Yoga and Health

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been embraced worldwide for millennia. Today, many Americans are learning the many benefits of Yoga. Aside from being one of the hottest fitness trends to sweep the country, it is heralded by physicians as an amazing health boost.

There are nearly 11 million Yoga practitioners in the United States today, practicing many different forms of Yoga - from gentle to 'hot', to vinyasa to another lineage - and all of them are receiving health benefits from their practice.

For example, here are several ways Yoga can help improve your health.

-Yoga increases flexibility. Yoga increases the range of motion in our joints, adding additional and necessary lubrication. It also stretches the soft tissues of the body, such as the ligaments and tendons. One medical study has shown that Yoga participants enjoyed a 35 % increase in flexibility after just two months. Increased flexibility keep us feeling and looking youthful.

-Yoga builds strength. "Yoga teaches us to bench press our body weight", says Yogini Valarie. When practiced correctly, nearly all Yoga poses help build core strength in the deep abdominal muscles, while building muscle, which promotes bone strength.

-Yoga is good for your back. One of the most common complaints in America today is chronic back pain. "Every Yoga class I teach, focuses on Yoga Therapy. There simply can be no other approach for me", says Yogini Valarie. Some Yoga teachers have taken the time to study Yoga Therapy, which focuses on breathing, concentrated movement, low-impact flexibility and muscle exercises. One research study showed that Healing Yoga classes - like those offered at Hamsa Yogashala - helped people with lower back pain twice as much as medication did.

-Yoga is good for mental health. How could a practice that incorporates relaxation, meditation and deep breathing not be good for our mental health? Yoga is an excellent stress reducer, and there's a lot of stress going around right now.

-Yogic breathing can improve lung function. The deep and mindful breathing that is part of Yoga can lead to better sports performance and endurance.

-Yoga is good for heart health. Yoga has been proven to lower blood pressure and slow the heart rate, and that's very beneficial for people with hypertension. Yoga has also been associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

-Yoga helps with balance. "As we age, we may loose our hair, loose our good eyesight, or loose our sex-drive. Medicine has a pill or procedure for all of these. However, the only sure fix for loss of balance is Yoga", Yogini Valarie. For older people, the balance techniques learned in Yoga can help prevent falls, which are often the first step to failing health.