As per one report nearly 14 percent of British youngsters are clinically obese. The cost of Obesity to the NHS is about £ 1 billion a year. By 2010 the number of overweight and obese youngsters in the European Union nations is expected to hit 26 million. An estimated 20,000 obese youngsters will have type 2 diabetes as per another report.

Obesity put strain on heart, respiratory and eliminatory system. It also increases the chances of diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases. In stressful people who eat very fast and in excess and secondly in household person who eat from boredom. As the people put on weight they tend to become less happy because of their appearance and become more frustrated. Some people think by taking insufficient food can help in reducing weight. But when they start dieting, body starts to slow down in order to conserve energy and boost its chances of survival. This is why weight loss tends to slow down as we continue to diet. So in a way dieting is not the good method for reducing weight.

Some of the schools in the UK are planning to introduce yoga for thousands of young students. This is an excellent step in the direction of fighting the obesity problem of UK. Yoga practice provides an excellent means for maintaining balanced weight and overcoming obesity problem, provided a daily yoga program is followed with regular routine.

Along with Yoga, healthy diet at proper time and practice of relaxation technique is very helpful for overcoming obesity and maintaining balanced weight. Click here if you would like to know more about our one to one sessions or kids classes.

Springtime is beautiful, dynamic, and even a little magical. As nature moves out of the cold, wet, dark winter toward a brighter season. Nature makes it look smooth, but for us humans it’s not as easy to transition gracefully from one season to the next—especially from winter to spring. More often we find ourselves feeling heavy and sluggish, like a grumpy bear reluctantly coming out of hibernation. Here’s our first instalment to step into Spring.

Eat Lighter

If you truly aspire to be a butterfly—and not a sluggish bear—you’ll want to complement your asana and breathing practices with more awareness about your diet. The most important way to ensure a healthy agni is to eat—and not eat—at regular intervals during the day; having routine meals with adequate time between them strengthens mind and body.

Eat light, easy-to-digest foods during spring and wait at least three to four hours between meals. Try eating less of or eliminating foods that increase kapha —dairy products, iced or cold food or drinks, and fried or oily food—especially in the morning and at dinner.

Instead of a snack, do a short pranayama practice and see what happens. If you’re truly hungry, have something nourishing like miso soup or a some juice. And remember that strengthening your willpower is an excellent exercise is a great way to step into Spring.

To take your ama-flushing a step further, consider a dietary cleanse. As an alternative to strict fasting, spend five to 10 days eating only fresh (ideally local) fruits and vegetables and kitchari, a curried mung bean and rice dish. This will improve your digestive system.

During your cleanse, you can also drink tea made with cinnamon, black pepper, and ginger one hour after breakfast and lunch. Drink herbal tea in the evening; it’s beneficial to your digestive and circulatory systems.

Tune into Nature

Now it’s time for the fun part, to enjoy nature. All you have to do is look around to be inspired at this time of year; renewal and transformation are literally welling up from the ground. The natural world is going through a rebirth, so be creative and forge a connection to this awesome process. For some of you, this may mean turning to your daily yoga practice to nature. An easy starting place is with Sun Salutations, which were traditionally practiced in the morning. Your efforts to connect to nature can go beyond the edges of your yoga mat. Head outdoors and enjoy the sunshine. Anything that gives you time and space to appreciate and feel energetic stepping into Spring.

Yoga Wellbeing would love to know how you are enjoying Spring and bringing different influences into your practice.

The great yoga master T. Krishnamacharya adjusted his approach to practicing and teaching yoga to correspond with the time of year. You may not have a spring festival or an Indian yoga master to guide you, but by weaving some simple Ayurvedic principles into your life, you can weather this seasonal transition smoothly and emerge feeling transformed and ready to get your springtime groove on.

I love the energy and buzz of London life. But sometimes after a day at work and a tube journey,  you can feel a little  sapped of energy and goodness.

So I wasn’t surprised to read about recent research from Harvard Medical School that shows spending a few minutes on a busy city street can affect the brain’s ability to focus and to manage self-control. That makes sense, because all of the stimulus takes up a lot of the brain’s processing power.

According to an article by Scott Edwards that appeared in On The Brain:

Directed attention fatigue is a neurological symptom that occurs when our voluntary attention system, the part of the brain that allows us to concentrate in spite of distractions, becomes worn down. People suffering from directed attention fatigue can experience short-term feelings of heightened distraction, impatience, or forgetfulness. When the condition is severe enough, people can exhibit poor judgment and feel increased levels of stress.

What to do about it?

Next time I’m going to head for the streets, I think I’ll head for the hills instead. Research shows that only 20 minutes in nature is a remedy for getting the brain to recover from directed attention fatigue. So, step away from the desk and get yourself to the nearest park.

Yoga Wellbeing would love to know – When the big smoke gets too much, what do you do?

As well as buying presents, sending out cards and stocking up on decorations and most importantly good food. At Yoga Wellbeing we try and get our bodies and minds ready to cope with the huge intake of minced pies and mulled wine. At least before our Christmas Party.

With only a couple of weeks left until Little Saint Nick arrives, it helps to get the “detoxification organs” in tip top shape.

These days, there are a range of colourful things available that are there to help. A detox works by ‘resting’ the organs that eliminate waste – liver, kidneys, gut, lungs and skin. No need to get to worried; I’m not going to suggest that you drink fruit and vegetable juice for a week straight while sitting cross-legged on your yoga mat.

A detoxification plan does not have to be restrictive and boring, but can be fun and tasty. It can help your body rebalance, release built-up congestion and restore itself to strength and health.

Yoga Wellbeing Inspiration

• Restorative Yoga
• Try drinking lemon and ginger
• Try a superfood vege soup
• Treat yourself to herbal face steam
• Meditate for 20 minutes

The wonderful thing about the festive time is that you have a chance to step away from your usual routine in everyway. Bringing about balance is what yoga teaches us. So if you have had large festive night of fun give yourself some time the next day to bring about balance.

Establishing a rhythm can be easy at home. But when you’re travelling, that rhythm will change, which can alter your whole yoga practice. To set yourself at ease on any journey, learn how to ground yourself.

Staying grounded away from home really comes down to being mindful and centered regardless of changing environments. When you’re grounded, you breathe well, digest well, and concentrate on the present well.

In other words, you enjoy each moment to its fullest. While that can be tough on the road, the beautiful thing is you don’t have stick to your routine. Why not try a couple of these ideas out?

Create a harmonious space. Cluttered surroundings can make you feel unbalanced and anxious. Unpack your belongings as soon as you arrive and take the time to arrange your room so it feels comfortable.

Invigorate with oil. Like candles, essential oils stimulate the sense of smell, which can influence how you feel. Add two drops to a bath or mix a few drops with almond, olive, or sunflower oil and massage into your skin.

Detach from results. It’s natural to harbor dreams of perfection when you travel, because you’ve invested time, money, and effort. But when a mishap does occur—like missing a connecting flight or getting sick — just take a break

Modify Your usual Yoga Routine. You may not have the time, space, or energy for your full yoga practice, but sticking to some form of it will make you feel better. Try to meditate for a few minutes, and practice mostly standing yoga poses.

Most of all enjoy every moment of your travelling adventure. Even the moments in between the big tourist sites, sharing a cup of tea or simply meditating, they can be the most magical and memorable times.