Health Benefits of Yoga

The yoga practice acts as a therapeutic tool to heal the body and the mind. When you practice yoga regularly, the numerous health benefits become apparent. The yoga postures (asanas), breathing exercises (pranayama), and meditation come together to yield a large number of physiological and psychological changes:

Physiological Benefits of Yoga

* increases muscle flexibility and joint range of motion
* increases muscular strength, endurance, and joint stability
* improves posture, steadiness, coordination, and balance
* decreases joint and back pain
* increases immunity
* improves sleep and increases energy levels
* decreases heart rate and increase cardiovascular efficiency
* decreases respiratory rate and improves respiratory efficiency
* reduces high blood pressure
* improves digestion and normalizes gastrointestinal function
* improves excretory functions and reduces constipation and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* improves flow of lymphatic system, thus helps in removal of toxins
* normalizes endocrine (hormone) function
* normalizes weight and body composition
* increases bone density and decreases onset of osteoporosis
* decreases blood sugar levels
* decreases sodium
* decreases total cholesterol
* increases HDL (good) cholesterol /decreases LDL and VLDL (bad) cholesterol
* decreases triglycerides
* increases grip strength
* EEG - alpha brain waves increase leading to a restful mental state
* brings autonomic nervous system to stable equilibrium
* improves dexterity, reaction time, and depth perception
* increases Galvanic Skin Response (GSR)

Psychological Benefits of Yoga

* improves concentration and attention
* decreases anxiety, internal stress and depression
* improves mood and sense of well-being
* increases self-acceptance and self-actualization
* improves learning efficiency and memory
* increases somatic and kinesthetic awareness (body/mind connection)
* decreases aggression and hostility
* increases social skills
* improves depth perception

If you have any health concerns, consult a medical professional before entering a yoga program. When performing the poses, maintain awareness on each movement and the alignment within each position. Remember, strain or fatigue should be avoided. The more mindful and respectful you are with your body, the better it will respond to the practice. Listen to the demands of the body, observe without judgment, and always find a place of joy and contentment within each pose.

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Suggested Resource: Medical Health Care Information

A Little Exercise Goes A Long Way

LITTLE bit of exercise will shrink the waistlines of couch potatoes far quicker than it will those of active people, new research shows.

A sedentary person who walked just 2000 steps a day could significantly shed weight just by adding another 2000 steps, the study by Murdoch Children's Research Institute and the International Diabetes Institute found.

Men could lose 2.8cm off their waists while women could lose 2.2cm.

But active people walking the recommended 10,000 steps a day would reduce their waist circumference only by 0.7cm if they added a further 2000 steps.

The study of more than 1100 Tasmanians, published in the International Journal of Obesity, is the first to prove definitively, using step pedometers, the impact exercise has on obesity, even when it is simply walking.

A person did little or no exercise would benefit hugely from a little bit more, said Dr David Dunstan, manager of physical activity research at the International Diabetes Institute and one of the study's authors.

"In terms of obesity levels, we've proved there are huge benefits to be gained from this low starting point and that should be very encouraging for people," he said.

"Of course, there are some benefits for those that are already doing more but the magnitude is just not the same."

Source: Medical Health Care Information

Stay Healthy in a Dangerous World

These days there is a huge drive to stay healthy and that is a great thing. The only problem is that there are just so many things that can do us harm. Humans face dangers in every form and we have to concern ourselves with hazards in the air via airborne viruses and chemicals as well as chemicals on the things we touch and even on the foods we buy to eat. Many people feel that if you are not actively battling all of the dangers in the world then you have a negative outlook and are destined to end early.

This is not the case. Since there are so many things to worry about and not all of them are under your control then the solution is easy. You need to worry about the things that you can control and allow the things that you cannot control to fall by the way side. If you spend all day stressing about things that you cannot alter or affect in any way then what in the world are you spending your effort on? There happens to be a whole lot of things that you can affect to allow yourself to lead a longer and healthier life so pay attention to them and do what you can to minimize the negative effect they have on you.

Being able to battle every hazard there is in the world today is impossible and it is not a doomsday attitude to feel that way. Actually it may not realistically be possible to fight all of the hazards that you can affect at the same time. You should pick the easiest and hopefully the most dangerous things to fight and then go for it. The harder you try to stay healthy the longer and happier your life will ultimately be.

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