Yoga is a form of exercise used for stress relief, weight loss, pain relief, improving flexibility, and much more. There are over 100 various types of yoga and all types yield different specific results. Overall, it is a way to bring the mind, body and spirit into alignment. Yoga dates back over 5,000 years and most of those years many people thought yoga was a religious exercise. However, more people around the world today are seeing just how great and healthy yoga is for their well-being. The growing demand for yoga is proving there is a need for yoga therapy.
Many physicians today recommend yoga to their patients suffering from heart disease, chronic conditions, pain, high blood pressure, depression, stress and other health issues. Yoga therapy combines yoga with Western medicine and psychology to help people function at their best. People are exploring more holistic health options to heal or minimize their ailments as opposed to only taking medications; in which all medications have side effects.
Yoga techniques can focus on specific health problems and overall fitness. Unfortunately, injury is what opens many people’s eyes to yoga therapy. Perhaps for some people it is a last resort because medications were not helping or the side effects of their medication was too much stress. Most people are surprised that focused positions, breathing and meditation can heal the body.
Yoga helps shape the mental state of people. Studies show that yoga can clear the mind and help people focus. While it is relaxing the muscles, it relieves stress at the same time. People that have practiced yoga for some time, better understand the correlation between the body and the brain. When the body views a task or has a thought that yields anxious reactions, the brain is automatically firing stress responses throughout the nervous system. With yoga, the anxious breathing is slowed down and as a result the stress signals from the brain slow down significantly or even stop.
Yoga can change the physique and can also increase an individual’s body awareness. It improves the body’s circulation, which in turn helps move toxins out of the body. The result is more clear skin and eyes. The stretching burns calories, which can lead to weight loss. The poses help build and tone muscle and people have better balance and posture. Also, when the body has reduced stress, the appearance of dark circles around the eyes tends to diminish. When it comes to being more aware, people who have practiced yoga for a while know more quickly when something is amiss physically.
Spiritually yoga brings out the happy in people. This does not mean yoga participants never have negative thoughts. Instead, they feel in tune and connected. Yoga teaches them how to handle their stress, which helps them to cope with life issues in a healthier way, especially in the case of emergencies or unexpected occurrences. People who practice yoga can find their center and know how to control their level of anxiety in a healthy manner.
Certainly the perception of Yoga and its benefits has changed in recent years. Through following yoga practices, people have improved themselves in several ways. With modern life holding many uncertainties, be it physical, financial, or social, yoga seems to be life’s natural remedy.
