We could start a long debate about TV -the pros and cons, whether it has educational value etc.  Personally I am not a fan of TV at all. Our household didn’t have one till I was about 12 years old. We only watched a couple of shows on the weekend. I don’t own one at the moment, it has never been a big part of my life.

Anyway, I found some information which I want to share with you:

Researchers at the University of San Diego (USA) studied 546 children (aged 4 to 17 years old) and their TV viewing habits. Those children were already overweight.

The children in the study who watched more than 2 hours of TV a day had a 2.5 fold risk of developing high blood pressure. Those who watched 4 hours a day or more, had a 3.3 fold increase in the risk of developing high blood pressure.  Of course, watching too much TV also increased the chance of getting even more overweight.

My opinion is that watching TV triggers a physical stress response. The longer you sit in front of the TV, the more sustained the stress response is, it becomes chronic. That leads to chronically elevated bloodpressure.

It would be interesting to know whether TV also increases blood pressure in children who are not overweight.  My guess is that it might, but it may self-regulate again, once they get away from the TV. In overweight children the combination of increased weight and stress may lead to permanently elevated blood pressure for a number of reasons.

I am explaining the stress response and its effects in great detail in my upcoming new book which will be for sale shortly.

The lesson is: TV only in moderation for children and adults alike!

Connie,

Your Yoga Partner

from

http://www.yogainahurry.com

I visited the Yoga Expo in Sydney last Sunday. It was amazing how it has grown from very humble beginnings into a major event.

I listened to workshops and panel discussions. I watched some awsome yoga demonstrations. It is incredible what can be achieved with regular and very dedicated practice.

I will be sharing some of the information with you over time.

This morning I did a Blog Talk Radio Show with my business partner Charly Leetham and we were discussing Ashtanga Yoga during the first part of the show.

Go to the blog talk radio icon in the side bar and you can listen to the recording of our show. Also, go to http://www.stretchyourmindandbody.com/blog and have a look at today’s  post over there, you will find links to videos and Ashtanga Yoga sites.

Till next time,

Connie

Your Yoga Partner

from

http://www.yogainahurry.com

I just came across an interesting article. Studies have shown that yoga actually helps to manage or improve Metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster symptoms including high blood pressure, obesity, elevated blood sugar levels and high cholesterol.

Studies have shown how yoga can be beneficial in controlling these problems.

Read more here:
http://in.reuters.com/article/health/idINSAT87408420071228

Connie
Your Yoga Partner
from
http://www.yogainahurry.com

Chakras are a very complex energy system that bascically “makes us tick”.

Here is a brief overview:

Chakras are energy centres located thoughout our body along our spine.

There are 7 main chakras and they have the colours of the rainbow.

Starting from the base of the spine:

• Base Chakra - red
• 2nd Chakra - orange
• 3rd Chakra - yellow
• 4th Chakra - green or pink
• 5th Chakra - blue
• 6th Chakra - indigo/dark purple
• 7th Chakra - light purple, white or rainbow coloured (white contains all the colours of the rainbow)

Each Chakra needs to be balanced within itself, that means it must not be too strong and overbearing but it also must not to be too weak.

All Chakras need to be balanced amongst themselves, so they all function to their full potential and are equally strong. They are all carry equal importance.

Chakras are responsible for our physical and mental wellbeing. Each one governs a certain area of the physical body and is also responsible for a range of emotions.

There are many different ways to keep chakras balanced and healthy. One of them is regular yoga practice which establishes a good energy flow within the body and throughout the chakras.

Countless meditation and visualisation processes have been designed around the chakras. Find one you resonate with, one that you like and incorporate it into your daily life.

Connie,

Your Yoga Partner

from

http://www.yogainahurry.com

Juan and Connie in Sydney October 2008

Last week I had to visit my dentist right in the centre of the city. As I walked through the pedestrian mall there was a man standing with a huge sign saying “Free Hugs”.

I had seen a lot of youTube video about Free Hugs, how it started and how the police tried to prevent him from dispensing his free hugs.

I went up to get my hug. I started chatting to the man and it turned out that he actually was the originator of the campaign, Juan Mann. He said that he was really good friends with the police now and he was in the mall every Thursday.

You can find more information about him on http://www.freehugsguide.com

He has some interesting information about the beneficial effects of hugs on his site. In yoga terms this is real “Heart Chakra” action.

Connie,

Your Yoga Partner

from

http://www.yogainahurry.com