Meditation, yoga effect on human health and lifestyle

The Effect of Yoga on General Health

Suffering from joint pain and disorders can make life miserable and uncomfortable for many people. Not to mention the constant taking of pain relievers and using hot and cold pads. Some areas that are most affected by joint pain include the knees, wrists, elbows, back, hips, shoulders and neck.  According to St. Joseph’s Hospital, Americans are nearly 100% likely to have an episode of knee pain at least once in their lifetime.
However, people who include yoga in their fitness program may improve joint discomfort and their general health as well as lose weight.

Yoga Styles

The goal of yoga is unity of the body, mind and spirit with the focus on body posture, breathing and meditation. Several forms of yoga exist to meet the needs of varying lifestyles and personalities. Each yoga style emphasizes different positions and specific theories or beliefs. Some popular types are:

1. Hatha Yoga – the basis of all styles that focuses on asanas or postures,
2. Power Yoga – combines strength exercises, stretching and meditative breathing,
3. Ananda Yoga – includes silent affirmations and controlled breathing while doing different poses,
4. Bikram Yoga – a comprehensive style that embodies all forms of physical fitness in a heated environment,
5. Integrative yoga therapy – uses asanas, meditation and visualizations to treat specific disorders and illnesses.
   

 Yoga Benefits

Doing yoga offers many benefits for the body, mind and spirit and overall wellbeing, including

1. Increased mood and concentration,
2. Improved injury recovery time and reducing risks of re-injury,
3. Relieving joint and muscle pain and symptoms for other medical conditions such as asthma and arthritis,
4. Managing stress and improving deep breathing and relaxation techniques

Yoga and Weight Loss

Studies have shown that weight loss and control is possible with yoga although the calorie-burning power is lower than other types of aerobic exercises. Someone who weighs 150 pounds may burn about 200 calories doing yoga for an hour. However, 60 minutes of aerobic exercise or walking at 3 mph may burn more than twice the number of calories. Although there is no scientific association between yoga and weight loss, it is believed that the benefits of awareness and self-discipline may play an important role in lifestyle changes such as healthier food choices and increased physical activities. 

Doing yoga three times weekly along with other types of aerobic exercise and eating a healthy diet is a good weight loss strategy. This should involve consuming fewer calories than what is used up during physical activity.

Yoga and Joint Health

Yoga is also a popular and effective exercise method to help relieve joint disorders. The many postures or asanas used may help to remove blockages, improve movement and circulation as well as strengthen and stretch the joints, bones and connecting muscles. Some yoga poses that may be successful in treating joint discomfort and pains include the triangle position (Trikonasana), hip-to-hand position (Januhastasana) and wind relieving position (Pavanmuktasana).

As a safe and effective form of exercise, yoga offers hope for people with joint pain and osteoarthritis. It also encourages lifestyle changes such as improved mental discipline, physical fitness, balanced diets, weight control and general wellness.

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.

Surprising Health Benefits of Yoga

Over the past several years, yoga has experienced an upsurge in popularity in the western world among medical professionals and celebrities alike. While many associate yoga with new age mysticism or the latest fad at the gym, yoga is actually an ancient practice that connects the mind, body, and spirit through body poses, controlled breathing, and meditation. The practice of yoga has many health benefits associated with it, so read below to discover  benefits of incorporating yoga in to your or your patient‘s fitness program.

Health Benefits Within: 

From lowering blood pressure to increasing pain tolerance, Aging. Yoga stimulates the detoxification process within the body. Detoxification has been shown to delay aging, among many other health benefits.

Posture. The very nature of yoga teaches the practitioner how to hold and control one‘s body in a more healthful position. Through consistent practice, your posture will improve so that you look more confident and healthy.

Strength. One of the premises of yoga is that you are using the weight of your own body for overall strength. Find out more about how yoga works as an excellent method of strength training in this article.

Energy. Regular yoga practice provides consistent energy. In fact, most yogis state that when you perform your yoga correctly, you will feel energized after your yoga session rather than tired.

Weight. The benefits of a better metabolism along with the exercise of yoga work to keep your weight in check. Additionally, the stretching of muscles longwise helps to reduce the amount of cellulite that can build around muscles.

Sleep. Because of the many benefits to both body and mind that a yoga routine can provide, many find that their sleep is much better. Read here for more on sleep and yoga, as well as some positions for helping induce sleep.

Balance. An integral part of the yoga practice is balance and control over your body. With a consistent practice, you will find that your overall balance will improve outside the yoga class.

Integrated function of the body. Yoga is derived from Sanskrit and means “to join tMood. Overall well-being improves with yoga practice. The combination of creating a strong mind-body connection, creating a healthy body, and focusing inward can all lead to improvement in your mood.

Stress Reduction. The concentration required during yoga practice tends to focus your attention on the matter at hand, thereby reducing the emphasis you may have been putting on the stress in your life. Read more about yoga and stress management here.

Anxiety. One benefit to the controlled breathing used in yoga is a reduction in anxiety. Learn more about how you can use yoga breathing to reduce your anxiety.

Depression. Some believe the negative feelings that you may be repressing are brought to the surface during some types of yoga exercise. When this happens, the negative energy is no longer stuck within you, but released through exercise. 

Regularly releasing this negativity leads to a reduction of depression in many people.

Self-acceptance. Focusing inward and realizing through your yoga practice that perfection is not the goal, self-acceptance begins to take over. This post describes how success is not measured by perfectionism in yoga.

Self-control

 The controlled movements of yoga teach you how to translate that self-control to all aspects of your life.

Mind-body connection. Few other exercises offer the same mind-body connection that yoga does. As you match your controlled breathing with the movements of your body, you retrain your mind to find that place of calm and peaCholesterol. Yoga practice lowers cholesterol through increased blood circulation and burning fat. Yoga practice is a great tool to fight against harmful cholesterol levels.

Lymphatic system. Your lymphatic system boosts your immunity and reduces toxins in your body. The only way to get your lymphatic system flowing well is by movement. The specific movements involved in yoga are particularly well-suited for promoting a strong lymphatic system.

Glucose. There is evidence to suggest that yoga may lower blood glucose levels.

Sodium. As does any good exercise program, yoga reduces the sodium levels in your body. In today‘s world of processed and fast foods that are full of sodium, lessening these levels is a great idea.

Endocrine functions. Practicing yoga helps to regulate and control hormone secretion. An improved endocrine system keeps hormones in balance and promotes better overall physical and emotional health.

Triglycerides. Triglycerides are the chemical form of fat in the blood, and elevated levels can indicate a risk for heart disease and high blood pressure. A recent study shows that yoga can lead to “significantly lower” levels of triglycerides. Read more about the results of that study here.

Red blood cells. Yoga has been shown to increase the level of red blood cells in the body. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen through the blood, and too few can result in anemia and low energy.

Vitamin C. Vitamin C helps boost immunity, helps produce collagen, aCarpal tunnel syndrome. Individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome who practiced yoga showed greater improvement than those who wore a splint or received no treatment at all. Researchers saw improved grip strength and reduction of pain in the study participants.

Asthma. There is some evidence to show that reducing symptoms of asthma and even reduction in asthma medication are the result of regular yoga.

Arthritis. The slow, deliberate movement of yoga poses coupled with the gentle pressure exerted on the joints provides an excellent exercise to relieve arthritis symptoms. Also, the stress relief associated with yoga loosens muscles that tighten joints.

Multiple sclerosis. According to this article, “yoga is now recognized as an excellent means of MS management.” Additionally, National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is funding a clinical trial of yoga for treating multiple sclerosis.

Cancer. Those fighting or recovering from cancer frequently take advantage of the benefits that yoga provides. 

Cancer patients who practice yoga gain strength, raise red blood cells, experience less nausea during chemotherapy, and have a better overall well-being.

Muscular dystrophy. Using yoga in the early stages of muscular dystrophy can help return some physical functions. The practice of Pranayam yoga helped one teen regain many of his abilities lost to muscular dystrophy. Learn more in this article.

Migraines. Regular yoga practice has been shown to reduce the number of migraBlood pressure. A consistent yoga practice decreases blood pressure through better circulation and oxygenation of the body. These two exercises can help lower blood pressure.

Pulse rate. A slower pulse rate indicates that your heart is strong enough to pump more blood with fewer beats. Regularly practicing yoga provides a lower pulse rate.

Circulation. Yoga improves blood circulation. By transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout your body, yoga practice provides healthier organs, skin, and brain.

Respiratory. Like the circulatory system, a lower respiratory rate indicates that the lungs are working more efficiently. Yoga decreases the respiratory rate through a combination of controlled breathing exercises and better fitness.

Cardiovascular endurance. A combination of lower heart rate and improved oxygenation to the body (both benefits of yoga) results in higher cardiovascular endurance.

Organs. Yoga practice massages internal organs, thus improving the ability of the body to prevent disease. Additionally, an experienced yoga practitioner becomes better attuned to her body to know at first sign if something isn‘t functioning properly, thereby allowing for quicker response to head off disease.

Gastrointestinal. Gastrointestinal functions have been shown to improve in both men and women who practice yoga.

Immunity. Yoga practice has frequently been correlated with a stronger immune system. Read this article for more on the immune system and yoga, including some poses that s following health benefits can all be discovered within the body.

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