If you have a chronic medical condition, check with your doctor before beginning a yoga program, and consider consulting a qualified yoga teacher for a customized “prescription” of yoga poses.* Caution: While doing yoga, don’t hold your breath! That may raise your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, any eye condition where increased pressure should be avoided or neck injuries, forgo postures in which your head is inverted, such as headstands—these poses can significantly increase blood flow to the brain, increasing your risk for a stroke or other cardiac event.

*To find a qualified yoga therapist, consult the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

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