For centuries, Hindu devotees have talked about the miraculous effects of
yoga. In the last century, the world has woken up to Yoga and its many
benefits. Today, we talk about how yoga helps us stay young.
Ever since the dawn of the 21st century, the health and beauty industry has
been growing in leaps and bounds. The markets are flooded with age-defying
products of all brands and composition. “Botox” and “Plastic Surgery” have
become very popular.
But slowly, people are growing aware of the harmful side-effects of these
chemicals and surgeries. They are looking for a healthy alternative to look
young and be healthy at the same time.
A young and beautiful face is achievable only through a healthy body. If
every system in our body is not functioning properly, the face and the skin
will reflect that. When we start taking care of controlling and ensuring the
smooth functioning of all the systems, our skin glows making us feel young
and vibrant.
A number of researches have been conducted on the many benefits of yoga. A
study published in the journal Rheumatic Diseases Clinics of North America
, February 2000 issue, found that yoga helps with pain associated with
osteoarthritis and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Another research featuring in Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology,
April 2000 issue, showed that yoga may be as effective as drug therapy in
controlling hypertension. Until this is established by additional research,
yoga is said to be a compliment to drug treatment rather than a substitute.
How Yoga Helps in Slowing Down Ageing
Yoga can help reduce most of the signs of ageing by regulating the breathing
and also through the proper exercise of every part of the body.
Yoga can help reduce weight by ensuring the movement of muscles through
stretching and bending. A ten year study conducted by the University of
Washington researchers on men and women of over age 45 found that those who
practiced yoga lost 2kgs regularly, while the control group gained 6kgs.
Yoga can reduce wrinkles by reducing stress which in turn reduces worry
lines, clenched jaws and furrowed brows. Yoga helps the skin gain back its
elasticity by reducing the oxidative stress. In fact, in a study conducted
by AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Science) in 2005, it was found that
yoga can reduce the oxidative stress by 9 percent after only 10 days.
Matsyasana and Urdhva prasarita padasana, are two asanas (exercises) among a
long list of asanas that help in easing pain. We all are aware of the side
effects of the pain killers. Yoga, on the other hand, helps reduce and
finally remove the pain which, in result, helps in having a pain-free
glowing skin.
Yoga also helps in having a peaceful night’s sleep. As people grow older,
the level of the brain’s natural night time sedative, melatonin, decreases.
Yoga helps restore the natural level of melatonin and regularize sleep.
Proper sleep automatically reduces signs of aging.
Last but not the least, yoga improves concentration and helps your mind to
be alert. Stress hormone, cortisol, contributes to most of the age related
memory problems and yoga helps in keeping cortisol under control, as
researchers at Jefferson Medical College discovered in their study.
Yoga has for years been trusted as one of the best ways to keep yourself
healthy and young. Many yoga practitioners claim that yoga can prevent most
of the illnesses, thus preventing the ageing of our body. As leading yoga
practitioner, Jean Cotner (77) said, "Of all the aids to self-improvement,
mental as well as physical, yoga is surely the most reliable, the safest,
and the best.”
