Yoga to the Rescue!

           I am sure that many of you who follow our founder see the amount of yoga she has gone to recently. There are so many reasons for this transition from weight lifting every single day to doing yoga every single day instead. Now I am also sure you're sitting there thinking to yourself " I couldn't do yoga, I can't hold those crazy positions!" I am here to inform you that those crazy positions... well in the beginning, nobody can do them. 

•  For starters, yoga is a lifestyle change and should be treated as such. It is a practice to help calm the mind and heal the body. It is a relationship you build and develop with your self over time. I personally went back to practicing everyday because  I was grieving. Yoga helped me through the rough patches that I thought I may not make it through. It allowed me to control my stress levels from losing my best friend. It allowed me to come to terms with the reality of the situation and to see things clearly. I was able to grieve and continue to go about my daily life and work with better focus.  
• Yoga is a wonderful detox for the entire body. No, I am not talking about the kind where you drink a tea and run to the restroom all day. I am speaking of toxins that bevel into your muscle fibers that need to be released. When you do yoga you are stretching your muscles like pulling taffy to get the bubbles out and texture just right. Releasing lactic acid from the muscles allows more nutrients to be absorbed by the muscle. This in turn gives a quicker recovery time from soreness of sitting in an office chair all day or even for athletes competing. 
• Yoga is a holistic approach for healing the body and mind. Studies over nearly the past decade have shown that incorporating a daily practice of yoga can decrease the risk for CVD, Cardiovascular Disease, in women, lower stress, even aide in the rehabilitation of addictions. 
  • "In 2010, the estimated global cost of cardiovascular disease was $863 billion, and it is estimated to rise to $1044 billion by 2030."[1]
• So not only does yoga fight against all of that but it also lowers stress, combats depression and anxiety. Holding yoga poses may not be everyone's forte, but doing any form or style of yoga forces you to focus or fall. 
• The practice of just 20 minutes of daily yoga can help prevent stooping and correct poor posture. So if you have an office job or any job that keeps you sedentary yoga aides in easing the stress certain areas take, making it easier to focus and hopefully make your day go a little smoother. 
• All forms of yoga build strength! Not all forms require you to hold a pose for 30-60 seconds at a time, but if you... let's say weigh 170 pounds, which I do, and you are moving from one pose to the next then you are moving the majority of that weight around. Body weight counts, never underestimate how strong you already are starting out. 
• When you begin doing yoga as a daily practice you either learn to regulate your breathing from your yoga teacher or maybe you just realized that regulating your breathing is in fact a vital factor in yoga. Not only will it aide when shifting your body weight from one limb to the other, it also strengthens the cardiovascular system. This includes lower blood pressure. So stay calm and breathe steady.

     Okay, those are some pretty serious benefits to doing yoga daily. Now if I haven't convinced you to even give yoga a try for a week there are even more benefits! As most of us are, we are always looking for  a way to lose weight and strengthen our bodies. Well yoga may, in my personal opinion, be one of the best places that anyone can start on their lifestyle change. 

• If you are having some insomnia or trouble sleeping, then yoga could be your answer! Studies over the years have shown doing yoga before bed not only for a better nights rest but awaking to a better feeling in the morning. Waking up less groggy and feeling more energized. 
  • "In all, 410 survivors were accrued (96% female; mean age, 54 years; 75% had breast cancer). Yoga participants demonstrated greater improvements in global sleep quality and, secondarily, subjective sleep quality, daytime dysfunction, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, and medication use at postintervention (all P ≤ .05) compared with standard care participants." [2] 
• Yoga burns fat and aides in fat loss! Along with that you also get rid of excess inflammation and  gain better balance and coordination. Since some of the more advanced poses require being only on the balls of your feet or even your hands, the process leading up to those poses builds strength in muscles used to stabilize the body. And much of that comes from the core, so you get a great core workout as well, not to mention the bonus of flexibility. 
• Yoga has also been shown to aide in pain management for RA, Rheumatoid Arthritis. Since yoga detoxes the body naturally of toxins and inflammation RA flare ups happen less when yoga is done daily. 

      So let's say that you now have an interest in beginning a daily yoga practice. Here are a few pointers to help you get started. 

1. Start small and slow. Yoga isn't about being able to do handstands or put your feet behind your head, the flexibility is just an added bonus. It is about connecting the vehicle, your body, and your mind to work together more effectively and efficiently. 
2. Find or create your own space for yoga! I cannot tell you how important this step is. I travel quite often, and have for nearly ten years now. Everywhere I go I always set up a space specifically for yoga and meditation practice. If you are comfortable you will preform better, focus better, and get a better mindset as well. 
3. Rid your space of distractions, this includes your phone. If you use your phone for creating the ambiance with music just switch it to silent for calls, texts, and notifications. Focus and concentration come more easily when your distractions are out of sight and out of mind. 
4. Grab a good mat. I don't mean get on Amazon and order the first appealing mat that you see. I mean do your research. There are many different mats and for different practices. Take the time to find the one that is right for you and your practice. 
5. Remember that everyone starts at ground zero. Start small and stick to short practices of 10 minutes. Follow a yogi from Instagram or maybe a Youtube tutorial for beginners. A daily routine for 21 days when done consistently will end up in creating a good habit. 

​    I hope the next time you pass by that yoga class on the way home from work you stop and take a minute to relax. 

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