Medical Yoga and Integrative Yoga involves employing a variety of yogic practices to help improve a health condition. Even when the disease itself cannot be cured, yoga as medicine can benefit the person with the disease in numerous ways. Among the yogic tools used therapeutically are asana (physical postures), pranayama (breathing techniques) and meditation (including mindfulness and guided imagery). These yogic practices and other holistic, integrative medicine treatments can provide many benefits to children, adolescents and adults, especially those with ongoing health problems.

These practices have been shown to lower stress and the effects of stress-related illnesses, improve concentration, improve physical health, diminish pain and support brain development. Stress has been linked to a wide variety of medical problems from migraine headaches and irritable bowel syndrome to potentially life-threatening conditions like heart disease and diabetes. Since persistently high levels of stress hormones can undermine function of the immune system as well as disturb mood, resulting in increased symptoms such as depression and anxiety, here too, yoga can be particularly beneficial."

This workshop will explore recent research into Yoga and Stress and other common issues in our society today.

Topics covered will include:

* Depression
* Anxiety
* PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder)
* Hypertension
* Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* Women Issues (hormones, teenagers, childbearing years, menopause)
* Chronic Joint Pain (arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain)

This workshop can go towards 4 hours of YA teachers CEU hours.