Health Benefits of Yoga - Alternative Medicine

Let’s talk yoga! Yoga is one form of alternative medicine that can provide health benefits in more ways than one. It dates back thousands of years and continues to grow in popularity. According to Bennetts (2022), this form of alternative medicine has an “emphasis on the connection between mind, body and spirit” (p. 2). Yoga is a form of exercise that everyone can perform and is for all ages. It specifically focuses on positioning oneself in different positions that focus on postures, breathing, and meditation (NIH, 2021). 

Did you know that medical yoga or prescription yoga is a thing? “Medical yoga  therapy, ideally, is an individualized, personalized and holistic approach that takes into account not only the patient’s mind, body and spirit, but also their family, support network, work situation, and culture, as part of the patient’s individualized treatment plan” (Stephens, 2017). This means for an individual with anxiety, breathing techniques or calming positions may be a primary focus. For someone with stiff or painful joints, flexibility would be the focus.  

Link to a quick personal video with me, Taylor! :-) 

Yoga has been shown to provide exceptional benefits for those suffering from Parkinson's disease, dementia, anxiety, depression, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, asthma, headaches, and back pain - just to name a few (Phuphanich et al., 2020). It also improves sleep, flexibility, and balance. Not only is yoga a great addition to pharmacological treatments, but it can also serve as preventative medicine. Yoga aids in promoting healthy stimulation of the nervous system, increase the natural release of serotonin, and promote the overall feeling of relaxation and peace (Stephens, 2017). Yoga provides these many benefits and is also a great way to work out – what more could you ask for? 

Recent studies continue to show that yoga aids in reducing cortisol levels and in turn, has a positive impact on emotional and psychosocial health (Nanthakumar, 2018). It has been observed that yoga is exceptionally beneficial for children. It can aid in improving stress management, and academic outcomes, and promote positive, healthy emotional development (Nanthakumar, 2018)

One of the best parts about yoga is that you can participate in classes or do it in the comfort of your own home. YouTube is a great resource to look for yoga workouts for all ages and levels of yogis. Whether it's 10 minutes or 30 minutes, you are still able to experience the benefits of performing the movements. 

Quick links to yoga videos for at home

  - Cosmic Kids Yoga

  - Yoga for Beginners 

  - Strong Yoga 

  

References 

Bennetts, A. (2022). How does yoga practice and therapy yield psychological benefits? A review and model of transdiagnostic processes. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 46, 101514. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2021.101514 

Nanthakumar, C. (2018). The benefits of yoga in children. Journal of Integrative Medicine, 16(1), 14-19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joim.2017.12.008 

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (2021, April). Yoga: What you need to know. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga-what-you-need-to-know 

Phuphanich, M. E., Droessler, J., Altman, L., & Eapen, B. C. (2020). Movement-based therapies in rehabilitation. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America, 31(4), 577-591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmr.2020.07.002 

Stephens, I. (2017). Medical yoga therapy. Mind-Body Medicine in Children and Adolescents, 4(2), 12. https://doi.org/10.3390/children4020012