European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 8, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 scene stars and stripes sunday april 8 2007 d co p o i co 0 co yoga heats up higher Temps increase concentration there Are bodies inches to the left and the right the temperature is climbing and the sweat is starting to pour Down nearby candles Flicker and a rhythmic beat pulses throughout the Small studio Carey Nagoda sucks in a deep breath and plunges into another set of stretches and poses its late on a Sun Day afternoon and this is How she unwinds from her weekend for the past year Nagoda has been making an almost weekly ritual of a hot yoga class at Midtown yoga studio in mount Vernon my an avid dancer she sought out the class to build strength and tone her Muscles but soon found it also soothed her mind it really distresses me for the work week says Nagoda a 29yearold Engineer when i Wake up the relaxation carries Over into monday morn ing its More of a Shock going into the office without it in the class the studio is heated to about 100 degrees As an instructor leads students through a series of poses and stretches with names such As Down Ward dog and Pigeon similar to the effects of a Sauna the class improves flexibility ana1 relaxes stiff Muscles some studios even increase humidity in the rooms to 30 to 40 percent especially during dry Winter months the ambience is amazing Nagoda says of the Midtown yoga studio heat actually helps you focus More and you forget everything around you you go into yourself in a world of technological multitask ing the hot yoga setting demands a students Complete attention says Sarah Ittmann owner of Bikram yoga in Hampden my you really have to concentrate on what youre doing or you wont be Able to do it Ittmann says if youre think ing about your shopping list you going to fall Over with students attention diverted to their bodies and the teachers instructions Ittmann said the yoga practice creates a Refuge from the thoughts whirling through our brains it does create a longer capacity for concentration says Kim Manfredi owner of Midtown yoga this capacity makes people More entered and not so shattered in their week creating a sense of Well being Bikram Choudhury an Indian yoga teacher and businessman popularized the practice of hot yoga on the West coast in the Early 1970s it has slowly become common in Many parts of the United states Choudhury version not Only involves a heated room set at 105 degrees but also a standardized series of 26 poses done in 90 minutes Bikram is always hot but hot yoga int always Bikram Ittmann says Midtown yoga studios signature style is called hot Vinhasa flow while the temperature is set slightly lower the Pace is faster providing More of a cardiovascular workout the class runs about 90 minutes the Baltimore Sun students demonstrate their various abilities in a hot yoga session at Bikram yoga in Hampden my the hot yoga trend started on the West coast i skill Levels vary Ittmann said but students dont need an enormous amount of agility to take part in the class or prior experience with a regular yoga class people who Arent coordinated enough for step aerobics can do this she said 1 see people begin without a huge history of athleticism and they keep coming Back and transform them selves she says adding that yoga practice tones body parts that Are hard to address with traditional exercise but hot yoga might not be for every one Kerry Stewart a professor of medi Cine at the Johns Hopkins University cautions people with heart conditions the elderly and Young children should avoid prolonged exposure to High temperatures he said the heat can cause the heart to work much harder than it should he says adding that a healthy adult should be no worse for the Wear by taking a weekly class As with other new exercise routines Check with your doctor before starting Ittmann and Manfredi also recommend staying Well hydrated and practice ing on an empty stomach students Are encouraged to bring a water bottle to put next to their mat the key is to not get frustrated and do what you can Manfredi says we Call it diving into the mystery its a very welcoming atmosphere Nagoda said the teacher always stresses its not a contest after an average class Nagoda is drenched but relaxed As the lights go Down and the music shifts from upbeat to Serene and soothing her water bottle is almost empty and Shell definitely need a Shower but she Doest mind it feels so Good to sweat everything out she says for Many employees fitness has its prize Megan from marketing got two televisions a did player an Box 360 and two ipod Vicki from training got a digital camera a Gas navigation system and a Bose speaker Dock with her ipod Ben and so Youn the couple from the prizes discounted insurance and even Cash what began a few years Back with a gift card Here and a Coupon there is evolving into a much More comprehensive Effort by companies health benefits experts said lab got a 42inch Fla screen to for their living room at by corp employees get As much As a year for exercising regu i Early quitting smoking or we Are not hoping to turn logging on to the Compa nys preventive care web site Blue shield of califor Nia which insures 300000 of the states Alt Carlos ceo Public workers began of destiny health insurance co and the list goes on for workers at Ottawa dental Laboratory outside Chicago their health plan gives them Bucks for getting in shape quitting smoking lowering their cholesterol or managing chronic conditions such As diabetes or asthma they use the Bucks to get merchandise on the health plans web site people into olympic athletes it is about changing items including luxury watches Barbecue grills and Mountain bikes the shopping is great said Vicki Stacey 53 who earns her Bucks by among other things exercising at least four times a week i feel real Good she who follow recommended diet exercise and drug said i have More Energy exasperated by eve rising healthcare costs and frustrated that conventional health plans fail to pro this year for things like filling out a health risk assessment form and exercising banking giant Wells Fargo co deposits As much As a year into medical savings accounts for workers with chronic conditions such As diabetes Mote Good health some us employers and their insurers Are enticing workers to stay healthy with regimens workers say these approaches give them the added motivation they need to drop a few pounds or quit smoking employers say these methods should pay off too because healthier workers have less absenteeism and Are More productive whether these tactics will decrease healthcare costs in the Long run remains to be seen experts said if the benefits Are too Rich they might end up costing More than they save too Little or a sustained and workers eventually will lose interest but the rewards Are getting workers attention at least at Johnson Johnson employees get a discount on their health insurance if they participate in the company disease prevention program which includes filling out a form to identify possible health risks before about a Quarter of employees filled out the form now More than 90 percent do some say the practices might end up rewarding those who already Are healthy while doing Little to reduce costs for the sick but proponents say the change is Worth trying because the current medical system int working with the country medical Bill expected to reach trillion and consume a fifth of economic output in a decade prevention is More urgent than Ever nearly everyone in the healthcare debate agrees every Little bit helps said Art Carlos chief executive ceo of destiny health insurance co Ottawa Laboratory insurance provider we Are not hoping to turn people into olympic athletes Carlos said it is about changing behaviour a q o v cd d cd 3 cd in