1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. 2 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:09,920 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff Mom never told you? 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: From house stuffworks dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 4 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 1: I'm Kristen and I'm Caroline, And maybe we should start 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 1: the soft Caroline where it's inhaling. Oh not significate microphoe. 6 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, Sorry, it's deeply inhaling. We're talking about yoga today, 7 00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 1: and I thought of doing this topic while in yoga 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 1: class last weekend. I was Caroline and I had been 9 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: emailing back and forth about what to talk about in 10 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:51,159 Speaker 1: the next week the coming week's podcast, and as I 11 00:00:51,200 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 1: was in a downward dog, it hit me, Hey, why 12 00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: don't you talk about yoga. Yeah. There's actually been a 13 00:00:57,720 --> 00:01:00,320 Speaker 1: lot in the news lately about how, oh my god, 14 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: yoga is gonna kill you. You can really hurt yourself, 15 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 1: and I've kind of skimmed those articles and I've been 16 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,480 Speaker 1: a little skeptical. Just uh, I mean, I agree that 17 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:10,280 Speaker 1: you could probably hurt yourself. I have taken yoga classes 18 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: where I've been pushed a little too far by some 19 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: over zealous instructors. So yeah, you can definitely get some 20 00:01:16,440 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: over extension problems. Um. But before we get into the 21 00:01:21,959 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 1: dangers of yoga and why yoga is suddenly making headlines, 22 00:01:28,440 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 1: let's talk a little bit about what yoga is exactly 23 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: and how it became popular in the United States. Because 24 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,399 Speaker 1: popular it is. Indeed, um thanks Madonna. Yes, thanks to 25 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: partially to Madonna. Around fifteen point eight million Americans practice 26 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:47,960 Speaker 1: yoga as of two thousand eight. That number may now 27 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:51,840 Speaker 1: be closer to twenty million as of two thousand eleven. 28 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 1: And with all of that yoga ng it is now 29 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,440 Speaker 1: a six billion dollar industry, which is not surprising if 30 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: you go into a store like Lulaman, which is the 31 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:08,359 Speaker 1: quintessential yoga supply store, because yoga pants and fensa, yoga tops, 32 00:02:08,360 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: and yoga towels. I need a yoga towel, for instance. 33 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: It is take like a hand towel. You can take 34 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: a hand towel to yoga. But I'm talking about when, 35 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: especially if you take Bikram or hot yoga, which I 36 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 1: have done, you gotta have a towel and take the 37 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: whole beach towel. Yeah, but there are these special towels 38 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:30,080 Speaker 1: that specially wick away your special yoga sweat for a 39 00:02:30,160 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: special price of like two thousand dollars. Yeah, and I 40 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,000 Speaker 1: think all you said there were what twenty million people 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,080 Speaker 1: who do yoga, Yes, I think all of them were 42 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:39,959 Speaker 1: in my hot yoga class. When I took it for 43 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: a couple of months, it was crowded, a little crowded. 44 00:02:42,919 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: There was there was one of those half off coupons. 45 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 1: People flocked to it. You can tell how angry all 46 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: the regulars were. I stuck with it for a while 47 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,960 Speaker 1: until I almost died. That's why we're talking about this 48 00:02:54,560 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 1: yoga as it's probably known that it is an ancient 49 00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 1: tradition from India and first mentioned in a text called 50 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:08,560 Speaker 1: the Vadas just five thousand years old. And the word 51 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: yoga comes from the sandscript for union or yolk, and 52 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:20,119 Speaker 1: that union implied is the joining of the mind and body. 53 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: And a lot of these these yoga tenants were orally 54 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 1: passed down. They weren't written down, so so we don't 55 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: really know when the poses got more of the focus. Yes, 56 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: but in the nineteenth century, a member of the royal 57 00:03:37,680 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: family in a region in India where one of the 58 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: first how to books to include poses, and a century 59 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: after that, the Maharajah invited a yoga teacher known for 60 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:52,520 Speaker 1: his mastery of what was that asanas or poses, and 61 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: this particular teacher had begun teaching ashtanga yoga. Kristen, she's nodding. 62 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,320 Speaker 1: It's a vigorous routine of flowing postures. So we're getting 63 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:03,320 Speaker 1: into more with the focus on the physical instead of 64 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: um the rest of the other seven limbs of yoga, 65 00:04:07,800 --> 00:04:13,000 Speaker 1: which involves spirituality, breathing, enlightenment. And this method was eventually 66 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:15,280 Speaker 1: passed on and evolved into the forms that we're used 67 00:04:15,280 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 1: to seeing today. Should we mention the what they ate 68 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 1: limbs of yoga are because I feel like this provides 69 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,440 Speaker 1: the theoretical background of why people started doing yoga in 70 00:04:26,520 --> 00:04:29,239 Speaker 1: the first place, and then we'll explain how that relates 71 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: to the more gym and cardio fitness yoga that's so 72 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: popular today. So you have the yama which your first 73 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:41,080 Speaker 1: the ethical standards of yoga, such as uh doing no 74 00:04:41,240 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 1: harm unto others in that crowded beak room classroom, Caroline 75 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 1: should not have elbowed anyone. Not okay, she's so accusatory. 76 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 1: Ni yama refers to the guidelines of self discipline, which 77 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 1: makes a lot of sense. It does take self discipline 78 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: for me to drag my behind and do yoga class. 79 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 1: Sometimes Asana, which are the poses, also refers to the 80 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,280 Speaker 1: physical exercise of yoga, and then prana yama refers to 81 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: breath control, which is a means of linking the mind 82 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: and the body, going back to that sanscrit of union 83 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 1: or yog um. For instance, in the yoga that I take, 84 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: we practice j i E Breath, which sounds like you 85 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: are breathing harshly through your throat, sort of constricting your 86 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,600 Speaker 1: your throat to have an audible breath, which you're supposed 87 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,920 Speaker 1: to pay attention to to help keep you focused as 88 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:36,480 Speaker 1: you move through all the exercises. And in the final 89 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:42,800 Speaker 1: four are Pratyahara, do Ana, Diata, and Somebody. And I 90 00:05:42,880 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 1: know that my pronunciations are probably not quite spot on 91 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: for any yogi's out there and all of those involved 92 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: transcending the physical world concentration on one thing such as 93 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,719 Speaker 1: an austina meditating on nothing at all, this comes up 94 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: a lot in yoga as well. You're you're clearing your 95 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: mind of anything except moving your body into these specific poses. 96 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,039 Speaker 1: And then the somebody, which was the last one I mentioned, 97 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,080 Speaker 1: refers to the ultimate goal of yoga, which is a 98 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 1: transcendental state of the self where you realize your interconnection 99 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,080 Speaker 1: with the divine and living things. Yes, and I wonder 100 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: if Madonna feels the connection. I'm sure she does. She 101 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,920 Speaker 1: is actually my friend Emily, who is a yoga genius 102 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: and she's been practicing and teaching forever. Uh, kind of 103 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: blamed Madonna or credited credited her as as However, you 104 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 1: look at it um with sort of helping yoga get 105 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: into the mainstream, because you know, she's pretty ripped and 106 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: and people tend to kind of idealize the yoga body, 107 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: like how live you can get and limber and everything, 108 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,200 Speaker 1: and so yeah, my friend was talking about how in 109 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:52,200 Speaker 1: the ninety nineties people started getting more involved with yoga 110 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: as a way to get in shape and lose weight, 111 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: and it sort of started to lose that spirituality aspect. 112 00:06:58,080 --> 00:07:01,400 Speaker 1: Right now, the most typical kind of yoga that we'll 113 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:04,839 Speaker 1: see in the States is hatha yoga, which emphasizes the 114 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 1: asana and prana yama limbs of yoga, which are the 115 00:07:09,000 --> 00:07:14,239 Speaker 1: physical exercises combined with breathing control. And Caroline, It's interesting 116 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 1: you bring up Madonna because that celebrity yoga connection UM 117 00:07:19,840 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 1: is not a new thing. It didn't start in the 118 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:27,760 Speaker 1: ninety nineties. It actually came from that Mysore Palace in 119 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 1: India where yoga really started to spread around um the 120 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: East and then coming over to the West. And one 121 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: teacher in particular named Indra Devi trained at that palace 122 00:07:39,840 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: and then she took her skills to Hollywood where she 123 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: recruited stars such as Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson, and Marilyn Monroe. Yeah, 124 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: there's a picture of Marilyn Monroe. What is it the 125 00:07:49,200 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: backbo Yeah, the bo pose. And supposedly Marilyn Monroe gave 126 00:07:55,080 --> 00:08:01,200 Speaker 1: credit to her yoga for her great legs. Interesting. Yeah, well, 127 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: so now we have power yoga where people flow quickly 128 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: from one move to the next, and bickram slash hot yoga, 129 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: which we talked about earlier, where the room is above 130 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: a hundred degrees and this is supposed to help you 131 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:17,120 Speaker 1: limber up, loosen your muscles, and remove toxins faster. Or 132 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: if you're me, pass out. Did you pass out? Well? 133 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: I got really close two times. Because you can't eat 134 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: too much or too little. You've got to hit that 135 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 1: that very fine line before you go to hot yoga 136 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: and spent an hour in a really hot room or 137 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:35,160 Speaker 1: ninety minutes as the case maybe. And uh, my last 138 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: time in hot yoga ever, I did it for several months. 139 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: Um it was a substitute teacher because my teacher was 140 00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: out and this woman who was really really made for 141 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:47,280 Speaker 1: the advanced classes came in and made us do all 142 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: this stuff and I almost passed out. I just halfway 143 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: through the class just rolled at my man left because 144 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: you shouldn't push yourself. You can hurt yourself. I've only 145 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,679 Speaker 1: taken hot yoga once and it was a couple of 146 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,679 Speaker 1: weeks ago, and I can completely identify with that. I 147 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,600 Speaker 1: may get it through the class, but I definitely had 148 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: to sit out of a couple of exercises because it 149 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: was it was so intense that heat. Once there was 150 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:12,560 Speaker 1: sort of a hump that I got over finally, but 151 00:09:12,600 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 1: then at one point I started to get chills, and 152 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 1: thankfully it was towards the end of the class. And uh, yeah, 153 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: is intense. Yeah, but one of the problems, I mean, 154 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,520 Speaker 1: it's it can be enjoyable. I I enjoyed it, especially 155 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: when it was winter and I'd go spend an hour 156 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 1: in a in a hot room. But one of the 157 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,000 Speaker 1: problems with it is that it does make you feel 158 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:36,920 Speaker 1: like you're more limber than you are, and so it 159 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,480 Speaker 1: is possible to overextend, which is one of the main 160 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 1: injuries is muscle over extension that yoga teachers see. And 161 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 1: even though Hatha and bakraum are two of the most 162 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: common ones that we'll hear about, there are some other 163 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,280 Speaker 1: types of hatha yoga. A younger yoga, for instance, is 164 00:09:55,360 --> 00:09:59,840 Speaker 1: meant to practice postures or Austina's held for a long 165 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:04,240 Speaker 1: ger period of time that focuses more on your alignment. 166 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:07,439 Speaker 1: And then you can also take jiv amok to yoga, 167 00:10:07,480 --> 00:10:10,680 Speaker 1: which delves deeper into some of the more spiritual elements 168 00:10:10,679 --> 00:10:14,880 Speaker 1: of yoga, really focusing on that mind body union. Right, 169 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: this is my yoga voice. If you haven't noticed yoga 170 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 1: slash npr um, well, there are other benefits of yoga, 171 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 1: definitely besides just that that connection that you're talking about, Kristen, 172 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 1: this is a scary voice that I had, y old you, 173 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: old smoking grandmother exactly. They're one and the same. Um. 174 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: According to web m d and according to anyone who's 175 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: ever taken yoga for any length of time, the stretching 176 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: releases all that built up lactic acid that builds up 177 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:50,079 Speaker 1: in your muscles and causes stiffness, stiffness and pain, and 178 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: breathing exercises can improve lung capacity and stimulate relaxation responses, 179 00:10:55,160 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: and you get this decrease in I'm sorry if I 180 00:10:57,840 --> 00:11:01,600 Speaker 1: butcher it catacholamines, which is the hormone produced by the 181 00:11:01,600 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: adrenal gland in response to stress, and so it also 182 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:08,800 Speaker 1: lowers blood pressure and slows your heart rate. Right um. 183 00:11:08,840 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: A lot of times when you hear about yoga, these 184 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:14,400 Speaker 1: kinds of health benefits are touted over and over and 185 00:11:14,440 --> 00:11:18,520 Speaker 1: over again. Um. In addition to what you mentioned, Caroline, 186 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:21,000 Speaker 1: you're building, you know, the basic muscle strength. It can 187 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:24,760 Speaker 1: ease constipation. There you go about that. You don't even 188 00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 1: need yogurt for that, right um. And then it also 189 00:11:28,679 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 1: eases symptoms of chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, arthritis, 190 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:39,680 Speaker 1: back pain. But one reason why research on the therapeutic 191 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,959 Speaker 1: effects of yoga is still kind of thin is because 192 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 1: pharmaceutical companies fund a lot of clinical trials and they 193 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: don't have that huge of an interest in funding yoga trials. 194 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 1: Because you can't condense the effects of those autinas and 195 00:11:56,920 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 1: all of that Jai breath down into a pill exactly. 196 00:12:01,559 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: But the question is the question that we must get to, 197 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 1: the question everyone's minds, Caroline, is it safe? Is yoga safe? 198 00:12:11,559 --> 00:12:16,319 Speaker 1: Yoga is safe if you do it correctly and correctly 199 00:12:16,360 --> 00:12:19,720 Speaker 1: using quotes because it's different for everybody, and that sounds 200 00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:24,640 Speaker 1: like pretty much any type of exercise except maybe maybe 201 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:29,640 Speaker 1: like slow walking. Um, you can still trip trip all 202 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,280 Speaker 1: the time. I run into door frames. Nothing is safe 203 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,480 Speaker 1: for me. There was one uh notable incident in college 204 00:12:36,559 --> 00:12:41,320 Speaker 1: when before class I went jogging, tripped, skinned not one, 205 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: but both of my knees, and then had to go 206 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:48,760 Speaker 1: to class walking through the entire campus with two just bloodied, 207 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,760 Speaker 1: heinous kneecaps. In high school one time I fell up 208 00:12:52,800 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: the stairs. So it's a miracle I make it through 209 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:01,439 Speaker 1: daily life. Um, but but yoga though I still have not. 210 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 1: I haven't managed to skin my knees in yoga. So 211 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,040 Speaker 1: am I am? I good to go? Well, there are 212 00:13:07,040 --> 00:13:09,880 Speaker 1: definitely some concerns that are a little bit deeper than 213 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:13,160 Speaker 1: skinning knees, although I'm sure that's painful. According to a 214 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:17,240 Speaker 1: New York Times article from January five, Yoga can wreck 215 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,200 Speaker 1: your body. They're not asking if it can, but they're 216 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 1: telling you how it can. And it is scary. Yeah. 217 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:26,320 Speaker 1: This is coming from a book published by a New 218 00:13:26,360 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 1: York Times reporter William J. Broad called The Science of 219 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: Yoga The Risks and Rewards. Now from the get go, 220 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 1: let us let us point out the fact that I 221 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,400 Speaker 1: think William J. Broad, while he clearly did do his research, 222 00:13:40,600 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 1: he's got a little beef against yoga. He's got a 223 00:13:42,800 --> 00:13:47,599 Speaker 1: personal bone to pick with yoga because during an extended 224 00:13:47,679 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: side angle pose, which can be tough on your back, 225 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: you've got to ease into it. Basically, if you've never 226 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,360 Speaker 1: taken yoga, think of an extended side angle is having 227 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: your your legs spread out and and just leaning over 228 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 1: really far to one side. And while doing this he 229 00:14:05,280 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: threw his back out because of a previous injury he had, 230 00:14:08,360 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 1: he had ruptured a disk in his lower back and 231 00:14:10,600 --> 00:14:14,320 Speaker 1: was actually taking yoga as a form of therapy for 232 00:14:14,440 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 1: his back side angled too hard and problem. According to 233 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 1: Glenn Black, who is a yoga teacher, that William Broad 234 00:14:25,480 --> 00:14:28,400 Speaker 1: talked to the vast majority of people should just give 235 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: it up, give up yoga. Altogether, because you are so 236 00:14:31,560 --> 00:14:34,280 Speaker 1: likely to hurt yourself that it's not even worth it. 237 00:14:34,640 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: On a side note, Um, when I first read this 238 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 1: article about Glenn Black, the yoga teacher, I kept reading 239 00:14:40,080 --> 00:14:44,800 Speaker 1: it as Glenn Beck and it it really got things 240 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 1: going off on a on a strange start in my brain. Um, Yes, 241 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:52,120 Speaker 1: he thinks that Glenn Black, not Glenn Beck. Um ended 242 00:14:52,200 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 1: up undergoing spinal surgery because of sustained injury from practicing 243 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 1: yoga for number of decades, even though his specialty is 244 00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 1: rehabilitating people who had sustained injuries from yoga. Yeah, he 245 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: underwent spinal surgery in after developing spinal stenosis. And it 246 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,800 Speaker 1: sounds horrific. It's a condition in which the openings between 247 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,080 Speaker 1: the vertebrae begin to narrow, compressing spinal nerves and causing 248 00:15:19,120 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: excruciating pain. And without treatment, he said he might have 249 00:15:22,040 --> 00:15:25,960 Speaker 1: actually lost the ability to walk. And when Broad asked him, Uh, 250 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: you know, do you think it's just aging, like maybe 251 00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 1: you know your body is just worn down, your old man, 252 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: he said, Nope, it's yoga. Well. Black makes a good 253 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:39,280 Speaker 1: point about why yoga might not be for everyone, because 254 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: it certainly takes a lot of core strength to move 255 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:46,240 Speaker 1: your body down, up and sideways, um and twisting it 256 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:51,040 Speaker 1: every which way. And he points out that the contemporary 257 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 1: body and how it basically sits in an office chair 258 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 1: all day long, it's not very well prepared to walk 259 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 1: into a yoga studio and grab your feet behind your 260 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: back and pull right. I am from years of sitting 261 00:16:06,160 --> 00:16:09,360 Speaker 1: in a desk chair at the newspaper, and even now, UM, 262 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: I still have hip flexibility problems. So when I take 263 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 1: pilates or something, I have to be really careful about 264 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: some of the poses and stretches I go into because 265 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 1: things start popping and I get this look on my 266 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 1: face and the teacher comes over. She's like, Oh my god, 267 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,480 Speaker 1: are you okay like to worry about me. It's just 268 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,840 Speaker 1: my hips. I'm a desk rat. It's fine, but yeah. 269 00:16:29,280 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: Black says that yoga is for people in good physical condition, 270 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,840 Speaker 1: or it can be used therapeutically. It really shouldn't be 271 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:39,840 Speaker 1: for a general class. And the whole issue that William J. Broad, 272 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:44,160 Speaker 1: who wrote the book Science of Yoga, takes with how 273 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 1: yoga has been promoted is he says that there have 274 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,200 Speaker 1: been documented injury reports in journals such as Neurology, the 275 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: British Medical Journal, and the Journal of the American Medical Association, 276 00:16:56,080 --> 00:17:01,560 Speaker 1: but they have been completely ignored by a yoga, famous 277 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:06,879 Speaker 1: yogis and uh seminal books that have promoted yoga. For instance, 278 00:17:06,920 --> 00:17:10,440 Speaker 1: he quotes Swami gets Nanda, a yoga guru who made 279 00:17:10,560 --> 00:17:14,440 Speaker 1: ten world tours and has founded ashrams on several continents, 280 00:17:14,640 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: who said that real yoga is as safe as mother's milk, 281 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:25,040 Speaker 1: to which William J. Broad would say, poisoned mother's milk. Yikes, 282 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:27,760 Speaker 1: that is so intense. But yeah, I mean it's true. 283 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 1: It's it is safe and it is healthy, and I 284 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: mean I love yoga, but you can't if you do 285 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: it wrong, you can really hurt yourself. Well, let's point 286 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:43,399 Speaker 1: out the specific kinds of injuries that William jay Broad 287 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:47,679 Speaker 1: brings to light, such as yoga foot drop, which is 288 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: an unresponsive peripheral branch of the sciatic nerve deprived of oxygen, 289 00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:57,720 Speaker 1: deadening it in a certain pose called of as rosina, 290 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 1: which is when you are seed it with your shins 291 00:18:01,119 --> 00:18:03,680 Speaker 1: underneath you sort of like if if you kneel down 292 00:18:03,680 --> 00:18:06,719 Speaker 1: to prey, you would be in a vagasina, right. But 293 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:09,200 Speaker 1: he's also this is also a case study of people 294 00:18:09,320 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: sitting in vagasina for a real long time. Yeah, that 295 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: one guy they were they were talking about had been 296 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 1: sitting in it for hours every day, like hours and hours. 297 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:20,639 Speaker 1: And then they talked to a woman who, um, was 298 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 1: she doing a headstand and she either went into it 299 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,959 Speaker 1: too hard, she just put too much weight on her 300 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,600 Speaker 1: very delicate neck and ended up suffering a stroke afterward. Yeah, 301 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: the whole stroke issue, um might might raise the most 302 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,800 Speaker 1: red flags with people because depending on the kind of 303 00:18:37,359 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: headstand as you mentioned and other poses, Uman, you can 304 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:44,800 Speaker 1: reduce your blood flow to the basil or artery that 305 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:49,680 Speaker 1: feeds different structures in your brain and can possibly induce 306 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:56,040 Speaker 1: a stroke. Right broadsides two research by neurophysiologist W. Richie 307 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: Russell who said that some posts could cause strokes and 308 00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:02,120 Speaker 1: brain injuries could even occur from over extending the neck. 309 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:05,080 Speaker 1: He said that extreme motions of the head and neck 310 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,320 Speaker 1: could end up producing clots and swelling. And we're not 311 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: done yet. People who are now probably a little concerned 312 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,400 Speaker 1: about their yoga class that they might be taking after 313 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: they lit in to this podcast. There are lower back 314 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: injuries that are commonly cited among yoga instructors, and this 315 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 1: is not surprising to me. There have been times when 316 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,919 Speaker 1: I have gone into um a wheel posture, which is 317 00:19:28,119 --> 00:19:32,560 Speaker 1: basically a backbend, and thought to myself, Hey, you know what, Kristen, 318 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:36,480 Speaker 1: you should not be in a backbend right now. Exactly 319 00:19:36,560 --> 00:19:39,439 Speaker 1: your back was not properly warmed up from it. Yeah. 320 00:19:39,440 --> 00:19:43,200 Speaker 1: Columbia Research team published a survey of yoga teachers, therapists, 321 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,080 Speaker 1: and doctors in two thousand nine asking what were the 322 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:49,199 Speaker 1: most serious yoga related injuries that they've seen. They sided, 323 00:19:49,280 --> 00:19:53,200 Speaker 1: like you said, lower back is number one, shoulder, knee, neck, 324 00:19:53,920 --> 00:19:57,080 Speaker 1: and then stroke came in very distant towards the end. 325 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:01,640 Speaker 1: It's rare, but it's a risk. And yoga has become 326 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:05,200 Speaker 1: more popular in the United States in recent years. There's 327 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: also been an uptick in the number of emergency room 328 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 1: visits caused by yoga injuries. Right according to the Consumer 329 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:17,600 Speaker 1: Product Safety Commission in two thousand, there were thirteen such visits, 330 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,480 Speaker 1: in two thousand one twenty, and in two thousand two 331 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 1: that number had risen to forty six. But if you 332 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 1: take a look at the combined e er and doctor's 333 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,320 Speaker 1: room or doctor's office visits. This is from the Huffington's 334 00:20:30,320 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 1: post from two thousand seven, Kristen there were it's fifty 335 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 1: five hundred emergency room and doctor's office visits, which works 336 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,160 Speaker 1: out to about three point five injuries for every ten 337 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:48,640 Speaker 1: thousand yoga practitioners. And this is coming from a column 338 00:20:48,640 --> 00:20:53,320 Speaker 1: by doctor even Norlock Smith. And three point five out 339 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:56,080 Speaker 1: of ten thousand practitioners. That might seem like some some 340 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: dicey odds, but then she says, well, hey, let's compare 341 00:20:59,320 --> 00:21:03,800 Speaker 1: that to golf thing injury, right, And injuries related to 342 00:21:03,880 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: golfing are three point nine out of every one thousand 343 00:21:08,920 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: golf players much more common to sustain an injury on 344 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: the greens than on your yoga mat, right, I mean 345 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:19,399 Speaker 1: you're doing all that swing in with clubs and stuff, 346 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:23,320 Speaker 1: and all that that dangerous golf cart driving recklessly around 347 00:21:23,359 --> 00:21:27,920 Speaker 1: the from T to t. Put the mint you look down. Um. 348 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 1: She also looked at weight training injuries and said that 349 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:37,200 Speaker 1: between two thousand seven, nine hundred and seventy thousand people 350 00:21:37,280 --> 00:21:40,120 Speaker 1: went to the e er with weight training injuries. Oh 351 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:42,640 Speaker 1: and that's that's not surprising to me at all, because 352 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:44,919 Speaker 1: a lot of times with yoga, at least you have 353 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 1: an instructor, whereas with weight training, a lot of times 354 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:49,840 Speaker 1: you will see some folks out there at the gym 355 00:21:49,840 --> 00:21:53,560 Speaker 1: who are just gung ho on their own, and some 356 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: iron exactly yeah and and and they don't monitor what 357 00:21:57,600 --> 00:21:58,879 Speaker 1: they're doing very well. I feel like there are a 358 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:00,399 Speaker 1: lot of people who just yank the way it's up. 359 00:22:00,920 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: But it's funny that you say gung ho because my 360 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,480 Speaker 1: friend Emily, who I talked about earlier, said that while 361 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: she thinks that yoga is for everyone, and you know, 362 00:22:08,920 --> 00:22:12,159 Speaker 1: here when she says for everyone, she's incorporating both the spirituality, 363 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:16,240 Speaker 1: you know, and the breathing and the poses. Um, she 364 00:22:16,359 --> 00:22:19,920 Speaker 1: thinks that those gung home masochists, as she calls them, 365 00:22:20,560 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: should maybe find something else to do because they are 366 00:22:23,920 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: more likely to be pushing themselves to a dangerous level 367 00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 1: in yoga. UM. And not only are there those types 368 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:35,240 Speaker 1: of exercisers possibly more at risk for yoga injury, but 369 00:22:35,280 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: web MD also warrants that certain poses can put you 370 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,239 Speaker 1: at greater at risk of bodily harm if you have 371 00:22:41,280 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: conditions such as severe osteoporosis, high or low blood pressure, 372 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: your problems, spine problems, and if you're pregnant. But I 373 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 1: know that there is there's there's yoga that you can 374 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 1: do while pregnant, but you probably just want to take 375 00:22:57,000 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: care of your body a little more, a little more carefully, 376 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: be a little more gentle with it. Um. And speaking 377 00:23:03,880 --> 00:23:07,800 Speaker 1: of the whole issue of instructors, one thing that broad 378 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 1: points out this is the guy who who wrote The 379 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:15,480 Speaker 1: Science of Yoga points out is maybe these these injuries 380 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:19,680 Speaker 1: could be mitigated if there was more regulation for who 381 00:23:19,720 --> 00:23:23,040 Speaker 1: could teach yoga right Broad rights in his book that 382 00:23:23,119 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: the field is on the whole completely unlicensed and unregulated. 383 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,080 Speaker 1: He said, there's no such thing as a registered yoga therapist. 384 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: Applicants for registration usually face no requirements to establish their 385 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,360 Speaker 1: education credentials, to pass national exams, or to show other 386 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 1: evidence of expert proficiency. But to me, you you can 387 00:23:44,600 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 1: determine whether or not you are, you know, being led 388 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:53,160 Speaker 1: by a capable instructor. A lot of times, Um, the 389 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:55,439 Speaker 1: yoga place that I go to has a number of 390 00:23:55,480 --> 00:24:00,360 Speaker 1: different instructors, but they're always emphasizing paying it to into 391 00:24:00,359 --> 00:24:03,360 Speaker 1: your own body, knowing your limits. It's referred to as 392 00:24:03,600 --> 00:24:06,040 Speaker 1: as your edge. You don't go beyond your edge. Some 393 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: days I can do a backbend. Some days I can't, 394 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 1: you know, And and sometimes your ego will get in 395 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 1: the way and say, hey, well I did a backbend 396 00:24:13,119 --> 00:24:15,160 Speaker 1: in the last class, I gotta do in this time 397 00:24:15,200 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 1: and next thing, you know, you have a lower back injury. UM. 398 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: Which is why in order to avoid being one of 399 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:26,240 Speaker 1: those statistics, it's really important to uh take in a 400 00:24:26,280 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 1: beginner mindset, listen to your body, do the post that's 401 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: right for you, pay attention to instructors who will offer modifications. UM. 402 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 1: I think that's one one big sign of a good 403 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: yoga instructor. UM. And also again pick the right teacher 404 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: and the right approach. You don't have to go to 405 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: hot yoga and sweat buckets and maybe pass out right. 406 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 1: And there was one one of these articles that we 407 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 1: read talked about specifically talked about headstands. Things like headstands, 408 00:24:54,960 --> 00:24:57,959 Speaker 1: very advanced postes. You know, don't keep going to a 409 00:24:57,960 --> 00:25:00,199 Speaker 1: teacher if they're all you know, first class in a 410 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:03,480 Speaker 1: beginner's class, at the beginning of the class, making you 411 00:25:03,560 --> 00:25:05,760 Speaker 1: do something like a headstand. And that made me think 412 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:09,400 Speaker 1: of one of my hot yoga classes. One of the teachers, UM, 413 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 1: I would say, halfway through a ninety minute class. Yeah, 414 00:25:13,080 --> 00:25:16,199 Speaker 1: had us doing attempting headstands, and of course, you know, 415 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:18,320 Speaker 1: there were people who were very experienced in the class 416 00:25:18,320 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 1: and they shot up no problem. But then there were 417 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:22,159 Speaker 1: people like my friend and me who were you know, 418 00:25:22,359 --> 00:25:26,119 Speaker 1: rolling over, like falling off the wall. And and I 419 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:30,479 Speaker 1: know of someone who goes to Bagram every morning Monday 420 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,880 Speaker 1: through Friday, and that's incredible, And I wish I had 421 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,639 Speaker 1: that kind of endurance and self discipline as well to 422 00:25:37,640 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: be able to do that, because it probably does feel 423 00:25:39,280 --> 00:25:41,879 Speaker 1: great to sweat out talks and every single morning, but 424 00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:44,840 Speaker 1: you have to know your own limits. And also for me, 425 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,679 Speaker 1: I know that I that I can't wake up that 426 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: early and get my body moving. Um. But Sarah Miller 427 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:56,360 Speaker 1: over at the All also took a pretty funny approach 428 00:25:56,440 --> 00:26:00,159 Speaker 1: to the whole uh yoga kerfuffle that started off at 429 00:26:00,160 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 1: the New York Times magazine, and she basically says that, yes, 430 00:26:04,840 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 1: you can get injured doing yoga, but you can also 431 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:11,240 Speaker 1: get injured walking across the street. Yes, as I have, 432 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: I'm sure, but yes, she said that this whole hysteria 433 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: that's built up around hurting yourself in yoga is just 434 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:22,600 Speaker 1: part of the whole You're gonna die hysteria. She blames 435 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: the New York Times for building stuff up like that. Oh, 436 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:28,480 Speaker 1: that their health coverage is a little sensational. Yeah, exactly, 437 00:26:29,080 --> 00:26:31,720 Speaker 1: And she says that look, people do stupid things and 438 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:35,240 Speaker 1: hurt themselves, citing the guy who sat on his heels 439 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 1: for hours every day who ended up getting a dead nerve. 440 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,919 Speaker 1: She said, most people would not sit there for hours. 441 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: First of all, who has the time? That's true, um, 442 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: but it's it's another thing of the whole issue of 443 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: paying attention to your body. That might sound like some 444 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: kind of new ag mumbo jumbo. Listen to your body 445 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:56,640 Speaker 1: and what it's telling you. Know, this is the same 446 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,639 Speaker 1: reason why you will stretch out, but for you go 447 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: on a jog somewhere, or you know, you might not 448 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: want to sprint on concrete for excessive amounts of time 449 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: because then you might develop shin splints. I think it's 450 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:15,080 Speaker 1: just because we are learning more about the um impact 451 00:27:15,080 --> 00:27:17,840 Speaker 1: of yoga and as more people are coming um into 452 00:27:17,840 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 1: the yoga fold and is becoming more of a standard 453 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: exercise for people. Um, it is important for us to 454 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 1: pay attention to these risks. But let's not let's not 455 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:30,880 Speaker 1: blow the risks out of the water. If you're paying 456 00:27:30,880 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 1: attention to yourself and you have a good instructor, then 457 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: you can reap a lot of health benefits from it, right. 458 00:27:38,040 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: But one of those health benefits is not necessarily raising 459 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: your metabolism. You're not going to get super runner, weightlift 460 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,880 Speaker 1: or fit doing yoga. And this is from Broad, William Broad, 461 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: who we talked about. The writer. He had a Q 462 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:55,920 Speaker 1: and A with health Zone, which is a Canadian website, 463 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 1: and he said that that's a big myth that yoga 464 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: is good for losing weight. He says that it allows 465 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 1: how's your metabolism to lapse into a low lower state 466 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,240 Speaker 1: of activity, which means that you burn fewer calories, but 467 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,639 Speaker 1: you can't discount muscle tone though exactly. He does go 468 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,280 Speaker 1: on to say that yoga does other things on a 469 00:28:11,280 --> 00:28:13,760 Speaker 1: psychological level that can help you to lose weight because 470 00:28:13,760 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: it builds discipline and helps break the stress eating cycle, 471 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 1: which just makes me think of cookie monster. Um. And 472 00:28:19,920 --> 00:28:21,560 Speaker 1: he points out that if you look at most yoga 473 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: teachers are obviously more live than lumpy his words, um 474 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:27,880 Speaker 1: and yeah. He says that it does it obviously helps 475 00:28:27,960 --> 00:28:31,720 Speaker 1: flexibility and strengthening. But he says, the ultimate magic bullet 476 00:28:31,720 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: and modern fitness is aerobics and cardio stamina. So maybe 477 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:39,239 Speaker 1: you you alternate. I mean, if if yoga releases all 478 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,680 Speaker 1: of that lactic acid that might build up in your 479 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:44,560 Speaker 1: muscles while you are on the treadmill or the elliptical 480 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:49,360 Speaker 1: machine or whatever form of extracise cardio exercise suits to 481 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:54,640 Speaker 1: the most, and maybe it's a nice complementary regimen exactly, 482 00:28:55,360 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 1: But don't um, don't go up in wheel pot, that's 483 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:01,160 Speaker 1: my tegaway. Don't gopen wheel lush here if your back 484 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 1: is not ready to wheel. So combine your your cardio 485 00:29:06,240 --> 00:29:08,880 Speaker 1: with your yoga. But ladies and gentlemen, do not forget 486 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:11,920 Speaker 1: to breathe. Because my friend Emily, the expert who I'm 487 00:29:11,960 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: going to keep citing because she's awesome, says that when 488 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 1: you realize that you're not breathing, it's actually a sign 489 00:29:18,120 --> 00:29:20,719 Speaker 1: that you've gone too far and should back off. And 490 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,600 Speaker 1: so I think you should remember that and pay attention 491 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,680 Speaker 1: to what your body is telling you. And also, Caroline, 492 00:29:25,720 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: if you forget to breathe, that you are abandoning the prana, yama, yoga, 493 00:29:29,440 --> 00:29:31,840 Speaker 1: g limb Oh my god, I'm sorry. And it's the 494 00:29:31,880 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 1: way that you link your mind and your body, so 495 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 1: certainly you must you must pay attention to the breathing. 496 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:43,360 Speaker 1: And I know that some people will do yoga strictly 497 00:29:43,440 --> 00:29:46,800 Speaker 1: for fitness, but I gotta tell you all of the 498 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:50,320 Speaker 1: the sort of calm yourself, know yourself, clear your mind 499 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:53,680 Speaker 1: um aphorisms that are told out during my ninety minute 500 00:29:53,760 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: yoga classes. I totally eat those up. I love them. 501 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 1: It's my may time all right, now that I've geeked 502 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:02,680 Speaker 1: out on yoga time to hear from similar listeners, what 503 00:30:02,680 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: do you think anyone who has sustained a yoga injury? Um, 504 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 1: who knows exactly what William J. Brought us talking about? 505 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: Let us know, also, yoga enthusiast um, yoga instructors out there. 506 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:18,120 Speaker 1: If we have, um, you know, left anything out, let 507 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:21,080 Speaker 1: us know. Mom Stuff at Discovery dot com is the 508 00:30:21,160 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 1: email address, and we've got a couple of emails here 509 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: in the meantime to share. And this one is coming 510 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,880 Speaker 1: from our recent episode on whether or not gay households 511 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 1: are more egalitarian. And this is coming from Keith, who 512 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:37,800 Speaker 1: lives with his partner and wanted to share his division 513 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,320 Speaker 1: of household labor as far as healths work goes. We 514 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: found our niches. I take out the trash, pick up 515 00:30:43,120 --> 00:30:46,760 Speaker 1: all the rugs, chairs, etcetera. For Rosie the room BA 516 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: to vacuum clean the bathroom, wash the cats water fountain, 517 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: which is amazing. By the way, what is the catwater fountain? 518 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: I want to know? Um. And I also lot the floors. 519 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:59,840 Speaker 1: He keeps the living room tidy, cleans the cat box. Okay, 520 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:01,959 Speaker 1: that's all I can think of, So maybe we need 521 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,920 Speaker 1: to evaluate to which I told Keith that cleaning out 522 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 1: the cat box should count as at least two chres. Yeah. 523 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:11,600 Speaker 1: Well you know they sell those cat boxes that self rake, 524 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:15,040 Speaker 1: oh like a hundred bucks. Um. But he says that 525 00:31:15,080 --> 00:31:17,520 Speaker 1: we do show dishwashing as we have no dishwasher, and 526 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:20,040 Speaker 1: whoever cooks, the other person does the dishes, and we 527 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:22,960 Speaker 1: alternate cooking with a few fend for yourself nights thrown in, 528 00:31:23,080 --> 00:31:27,040 Speaker 1: and we alternate lawnmowing responsibilities. I'm definitely the one who 529 00:31:27,120 --> 00:31:29,640 Speaker 1: nags when things aren't done when I want them done 530 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,560 Speaker 1: to my specifications. Um. A great insight from your podcast, 531 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: because I think I can pick a fight where one 532 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: isn't needed. Great insight from your podcast, because I think 533 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,120 Speaker 1: I can pick a fight when there is no need 534 00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: for one. My advice we don't swept the small stuff 535 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: and give a copy to your housemate. So thanks Keith. Okay, 536 00:31:49,400 --> 00:31:53,960 Speaker 1: this is from Amanda about our Legos podcast. She said 537 00:31:54,040 --> 00:31:55,840 Speaker 1: that I have a three year old daughter who loves 538 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:57,920 Speaker 1: her Legos. It's become a weekend tradition for her to 539 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,960 Speaker 1: play Legos with my husband. Oftentimes, Hello Kitty and Mimi. 540 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,520 Speaker 1: Hello Kitty's sister will fly around on their Space Shuttle, 541 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: lightsabers in hand to fight the bad guy astronaut who 542 00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: kidnapped Mario. Peach doesn't get kidnapped Holy Mario. Afterward, they 543 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:13,840 Speaker 1: love to go home to their Lego house, which has 544 00:32:13,840 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 1: a kitchen, bedroom, supercomputer room with lots of lovers, classroom, 545 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:19,520 Speaker 1: and pet giraffe. I don't think that was in my 546 00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:23,080 Speaker 1: Paroddesus said. All of these except the giraffe and Mario 547 00:32:23,160 --> 00:32:25,080 Speaker 1: are Lego, and the most pink there is is in 548 00:32:25,120 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: the Hello Kitty House. I'm going to be speaking to 549 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 1: a group of teachers and training at my local university 550 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: about encouraging females in the stem fields and plan to 551 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:35,520 Speaker 1: bring several of my daughter's toys plush white and red 552 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:39,479 Speaker 1: blood cells, foam multi sided dice, and her Lego space shuttle. 553 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:41,960 Speaker 1: My daughter loves the color purple and does do more 554 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:43,920 Speaker 1: role playing with her toys than her male cousin of 555 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:45,720 Speaker 1: the same age. But I think that making sure you 556 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:48,080 Speaker 1: put thought into what toys you let your children, male 557 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: or female have, is the best way to encourage them 558 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 1: in the right direction. Thank you, Amanda. Yes, indeed, thanks 559 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,239 Speaker 1: to a man It and Keith and everyone who has 560 00:32:57,320 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 1: written in mom Stuff at Discovery dot com. This where 561 00:33:00,480 --> 00:33:03,440 Speaker 1: you can send your letters. You can also find us 562 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: on Facebook, Like us, leave a comment there, and follow 563 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,640 Speaker 1: us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast. And you can 564 00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:15,480 Speaker 1: read how Yoga Works by the delightful Molly Edmonds at 565 00:33:15,520 --> 00:33:21,760 Speaker 1: how stuff works dot com. Be sure to check out 566 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:25,000 Speaker 1: our new video podcast, Stuff from the Future. Join how 567 00:33:25,040 --> 00:33:27,560 Speaker 1: stup Work staff as we explore the most promising and 568 00:33:27,600 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 1: perplexing possibilities of tomorrow. The house stuf Works iPhone app 569 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:39,520 Speaker 1: has a ride. Download it today on iTunes, brought to 570 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:42,680 Speaker 1: you by the reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, 571 00:33:42,880 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 1: are you