I will be teaching this semester at California State University, Sacramento, and discussing collaborations related to my research. Below is a guest article by Jackie Waters, who has used Yoga to deal with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Aside from Metarobic effects on gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA - which regulates nerve activity and slows brain activity), increase in brain cells, immune health and chronic pain (presented below), Jackie also talks about other benefits for mind and body. If you would like to submit a guest article for the Metarobic Institute, please contact Dr. Gryffin at [email protected]
Improve Your Life with Yoga
By Jackie Waters
If your fitness goal for the new year was to incorporate healthy habits into your daily life, consider yoga as a way to improve both your mental and physical health. Yoga is much more than people twisted in impossible positions. Derived from the Sankrit word “yuj,” meaning “to unite or integrate,” yoga involves harmonizing your body and mind through breathing, meditation, and yoga postures, and can be performed by all skill levels.
Yoga for Mental Health
Yoga increases body awareness, relieves stress, reduces muscle tension, sharpens attention and concentration, and helps to calm the nervous system. It is a common psychotherapy tool as well, used to improve the symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, substance abuse and attention deficit and hyperactivity. Yoga achieves this effect by increasing the feel-good brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which helps to regulate nerve activity and slow brain activity, promoting relaxation. Therefore, if you have low levels of GABA, your brain is very active, leaving you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and overstimulated.
Research has also shown that yoga has positive effects on the brain such as improved concentration and even brain volume. According to research conducted by the University of Illinois, a single 20-minute yoga session improved participants’ speed and accuracy on tests involving memory more than an exercise session for the same amount of time. Participants were also able to process information quickly and more accurately, and hold and update pieces of information more effectively, which is believed to be a direct result of the calming and distraction-free state that yoga places participants in. In another study, MRI scans found more gray matter, or brain cells, in certain brain areas of people who practiced yoga regularly. The regions of the brain enlarged were the areas that involve directing attention, lowering stress, and your concept of self.
Yoga for Physical Health
Yoga can create significant and positive body changes as well, such as those suffering from chronic back pain. When your back hurts, it can be very tempting to stay still and rest in bed, but doctors now recommend movement to recover and reduce loss of important muscle mass. Yoga helps to alleviate back pain to increasing flexibility and muscle strength. According to a study, individuals who participated in two 90-minute yoga sessions a week for 24 weeks had a 56 percent reduction in back pain, therefore reducing the need for pain medication and lessening the disability and depression associated with chronic back pain. In addition, a follow-up with participants six months later found that 68 percent were still practicing yoga at least three days a week, providing further evidence that yoga is beneficial in reducing and managing chronic back pain.
In addition to pain management, yoga has been shown to improve immune health too. One study has found genetic evidence of yoga’s effect on the immune system through the examination of participants in a weeklong yoga retreat involving meditation, yoga postures, and breathing exercises. Researchers found that after a four-hour yoga session, the yoga practice changed the expression of 111 genes in circulating immune cells. In comparison, simple tasks such as listening to music and walking resulted in a change in expression of only 38 genes. The changes in the genes could be an explanation as to why yoga has been shown to improve bone health, reduce chronic pain, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Find Yoga That Works For Y
Yoga has both mental and physical benefits, and the first step in taking advantage of those benefits is to start practicing yoga. For those just starting out, yoga classes are a great way to pick up the new skill, and range from gentle and accommodating to challenging and strenuous. Choose your style of yoga based upon your physical ability and preference, and experiment with different styles to determine which you like best. Start out with a beginner class, or a targeted class such as one for chronic pain, and work your way to a more advanced class. Take your time, and enjoy the benefits your mind and body will receive as you work toward harmonization.
Improve Your Life with Yoga
By Jackie Waters
If your fitness goal for the new year was to incorporate healthy habits into your daily life, consider yoga as a way to improve both your mental and physical health. Yoga is much more than people twisted in impossible positions. Derived from the Sankrit word “yuj,” meaning “to unite or integrate,” yoga involves harmonizing your body and mind through breathing, meditation, and yoga postures, and can be performed by all skill levels.
Yoga for Mental Health
Yoga increases body awareness, relieves stress, reduces muscle tension, sharpens attention and concentration, and helps to calm the nervous system. It is a common psychotherapy tool as well, used to improve the symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, substance abuse and attention deficit and hyperactivity. Yoga achieves this effect by increasing the feel-good brain chemical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which helps to regulate nerve activity and slow brain activity, promoting relaxation. Therefore, if you have low levels of GABA, your brain is very active, leaving you feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and overstimulated.
Research has also shown that yoga has positive effects on the brain such as improved concentration and even brain volume. According to research conducted by the University of Illinois, a single 20-minute yoga session improved participants’ speed and accuracy on tests involving memory more than an exercise session for the same amount of time. Participants were also able to process information quickly and more accurately, and hold and update pieces of information more effectively, which is believed to be a direct result of the calming and distraction-free state that yoga places participants in. In another study, MRI scans found more gray matter, or brain cells, in certain brain areas of people who practiced yoga regularly. The regions of the brain enlarged were the areas that involve directing attention, lowering stress, and your concept of self.
Yoga for Physical Health
Yoga can create significant and positive body changes as well, such as those suffering from chronic back pain. When your back hurts, it can be very tempting to stay still and rest in bed, but doctors now recommend movement to recover and reduce loss of important muscle mass. Yoga helps to alleviate back pain to increasing flexibility and muscle strength. According to a study, individuals who participated in two 90-minute yoga sessions a week for 24 weeks had a 56 percent reduction in back pain, therefore reducing the need for pain medication and lessening the disability and depression associated with chronic back pain. In addition, a follow-up with participants six months later found that 68 percent were still practicing yoga at least three days a week, providing further evidence that yoga is beneficial in reducing and managing chronic back pain.
In addition to pain management, yoga has been shown to improve immune health too. One study has found genetic evidence of yoga’s effect on the immune system through the examination of participants in a weeklong yoga retreat involving meditation, yoga postures, and breathing exercises. Researchers found that after a four-hour yoga session, the yoga practice changed the expression of 111 genes in circulating immune cells. In comparison, simple tasks such as listening to music and walking resulted in a change in expression of only 38 genes. The changes in the genes could be an explanation as to why yoga has been shown to improve bone health, reduce chronic pain, and lower risk factors for heart disease.
Find Yoga That Works For Y
Yoga has both mental and physical benefits, and the first step in taking advantage of those benefits is to start practicing yoga. For those just starting out, yoga classes are a great way to pick up the new skill, and range from gentle and accommodating to challenging and strenuous. Choose your style of yoga based upon your physical ability and preference, and experiment with different styles to determine which you like best. Start out with a beginner class, or a targeted class such as one for chronic pain, and work your way to a more advanced class. Take your time, and enjoy the benefits your mind and body will receive as you work toward harmonization.
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