Can yoga help live better with rheumatoid arthritis?

What we know from the research is that practicing yoga is linked with reducing the levels of molecules that drive inflammation, aka an ‘excessive’ immune reaction. But does that translate to an actual improvement in disease activity?

How stress messes up your immune system (and where yoga fits in)

Stress really fucks up the immune system in various different ways. Yoga’s positive effects on our immunity are likely due to its effects on our stress levels.

Does yoga really support a healthy immune system?

Ever since I wrote the blog post on yoga perpetuating the appeal to nature fallacy, I’ve been a little paranoid … More

Is yoga guilty of perpetuating the ‘natural is best’ fallacy? Am I?

In the yoga world, we have a tendency to prefer and promote a preference for all things natural. Herbal remedies. … More

What’s so special about yoga?

Ever since I read Yoga Body*, I’ve had one big question in my mind: if modern postural yoga is basically … More

Burned out? Try yoga

Working from home over the past 18 months has brought some challenges, especially in maintaining work–life balance. Could yoga help tackle stress and burnout and keep us productive and full of brilliant ideas?

Forever young with yoga?

If inflammation determines our biological age, and if yoga helps to control unnecessary inflammation, could yoga also help to keep us young?

Why is most yoga research a bit shit?

This question (or a more polite variant of it) recently came up in the pranayama teacher training I’ve been doing. I think we can all agree, it’s a valid question. It’s not that there isn’t research on yoga – this is starting to change – but a lot of what is out there is just not great. Here are three reasons why.

Yoga and mhealth – the perfect recipe for health empowerment?

Digital health can be a beautiful way to deliver the tools we all need to take a more active role in our health and wellbeing. So what happens when you combine it with yoga practices? The perfect recipe for self-care and empowerment, apparently.

What is the vagus nerve – and why should you care?

She’s everyone’s favourite nerve. She’s the vagus nerve, the main parasympathetic nerve, one that brings balance in times of stress. And yoga practices are her friend.

What do depression, inflammation and yoga have in common?

If you were to ask me what was the one thing I learned in the past year that blew my … More

Geeky wellness favourites: April

My favourites in health and wellness in April: yoga science stories, a cute tool to keep you well at work, a delicious yoga nidra, and more…

What did the Victorians think of yoga?

Don’t ask me what possessed me to log through the archives of Nature, the MOST prestigious scientific journal in the … More

Why everyone should practice yoga

I’m biased of course. I’ve been practising yoga for more than 10 years. I teach yoga. I write about yoga. … More

5 reasons why you should start a breathing practice today

Last year I attended breathing school. You would have thought that after 38 years of being alive I would know … More

Yoga nidra: what do people think? (or Rachel’s mini-research project)

Why do people think yoga nidra is? Why do they want to do it? And what do they experience when the do? I looked online to see what people are saying to find out (because I’m nosy – are you?).

Yoga nidra makes me happy (or just less sad) – plain language summary

I’m going to admit, I’ve been struggling to find both brain power and motivation to do any reading that requires … More

How to form a yoga habit

Use behavioural science tool to help form yoga (and other healthy) habits.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis – could yoga help? (plain language summary)

You probably know at least one if not multiple people with autoimmune disease, whether that’s type 1 diabetes, Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis (also called RA). All of these are conditions where the immune system has gotten ‘confused’ about what is self and what is non-self, and starts attacking the body, whether that’s the pancreas (diabetes), the gut (Crohn’s disease) or the joints (RA). Could yoga help?