To some, yoga can seem intimidating (I have to twist my body how?). To others, it might seem silly (How could something called Downward Facing Dog really help my health?).
Yoga is a science that has been practiced for thousands of years for a reason: It works. Research has proved there are many benefits to yoga. And the best part? Yoga is accessible to and can be attempted by anyone and everyone, age, sex, or physical conditions play no part here.
Yoga, by definition, means 'union.' Its practice simply is a science of exercises to promote control of the body and mind to bring one to a state of peace, a state of union. There are many different styles of yoga, but all yoga incorporates two key components: poses and breath.
Poses can be modified based on your needs. People do yoga for a number of reasons: Some people look to achieve improved health, peace of mind and flexibility, while others seek enlightenment, a strong body or just quiet time.
No matter the motivation for practicing yoga, everyone has the opportunity to benefit tremendously, physically and mentally, from the discipline.
If you are an athlete, you can benefit from the increased flexibility, strength and muscle tone yoga can provide. Yoga also helps you learn improved breathing techniques, which help tremendously while you perform in other workouts and athletics.
If you are being treated for cancer, yoga can help relieve the stress that you are feeling. The American Society of Clinical Oncology released a study that found yoga could significantly improve the quality of life of breast cancer patients.
In the study, the women who participated in yoga reported significantly better physical functioning scores in activities such as walking long distances, climbing stairs and lifting groceries, as well as significantly higher overall health scores, and had lower levels of fatigue and less difficulty sleeping than the women who did not participate in yoga.
By JANET LONG
THE LATEST YOGA NEWS, FROM IT IS YOGA
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