Yoga improves my life

When I became a certified yoga instructor, I knew it was something I wanted to share with the world. September is National Yoga Month and I would like to share with you seven ways yoga has improved my life and can yours too!

1. Flexibility and strength

Yoga is an excellent low-impact, weight-bearing exercise that gives you a strong core and back while helping to build lean muscle and bone density. As the postures involve stretching, yoga increases flexibility, creating a sense of space and ease in the body, allowing muscle tissue to become more elastic and less resistant to tearing and injury.

2. Slows ageing

As the body ages or goes through long periods of stress, connective tissues and organs become dense and rigid, cutting off valuable blood circulation, vitamins, minerals and energy. When energy flow is diminished, the body ages at a faster rate. Just a little yoga everyday keeps the body and mind young.

3. Tones organs and prevents disease

Yoga postures have several functions. For example, a twisting posture helps to cleanse the liver, forward bending flushes the kidneys and backbends open the heart and lungs. A good yoga practice tones and detoxifies all the internal organs, keeping you healthy. With healthy organs, you can lower cholesterol, control diabetes, fight asthma, increase circulation, enhance brain function and prevent Alzheimer's and most stress-related diseases.

4. Increases energy flow

Yogi's believe there are seven energy centres, or chakras, in the body. Age, stress and an unhealthy lifestyle diminish energy flow. Yoga is designed to keep these pathways open and circulate energy in your body through breathing exercises, meditation and positive thinking.

5. Focuses the mind

Because yoga requires focus and concentration, as you progress in your practice, you are able to bring focus into all areas of your life, allowing you to accomplish more while doing less.

6. Thought control and stress release

Yoga helps you understand that you are the master of your mind. By learning how to 'witness' the mind, you realise that you can chose and control your thoughts. Negative thoughts and behaviours like stress, fear and anxiety do not take a hold of your life. This powerful tool has helped many overcome addictions.

7. Yoga teaches love

Yoga teaches you to love and accept yourself as you are. Only when you truly love yourself can you love others. The word yoga means 'union' and teaches that beyond outward appearances, we are all going through life seeking the same thing: freedom and peace. As my teacher said, we are 'spiritual beings having a human experience'.

Read my next article on September 22 on 'How to start a yoga practice'.

Sharon McConnell-Feanny is a certified yoga instructor and co-owner of Shakti Mind Body Fitness in Kingston. She has more than 25 years' experience in health and fitness; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.