Yoga For Life

Think anti-aging solutions only come from expensive lotions or painful medical procedures? Think again. Yoga, an ancient Indian practice, can be a powerful tool in your battle against Father Time.

Yoga blends physical postures with breathing and relaxation techniques. Here are a few ways practicing yoga for life can help you look and feel younger:

    Yoga practice helps build and maintain muscle mass, which naturally begins to decrease 1% to 2% each year beginning in our 30s. Loss of muscle means not only will you feel weak when you can’t twist open that jar of salsa, but your arms will look puny and flabby, too. By regularly practicing arm-toning poses, such downward-facing dog, you can develop sculpted arms that even Michelle Obama would be proud to sport. 

    Yoga helps build flexibility throughout your body. You’re not a gymnast, so why do you need to be flexible? Each and every day, you perform tasks that require you to stretch, from reaching behind the couch to grab your toddler to straining for the linens at the back of the closet shelf. Since age decreases our natural flexibility, yoga practice can help the body maintain the elasticity it needs to live life with fewer aches and strains—and who doesn’t want that?

    Nature isn’t the only thing taking its toll on your body—your circumstances or lifestyle can add years to your appearance. Whether you care for an ill family member or you’re bombarded with workplace layoff rumors, stress triggers rises in your blood pressure and heart rate. One study found that being in a constant state of stress can age cells by as many as 17 years!

By incorporating yoga for life, you get all the serious stress relief that keeps you from aging before your time. For example, many yoga programs teach pranayama, or breathing exercises. Studies have shown that deep yogic breathing lowers cortisol, the infamous stress hormone. When cortisol levels decrease, the body experiences a lower heart rate, decreased blood pressure, and more relaxed muscles. Because chronic stress has been associated with everything from coronary artery disease (CAD) to Type 2 diabetes, you’ll definitely want to keep your stress level in check.

What’s more is that once you learn pranayama you don’t need to wait until yoga class to benefit from its stress-relieving qualities. Dealing with a kitchen-full of know-it-all teens? Slip into your bedroom for a five-minute breathing break. Playing mediator between two sniping co-workers? Excuse yourself to the restroom or an empty office to use those cortisol-fighting breath exercises. You’ll feel better and prevent some of the chronic stress that ages your body.

Remember, too, that yoga is not just for the young, fit, and trendy set. Your practice can truly be yoga for life. Many poses can be adapted to accommodate illness or restricted movement. For instance, prenatal yoga programs frequently modify poses so they can be performed while the expecting mom is seated in a chair. Poses can also be adapted to suit practitioners living with conditions such as multiple sclerosis or chronic back pain.

Whether you’re an on-the-go mom or a senior living with a chronic condition, yoga can be a safe and effective way to wage the battle against aging without buying fancy lotions or enduring painful injections.