Isis Monteverde has worked as a life coach for 20 years. Prior to taking up this role, she was a yoga teacher, having trained in Bali while traveling. This article will provide an overview of some of the many health benefits of yoga, from enhanced strength and flexibility to improved mental health.
Whether an individual seeks to lose weight, increase their strength and flexibility, achieve beautiful, glowing skin or improve their state of mind, yoga has a plethora of different health benefits to offer. Uniting the mind, body and breath, this form of exercise helps participants to achieve balance and harmony, leading them on a journey through life that is calmer, happier and more fulfilling.
As Sri Sri Ravi Shankar suggests, exercise is more than the mere absence of disease; it is a dynamic expression of life. Yoga postures, meditation and breathing techniques are neatly wrapped up in a single holistic fitness package. The benefits for regular participants are numerous, enhancing mental strength and agility; improving health; protecting from injury; and improving physical strength.
For those seeking to lose weight and improve their overall health, sun salutations and Kapalbhati pranayama are particularly effective. With regular practice participants become more sensitive to their body’s requirements and in tune with the kind of food the body needs, helping to keep weight in check.
Building strength does not necessarily entail intense strength training sessions and gym workouts. In reality, using body weight to create resistance is an effective form of training that can be used to improve strength across the whole body.
Just spending a few minutes each day practicing yoga has been shown to have a big impact in terms of alleviating stress. Yoga postures, meditation and pranayama help to release stress that accumulates throughout the day, calming the mind and helping to instil inner peace.
Yoga helps people to live with greater awareness. The human mind is prone to flitting from the past to the future, struggling to stay focused on the present. By simply being aware of this tendency, it is possible for an individual to calm their mind and avoid getting stressed. Yoga instils awareness, helping the mind to concentrate on the present moment and promoting fulfilment and happiness.
Yoga has even been shown to have a positive impact on the immune system, which is a seamless blend of the body, spirit and mind. Irregularities in the body often affect mental health, creating restlessness and mental health issues. Not only do yoga poses strengthen muscles but they also massage organs, with meditation and breathing techniques helping to release stress and improving immunity.
