Originally published September 16 2009
This September: Celebrate National Yoga Month and Discover Many Health Benefits
by Melanie Grimes
(NaturalNews) Yoga is a 5,000-year-old practice that has many health benefits. There are many different schools that teach different disciplines and styles of yoga. Most yoga practice includes postures and breathing exercises, but there is even yoga for sleep and restoration. Yoga Month is being celebrated worldwide: in the US, Germany, UK, Spain, China, Singapore, Thailand, Bali, Japan, Australia and many other countries. Events are planned in many cities, and yoga studios are featuring special classes around the celebration.
One of the main reasons that people enjoy yoga is its ability to reduce stress. Yoga has been shown to lower blood pressure, heart rate, and even the stress levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for the flight of fight instinct that is produced in the adrenal glands. Yoga practice can reduce depression, insomnia, anxiety, as well as fatigue.
Yoga has also been used to reduce pain. The postures help stretch muscles and increase blood supply to organs and tissues. Yoga postures, called ASANAS, have been shown to reduce pain in numerous disease states, including cancer, arthritis, and in autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis.
Because yoga teaches breath control, many people find their lungs become stronger and healthier. The increased oxygen helps to relax the muscles and speed healing.
One of the best-known reasons for doing yoga is that it increases flexibility. This is especially important as people age because flexibility decreases with age, and this is frequently accompanied by a loss of mobility. The more you move, the more the body will keep its natural flexibility. When stiffness sets in, people are prone to stop moving. Yoga helps to restore the flow of blood, reducing pain and encouraging movement.
Yoga can increase the strength of muscles, and build strength and endurance. The small muscles are particularly strengthened by holding postures for long times, as this builds stamina and lean muscle mass. Some people find that they lose weight when the practice yoga. This is because of the reduced stress hormones and because yoga causes an increase in muscle mass that burns calories.
Many note an improvement in their circulation, especially after practicing yoga postures that flow in a series, such as the Sun Salutation. This leads to better heart health with a lowered heart rate, better aerobic capacity, and lowering of blood pressure. The increased blood flow to the brain aids in brain clarity and better mental focus.
All of the health benefits combine to reduce stress, increase immune function, improve heart health, reduce stress, increase muscle mass, speed the elimination of toxins, and aid in flexibility.
Yoga is easy to practice, as there are schools and teachers for all ages and fitness levels. Children and seniors can all benefit from yoga, and there are even specialized classes for pregnant women or chair yoga for those with difficulty standing.
Yoga classes are available in most neighborhoods across America. There are also many yoga videos available for sale or available at public libraries. Adding yoga to a daily fitness regime can have broad benefits to health and well-being.
http://yogamonth.org/
http://blogs.yogajournal.com/yogabuzz/2009/0...
http://commongroundmag.com/2009/09/editorsle...
About the author
Melanie Grimes is a writer, award-winning screenwriter, medical journal editor, and adjunct faculty member at Bastyr University. She also teaches homeopathy at the Seattle School of Homeopathy and the American Homeopathic Medical College.
A trained homeopath, she is the editor of the homeopathic journal, Simillimum, and has edited alternative and integrative medical journals for 15 years. She has taught creative writing, founded the first Birkenstock store in the USA and authored medical textbooks.
Her ebook on Natural Remedies for the Flu is available at:
http://melanie-grimes.blogspot.com/2009/04/b...
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