Yoga

A group of people sitting cross-legged on yoga mats, holding hands and participating in a yoga class focusing on meditation and mindfulness.

The Amazing Benefits Of Yoga

Yoga is one of the easiest and probably one of the healthiest ways to stretch and gain flexibility that works for both our body and mind. Many studies have shown that yoga can help people feel less stressed and tense emotionally, as well as make them stronger and more fit. This is pretty good news for anybody who wants to get healthy and stay that way, regardless of their age.

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated many centuries ago in India, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual elements. It involves a combination of physical postures, breath control, meditation techniques, and ethical principles. I’ve found that yoga is one of the few forms of exercise that has a positive emotional impact as well. People who practice yoga frequently report feeling happier and more at ease, as well as less prone to stress and tension. (Shohani 2018)

I’ve also found that most adherents who take yoga seriously invariably eat quite healthy as well, including a lot less (if any) meat, eat more vegetables, as well as legumes, fruits, nuts, grains, and seeds.

The Sanskrit term for yoga means to join or “to yoke.” One important point I’d like to make clear before we go into more detail: yoga is an ancient art form that focuses on developing and harmonising our body, mind, and spirit. Yoga is neither a “religion” nor a “belief system”, making it compatible with any kind of belief system.

Positive experiences of participants in a yoga study (published just this year) included reductions in pain and an increase in flexibility, along with an increase in sleep quality. The study’s author also mentioned that practicing yoga regularly could help with development of positive personality traits, increase in self-esteem, and coping with anxiety and stress more effectively. (Akdeniz 2023)

When yoga is practiced regularly, it offers several advantages for those who may have Candida overgrowth, SIBO, IBS, or IBD. Yoga is a great way to enhance the benefits of any program of cleansing and gut-improving while simultaneously mental and emotional health. This is important because our immune system’s functioning (and our ability to recover fast) can be significantly influenced by stress – depending on our state of mental and emotional mind.

In addition, as mentioned previously, some people find it easier to stick to eating healthy and living practices if they regularly practice yoga, because it helps us be more aware of living in the moment.
If you are new to yoga or unsure what to do, good advice is to speak with an experienced yoga practitioner or teacher to determine which of the many varieties of yoga and various postures (asanas) best meets your requirements.

Certain forms of yoga are more meditative than others; some are meant to improve our strength and flexibility, while other forms are meant to help our body become cleaner and detoxify more easily. For this reason, some yoga practitioners may recommend one or more kinds of yoga.

Pranayama

For instance, the primary goal of Hatha yoga’s higher branch, pranayama, is to assist with breath regulation. People who do pranayama have discovered how to greatly strengthen and enhance their parasympathetic nervous system through specialised approaches. (Sengupta 2012) This has the incredible effect of lowering stress levels. Over the years, I’ve observed in many of the patients I’ve known that those who practice yoga regularly experience a sense of inner calm, wellbeing, and serenity. In addition to helping with self-realisation and self-development over time, yoga can help us feel more attuned to our surroundings.

Regular yoga practice helps our body become stronger and more flexible. It has also been shown to improve our immune, digestive, respiratory, circulatory, neurological, and even our hormonal systems. Similar to Tai Chi, yoga promotes mental clarity and emotional stability.
Physically, I’m all for yoga; it’s a great exercise for anyone who want to stay active since, by routinely strengthening our body in this way, we’ll become much less vulnerable to strains, falls, and other mishaps as we get older.

Having practiced yoga for more than twenty years, our eighty-two-year-old patient nevertheless looks young for her age—she started when she was sixty. After her spouse passed away, she wanted to focus her mind and body on something, she claimed that yoga helped her maintain balance in her life.

You’ll find that yoga may help provide us with a quality of life that many people only imagine as they age. It’s true that if you don’t use it – you tend to lose it.

The physical and mental benefits of yoga include:

Improved flexibility and balance: Yoga involves a series of poses that promote flexibility and balance, enhancing joint mobility and reducing the risk of injuries.
Increased strength and muscle tone: Holding yoga poses (isometric exercise) requires muscular engagement, leading to improved strength and toned muscles throughout the body.
Enhanced cardiovascular health: Certain dynamic forms of yoga, such as Vinyasa or Power Yoga, can provide cardiovascular benefits, improving heart health and circulation.
Improved mental focus and clarity:The mindfulness cultivated in yoga contributes to enhanced concentration and mental clarity, fostering a more focused and present mindset.
Emotional well-being: Yoga encourages self-awareness and emotional balance, providing tools to manage emotions and promote overall well-being.

Yoga and our Digestive System

Our gut-brain axis involves a sophisticated communication system including involvement of our nervous system, gut microbiota, and our immune system. Scientists have discovered that certain nerves and biochemical signals that travel in the blood, connecting our digestive system to our brain

Through this system, our gut can react directly all kinds of mental, psychological and physical stress with symptoms that may include digestive pain, cramping, constipation, diarrhoea, bloating and gas, nausea, and even changes in appetite and digestion. (Foster 2017)

Let’s look at a few ways in which yoga can have a positive action on our gut health:

Mind-body connection: Yoga has long recognised the inter-connectedness of our mind and body, acknowledging that our mental and emotional states can impact physical health, including our digestive function.
Influence of mental state on digestive health: Stress and anxiety can adversely affect digestion. Yoga’s focus on mental well-being may help mitigate these factors, promoting a healthier digestive system.
Poses and movements for digestive health: There are several yoga poses that may aid digestion, such as seated twists (e.g., Bharadvajasana) and forward bends, can stimulate the abdominal organs, potentially improving digestion.
Gentle twists and stretches for the abdominal region: Incorporating gentle twists and stretches into a yoga practice can promote flexibility in our abdominal area and encourage healthy digestion.
Breath control and digestion: Yoga places significant emphasis on controlled breathing (Pranayama), which can have a positive impact on the digestive process by promoting relaxation and oxygenating the body.
Deep breathing techniques and their impact on digestion: Deep, diaphragmatic breathing practiced in yoga may help to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, known to support our gut function and overall relaxation.
Stress reduction and digestive harmony: Chronic stress is linked to many kinds of digestive issues. Yoga’s stress-reducing benefits can contribute to a more harmonious and efficient digestive system.
Stress mitigation of current digestive issues: Practicing yoga regularly may help us to alleviate stress-related digestive problems like indigestion or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Eric Bakker N.D.

Greetings! I am a naturopathic physician from New Zealand. Although I’ve retired from clinical practice since 2019, I remain passionate about helping people improve their lives. You’ll find I’m active online with a focus on natural health and wellbeing education through my Facebook page and YouTube channel, including this website.