NIH's First Yoga Week Highlights Health

Since we live so close to many federal agencies, we should take advantage of the special opportunities they provide. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is having an unprecedented first annual Yoga Week on May 19-23, 2008. This five-day series will highlight the research as well as the practice of Yoga with speakers and demonstrations in Rockville as well as on the NIH campus. Not only will this comprehensive schedule deepen your knowledge and practice of Yoga, but it will also teach the preventative health benefits of Yoga.

Yoga Week will be beneficial to those skilled at all levels of yoga, including novices. Learn how to take time during your day to reduce stress at your desk or alleviate lower back pain. Experience the practice of Yoga beyond walls. Find out about earth-friendly face and body care, good for you and our world.

Susan Bowen of Thrive Yoga in Rockville said, “Our studio is sponsoring this exciting new collaboration because we try to help people better their lives. We have created an ordinary community place that welcomes people to share and realize we are all in the same boat with stress and tension. Yoga Week will bring the same sense of community to participants from around the country as it teaches the causes of stress in our lives and the tools to help.”

NIH and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) supported research on how Yoga affects insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, asthma, and hypertension. Yoga Week will discuss the ongoing research in these areas along with the specific research involving cancer, which could be beneficial to many fighting the disease. Yoga builds the immune system and helps the lymph node system, in general, it can be preventative to disease.

We can make the time to relieve tension and relax for the good of our health by taking advantage of the free sessions offered during Yoga Week. Bring a mat for practice. Metro and public transportation are strongly encouraged, and if not, carpooling. Leave time for navigating through security!