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CONTACT US:
Sales: 0908 8145876 | 0908 8145870 ||
Accredited Hospitals: 0917 8834111 | 0908 8145874 || Cebu Office: 0912 474 3930 | 0967 340 3743
Yoga is an ancient Indian civilization practice that has been around for 5,000 years. It has transcended cultural and geographic borders over the course of time, combining physical and mental techniques. In 2014, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 21 as the International Day of Yoga to recognize yoga’s universal appeal in leading a healthy lifestyle.
In the Philippines, yoga’s popularity continues to rise, inspiring more Filipinos to embrace a healthier way of life. Local celebrity yogis like Maxene Magalona, Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Bianca King, Kim Chui, Max Collins, Rica Peralejo, and Kylie Versoza practice yoga regularly to stay fit and nurture the body and the mind.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, yoga offers physical and mental health benefits for individuals of different ages. This body and mind practice can also play a big role in your recovery from an illness or surgery and support your healing process.
Yoga poses enhance your body’s flexibility, stretching muscles and helping you move better. It also combats stiffness and makes you feel less tired. In a study cited in WebMD, individuals improved their flexibility by as much as 35% after engaging in just eight weeks of yoga. The Cat and Cow and Seated Child’s Pose help stretch your back while the Fan Pose stretches your arms and shoulders.
Practicing advanced styles of yoga that are more physically demanding, such as ashtanga and power yoga can help improve muscle tone. But other less intense forms, such as Iyengar or hatha can also boost strength and enhance endurance. If you want to build upper-body strength, engage in poses such as Downward Dog, Upward Dog, and the Plank Pose. By holding these poses for extended periods, you can tone your core. The Standing Poses can strengthen your hamstrings, quadriceps, and abdominal muscles while the Upward Dog and the Chair Pose can build up the lower back.
Yoga does an excellent job of enhancing balance through physical and mental practices. Many yoga poses focus on strengthening core muscles, providing a solid foundation for improving stability. Yoga also fosters body awareness and mindfulness, enabling you to fine-tune your balance. The Tree Pose, Dancer, Crescent Warrior, Side Plank, and Figure Four challenge your static and dynamic balance, helping you maintain your center of gravity poised over a base of support.
Yoga involves a series of poses that can help reduce low back pain, a common health issue among older adults. A study recommends yoga as a treatment for chronic low back pain. This gentle mind-body practice teaches you the proper way to stretch and strengthen your muscles, reducing muscular tension and improving mobility.
Tenderness, joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, and decreased range of motion are common symptoms of arthritis. Though arthritis has no cure, medication such as Ibuprofen and paracetamol can help manage the pain. According to several studies, gentle yoga is an alternative way to reduce the discomfort of tender and swollen joints of individuals suffering from arthritis.
Stress can affect the body and the mind, leading to various health issues. Although stress is a natural part of life, what matters is how you handle it. Practicing yoga is a good way to cope with stress because it promotes relaxation and reduces anxiety.
When you’re engaged in a yoga pose, you harmonize your body, mind, and breathing. Try dedicating at least 30 minutes a day to doing a few yoga poses and start noticing the subtle changes. As you gradually make yoga a part of your daily routine, you can become more calm, balanced, and focused, helping you manage life’s ups and downs better.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, a rising number of cardiologists and other health professionals are recognizing the cardiovascular benefits of yoga. The calming and restorative effects of yoga may help lower blood pressure and cortisol levels, reducing the risk of heart disease. It can also help lower excessive blood sugar levels, contributing to a healthier heart.
Hatha yoga (focuses on body position) and Nidra (centers on breathing and more restorative poses) are ideal pre-sleep yoga styles. By building a consistent yoga routine, you can prepare your mind and body to settle down before bedtime and get optimal sleep.
Exercise such as yoga triggers the release of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that play a significant part in maintaining mood. Regular yoga practice has the power to revitalize the body and the mind, increasing energy levels, boosting alertness, and cultivating a more positive mindset.
Joining yoga classes is an opportunity to be part of a supportive community, providing a sense of belonging. Being around like-minded individuals who share your passion for yoga can ease loneliness, encourage healthy habits, and inspire you to prioritize self-care.
Yoga offers a holistic approach to your overall well-being, improving your physical and mental health. By practicing yoga regularly, you can increase your flexibility, improve your physical strength, enhance balance, manage stress, improve sleep, and boost energy. Moreover, yoga can help relieve back pain, ease arthritis symptoms, and improve heart health. Engaging in this practice will not only promote a more balanced and rewarding life but also connect you with a supportive community.
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