Make Your Mat Happy: 16 Healthy Reasons To Unroll Your Yoga Mat
16 Healthy Reasons To Unroll Your Yoga Mat
Know what makes your yoga mat happy?
When you unroll it and give it your full attention. And turns out there are 16 healthy reason to make your mat happy;)
We love this article from http://choosevibranthealth.com:
For more than 5,000 years humans have practiced the ancient Indian art of yoga. Long revered for its spiritual and mental benefits, yoga is fast becoming equally valued for its benefits in reversing the effects of modern chronic diseases.
A new study from Harvard University concludes that yoga has particular benefits for your heart.
In a study of 32 randomized controlled trials, researchers concluded that a yoga practice lowers heart disease risks as well as the risks of metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome has many aspects for risk. these include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar level, excess body fat, and abnormal cholesterol levels. It greatly increases the chance of cardiovascular problems.
Compared to people who didn’t exercise, yoga practitioners had:
lower body mass index and weight
lower blood pressure
lower LDL cholesterol and higher HDL cholesterol
lower triglycerides
lower heart rate
The researchers still aren’t sure how yoga works its magic in reducing cardiovascular disease. But they noted that yoga helps reduce the effects of stress, leading to positive impacts on the neuroendocrine system, metabolic function, and inflammation.
In fact, they found that yoga may provide the same benefits in heart risk reduction as traditional physical activity such as cycling or brisk walking. Therefore yoga makes a good alternative for people who can’t or won’t engage in traditional aerobic exercise.
Besides its heart benefits, most importantly yoga has been proven to:
Improve insulin resistance: A 2005 review found improvements in insulin resistance syndrome with yoga.
Help smokers quit: Twice-weekly Vinyasa-style yoga improved smokers’ odds of 7-day and 24-hour abstinence.
Benefit patients with cardiac heart failure.
Reduce urinary incontinence by 70%.
Reduce chronic lower back pain.
Reduce blood sugar in type 2 diabetics.
Improve brain function.
Improve bronchial asthma.
Relieve carpal tunnel syndrome.
Lower cortisol levels and relieve stress.
Help fibromyalgia patients.
Improve obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Improve behavioral skill in children with autism.
Relieve computer eye strain.
Improve osteoarthritis of the hands.”
In conclusion, the researchers found 16 great reasons to get on your yoga mat – and make your heart, health and mat happy