YOGA

Emma S.

Find out

Y O G A

why so many people are obsessed.

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.�

-B.K.S. Iyengar

Health Benefits

Skilled yoga practitioners have been saying for years that yoga has a plethora of health benefits, but only just recently has it become something that is seen as legitimate in the eyes of doctors and the general public. Its forms vary and are practiced differently in relation to one another, but they all share a common theme: their positive impact on the health of those who practice them regularly. Some benefits are obvious, like improved flexibility and respiration, but others are more unexpected. A few of those effects are listed: increases blood flow: the deep breaths that are practiced in yoga provide more oxygen for blood cells, which function better as a result. betters bone health: weight-bearing exercise, which is what yoga is, strengthens bones and helps to prevent osteoporosis. drains lymphs and boosts immune health: contracting and stretching muscles and moving organs

drain lymph (a fluid that contains immune cells).

This helps the lymphatic system fight infection. causes blood pressure to drop: Savasana is a pose that can be very helpful to those with high blood pressure. It is a form of meditation that comes at the end of yoga class. It decreases blood pressure greatly. The higher the blood pressure, the more it is decreased. improves focus: an essential component of practicing yoga is focusing on the present. A study was conducted that compared yoga practitioners to non practitioners and found that the yogis had better coordination, reaction time, and memory.

This is probably because yoga forces people to push out stray thoughts and focus on the task at hand. promotes deeper sleep: savasana and other forms of meditation provide an escape from the overstimulation of everyday life by causing pratyahara, which is a turning inward of the senses. This creates time for the nervous system to rest, which, in turn, creates deeper sleep.

Relaxation In yoga, the loosening of bodily and mental tension is referred to as relaxation. It’s a bit complicated, because truly achieving relaxation means balancing out the amount of effort in one’s practice and lack thereof. It is a conscious thing, but then again, not really. Yoga is known to help destress its participants, which is why mental health professionals and doctors alike are regularly referring their patients to it. Here are a few well known tips on how to have a relaxing yoga class: Set an intention when practicing at the beginning of class and stay focused on it. For example, if you want to become more flexible, make a conscious effort to stretch your body more in your poses and to really strive to achieve the harder ones.

Practice in a quiet environment.

Create a mantra for each class. Say something over and over that will help to focus thoughts that might otherwise wander.

Accepting limitations is important. Yoga may seem incredibly difficult, but it is meant to ease stress, not create it. Just like anything else, yoga requires loads of practice and there is always room for improvement.

Don’t push too hard. No one is perfect at yoga because it involves constantly learning and growing, which is a major part of its appeal.

When feeling really stressed, try staying in seated positions for extended periods of time. They have a tendency to put the mind in a meditative state, which helps to expel negativity. Child’s pose and puppy pose are examples of seated postures.

When the breath wanders the mind also is unsteady. But when the breath is calmed the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath.

-Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Breathing In Vinyasa (flow) yoga, breath is used to link motions. People stay in a pose for the length of an inhalation/exhalation, and then transition into a new one, making sure to stay in time with their breath. While it is the center o debate amongst experienced yoga practitioners, most believe that Ujjayi breath is an effective way to go from posture to posture. It is a way to breathe in which breath is taken in and let out through the nose, while the lips are gently closed and the throat is constricted, as if whispering. An audible sound should be made when this is done correctly.

There are a few reasons why Ujjayi is considered to be superior to natural breathing. The biggest of these is that it adds a meditative quality to practice that allows postures to be held for longer. It also promotes being self aware during practice because it requires a little bit of thought. Spending time thinking about your breath decreases the likelihood of letting your mind wander off during your practice.

Diet

Meditation

Having a healthy diet is important for everyone, especially for people who do physically demanding activities, such as yoga. There is a whole other level, though, of commitment to the exercise form that can be executed when practicing yoga spiritually. It isn’t a requirement to associate spirituality with yoga, and yoga can certainly be practiced without these dietary restrictions and beliefs.

Meditation is an easy way to replace stress and

Yogis believe that food is the creator of prana, which is the life force that sustains the body. The development of this and a quality called sattva, which means peace, connection, awareness, and love with all beings, is typically reflected in the diet of vegetarian yogis, since food is humanity’s first interaction with nature, and eating without a sense of respect means suffering later on.

emotions, to build new skills that deal with stress,

anxiety with inner peace. The beauty of it is that it requires no equipment and can be completely free of cost. There are loads of benefits to meditation.

Some of the most important ones are emotional. It can be used to gain a new perspective on something, to focus on the present, to reduce negative and a plethora of other things.

Meditation is also a very useful skill when dealing with illnesses that are worsened by stress, such as depression, anxiety disorders, asthma, insomnia, high blood pressure, et cetera. It should not be

It is also believed that food should be prepared with used as a replacement for traditional medicine, but love and good intentions, in order to create more it can provide aid. awareness and a healthier practice.

Some foods that are beneficial to a yogic diet are fruits that are naturally sweet, herbal tea with citrus, sweet spices (mint, cinnamon, basil, ginger, et cetera), and whole grains, just to name a few. Foods to avoid are meats and fish, fried food, alcohol, processed food, and artificial sweeteners. Taking time to ensure that eating isn’t done in a rush is vital to a yogic diet.

Works Cited 38 Health Benefits of Yoga | Yoga Benefits." Yoga Journal. N.p., 28 Aug. 2007. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

The Yogic Diet: 10 Foods to Enjoy & Avoid." Mindbodygreen. N.p., 20 Aug. 2012. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

"Meditation." : Take a Stress-reduction Break Wherever You Are. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

"Yoga Inspiration: My 25 Favorite Yoga Quotes." Yoga Inspiration: My 25 Favorite Yoga Quotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.

"Yoga Relaxation Techniques." - For Dummies. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2016. "

The word meditation is actually an umbrella term for all of the different kinds. Some of the more common ones are guided meditation, mantra meditation, mindfulness meditation, qi gong, tai chi. Yoga is also considered to be a form of meditation because of its inward focusing nature and principles.