I've never exercised much. Why start yoga at my age?
Anyone can start yoga at any age. Baby Boomers want to stay strong, vital, healthy and youthful, and yoga has a 5000 year track record of success in doing just that. As we get older, we reach a point where we can't get away with abusing or ignoring our bodies anymore. Either we're doing something positive for ourselves, or we're neglecting ourselves. We get to choose daily which way we're going to go. To create and maintain the quality of life we desire, we need to take action! Why not start now? You won't begin any younger!
Can yoga help prevent osteoporosis?
The Rhode Island Department of Health states, "Exercises that put demands on your bones are known as "weight-bearing" or "resistance" exercises. They help to strengthen bone. Exercise (in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle) is important in the prevention of osteoporosis." Yoga is a weight-bearing exercise. Our bones are not static; they are living tissue that renews itself throughout our lives. Poses that challenge our muscles put stress on our bones increase bone mass. If you do any type of weight-bearing exercise, you can begin to reverse osteoporosis regardless of age.
Other health benefits?
The list is enormous! In addition to building strength, flexibility and stamina, Dr. Dean Ornish uses yoga in his heart disease treatment programs because it lowers blood pressure and initiates the "relaxation response" of the parasympathetic nervous system. Yoga helps to prevent osteoporosis, reduces stress and stress related maladies like headaches and high blood pressure, energizes and relaxes the nervous system, hydrates the joints and spine, stretches the hamstrings and can alleviate back pain. Yoga can increase and strengthen respiration, and help to cleanse the digestive system…the list goes on and on. In short, yoga can keep you healthier, stronger and more able to do the things you want to do with vitality and focus.
How can yoga help menopause?
My video, Embracing Menopause: A Path to Peace & Power gives Boomer women inspiration in addressing our opportunity to redefine ourselves through this important life transition. We don't need to buy into the idea that we become useless or unattractive...to the contrary, menopause is our most powerful time of life. It's an opportunity to live our wildest dreams and be our most attractive selves. Yoga brings us back to center, helping us to remember who we really are, feel our inner strength and reconnect with our inner wisdom.
Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, menopause is a rebalancing and redefining of ourselves on the deepest levels. Many of the symptoms of menopause can be aggravated by stress, and menopause can be a stressful time of life. Yoga relaxes us, brings us into balance and helps us to tune into our deepest self. Yoga helps to cool the body, relax the nervous system, oxygenate and detoxify our organs and muscles, and prevent osteoporosis. Yoga balances the endocrine system, which can help to stabilize hormone levels, and calm our emotions. As a total practice, yoga is a powerful support through the menopause process and Embracing Menopause: A Path to Peace & Power is an easy way to begin to reap those benefits.
How often do I need to do yoga for me to feel better?
Find your own rhythm. At least two times a week for an hour would be a minimum yoga practice. Make a commitment to yourself and stick with it for a month and see how it feels. Of course, the more yoga you do, the better you will feel and the benefits will be realized faster. Stay tuned in and encourage your body to keep going. Watch your process from both the inside and the outside. If you do yoga, it works. My website, www.YogaHeart.com, provides stories from many people who have enjoyed success with the programs.