It is now common knowledge that Yoga is good for your health. Based on a multitude of surveys completed over the last few years there are millions of human beings in the United States alone that practice Yoga- or some variation of it- once or more per week. To gain the maximum benefit from Yoga you should practice a minimum 3 times per week for at least 45-60 min.



For some Yoga is a way of life. That’s it. They decorate and adorn themselves with all the Yoga accessories and apparel, they’ve got the posters of their favorite Yoga stars on the wall, they go to all the lectures and workshops, earn a certificate and... You get the idea. For some its another fun way to exercise, to feel the burn, and for others its a godsend, a saving grace for their health and a way to enrich their lives.



In fact many doctors across the nation are now prescribing- even themselves practicing- Yoga (often including meditation) for all kinds of ailments; stress & anxiety, heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure etc. because it works to not only alleviate symptoms but to transform the root cause of the disease. There is a specific type of Yoga for darn near everything you could imagine. If there isn’t, well, I’m sure someon will make something up!



Why and how though is Yoga so awesomely awesome? What is so special about it? Remember doctors used to prescribe more exercise (along with a few other things)? What happened to god ole’ fashioned jogging and weights? Now, there is nothing wrong at all with conventional exercise. However, its like the difference between organic and GMO. One is okay and does the trick, sort o, and the other, well just taste and you’ll see!



In no way does the information provided suggest that conventional exercise is bad or should be avoided by any means. Everything listed bis for comparison sake only and is not intended to steer or influence ones habits. Always consult your doctor before making any changes to your lifestyle routines of this nature.



Take a look at the difference between Yoga and conventional exercise:



Yoga: Exercise:
Parasympathetic nervous system dominates Sympathetic nervous system dominates

Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled) Fatiguing (breathing is taxed

Subcortical regions of brain dominate Cortical regions of brain dominate

Slow dynamic and static movements Rapid forceful movements

Normalization of muscle tone Increased muscle tension

Low risk of injuring muscles & ligaments High risk of injury

Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups Imbalanced activity of opposing groups



Some other major benefits of a steadyYoga practice are:

Glucose decreases

Sodium decreases

Total cholesterol decreases

Triglycerides decrease

HDL cholesterol increases

LDL cholesterol decreases

VLDL cholesterol decreases

Cholinesterase increases

Catecholamines decrease

Vitamin C increases

Oxytocin increases

Oxygen levels in the brain increase



As you can see Yoga is a very potent form of preventative and beneficial health care. Your body has an underlying natural organizing intelligence. It’s designed to survive and thrive. Sometimes that organizing ability gets a little stumped for whatever reason (usually us interfering with the nature of things) and we need a little push in the right direction. Thanks Yoga, I love you!

Health chart information derived from http://www.philmilgrom.com/pdf/BenefitsYoga.pdf∞


Yoga