| The practice of yoga is designed to unite mind, body, | | | | muscle strength. However, yoga's benefits extend |
| and spirit, and is based on the yogic premise that the | | | | beyond the physical, by promoting relaxation and calm. |
| mind and body are one, and that by the correct | | | | One of the basic tenets of yoga is that it helps to |
| practice of yoga it is possible for the body to reach a | | | | balance all areas of a person's life by improving |
| place of harmony and heal itself. | | | | physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. |
| Yoga has increased in popularity in recent years, with | | | | From a scientific standpoint, yoga has been studied |
| an estimated 6 million Americans currently engaging in | | | | and practiced for thousands of years. While the |
| regular yoga workouts. Part of yoga's popularity is | | | | practice is ancient, the principles of yoga have been |
| simply that it provides so many health benefits. Yoga | | | | studied and proven by modern medicine to be |
| assists a person in becoming more aware of their | | | | beneficial. Over the years, substantial research as |
| body: their posture, their alignment, and the way they | | | | been done on the health benefits of yoga, through the |
| move. Yoga helps people become more relaxed and | | | | yoga poses and through Pranayama (yoga breathing). |
| centered, less prone to stress, more energetic, happier, | | | | Yoga has been shown to produce three sorts of |
| healthier, and more peaceful. | | | | effects on the body: physiological, psychological, and |
| To start a typical yoga class, breathing and mild | | | | biochemical. |
| stretching exercises are performed to prepare the | | | | Some of the physiological benefits of yoga include: |
| participants mentally as well as physically. Most yoga | | | | reduction in pulse and respiratory rate, decrease in |
| classes consist of performing the asanas (yoga | | | | blood pressure, increased cardiovascular efficiency, |
| poses) either individually or linked in flows (known as | | | | improvement in excretory functions, improvement in |
| vinyasana). At the end of each yoga class there is a | | | | hand/eye coordination, normalization of weight, and |
| short period of meditation or relaxation in shavasana | | | | decrease in pain. The psychological benefits of yoga |
| (the corpse pose). | | | | are just as important and include: mood and subjective |
| There are several forms of yoga which can be | | | | well-being increases, anxiety and depression decrease, |
| practiced. Generally different forms of yoga produce | | | | concentration improves, learning improves, social skills |
| different benefits. For example, Iyengar yoga is for | | | | improve, depth perception improves, and self |
| correct bodily alignment, and often utilizes props | | | | acceptance increases. Finally, the biochemical |
| (including blocks, straps, or cushions). Bikram yoga is | | | | improvements that yoga promotes include: blood |
| also known as hot yoga, as it's performed in a heated | | | | glucose decreases, sodium decreases, HDL |
| room. It generally consists of a set of 26 poses done | | | | cholesterol increases, LDL and VLDL cholesterol |
| in a particular order. These are both forms of Hatha | | | | decreases, hemoglobin increases, total serum proteins |
| yoga and are commonly practiced in the US, as they | | | | increase, and the total white blood cell count |
| focus on the use of strengthening and breathing | | | | decreases. |
| exercises. | | | | One of the best things about yoga is that as a single |
| What can yoga do for you? Firstly, it is extremely | | | | practice it can do so much more for the body than |
| beneficial in the promotion of excellent flexibility, and is | | | | most other forms of exercise, and as such can easily |
| also excellent for circulation and development of | | | | fit into even the busiest lifestyle. |