If you can breathe, you can do yoga

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Many people say they can’t do yoga because “they aren’t flexible” or “it’s not for them”.

That is false.

Anyone can do yoga! And the benefits of practicing yoga should make anyone want to give it a try!

All you have to do is focus on you and you will reap the benefits of this healthily practice.

Let’s do a quick run down of five amazing benefits this practice will give to your body!

1. Breath


• As I already mentioned breath is key. But it brings incredible benefits to your practice. Let me explain, yoga promotes an ujjayi breath, deep inhales through the nose and deep exhales through the nose creating internal heat filtering and humidifying the air removing pollen and dirt. In a study done by the Yoga Health Foundation they discovered that yoga breathing significantly improves pulmonary functions in patients with bronchial asthma. Also focusing on your breath encourages relaxation in your body decreasing blood pressure and increasing blood flow to the intestines and reproductive organs.


2. Increase flexibility, Muscle Tone and Strength


• As much as you may dislike stretching or not care about flexibility it is actually a positive thing for your body because your inflexible muscles and connective tissues can cause poor posture. As for the muscle strength and tone well this protects us from arthritis and back pain… not to mention the external benefits of having some toned muscles!


3. Improved energy and vitality… makes you happy!


• Sometimes I come to yoga exhausted and drag myself onto the mat. We all have those days, but I know that once I finish my practice I will be happy I made it to the mat. Why? Yoga releases toxins and significantly increases serotonin levels, which improves your mood. Dr. Davidson at the University of Wisconsin found that the left prefrontal cortex heightens activity in meditators, a finding that has been correlated with greater levels of happiness and better immune function.


4. Eases Pain and Lowers Blood Sugar


• Yoga studies have proved that people with back pain, arthritis, and other chronic conditions felt less pain after practicing yoga, which leads to less medication and a happier you! Further, Yoga has been found to improve sensitivity to the effects of insulin and lower the LDL cholesterol while boosting the HDL cholesterol. Getting the blood sugar down decreases the risk of heart attack, kidney failure, and blindness. 


5. Your Heart


• Your heart is the most important part of the body and yoga happens to sustain a healthy heart. According to research in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners. Yoga boosts levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the tissues. This also thins the blood by making platelets less sticky. The result? Decrease in heart attacks. And Researchers at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta measured the effects on an eight – week yoga regime on heart failure patients found the yoga routine improved exercise tolerance and quality of life. 

These are only a few of the many benefits of yoga; give thanks to your body for being able to do what it does everyday with some well deserved yoga.


DK