Yoga
One of the most common questions that float through our office is “is yoga actually good for you?”. The quick and simple answer is, yes. – but many researchers believed it was practiced long before that. Since then, yoga has developed and branched into many different styles, techniques, and focuses. It ranges from static stretches, to constantly moving, to performing the routine in a 100-degree room. Today, yoga is a common workout, meditation, and relaxation tool used by many!
What benefits does yoga have?
- Improves flexibility and strength
- Yoga helps to stretch and strengthen the muscles within the body. Many find yoga frustrating when they are beginners because they feel that cannot bend and twist like the instructor they are following. However, that’s one of many goals of yoga! Another positive aspect that can go hand in hand with flexibility and strength is improved posture. As muscles because toned, posture while sitting, standing, and walking can improve. Ultimately, decreasing aches and pain as the day progresses.
- Weight management
- Yoga has been shown to stimulate the metabolic system that helps the body burn fat. Cortisol is a hormone that is released in response to stress. Cortisol can lead to stubborn fat that is hard to lose. Yoga helps decrease the cortisol release within the body.
- Emotion management
- Yoga helps connect the mind, body, and spirit. With relaxation and breathing techniques taught through various methods within yoga, people find that they can better manage emotional stressors throughout the day, react appropriately, and suppress negative thoughts and feelings.
- Stress reduction
- The basics of yoga include poses, breathing, and mediation. Studies have shown that when these three components are practiced regularly, people are better able to calm themselves and their body’s reactions, such as racing thoughts, increased heart rate, and nervous feeling down. Ultimately, control over the body and emotional stressors reduce everyday stress.
- Improved breathing
- Didn’t know you needed help breathing? Well, sometimes breathing is what will help control increased stress and anxiety. Deep breaths, filling the lungs and chest cavity, has been shown to help induce relaxation, think more clearly, and decrease pain.
Yoga or Chiropractic?
Simple answer, both. Chiropractic and yoga are similar in terms of approaching the body in a mind-body connection. As discussed above, yoga is beneficial in affecting the musculoskeletal system of the body as well as the nervous system. Guess what, chiropractic targets the same two-body systems.
What is the musculoskeletal system? It is the bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the body.
What is the nervous system? It is the nerves within the body that communicates signals from the body to the brain. The nervous system can be broken down into two parts. “Fight or flight” is our sympathetic nervous system and “rest and digest” in our parasympathetic system.
Chiropractic manipulation targets the joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons of the musculoskeletal system of the body but also directly affects the nervous system as it improves communication between the spine and body and the brain. Yoga stretches, strengthens, and tones the muscles within the musculoskeletal system but also affects the nervous system as it encourages the parasympathetic system to kick in which allows us to relax. Instead of picking one over the other, both chiropractic and yoga are beneficial to overall optimal health, healthy mindset, stress reduction, and improved posture and movement.
What type of Yoga should I do?
Picking the style of yoga can be fun! There are more than 100 different types of yoga practices so finding one you personally enjoy is almost a guarantee. Many options are available for live instruction within your area! Many gyms, community centers, and yoga studios offer classes that are available in almost every neighborhood. If you prefer home exercise programs, there are a variety of apps, internet classes, and home DVD or streaming services that can be accessed.
Miller Sports & Family Chiropractic is here for you to help complement your yoga practices! Enjoy the benefit of combining yoga and chiropractic care and experience the positive aspects of both in your life today! Talk about just feeling better, chiropractic and yoga fit together like peanut butter and jelly. It just makes sense. Contact us here at Miller Sports & Family Chiropractic, the team is eager to help you be on your way to feeling healthy and a sense of calm – Namaste.
