg.

• Know your limits. Do not try positions beyond your experience or comfort level.

• Learn what type of yoga you are performing. There are many different forms of yoga, some more strenuous than others. Most poses can be modified to be safer and more comfortable during pregnancy. It is important to learn which type of yoga will best suit your needs. If pregnant, enrolling in a prenatal yoga class is ideal. If that is not an option, talk to the instructor about your pregnancy and any known “trouble areas” before starting the class.

• It is particularly important for pregnant participants to keep hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.

• If pregnant, avoid Bikram or “hot” yoga, which can raise your (and the baby’s) body temperature too high.

• Listen to your body. If you experience pain or exhaustion while participating in yoga, stop or take a break. If pain persists, speak with a physician.

For more information, visit aaos.org.

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The results of the trial, the largest randomized, controlled study on this topic to date, are to be presented at the American Clinical Society of Oncology’s annual meeting, being held in June in Chicago.

Some 80 percent of cancer patients have trouble sleeping while undergoing treatment, and about two-thirds say the problems persist after treatment ends.

Despite these large numbers, few solutions exist.

The study authors involved 410 cancer survivors, average age 54, who had finished treatment two to 24 months before and who still reported greater-than-average sleep disruptions. Almost all of the participants were women, and three-quarters had had breast cancer, although the cancer had not spread. None had done any yoga in the past three months.

Participants were randomized either to receive regular follow-up care for cancer survivors or to receive regular care plus two 75-minute sessions of yoga per week for four weeks.

Emphasis was on breathing from the diaphragm rather than the chest and on mindfulness, visualization and guided meditation, she explained.

Yoga participants reported an improvement in sleep quality of 22 percent, while controls reported an improvement of only 12 percent, Mustian said.

Thirty-one percent of participants in the yoga group who had started out with clinically impaired sleep quality recovered vs. only 16 percent in the control group.

Fatigue in the yoga group was decreased by 42 percent, compared with only 12 percent in the control group.

Yoga participants reduced daytime sleepiness by 20 percent as compared to only 5 percent in the usual care group.

Quality of life improved, on average, 6 percent in the yoga group and not at all in the other group.
While the yoga group was able to get by with less sleep medication, people in the control group actually used more.

For more information, visit healthday.com.

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As if the Grand Prize wasn’t enough, the second place winner of the Find Your Balance Sweepstakes receives a complete home gym package from Savasa Fitness, including hand weights, yoga mats, yoga blocks, resistance bands, exercise balls, fitness DVDs and other great tools from the leading fitness source for busy women. Submit an entry by June 30, 2010.

For more information, visit facebook.com/healthy balance.

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Each Friday through Sunday retreat, occurring the weekends of June 25, Aug. 20 and Oct. 1, 2010, includes luxury accommodations, sessions with Patton, two-hour sessions with the celebrity speaker, a 60-minute spa treatment at the Sanctuary Spa, wellness classes including Tai Chi and Yoga, a chocolate happy hour, welcome bag with skin care goodies, journal and other gifts, healthy meals and snacks throughout, time to enjoy Sanctuary’s pool and resort amenities and a group celebration dinner at elements, Sanctuary’s award-winning restaurant led by Executive Chef Beau MacMillan of Food Network and NBC-TODAY Show fame. Retreats conclude with a session devoted to a take-home action plan, ensuring that guests are armed with the tools to transform their experience into everyday living.

For more information, visit sanctuaryaz.com.

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Filmed at Il Palagio, the eco-friendly villa Styler shares with her husband Sting in Tuscany, True Styler’s Sculpt & Tone Ballet offers two 25-minute ballet workouts. The first workout is a barre routine designed to improve strength, balance, and posture, followed by a chair routine that uses conventional and modified ballet moves to increase flexibility while toning muscles.

Bonus features for the DVD include interviews with Styler, Sting, and D’Silva, with music from Sting’s classical album Songs from the Labyrinth; a special Chakra Meditation with Styler and D’Silva; a behind-the-scenes look at the self-sustaining Il Palagio estate and the couple’s organic wine production; and a step-by-step footwork tutorial designed to help beginners become accustomed to ballet moves.

For more information, visit gaiam.com.

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The effort, called Brains on Bikes, kicked off from the University of California, San Francisco Mission Bay campus following a celebration that included remarks by Dr. Michael Prados, director at the UCSF Division of Translational Research in Neuro-Oncology and Russ Pieper, vice chair at the UCSF Department of Neurological Surgery.

Feeley is scheduled to ride into Washington, D.C. for a finish-line celebration in early July. She is joined in the journey by her friend and trainer Gundula Hennig and dog Walter. She aims to raise $3 million on behalf of UCSF’s Brain Tumor Research Center, as well as Stand Up 2 Cancer, the American Brain Tumor Association, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure, and other charities.

After being diagnosed in 2006 with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor — the same type of brain cancer that afflicted the late Senator Ted Kennedy — Feeley was told by doctors she would be lucky to see another year. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, the life expectancy of a person with this cancer is 12 to 14 months — the same as it was almost one hundred years ago. Now she’s giving back the time she never thought she’d have.

After working with a trainer for months on gentle walking, lifting and eventually jogging, Feeley ran a half-marathon and started doing yoga. During the course of radiation treatments, she started riding a bike back and forth to the hospital. Eventually cycling became a major part of her exercise program.

Together with Gundula, Feeley has now climbed the three highest mountains in the United Kingdom in 24 hours, competed in the International Indoor Rowing Championship, and ridden 135 miles across Britain. These challenges, in addition to running a business and raising a family, have prepared her for the cross-country feat of Brains on Bikes — a 3,781-mile journey.

With the costs of the campaign already covered, every dollar raised will directly fund badly needed research. Less than 5 percent of patients diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme tumor live more than three years. This mortality rate has been unchanged for a decade.

For more information, visit brainsonbikes.org.

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