Yoga + Pilates = a new way to exercise

If you find exercise boring then you may need something that engages more of the mind-body connection that emphasizes flexibility, strength and balance while also helping to relieve stress.

New methods

It’s not just cars that are turning to hybrids. A new trend in exercise is combining ancient techniques with new. Yogalates, also known as Yogilates, is the marriage of yoga with Pilates. For many fitness experts blending the two is time-efficient since both strengthen key muscles groups and promote "mindful movement" where you stay focussed on what your body is doing.

Eastern approach

Yoga dates back at least 5,000 years ago in India and was brought to the Western world about 100 years ago. It takes a more holistic approach to exercise by using poses combined with breathing to release tension and stress while strengthening all muscle groups. Balance is the key goal - especially the one between body and mind. There are many different types of yoga but usually Hatha Yoga is usually the method combined with Pilates. It promotes flexibility and tones the body as it improves strength, endurance and concentration. There are many schools and teachers of Hatha yoga but the recognized founder was Tirumalai Krishnamacharya (1888-1989).

Western take

Pilates is a much younger type of exercise created by Joseph Pilates, a German who developed his technique to rehabilitate injured WWI soldiers in World War I while interned in an English POW camp. He introduced this technique to the dance world when he immigrated to the U.S. in 1926. Pilates quickly became a favorite of dancers. It targets certain areas of the body using regimented exercises done with controlled breathing and performed on an apparatus or a mat. Each exercise is repeated between five to ten times.

Happy marriage

Yoga focuses on flexibility, then strength. Pilates focuses on stability, then strength and flexibility. Combining the two has created an hybrid technique that is gaining in popularity. Yogilates was created in 1997 by certified Pilates instructor and yoga instructor Jonathan Urla. Yogalates was created in 2002 by Louise Solomon, a certified yoga instructor who turned to Pilates after a yoga injury.

Typical exercises

A typical routine in a yogalates class may include the following:
- Lateral Thoracic Breathing
- Spinal Roll
- Hip circles with Thera-Band
- Cat Series into Downward Facing DogBesides the books, there are videotapes and DVDs for at home instruction. Check at your local gym or yoga studio to see if they are offering this hybrid technique. Be sure to check your teacher’s credentials before signing up for any class.

Does Sleep Deprivation Cause Deadly Diabetes?

Adults who routinely get too little or too much sleep may die sooner than those who get the standard 8 hours each night, a study suggests.
Researchers found that among nearly 10,000 UK adults followed for 17 years, those who starting sleep less each night during the early part of the study were more likely to die of heart disease or stroke than those who kept catching 7 or 8 hours of sleep.

On the other hand, those whose typical sleep time increased beyond 8 hours were at elevated risk of dying from non-cardiovascular causes.
The study, published in the medical journal Sleep, did not pinpoint the reason for the findings.
However, past research suggests that chronic sleep deprivation can be hard on the cardiovascular system. Sleep is a time for the body to recoup, which includes drops in blood pressure and heart rate that ease the daily strain on the heart, explained Dr. Jane E. Ferrie of the University College London, the lead researcher of the new study.
In addition, she told Reuters Health, some studies have linked sleep deprivation to poorer appetite control and blood-sugar regulation, which can affect body weight and the risk of type 2 diabetes. This, in turn, could potentially increase a person's odds of developing heart disease.
It's possible that study participants who started sleeping less were in poorer health; certain conditions, such as any disorder that causes chronic pain, might curtail a person's sleep, Ferrie pointed out.
The study participants were asked about pre-existing illnesses at the outset, but it's possible that some had underlying health problems that were missed, according to Ferrie.
Similarly, it's not clear why people who slept more over time had a higher risk of dying from non-cardiovascular causes. Some medical conditions, like cancer or depression, can cause fatigue, Ferrie said. But the researchers lacked enough information to tell which specific causes of death were linked to increasing sleep times.

The findings are based on information from 9,781 British adults who were 35 to 55 years old when they enrolled in the study, between 1985 and 1989. The participants reported on their sleep habits at study entry and again 5-to-6 years later; they were then followed for another 12 years, on average.

Overall, Ferrie's team found, the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was higher among men and women who started off sleeping 7 or 8 hours per night, but were getting less sleep a few years later. Their risk of cardiovascular death was double that of their peers who maintained the standard 7- to 8-hour sleep schedule.
Likewise, the risk of dying from non-cardiovascular causes doubled among people whose nightly sleep time increased from an initial 7 to 8 hours.
The findings suggest that the risk of an early death increases when sleep times veer from the "ideal" 7 to 8 hours, according to Ferrie -- though, she pointed out that there are people who just naturally sleep more or less than that and have no increased health risks.
"However, for most of us," Ferrie noted, "burning the candle at both ends or sleeping for 9 or more hours is not ideal over prolonged periods in terms of good health."

Five ways to ... reduce under-eye bags

Eye bags are partly down to genes and worsen with age. They may also signal an allergy. Sadly, though, according to the British Association of Dermatologists, nothing has been scientifically proven to reduce them. We do know that they are often caused by fluid retention, and that dehydration might exacerbate this, so increasing your water intake could help. Other than that, you could try these popular but scientifically unproven treatments. If nothing else, they might cheer you up.

1 Yo-Tox. The hottest non-surgical "facelift" trend from Manhattan: "Sit cross-legged and place the first two fingers of each hand on either side of your nose about an inch down from the center of your eyes," instructs facial yoga expert Katrina Repka. "This is an ayurvedic energy point. Keep a light pressure, close your eyes, and turn your eyes upwards in your head to gaze at the third-eye point - between your eyebrows. Stay for 5-10 seconds and repeat as needed to help reduce puffiness and stimulate the drainage of fluid from the eye area."

2 Take a nap. Though no research backs up the sleep-eyebag link, psychological studies show that we feel worse about our appearance when sleep deprived. Loughborough University's Sleep Research Centre has established that a 15-minute nap is enough to fool the brain into thinking it has had a proper night's sleep.

3 Cool off. Jane Griffin, a facial mapping specialist at Neal's Yard Remedies, in London, says a cooling eye gel may help to shrink the blood vessels, reducing some of the puff.

4 Acupressure. The acupressure point for eyes is on the mound on your palm just below the index finger. Press it. Repeatedly.

5 Potato therapy. "Potatoes contain catecholase, used in some cosmetics as a skin lightener," says Charlotte Vohtz, founder of the natural cosmetics company Green People. "Rest half moons of potato on the eye bags for 20 minutes." At the very least, you'll get some rest before the next festive boozathon.