Yoga is one of the most holistic activities there is, focusing on mind, body, and spirit. When done properly, the benefits are endless. It can ease your anxiety, improve your coordination, strength, and posture, and help you lose pounds and inches. That’s because it combines deep breathing, relaxing meditation, and limbering poses.

Breathe Deeply, Burn Fat

When you breathe deeply and consciously – instead of taking short, shallow breaths – you not only feel more relaxed, you burn more calories. Studies have shown that regular deep breathing burns up to 140% more calories than riding a stationary bike! (Of course, breathing deeply won’t help you lose weight if you’re also inhaling cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets, sodas, and packaged meals. Eating a vegetarian diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in sugar and processed foods is also essential for weight loss and maintenance.)

To lose the most weight, practice Bikram yoga, which is a mix of low-key twisting poses and cardio exercises performed in a room where the temperature has been raised higher than 100 degrees, or Ashtanga Yoga, which combines complex yoga poses with deep breathing techniques.

To read the full article go to: http://holisticvoice.org/yoga-weight-loss

The film showcases a disadvantaged, low-income community searching for a voice in the political process. Representatives from all neighborhoods in the area come together to find solutions to issues such as access to clean water, electricity, affordable housing, food production and healthy food choices at schools.

From 2006 to present I have been directing, producing and editing documentary films, PSA’s, commercials, and viral videos for The California Endowment, the state’s largest health foundation. The Endowment is currently investing $1 billion in 14 communities in California to improve community health through its 10-year Building Healthy Communities plan. I have been producing and editing 15-20 minute mini-docs for each area showing the changes the communities are making in their health policies. Through my work at the Endowment, I have had the pleasure to interact with pioneers in the public health field such as Dr. Oz, Jamie Oliver, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Pollan, Eva Longoria, Bill Clinton, and Michelle Obama. Additionally I work with amazing grassroots and non-profit organizations that are all trying to make a difference in their communities.