Relax into Yoga

I find that relaxing into yoga is one of the most important things that Wai lana has taught me. Being able to relax into it has just helped my life have a complete turn around. I'm able to relax more in so many ways. I am much more relaxed as a person, and the people I live with can testify for this!

Relax into Yoga
Want to make your asana session more enjoyable and more beneficial? Then relax as you practice. Whether you do yoga for exercise, to relieve stress, or both, you'll get more out of it if you relax. Don't stress about how stiff you are; don't strain to get into a pose. Just do your best and enjoy it.

If you're always thinking about where you "should" be, you'll miss what's going on in your body at the moment. But that awareness is the key to practicing asanas correctly. So instead of worrying about how inflexible you are, just notice your tight spots. Watch your breath; notice how it affects your body, and let it help you open and release into the pose. Observe your mind—keep it focused on the pose and the breath. Don't let it bully you into pushing too far. It's best to hold a pose just this side of your limit. As you breathe and relax into the pose, you'll be able to hold it longer and gradually extend your boundaries.

You can even relax in strengthening poses. While contracting certain muscles, relax those that don't need to work. Don't hold unnecessary tension in your face or jaw, in your neck or shoulders. This tension blocks the flow of energy in the body that yoga is designed to enhance. And it's that free-flowing energy that makes you feel good. So relax into yoga and yoga will help you relax.

Wai lana's Weekly Message

Eat your herbs and do yoga, ease menopause

Hatha yoga does wonders to stabilize the levels of hormones your body produces, so in tricky times like menopause, - for your sake, and for the sake of all the people you love, do your hatha yoga and eat these herbs everyday!

Four Herbs to Ease the Symptoms of Menopause
Menopause can cause a number of mild to severe symptoms such as mood disturbances, vaginal dryness, sleep disturbances and hot flashes. Yet many people don`t realize that these symptoms are a result of a physical imbalance. Herbs, along with plenty of exercise and a healthy diet can bring the body into balance and ease the symptoms durng this time of life. Here are 4 herbs that can effectively alleviate menopausal symptoms.

Black Cohosh

Black cohosh grows in Eastern North America. It contains phytochemicals that have been shown to help with menopause. It is believed that Black cohosh may contain phytoestrogens that work very much like natural estrogen. Black cohosh may work directly on the hypothalamus, which is located at the base of the brain and regulates body temperature, hormone production, and other functions associated with menopause.

Black cohosh can relieve symptoms including night sweats, hot flashes, anxiety, and depression. In a recent study, 80% of women taking a black cohosh supplement experienced an improvement in their hot flashes, sweating, and heart palpitations.

Dong Quai

Dong quai, also known as Chinese Angelica, is a Chinese herb and is one of the most well known herbs for treating the symptoms of menopause. Dong quai contains phytoestrogens that bind to the estrogen receptors in our body, increasing the levels of estrogen. Benefits include a reduction in hot flashes, mood swings, anxiety, and vaginal dryness. In clinical studies, women taking dong quai reported a 25% decrease in the severity of their symptoms.

Maca Root

Maca comes from South America, and has been used for centuries to treat menopause and other sexual health complaints. It helps to balance out estrogen and progesterone, as well as other hormones to relieve symptoms and promote optimum health. It is known to be highly effective at reducing hot flashes and vaginal dryness. It can also restore sex drive that was lost during menopause, boost memory and decrease the effects of osteoporosis.

Red Clover

Red clover grows naturally in Europe and Asia. It is well known as a powerful herb for all menopausal symptoms. Red clover is one of the primary sources of phytoestrogens, which are plant estrogens that mimic the female sex hormone. These phytoestrogens help to increase the levels of estrogen in the body, thus relieving menopausal symptoms.

Studies on red clover have verified that it does reduce menopause symptoms such as hot flashes and mood swings. In a recent study in the Netherlands, women taking a red clover reported a 44% decrease in their hot flashes over 8 weeks. Red clover is also believed to fight osteoporosis, and increase the amount of high-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol, in the bloodstream. This has been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease in menopausal women.

Source

Ommmm Baby

Ommmm Baby

Playthings Magazine
April 2006

Yoga's mental and physical benefits are a healthy selling point

New products in the Little Yogis line from Wai Lana (Malibu, Calif.) include the EnviroMat, a chloride-free, biodegradable soft mat for yogis of all sizes (a Little Yogis-themed mat is also available). The Daydream DVD features Wai Lana's naptime cartoon, which utilizes an ancient yoga relaxation technique, Yoga Nidra, to help small children calm down and sleep. The DVD guides kids through meditation activities, as well as entertaining them with animated waterfalls, balloons and dancing butterflies. Exercise kits, a Teacher's Yoga Kit, and a Fun Songs book and CD.

Spiritual sales
For toy retailers, the company offers point-of-sale floor displays for Little Yogi mats, and kits and promotional flyers that list the health benefits of each product. Currently, the products' consumer base includes parents, as well as daycare centers and schools that use the product as part of their fitness and naptime programs.

“The Little Yogis line is a great fit for many retailers—especially toy stores,” says Wai Lana, founder and president of Wai Lana. “The line has fun and exciting activities for children that will help them grow mentally and physically, so parents really appreciate it. Little Yogis is unique, because it has excellent entertainment value, as well as a positive influence on child development. By helping [parents] understand the incredible difference these products can make, it becomes easy for them to pass along that enthusiasm to their customers.”

Lana initially started the company to offer products that help combat obesity, but yoga's relaxation and meditation exercises are also helpful for children with sleep problems, or for calming young children. “With such high rates of childhood obesity, ADD, and ADHD, there is a real need for children to have tools for achieving health, happiness, and balance naturally,” says Lana. “My children practiced yoga as they grew up, and it helped them tremendously. I wanted to make the benefits of yoga available to other children as well. So I created the Little Yogis—a product line that's fun and entertaining while taking children in a positive, healthy direction. The Little Yogis makes these yoga techniques fun and appealing.”

Lana adds that parents should consider yoga to help balance a child physically, mentally, and emotionally. “As children have fun doing yoga asanas (postures), they develop flexibility, coordination, balance, strength, and body awareness. Such qualities help them perform better in sports and make them less prone to injury. Performing yoga asanas also increases their determination and ability to focus. This really gives kids a learning advantage when it comes to schoolwork, music lessons, martial arts, and other pursuits. Yoga also regulates hormones and calms the mind, making its techniques valuable tools when kids feel angry, frustrated, fearful, or stressed.”

“Yoga is great fun for kids,” says Lana. “Children love pretending to be different animals in poses like Lion, Cobra, and Seabird. They get to use their imagination to be windmills, bridges, and boomerangs. I look around and I see children growing up so fast and dealing with all kinds of stress—whether it's because their families are breaking up or they feel peer pressure to act older than they are. Yoga lets them relax and have fun getting familiar with their bodies through movement, balance, and even music. Yoga lets kids be kids.”

Wailana In the Media

Wai Lana Equestrian Pose

Equestrian Pose

Part of the Salute to the Sun, this lunge gives you a powerful thigh, groin, and hip stretch while loosening the spine.

1. Come onto your hands and knees with your knees and feet together. Your hands are a few inches in front of your shoulders.

2. Lift your knees and straighten your legs. Balance here a moment. Exhale completely.

3. Inhale and step your left foot forward between your hands. Rest your right knee on the floor.

4. Continue to inhale as you lift your head and shoulders, stretching your neck back. Let your palms come up so just your fingertips rest on the floor. Breathe normally as you hold for 10 to 20 seconds. As you arch upward, feel the stretch in your breastbone. Try to keep your left heel on the floor.

5. Exhale as you straighten your chest and bring it forward.

6. Push down on your palms, lift your hips, and step your left foot back. Repeat on the other side.

Focus in the Pose...
To increase the thigh and groin stretch, sink your weight into your hips while lifting your chest. Try to increase the arch in your upper back.

Benefits...
• Massages the abdominal organs
• Harmonizes the nervous system

Wai Lana Yoga- Weekly Yoga Asana

“Green” Mat Is Yoga’s Latest Trend

“Green” Mat Is Yoga’s Latest Trend
March 20, 2006

With increasing reports of unsafe chemicals in everyday products, people are constantly seeking healthy alternatives for their favorite things. Choosing organic, recycled, or biodegradable products is fast becoming habit. Even eco-friendly laundry detergents and beauty products are quickly finding their way into mainstream supermarkets. It should seem only natural, then, that the “green” trend is especially popular in the gentle world of yoga.

Wai Lana, host of the long-running PBS series Wai Lana Yoga, has produced a new kind of yoga mat for the green or health-conscious consumer. Her newly released EnviroMat is a dream for yoga buffs because it’s 100 percent biodegradable, recyclable, and free from toxins, allergens, synthetic materials, and chemical dyes.

“I wanted to offer a mat that people could really feel good about—something that reflects the harmonious spirit of yoga,” says Wai Lana. “This durable mat is safe for the environment and for your health—it’s perfect for yoga and Pilates practitioners.”

A typical yoga mat is made with PVC, a type of plastic that’s not biodegradable. If the standard mat is well made, experts say there should be no cause for any health concerns. However, there are scores of people who would prefer to go with something more natural.

The key to Wai Lana’s EnviroMat is that it is made with a patented revolutionary material that’s 100% biodegradable. It is also completely recyclable, and any waste generated during its production is also recycled. Once disposed of, the mat breaks down naturally under heat and pressure, leaving nothing behind but nontoxic elements and water, which will evaporate. At the same time, this new material sacrifices nothing in terms of style, comfort, quality, and support. The unique closed-cell design offers superb traction, resists water (and sweat), and is available in a wide array of colors and designs.

Wai Lana adds the EnviroMat to her comprehensive line of yoga products, which already includes workout DVDs, music CDs, children’s yoga products, and yoga mats, bags, and kits. Wai Lana is well known for the quality she delivers, and her new EnviroMat is another perfect example.

Press Contact:
Angie Smith
angie@wailana.com
Tel. 800-624-9163
Fax 805-986-5447

Consumer Orders:
Tel. 800-228-5145
Wholesale Orders:
Tel. 800-624-9163
www.wailana.com

If this article is of interest to you or people you know, do be sure to check out Wai Lana Green!

Warm Up This Winter with Delicious Dhal

Warm Up This Winter with Delicious Dhal

Fit Yoga
February 2007

By Wai Lana

For decades, dhal has been a staple dish in our family, not just because it’s a breeze to make, but also because everyone loves its mild curry flavors and feels satisfied after eating it. A cornerstone of Vedic cooking, dhal has been a major component of most meals in India for countless centuries. Literally translated, dhal simply means “seed.” As a dish, however, it’s very often comprised of small legumes called pulses, such as lentils or mung beans. Technically seeds themselves, pulses cook relatively quickly and go well with most grains and veggies.

The Different Dhals
Lentils and mung beans come in many different shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Like all bean family members, they are packed with a balance of quality nutrition like protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber, calcium, and B vitamins, as well as other valuable nutrients. They make for a nurturing, satiating, and sustaining meal, especially when cooked or served with vegetables and partnered with basmati rice or whole wheat chapatis (tortilla-like Indian flat breads).

Of all dhal varieties, yellow mung dhal is most highly regarded by Ayurvedic practitioners. This is because it requires no presoaking, cooks quickly, is easy to digest, and is suitable for all body types, even children and the elderly. Yellow mung dhal generally does not cause any gas or bloating—a common complaint with larger beans. It also has a palatable nutty flavor.

Split red lentils, otherwise known as masoor, also cook quickly and digest without causing discomfort. After simmering for 20 minutes or so, both yellow mung dhal and red lentils lose their form, disintegrating to create a rich, creamy texture for delicious, satisfying soups. In cookbooks and on many restaurant menus, you’ll find such soups are simply called dhal.

Brown and green lentils, on the other hand, keep their form during cooking. These pulses are a little harder to digest—though far easier than the bigger kidney or pinto beans! Lentils make fine simple dishes on their own along with some spices and a vegetable or two. They also make hearty additions to soups and stews. Lentils are even good cooked with brown rice, which takes about the same amount of time to cook. There is no need to presoak brown or green lentils.

Dhal is also commonly made of channa, or split hulled black chickpeas. These beans take longer to cook and are not as easy to digest. Unlike mung beans or lentils, channa should be presoaked for a day before preparation and cooked for about 2 hours. A pressure cooker really comes in handy if you like channa dhal as it can bring the cook time down to mere minutes.

Buying, Storing, and Preparing Legumes
You can find most lentils, mung beans, and channa in Indian stores, health food stores, and bulk stores. Even some regular supermarkets will stock them. Store all varieties in airtight containers and try to use them within 3 months of purchase. Remember that the older they get, the tougher they get, so you’ll need to soak and cook them longer as they age.

Prior to preparation, be sure to sift pulses to remove any pebbles or other debris, then rinse them thoroughly.

Improving Digestibility
Generally speaking, the smaller the bean, the easier it is to digest. This is why yellow mung dhal and red lentils are ideal. To increase the digestibility of any legume, however, cook with digestive spices like coriander, cumin, turmeric, ginger, and fennel. A hint of clove or cayenne is also great for kindling your digestive fire.

Whenever required, soak legumes for the appropriate amount of time (anywhere between 1 and 24 hours, depending on the size, age, and toughness of the bean). Always discard the soaking water and cook beans in fresh water. Skim the foam off the water’s surface during cooking to further reduce any gas-producing properties.

Don’t salt the beans until after they’ve cooked as salt causes them to toughen up, thus prolonging the cook time.
Easy Dhal

RECIPES

Easy Dhal
Beautifully flavored, low in fat, and rich in protein, this tasty dhal is easy to make and delightful to eat. Try making it as a palate-whetting appetizer or as a delicious meal in itself along with fragrant basmati rice.

Ingredients
2½ cups dried red lentils, sifted and rinsed well
7 cups water
One 15-ounce can diced tomato (or 2 cups fresh)
1½ tablespoons minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon olive oil or ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh chili or red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2¼ teaspoons salt or to taste
1/2 cup minced cilantro or mint leaves plus extra for garnishing
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic

Procedure

1. Place the lentils, water, tomato, ginger, and turmeric in a 4-quart pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes.
2. When the lentils have broken down and the soup is quite smooth, heat the ghee or oil in a small skillet over high heat. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and sauté for a few seconds. When the cumin darkens, add the chili and coriander and stir for a few seconds. Remove from the heat and add immediately to the soup along with the salt.
3. Add the cilantro or mint and garlic and stir through. Ladle into bowls, garnish with extra cilantro or mint, and serve.

Tips/Variations
Veggie variation: Include 1 to 2 cups chopped yam from the very beginning. Or, after the lentils have cooked for about 20 minutes, add 2 cups chopped vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, or spinach. Increase the water and salt if necessary.

Coconut variation: Add 1 cup of coconut milk a few minutes before serving and increase the salt slightly if necessary.

Hands-on prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes about 9 cups

SOurce

Eat for the Season

Eat for the Season
Fit Yoga
November 2006

By Wai Lana

By mid-October, there is nothing my body craves more than a sweet-tart crunchy apple fresh off the tree, still glistening with dew. An apple in the springtime simply isn’t the same, and my body knows it. Just as I prefer to wear a ski jacket in a blizzard or a sundress in a heatwave, or ice skate in winter and picnic in summer, I like to adjust my diet according to the climate and time of year.

Traditionally, autumn is a time to gather the harvest, wrap up in warm clothes, and retreat indoors for the cooler weather. As the flowering, expansive energy of summer gives way to the contracting energy of the fall, we go inward on many levels. Both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine therefore advise us to prepare food according to this shifting energy, staying in sync with the influences of autumn. This means eating hearty foods that are concentrated with nutrition and cooking them at lower temperatures for longer periods of time. Doing this enables our food to gather energy and warmth that will fuel our bodies through the coming winter.

Dense vegetables such as roots, tubers, corn, and winter squash, as well as nuts and seeds, are perfect ways to nourish and thicken the blood—another perk in frigid weather. Warming spices like ginger, mustard seeds, and cinnamon also taste right, as do members of the onion family (i.e., garlic and leek). In addition to generating heat in your body, these foods also support your immune system for the imminent cold and flu season.

By nature, sour foods stimulate contraction and are therefore beneficial for reining in the more scattered energy of a playful summer and promoting the mental focus we need for work or study. For instance, lemons, limes, yogurt, sourdough breads, and, of course, tart apples are ideal fare for the season, as are vinegars, sauerkraut, and pickles—though with these, a little goes a long way.

As the leaves change from vibrant green to all shades of red and yellow and then to brittle browns, it’s easy to see one of the most obvious characteristics of autumn: dryness. To offset the drying influence, it’s good to include moistening foods, such as pears, apples, honey, nuts, seeds, and soy products like tofu and soymilk. Barley and millet are also nourishing, as are all kinds of edible mushrooms.

There’s nothing more inviting on a brisk autumn day than coming home to the wonderful aromas of a tasty soup simmering on the stove. So keep your kitchen warm, welcoming, and smelling good with nutritious food to nourish and nurture your loved ones.

RECIPE
Mellow Potato Curry

Mellow Potato Curry
Beautifully textured and laced with warming curry spices like cumin, mustard, and chili, this mellow, delicious soup is a silken delight for the palate. Though elegant and great for entertaining, it’s also agreeable family fare—especially served with crispy vegetable samosas and basmati rice.

Ingredients
7 cups water
6 cups cubed Yukon Gold potato (about 6 potatoes)
3 cups cubed butternut or other sweet squash (about 1½ pounds)
1½ teaspoons madras curry powder
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons salt or to taste
4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
1½ cups finely cubed extra-firm tofu
1½ cups finely sliced leek (about 2 leeks)
1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter*
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/4 cup finely diced zucchini
2 tablespoons minced cilantro or mint leaves (optional)

*If using salted peanut butter, reduce the salt by 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
Procedure

1. Place the water, potato, squash, curry powder, pepper, and 2½ teaspoons of the salt in a 5-quart pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the potato and squash are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or olive oil over high heat in a medium skillet and add the tofu, leek, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pan-fry for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden on most sides. Set aside.
3. Remove 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of tender potatoes and squash, place in a blender along with the peanut butter, and blend until smooth. Return to the soup and stir through.
4. Add the tofu and half of the leek to the soup (reserve the rest for garnishing). Then, using the same frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for about 20 to 30 seconds until the seeds turn a dark brown, then add the mustard seeds and chili flakes. Sizzle for another 5 to 10 seconds, then immediately add to the soup. Watch out for sputter!
5. Add the zucchini and cilantro or mint (optional) to the soup, remove from the heat, and let it sit for a couple minutes to let the zucchini soften slightly. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the reserved leek, and serve.

Hands-on prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes about 12 cups

Wai Lana hosts the long-running TV series Wai Lana Yoga, which airs nationally on PBS. She is the author of Wai Lana’s Favorite Juices and the new Wai Lana’s Favorite Soups. For more information, please visit wailana.com.

Camel - to finish

Wai Lana's weekly asanas:

A sure cure for rounded shoulders, Camel opens the chest and relieves tension in the upper back. This invigorating backbend tones the spinal nerves and increases circulation.

1. Kneel with the tops of your feet on the floor, knees hip-distance apart.
2. Gently press your pelvis forward as you carefully arch back.
3. Stretch your neck back and take hold of your heels. Breathe softly as you hold for up to one minute.
4. Release your heels and come up.
5. Sit on your heels, bring the backs of your hands to the floor, and bend forward, resting your forehead on the floor.

Holding the Pose… Contract your buttocks firmly and lengthen your spine away from your tailbone. Try to make the arch rounder by expanding your chest. Feel the stretch in your thighs, across your abdomen and chest, and in the front of your shoulders, neck, and throat. Relax your face.

Here’s an Easier Way… If you find it hard to reach your heels, turn your toes under, or simply arch back with your hands on your hips.

Click here to watch the instructional video

Yoga for Children

Yoga for Children

Wholesome is a word we often associate with our children's well-being. We feed our kids wholesome food to nourish their growing bodies. We encourage wholesome activities to help them develop good habits and useful skills.

Yoga is not only wholesome, but holistic as well. In other words, it's an activity that develops the whole child—physically, mentally, and emotionally. What's more, kids of all ages have fun doing yoga and watching their balance, flexibility, and strength improve. They also learn to focus and relax. This positive experience is likely to keep them practicing yoga as adults, reaping yoga's many benefits for years to come.

Many types of exercises help children develop strong muscles, but the strength they gain is rarely balanced with increased flexibility. Yoga postures, however, improve both strength and flexibility, giving kids an ease of movement that helps them improve their performance and prevent injuries. They develop balance, coordination, and the ability to focus. Even kids who aren't athletic enjoy yoga. Because yoga is a gentle, noncompetitive form of exercise, they can practice, do well, and build confidence in a nonthreatening environment.

On a deeper physical level, yoga's focus on good posture helps young spines grow straight and strong. The poses regulate and balance the production of hormones, which is especially important as children approach and pass through puberty. Yoga also improves their digestion, nutrient absorption, and elimination while helping to strengthen the immune system.

In yoga, kids get their bodies and minds working together. They concentrate on positioning and moving in a slow, controlled manner. Sometimes they focus on holding a pose, on their breathing, or on the animal they are imitating. This ability to focus carries over into other aspects of their lives, making it easier for them to concentrate on schoolwork and other important tasks.

Yoga also gives children valuable tools to help them cope with the stress they often face. This stress may be in the form of academic pressure, sports competitions, problems at home, and so on. Yoga postures, breathing, and relaxation techniques teach them how to calm the mind and release excess tension from the body.

Yoga is a wonderful activity for children. It builds strength, stamina, and flexibility and teaches patience, perseverance, and concentration, helping kids become happier and more productive. Whether children are dealing with tight muscles, obesity, divorce, fear, or anxiety, they can use yoga to bring them relief not only throughout their childhood, but also in their adult live

Teachers, you lead the way

Here's a nice little proverb from Wailana to ponder on:

Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself.
Chinese proverb

Anyone and everyone is a teacher sometime or other in their life. Parents are the first teachers of a child, then later, school teachers, professors, spouses, siblings, friends- we all teach one another. This little proverb reminds me of that beautiful fact.



As for Wailana- being my yoga teacher, I give many thanks to her and to all my past and present teachers, who have given me so much and helped me become who I am today.

Relax into Yoga

Relax into Yoga

Want to make your yoga session more enjoyable and more beneficial? Then relax as you practice. Whether you do yoga for exercise, to relieve stress, or both, you'll get more out of it if you relax. Don't stress about how stiff you are; don't strain to get into a pose. Just do your best and enjoy it.

If you're always thinking about where you "should" be, you'll miss what's going on in your body at the moment. But that awareness is the key to yoga. So instead of worrying about how inflexible you are, just notice your tight spots. Watch your breath; notice how it affects your body, and let it help you open and release into the pose. Observe your mind—keep it focused on the pose and the breath. Don't let it bully you into pushing too far. It's best to hold a pose just this side of your limit. As you breathe and relax into the pose, you'll be able to hold it longer and gradually extend your boundaries.

You can even relax in strengthening poses. While contracting certain muscles, relax those that don't need to work. Don't hold unnecessary tension in your face or jaw, in your neck or shoulders. This tension blocks the flow of energy in the body that yoga is designed to enhance. And it's that free-flowing energy that makes you feel good. So relax into yoga and yoga will help you relax.

Source

Mobile Phone Use While Pregnant Causes Neurological Problems in Babies

These are very alarming findings!

Mobile Phone Use While Pregnant Causes Neurological Problems in Babies

(NaturalNews) The first large-scale study to look at the connection between mobile phone use in pregnancy and later behavioral problems in children has overwhelmingly come back with a finding that such phone use places undeveloped babies at risk.

Researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Aarhus, Denmark surveyed 13,519 women who had given birth in Denmark in the late 1990s about their mobile phone use habits while pregnant, and their children's use of the phones up until the age of seven. Due to the fact that cell phone use was less widespread a decade ago, about half of the women in the study had not used the phones while pregnant, or used them only infrequently.

Women who used handsets two or three times per day while pregnant were 54 percent more likely to give birth to children who developed behavioral problems by the time they reached school age than women who did not use them. The risk of behavioral problems increased along with the mother's mobile phone use during pregnancy.

If children used the phones themselves while very young, they were 80 percent more likely to suffer behavioral difficulties, 25 percent more likely to suffer from emotional problems, 34 percent more likely to have trouble relating to their peers, 35 percent more likely to be hyperactive and 49 percent more likely to have conduct problems than children who did not use mobile phones.

The findings were published in the journal Epidemiology.

One of the lead researchers, Leeka Kheifets of UCLA, had previously stated in writing that there was "no consistent evidence of a causal relationship between exposure to radiofrequency fields [including those from mobile phones] and any adverse health effect." A well-known skeptic of the connection between mobile phone use and health or behavioral problems, Kheifets admitted to being surprised by the current study's findings.

The researchers attempted to demonstrate that some other confounding factor - such as smoking during pregnancy, socioeconomic status or a family history of mental illness - had caused the behavioral effects observed. But when they corrected for these factors, the contribution of mobile phones actually became statistically stronger.

Saying that they did not know of any biological mechanism by which mobile phones could cause behavioral problems, the researchers urged that their results "should be interpreted with caution." They also suggested that there might be some correlation between cellular phone use and some other factor that leads to behavioral difficulties - such as neglect by a mother that spends too much time on the phone.

But they conceded that "if [the results] are real they would have major public health implications."

Sam Millham of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and the University of Washington School of Public Health, said that he is certain the study results are accurate. Recent research conducted in Canada on pregnant rats demonstrated that radiation similar to that from mobile phones caused structural changes to the brains of the fetuses, he said.

Millham is considered a pioneer in researching the connection between mobile phone use and negative health effects.

The study's results came not long after the Russian National Committee on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection released new warnings about the use of mobile phones by pregnant women and children. Use of cellular phones by children can lead to short-term "disruption of memory, decline of attention, diminishing learning and cognitive abilities, increased irritability," while long-term use can cause "depressive syndrome [and] degeneration of the nervous structures of the brain."

The committee counseled pregnant women and children to limit their exposure to mobile phones, warning that the health risk from the devices "is not much lower than the risk to children's health from tobacco or alcohol."

Natural News

New Cool Eco Friendly Car

Air Cars: A New Wind for America's Roads?
by Jim Ostroff
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Kiplinger'sPersonalFinance

Air1.gif
Courtesy of MDI

A new carmaker has a plan for cheap, environmentally friendly cars to be built all over the country

An air-powered car? It may be available sooner than you think at a price tag that will hardly be a budget buster. The vehicle may not run like a speed racer on back road highways, but developer Zero Pollution Motors is betting consumers will be willing to fork over $20,000 for a vehicle that can motor around all day on nothing but air and a splash of salad oil, alcohol or possibly a pint of gasoline.

More from Kiplinger.com:

• Does It Pay to Buy That Hybrid?

• What You Need to Know About Leasing a Car Now

• Easy Ways to Save Money on Transportation

The expertise needed to build a compressed air car, or CAV, is not rocket science, either. Years-old, off-the-shelf technology uses compressed air to drive old-fashioned car engine pistons instead of combusting gas or diesel fuel to create a burst of air to do the same thing. Indian carmaker Tata has no qualms about the technology. It has already bought the rights to make the car for the huge Indian market.

The air car can tool along at a top speed of 35 mph for some 60 miles or so on a tank of compressed air, a sufficient distance for 80% of consumers to commute to work and back and complete daily chores.

Air2.gif
Courtesy of MDI

On highways, the CAV can cruise at interstate speeds for nearly 800 miles with a small motor that compresses outside air to keep the tank filled. The motor isn't finicky about fuel. It will burn gasoline or diesel as well as biodiesel, ethanol or vegetable oil.

This car leaves the highest-mpg vehicles you can buy right now in the dust. Even if it used only regular gasoline, the air car would average 106 mpg, more than double today's fuel sipping champ, the Toyota Prius. The air tank also can be refilled when it's not in use by being plugged into a wall socket and recharged with electricity as the motor compresses air.

Automakers aren't quite ready yet to gear up huge assembly line operations churning out air cars or set up glitzy dealer showrooms where you can ooh and aah over the color or style. But the vehicles will be built in factories that will make up to 8,000 vehicles a year, likely starting in 2011, and be sold directly to consumers.

There will be plants in nearly every state, based on the number of drivers in the state. California will have as many as 17 air car manufacturing plants, and there'll be around 12 in Florida, eight in New York, four in Georgia, while two in Connecticut will serve that state and Rhode Island.

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The technology goes back decades, but is coming together courtesy of two converging forces. First, new laws are likely to be enacted in a few years that will limit carbon dioxide emissions and force automakers to develop ultra-high mileage cars and those that emit minuscule amounts of or no gases linked with global warming. Plug-in electric hybrids will slash these emissions, but they'll be pricey at around $40,000 each and require some changes in infrastructure -- such as widespread recharge stations -- to be practical. Fuel cells that burn hydrogen to produce only water vapor still face daunting technical challenges.

Second, the relatively high cost of gas has expedited the air car's development. Yes, pump prices have plunged since July from record levels, but remain way higher than just a few years ago and continue to take a bite out of disposable income. Refiners will face carbon emission restraints, too, and steeply higher costs will be passed along at the pump.

Tata doesn't plan to produce the cars in the U.S. Instead, it plans to charge $15 million for the rights to the technology, a fully built turnkey auto assembly plant, tools, machinery, training and rights to use trademarks.

The CAV has a big hurdle: proving it can pass federal crash tests. Shiva Vencat, president and CEO of Zero Pollution Motors, says he's not worried. "The requirements can be modeled [on a computer] before anything is built and adjusted to ensure that the cars will pass" the crash tests. Vencat also is a vice president of MDI Inc., a French company that developed the air car.

From: Yahoo News

Outdoor Yoga

Outdoor Yoga
Now that the warm spring weather is here, why not practice yoga outdoors? I love to practice outside, especially by the ocean. Out in the fresh air, any of the asanas or breathing techniques quickly oxygenates your entire body.

There's another element at work outside, too—negative ions. These negatively charged particles in the air are found in great numbers in forests and around oceans, rivers, or streams. Negative ions make you feel alert and invigorated and reduce anxiety and depression. According to researchers, this is because they increase our capacity to absorb and utilize oxygen so that it reaches our cells and tissues more quickly. That's a remarkably similar effect to that of hatha yoga, so why not combine the two for a double dose of feel-good energy!

Wai Lana's Healthy Lifestyle Tips

Relax with Wailana Music

When I've been really stressed out, can't think right, and am really irritable, usually what works to calm me down is when I pop in one of Wailana's music CDs. It just changes my whole vibe, my whole outlook, makes it much easier, better.

Ahhh.. and for her Little Yogis cd and songs? OH the kids just love it. :) They're good fun for the rest of us too. I love singing along with them when my nieces and nephews listen and sing them.

Yoga Food- Eating for the Season

Eat
Eat for the Season
Fit Yoga
November 2006

By Wai Lana

By mid-October, there is nothing my body craves more than a sweet-tart crunchy apple fresh off the tree, still glistening with dew. An apple in the springtime simply isn’t the same, and my body knows it. Just as I prefer to wear a ski jacket in a blizzard or a sundress in a heatwave, or ice skate in winter and picnic in summer, I like to adjust my diet according to the climate and time of year.

Traditionally, autumn is a time to gather the harvest, wrap up in warm clothes, and retreat indoors for the cooler weather. As the flowering, expansive energy of summer gives way to the contracting energy of the fall, we go inward on many levels. Both Ayurveda and Chinese medicine therefore advise us to prepare food according to this shifting energy, staying in sync with the influences of autumn. This means eating hearty foods that are concentrated with nutrition and cooking them at lower temperatures for longer periods of time. Doing this enables our food to gather energy and warmth that will fuel our bodies through the coming winter.

Dense vegetables such as roots, tubers, corn, and winter squash, as well as nuts and seeds, are perfect ways to nourish and thicken the blood—another perk in frigid weather. Warming spices like ginger, mustard seeds, and cinnamon also taste right, as do members of the onion family (i.e., garlic and leek). In addition to generating heat in your body, these foods also support your immune system for the imminent cold and flu season.

By nature, sour foods stimulate contraction and are therefore beneficial for reining in the more scattered energy of a playful summer and promoting the mental focus we need for work or study. For instance, lemons, limes, yogurt, sourdough breads, and, of course, tart apples are ideal fare for the season, as are vinegars, sauerkraut, and pickles—though with these, a little goes a long way.

As the leaves change from vibrant green to all shades of red and yellow and then to brittle browns, it’s easy to see one of the most obvious characteristics of autumn: dryness. To offset the drying influence, it’s good to include moistening foods, such as pears, apples, honey, nuts, seeds, and soy products like tofu and soymilk. Barley and millet are also nourishing, as are all kinds of edible mushrooms.

There’s nothing more inviting on a brisk autumn day than coming home to the wonderful aromas of a tasty soup simmering on the stove. So keep your kitchen warm, welcoming, and smelling good with nutritious food to nourish and nurture your loved ones.

RECIPE
Mellow Potato Curry

Mellow Potato Curry
Beautifully textured and laced with warming curry spices like cumin, mustard, and chili, this mellow, delicious soup is a silken delight for the palate. Though elegant and great for entertaining, it’s also agreeable family fare—especially served with crispy vegetable samosas and basmati rice.

Ingredients
7 cups water
6 cups cubed Yukon Gold potato (about 6 potatoes)
3 cups cubed butternut or other sweet squash (about 1½ pounds)
1½ teaspoons madras curry powder
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons salt or to taste
4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil
1½ cups finely cubed extra-firm tofu
1½ cups finely sliced leek (about 2 leeks)
1/2 cup unsalted peanut butter*
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/4 cup finely diced zucchini
2 tablespoons minced cilantro or mint leaves (optional)

*If using salted peanut butter, reduce the salt by 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to taste.
Procedure

1. Place the water, potato, squash, curry powder, pepper, and 2½ teaspoons of the salt in a 5-quart pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the potato and squash are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or olive oil over high heat in a medium skillet and add the tofu, leek, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pan-fry for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden on most sides. Set aside.
3. Remove 2 cups of broth and 2 cups of tender potatoes and squash, place in a blender along with the peanut butter, and blend until smooth. Return to the soup and stir through.
4. Add the tofu and half of the leek to the soup (reserve the rest for garnishing). Then, using the same frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle for about 20 to 30 seconds until the seeds turn a dark brown, then add the mustard seeds and chili flakes. Sizzle for another 5 to 10 seconds, then immediately add to the soup. Watch out for sputter!
5. Add the zucchini and cilantro or mint (optional) to the soup, remove from the heat, and let it sit for a couple minutes to let the zucchini soften slightly. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the reserved leek, and serve.

Hands-on prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Makes about 12 cups

Wai Lana hosts the long-running TV series Wai Lana Yoga, which airs nationally on PBS. She is the author of Wai Lana’s Favorite Juices and the new Wai Lana’s Favorite Soups. For more information, please visit wailana.com.

Wai Lana's Biography

It would be difficult, if not impossible, to find anyone as influential as Wai Lana in bringing yoga to the mainstream. Her internationally aired TV series continuously attracts a huge audience and plays a key role in yoga’s skyrocketing popularity. Famous for making it easy and effective, Wai Lana excels at making the ancient art of yoga a life-enhancing experience for anyone who practices along with her.

Wai Lana is not only a beautiful and charming modern-day yoga advocate, but also a highly energetic and prolific artist. She has produced several yoga videos and DVDs for people of all levels, published books, designed kids’ products, recorded music and meditation albums, and produced and hosted nearly two hundred half-hour television programs of yoga instruction. Wai Lana is one of the most well known yoga teachers in the world today. Her daily yoga TV shows are regularly watched by millions of people around the globe on five continents, including in the United States, where her shows appear nationwide on many PBS stations.

Along with co-directing and hosting her TV shows, Wai Lana also designs the colorful clothes and flower garlands she wears during production. She travels the world to shoot her projects in the world’s most beautiful, pristine locations in order to create inspiring visuals for her audience. Instructing us from the breathtaking coastlines of California and Hawaii to the snow-capped mountains of New Zealand to the spectacular red rock deserts of Sedona, Wai Lana has become a favorite of viewers of all ages—from preschoolers to great-grandparents.

Among Wai Lana's most recent endeavors is her Little Yogis line for children. Two lively, colorful DVD workouts combine live action, catchy songs, and playful cartoons to make yoga fun for kids. She also gives us her Daydream CD and DVD to help children calm down and rest with soothing sights and melodious sounds. Her Little Yogis card games and coloring books are also a delight for the family with hours of fun and games. An artistic accomplishment in itself, Wai Lana’s beautifully illustrated Fun Exercise book is filled with charming characters, funny jokes, playful activities, and secret surprises to get kids exercising and loving it.

As a yoga practitioner and vegetarian for over twenty years, Wai Lana’s commitment to good health couldn’t be more evident than in the luscious, mouth-watering recipes she shares in her popular book, Wai Lana’s Favorite Juices.

Well known by now are Wai Lana’s yoga exercise videos and DVDs. The Easy Yoga Series is now available around the world in different languages, as is her second series, Hello Fitness Yoga. A third, Fun Challenge, targets intermediate and more advanced levels. She also has a new series in the works.

Her faithful exercise products continue to impress with their quality, durability, and fashionable designs. Whether it’s a cushy Yoga & Pilates Mat or a body-sculpting exercise ball, Wai Lana is firm in her goal to bring people the best quality for the best prices.

The latest addition to her array of user-friendly products are her fusion fitness kits, which combine yoga and Pilates exercise with resistance training to make for fast, focused fitness on the go. Lightweight and portable, these simple accessories, like resistance bands and cords, stow easily in a briefcase or suitcase to help busy people stay fit. Each kit includes a yoga and Pilates-inspired video/DVD for the most effective body-mind workouts available.

In addition to the spectacular scenic backgrounds, all of Wai Lana’s productions feature beautiful, soothing soundtracks to help viewers relax and let go of stress while they exercise. Including many original vocal recordings of her own, Wai Lana’s yoga music has attracted an audience of its own.

The soundtracks from her yoga DVDs feature songs from the albums, Yoga Music of the Heart and Yoga Sound. These are just the first of several albums Wai Lana will be releasing in the category of New Age/Relaxation music.

To the serene and warm-hearted Wai Lana, the teaching of yoga is not a business but an important service to the global community. She has dedicated her life to this endeavor, and what began in a small way has grown very quickly.

Wai Lana has traveled the world for the past fifteen years, working with dedicated professionals from different countries to produce the highest quality work in every field into which she ventures. This has earned Wai Lana unmatched admiration and made her a household name. Wai Lana’s popularity and recognition is certain to increase as she continues to make the timeless gift of yoga easy and effective for millions more.

Wailana's Biography