Top 10 reasons to try yoga for life

The health benefits of yoga have been reported by practitioners and are now beeing confirmed by scientific research. Give yoga a try and discover what it can do for your body, your mind and your soul.

1. YOGA FOR STRESS RELIEF: Yoga reduces the physical effects of stress on the body. By encouraging relaxation, yoga helps to lover the levels of the stress hormone Cortisol. Related benefits include lowering blood pressure and heart rate, improving digestion and boosting the immune system as well as easing the symptoms of conditions such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, asthma and insomnia.

2. YOGA FOR PAIN RELIEF: Studies have demonstrated, that practicing yoga asanas ( postures ), meditation or a combination of the two, reduced pain for people with conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, auto - immune deseases and hypertention, as well as arthritis, back and neck pain, and other chronic conditions. Some practitioners report, that even emotional pain can be eased through the practice of yoga.

3. YOGA FOR BETTER BREATHING: Yoga teaches people to take slower, deeper breaths. This helps to improve lung function, trigger the body's relaxation responce and increase the amount of oxigen, available to the body.

4. YOGA FOR FLEXIBILITY: Yoga helps to improve flexibility and mobility, increasing range of movements and reducing aches and pains. Many people can't touch their toes during their first yoga class. Gradually they begin to use the correct muscles. Over time, the ligaments, tendons and muscles lengthen, increasing elasticity, making more poses possible. Yoga also helps to improve body alignment resulting in better posture and helping to relieve back, neck joint and muscle problems.

5. YOGA FOR INCREASED STRENGTH: Yoga asanas (postures ) use every muscle in the body, helping to increase strength literally from head to toe. And while this postures strengthen the body, they also provide an additional benefit of helping to relieve muscular tension

6. YOGA FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT: Yoga ( even less vigorous styles ) can aid weight control efforts, by reducing the Cortisol levels as well as by burning excess calories. Yoga ecourages healthy eating habits and provides a heightened sence of well beeing and self esteem.

7. YOGA FOR IMPROVED CIRCULATION: Yoga helps to improve circulation and, as a result of various poses, more efficiently moves oxygenated blood to the body's cells.

8. YOGA FOR CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONING: Even gentle yoga practice can provide cardiovascular benefits by lowering heart rate, increasing endurance and improving oxygen uptake during exercise.

9. YOGA FOR FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: Yoga helps us to focus on the present, to become more aware and to help create mind - body health. it opens the way to improved concentration, coordination, reaction time and memory.

10. YOGA FOR INNER PEACE: The meditative aspects of yoga help many to reach a deeper, more spiritual and more satisfying place in their lives. Many who begin to practice for other reasons, have reported this to be a key reason, that yoga has become an essential part of their daily lives.

For more information on studies about health benefits of yoga visit the Yoga Alliance site www.yogaalliance.org