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Self health & fitness
www.theodysseyonline.com
THE POWER OF YOGA If you’re tired of your boring old workout routine or running mile after mile on the treadmill, yoga is an amazing alternative.
ALEXANDRA SERRANO Kappa Delta
Alexandra is a sophomore studying communication. You may contact her at aserran@uark.edu.
The eastern practice of yoga has provided long lasting health benefits for both your physical and mental well-being, which are both equally important to college students. Some of these benefits include flexibility, muscle strength, posture and help to alleviate high blood pressure and anxiety. Sandra Kincaid, a sophomore here at the U of A, decided to begin her teacher training at Yoga Deza studio this past month. “My favorite part of doing yoga is the connection I get to my body and the awareness it fosters in my life on and off the mat,” she says. “I wanted to create a deeper connection to my yoga practice and gain a better understanding of the correct alignment for poses.”
Ms. Kincaid is one of many people who have seen a positive impact in her life after practicing yoga and incorporating its values into her everyday life. “Outside of training, we are asked to go to three classes a week, so I attend classes at least six times per week,” she says. It’s obvious then, that yoga is an ongoing learning process. You might not even be able to touch your toes the first day of class, but if you stick with it, you’ll see results.
“I keep learning more and more benefits of yoga as I go,” Sandra says. “When practiced safely it can really help better your posture and gives you an incredible workout that works all of your body!” Another benefit yoga has to offer? It’s for everyone. Many studios offer classes open to every fitness level, no matter your age or your gender. When you walk into a studio, there is no fear of judgment and you are free to relax and focus on yourself. There are several studios in the area that have flexible schedules and offer classes at an affordable price. Many studios offer discounts and occasionally offer free lessons as well! So next time you are in a workout funk, take a risk and see what yoga has to offer, it may change your life more than you think.
WHAT, EXACTLY, IS IN OUR WATER? Conspiracy theory. A lot of people do not listen past the utterance of these two words.
HANNAH ZAFUTA Kappa Delta
Hannah is a sophomore studying
deficits and impaired fetal brain development observed in animals after long exposure to fluoride. Flouridealert.org is devoted to the topic and any impending questions. They state tens of millions of people in China and India now suffer serious crippling bone diseases from drinking water with elevated levels of fluoride.
But I think they are psychology & creative writing. entertaining. I do not necessarily believe or disbelieve certain theories, but I do find the stories interesting. Much to the dismay of my Twitter followers forced to endure ridiculous retweets, I started following a couple twitter accounts with far-fetched ideas.
Arthritis suffers report more pain with a higher fluoride intake. Skeletal fluorosis, a bone weakening disease, is a result of fluoride. Cancer, infertility, increased blood pressure, kidney damage, hypersensitivity, endocrine disruption and thyroid disease are all threats of fluoride. Fluoride is hazardous is to infants and children, and swallowing the chemical gives teeth little benefit, the claims say.
Unlike Tupac’s resurrection, Bigfoot, or Area 51, I stumbled upon an unexplained circumstance that affected my life: water fluoridation. The United States, unlike 98 percent of Europe, supports water fluoridation to benefit the general oral health. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends up to 1.2 milligrams of fluoride per liter of drinking water.
Why in the world does our country feel the need to add this substance to our water when it’s already heavily distributed in our toothpaste, mouth-wash, and whitening strips? The only benefit it scientifically proves is preventing tooth decay. Is our government trying to downsize the population by putting a killing agent in our drinking water? Maybe, maybe not. The risks were still enough for me to make the switch to toxic-free toothpaste from Ozark Natural foods.
However, fluoride is considered highly toxic by some who claim it has a direct correlation to negative health effects including memory loss, neurobehavioral