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yoga naturally: To Your Health
To Your Health!
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by Laura Webster
Health! This is the time of year people are thinking about their health! The New Year represents new beginnings and provides an opportunity to evaluate and see how constructively we are living our lives. We are creating new directions by our choices. Often, we are taking ourselves out of what is known into new adventures. Of course, as we look at these changes, we want them to be as effective as possible.
Yoga is one means by which people can take responsibility for not only their health but for their attitude toward life. Yoga is not just an exercise but it is a holistic approach toward making our own personal world better. Through its physical and mental disciplines, yoga demonstrates that a joyful and holistic life is not just positive thinking but includes knowledge to aid people in becoming more aware so that they can make beneficial choices. For example, true relaxation is not just a beer and a football game (although these are a fun diversion from our daily lives!). But relaxation comes with learning how to quiet the nervous system through the mind and body.
Being present with or mindful of what we do is a key to improving our health. Using yoga techniques has shown to be good for the heart, digestion, blood pressure, brain, and breathing processes. A recent Harvard study found that yoga practice had helped people with everything from stress and chronic pain to diabetes, and called for further research.
At one time scientists thought the connections in our brain cells were set early in life and did not change in adulthood. However, with the help of advancements in brain imaging, they now know the brain continues to develop throughout our lives. On November 5, 2004 The Wall Street Journal, reported findings of a study being published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study found that experienced practitioners of meditation demonstrated that the brain, like the rest of the body, can actually be altered intentionally with mental training. This means expanded mental activity and heightened awareness. So, with a new approach to our bodies and our minds, fantastic possibilities can present themselves. Yoga cannot not promise to heal you, but yoga can lead you to some healthy lifestyle changes that can help the mind to stretch and the body to heal itself or just stay healthy! Cheers!
