Yoga Provides Many Awesome Benefits

Inversions have a vast
array of healing benefits.
From anti-aging to
reducing depression.

Yoga is an ancient form of exercise that has been around for more than 5,000 years.  Millions of Americans enjoy the health benefits of yoga.  There are many different styles of yoga.  Some are more relaxing and some provide more activity, but all will help you to become stronger, more flexible and have better balance.  Yoga will also help you to be calmer, have more energy and become more centered.  Dr. Glen Axelrod of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center even claims, “Many professional athletic teams use yoga as an integral part of their training” 

Restorative yoga postures are
particularly helpful in relieving
stress and anxiety.

You can also reduce your blood pressure and heart rate by practicing yoga. You may also start to see a newfound confidence in yourself as you begin to master the yoga poses.

Yoga works to increase your flexibility by stretching your muscles. When you stretch during yoga, your muscles release lactic acid.  This may help relieve stiffness and provide relief to painful joints.  Yoga also stretches out your tendons and ligaments.  Improvements in flexibility will be noticed in a very short period of time.  Yoga has been proven to provide significant relief for low back pain by a study that was conducted by the Veterans Administration and the University of California, San Diego.  

You will also increase your strength when you practice yoga.  Yoga pose can help to build both upper and lower body strength.  You will also build your core strength with most yoga poses.  A stronger core will allow you to stand taller and look leaner.  

Yoga is a wonderful exercise in relaxation for the stressed lives we lead today. During yoga you can practice meditation, which will help quiet your mind and ease your stress.  You may also practice deep breathing while doing yoga exercises.  This will help to calm your mind.Researched performed at Ohio State University has proven that recovery from stress is much faster in women who do hatha yoga.

Yoga has many health benefits.  Just talk to anyone who does yoga and they will tell you how much it has improved their flexibility, strengthened their muscles, provided joint relief and calmed their mind.  Try it yourself and you will begin to experience all the benefits that yoga has to offer.

Guest Post by Carolyn Fallon:

Carolyn Fallon is a 20-something year old with a passion for life, fitness and overall well being.  She is an avid cycler, golfer and has known to bust some serious moves on the dance floor.  Check out Carolyn’s blog at http://fullonfit.blogspot.com!

*Pictures by Keri Rogers.