The impact of hatha yoga on smoking behavior

Cigarette smoking remains the single largest preventable cause of premature death and disease in many countries, including the US and Australia. It has been suggested that smokers are probably more likely to feel personally susceptible and therefore more likely to feel personally susceptible and therefore more likely to reduce smoking behavior, if they develop self-awareness of the impact of smoking. McIver et al examine the impact of a hatha yoga intervention on smoking behavior, predicting that yoga stretching and breath awareness practices focused on pulmonary health would promote a desire to stop smoking.<br /

"Overeating is not about the food" : women describe their experience of a yoga treatment program for binge eating

As part of a larger mixed-methods study, data from 20 personal journals were analyzed to examine the experience of a 12-week yoga treatment program for binge eating among a sample of 25 women who were obese. Qualitative analysis revealed a positive shift experienced by the women during the program, summarized by a general structural description: disconnection versus connection. Women’s comments suggested that the program appeared to encourage a healthy reconnection to food, as well as the development of physical self-empowerment, through cultivating present-moment awareness. Specifically, women perceived an overall reduction in the quantity of food they consumed, decreased eating speed, and an improvement in food choices throughout the program. The women also reported feel-ing more connected to and positive about their physical well-being. These evolving outcomes were summarized through two major themes: the way their physicality changed, and the way their food consumption changed over time. Findings provide insights relevant to therapeutic processes that might occur within eating disorder interventions that draw on meditation-based approaches

Greenhouse Gas Auctions and Taxes: Some Practical Considerations,” Working Paper 08-12

Executive Summary Many scholars assert that &quot;cap and trade&quot; is an appropriate strategy for addressing climate change. Some economists have argued that auctions of greenhouse gases should be an integral part of any cap-and-trade mechanism. These economists suggest that auctions can efficiently distribute emissions allowances among firms, and potentially offset some of the deadweight costs with raising government revenues. Many environmentalists argue that revenue from auctions should be used by the government to promote reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Similar arguments are made for greenhouse gas taxes. This paper evaluates various arguments for auctions and taxes in light of political realities. I argue that economists are likely to be overly optimistic in their support for auctions and taxes, and that many potential uses of these revenues are unlikely to result in economic benefits. I then offer some general guidance for governments on the role of auctions in a cap-and-trade mechanism and offer recommendations for participating firms. Specifically, I urge the government to compare a realistic set of policy options, while recognizing that the feasibility of different types of mechanisms can change over time. To illustrate one such comparison, I examine auctions and taxes as ways of raising revenue, and find that neither is likely to do particularly well in terms of efficiency based on history. Furthermore, I suggest that the introduction of political economy considerations may lead to an optimal level of pollution control that is lower than that suggested by conventional economic analysis