WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Forget the idea that yoga is just for gyms or exclusive spa retreats. It can and should be a part of the daily credit union workday. "Anyone can do yoga," said Ellen Serber, founder of MyDailyYoga.com. "You don't need to be fit and glamorous and you don't need to buy anything – all you need is the ability to change a pattern of behavior from one to another." This belief and looking for a way to help her son, who works in the video game industry, led to Serber developing one of the first Internet yoga-at-your-desk Web sites in 1996. "Although he's athletic I noticed that he and his comrades were getting hunched over and red-eyed from working 12 hour days at their computers," said Serber. "So in talking about it with one of my students, Web designer Daniel Will-Harris, he suggested since this is something so many people have to deal with we should launch a yoga site that anyone could access." With stress being at the root of medical conditions ranging from depression and cardiovascular disease to carpal tunnel syndrome, Serber says taking just 10 minutes a day to stretch and do some slow, deep breathing can lead to immediate stress reduction. Her site has grown from basic daily stretches to include exercises designed specifically to prevent or reduce repetitive stress injuries. "Breaking the habit of sitting rigidly all day is what people find most challenging," said Serber. "But if you do take a few minutes a day you'll find that your concentration improves and you won't feel as fatigued and achey at the end of the day. Anything even walking during lunch, breathing some fresh air or just looking away from your computer screen and looking into the distance throughout the day can make a big difference." The following simple yoga moves can all be done at your desk. In all the exercises, sit upright in the chair with the feet planted firmly on the floor. Press the top of the thighs down into the chair, stretch up the sides of the body and extend the neck and the crown of the head. So take a few minutes and prepare to relax and release your stress. [email protected]

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