It’s National Yoga Month!

To promote the practice of yoga, September is designated National Yoga Month by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Over 12 million adults have already tried yoga at least once.  The average citizen thinks, ‘I can’t do all those poses’. I’m not cut out for yoga.  But don’t fold up your yoga mat just yet. It’s got benefits for people of all shapes, sizes, and abilities.  Yoga is good for flexibility, balance, and functional strength, it can also be a stress reducer.

If you are not a “Yogi” you might like to know some interesting facts about the practice of Yoga. 

What is yoga?

Hatha yoga includes meditation and exercises to help you improve flexibility and breathing, decrease stress, and maintain health. People have practiced yoga for thousands of years in India. Yoga is based on the idea that the mind and body are one. Practitioners believe that yoga improves health by improving how you see the world, which calms the spirit and decreases stress.

Two basic components of Hatha yoga are proper breathing and exercises, called postures, that stretch the body. You do postures while standing, lying down, sitting in a chair, or in a headstand position. While practicing a posture, you do breathing exercises to help relax your muscles, maintain the posture, and focus your mind.

Hatha is one of many types of yoga. While each type focuses on different aspects of yoga, all share the same goal, which is not only improved physical and mental health, but achievement of “oneness” with a higher being, the self, or some form of higher awareness.

What is yoga used for?

Most people who try yoga for meditation find that it increases their flexibility and reduces stress. If you suffer from a long-term (chronic) medical condition, you can often combine yoga and conventional medical treatment.

Several studies have shown that yoga helps lower blood pressure improves a person’s sense of well-being, and can help people who have asthma learn to breathe more easily. A study determined that a 6-month yoga program improved fatigue in people with multiple sclerosis. 

Yoga can also have other health benefits. Researchers at Simmons College in Boston found that Hatha and relaxation yoga can help with controlling weight, lowering blood pressure, and improving mood. Yoga has also been shown to ease hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms in healthy women, as well as in breast cancer survivors.

Is yoga safe?

Experts consider yoga to be safe.

Always tell your doctor if you are using an alternative therapy or if you are thinking about combining an alternative therapy with your conventional medical treatment. It may not be safe to forgo your conventional medical treatment and rely only on an alternative therapy.

 Like any physical activity, yoga can cause muscle strains or sprains. Gentle stretching before a yoga session can help prevent injuries.

A Couple Tips:

• Find a teacher you like. Classes that are billed as “intro” or “beginner” can attract a wide range of skill levels. You can sign up for a private one-on-one session customized to your needs.
• Go at your own pace. You can modify yoga poses using blocks, straps and other tools so that you don’t overstretch. Ask your instructor for help and for modifications that suit your needs.
• Listen to your body. If you’re forcing yourself into a position that’s painful, that’s a signal to stop.
• Don’t compare yourself to others. It’s not about being as flexible as everyone else — or as the people you see in yoga magazines.  There is room for everyone in Yoga.

 

Since it is National Yoga Month there are many free classes for you to try out Yoga.  MissFIT Yoga Instructor Danielle will be teaching a FREE Yoga class this Sunday, Sept. 18th at the Lucy Store in Northbrook Court.  The class will be from 10am – 11am before the store opens.  Stay around after the class and try some MissFIT Morsels and get a chair massage from Michele, the MissFIT Massage Therapist.  If you can’t make it this Sunday, Amy, also a MissFIT Yoga Instructor will be teaching on Sept. 25th at the Lucy Store also from 10am-11am.

We hope to see you there!  If you have questions, post them on the blog by clicking on the title of this post.

Peggy Kresch

cPT, American Council on Exercise; MissFIT Complete Program Coordinator Find out More >