Age Reverse - How to Be 20 Years Younger With Yoga

Yoga may seem mysterious to the uninitiated, but it is simply a form of exercise that stimulates your mind and increases your body's level of fitness. Yoga means to yoke - to unite - your mind, body and spirit and was derived from the Sanskirt Indians well over 5000 years ago. Although yoga is ancient, it can and does make people feel and look 20 years younger.

Yoga means many different things to many different people. It is rooted in Indian spiritual tradition, and indeed the word, 'yogi' means someone who practices yoga. The word yoga itself comes from the Indian word, yug, "to unify." A goal of yoga is to unify your mind, body and spirit to a more relaxed state of being. When you practice yoga breathing, you are better able to connect inner peace from your mind to every piece of your body. There are many different styles of yoga, each with its own focus. The two most common types practiced in the United States are Hatha yoga and Bikram Yoga, also known as 'hot' yoga. Each has its own distinct style of movement and thought.

Consequently, yoga is not a religion. People who practice yoga can be Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, or any religion they wish. Yoga is a time proven method to enhancing mental focus and physical balance to help you function at full capacity.

So What type of yoga is right for you? Hatha yoga, meaning sun (ha) and moon (tha) has become very popular in the West it is the most physical type of yoga. Yogi's who practice Hatha recognize that a weak and tired body is a barrier to your life's fullest potential. Therefore Hatha yoga aims to make your body an ideal vehicle for good health and fill it with energy. Hatha concentrates on postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditation, (Dhyana) to energize the mind, body and spirit. Whereas Hatha yoga is generally practiced at 72 - 78 degrees, Bikram yoga is practiced in a room that is between 95- 108 degrees with humidity level of 60%. Bikram consists of 26 poses practiced for a period of ninety minutes and requires you to be able to exercise in hot temperatures. If you choose this type of yoga, make sure to drink plenty of water. If you feel more comfortable to try yoga from your living room, there are plenty of DVD's to choose from. Just make sure you choose one appropriate for your age and fitness level.

The benefits of yoga are enormous. Muscle connective tissue has a natural tendency to shorten with aging as often evidenced in the stiffness of people as young as 25. Muscles must be regularly stretched to minimize muscle shortening. No matter how strong you are, if your muscles are tight; bending and reaching become very painful.

Yoga helps combat the negative effects of stiffness, pain, and stress through relaxation both mentally and physically. With its gentle stretch, strengthening and mental conditioning it is an excellent form of exercise especially for the growing population over the age of 40.

Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia demonstrated how just one session of yoga can lower blood levels of the stress hormone - cortisol. Suzanne Andrews, health expert for Healthy Lifestyles at WCEU reported the findings of this study, "Participants cortisol level were measured before and after they practiced yoga, then again before and after they sat quietly while reading. After the Yoga sessions, cortisol levels dropped. There was no drop after the resting sessions. Consequently, Suzanne Andrews further researched and found there is a direct correlation between weight gain and stress. Her latest Yoga DVD', Yoga Chi for Energy specialize in releasing stress and increasing energy.

Founder of Functional Fitness on PBS TV, president of http://www.healthwiseexercise.com and Licensed Occupational Therapy Practitoner, Suzanne Andrews has helped thousands transform their health through specialized exercise techniques to decrease pain, lose weight, release stress and live a fuller more functional life through safe, medically proven methods for people age over 40. To learn more about beginning your yoga program to increase your youthful energy go to http://www.healthwiseexercise.com/shop.aspx?p=4910&k=Yoga-Chi-for-Energy

Yoga Isn't Just For The Younger Crowd - Find Out How Yoga For Elders Is Becoming More Popular

Yoga for elders is a particularly good application of the practice of yoga since it offers a complete method of physical fitness, including increased levels of strength and energy.

Having immediate access helps make yoga a popular practice. The basic principles of yoga can be put to use by anybody at any age level, but the more advanced stages of yoga might be hard to reach by most people. The advanced stages of yoga are certainly not required and not advisable to attempt for elders.

The age of 50 years is considered perfect for yoga by Indian yoga practitioners, since higher levels of consciousness are easier to attain with the accumulated experiences of the older people of this age bracket.

It is said that greater union between body and spirit are achieved by the practices of yoga. We gain better perspectives about life and ourselves with age. The spiritual practices of yoga are not required in order to attain good heath through yoga.

With age, our spiritual perspective about life and the world in general tends to become more important; this forms a better foundation for older people on which to begin practicing yoga. It is not advisable for elders to practice some of the more acrobatic yoga poses but most elders can still practice many of the breathing and relaxation techniques of yoga.

As far as physical movement is concerned, we are becoming less active as a society. With TV as the primary activity of the day, many elders are adversely effected by their sedentary lifestyles. Muscles that are not used for hours and hours are weak and become weaker each day.

Back pain,weak bones, muscle cramps, osteoporosis, joint pain, and decreased mobility are just some of the adverse side effects of a sedentary lifestyle. When an elder allows himself to get caught up in this cycle of inactivity it is a downward spiral that gets worse as time goes by. The lack of will power and determination that can lead to such a poor lifestyle can be overcome with the practice of yoga.

Beginning with gentle movements, an elder can work up to more vigorous activity later on. Sometimes just doing warm up exercises for weeks or months will encourage the practice of yoga to become a part of the elder's daily activities. Gradualism is an important ingredient of yoga for elders.

Achieving strengthened muscles and better blood circulation is achieved by introducing step-by-step yoga physical exercises into the daily routine. Yoga is one of the best activities known for massaging your muscles and your internal organs, this being a key factor in a healthy and strong body.

Improved oxygenation of the blood is another positive effect of yoga exercises since it improves the overall internal health.

Increased physical strengh, a sharp and focused memory, and increased attention span are more of the positive aspects of yoga practice for edlers.

A practice that is unique to yoga is the breathing technique. Many of the other aspects of practicing yoga can be replaced by other methods such as weight training and mild jogging, etc., but not the breathing aspects of yoga for elders. Breathing is something we are not even aware of for most of the day but it is the one activity that is keeping us alive!

Yoga breathing techniques can improve energy and concentration and are heavily relied on in yoga practices. Since people average about 2000 breaths per day we can just imagine the potential benefits of improved breathing even by 1%. Elders can face old age with a more positive outlook and a relaxed attitude when better breathing is employed.

Spending years in the practice of yoga is not required in order to glean the benefits of yoga. Many elders feel that yoga is not work at all, and in fact many find it fun! Yoga is safe, when practiced correctly, and results in many positive benefits that can turn into joy and vitality no matter what your age.

Learn to experience the soothing powers and benefits of yoga by visiting http://www.hot-yoga-tips.com, a popular yoga websit ethat provides yoga related tips, advice and resources to include information on yoga for men, yoga for women, yoga for elders and the branches of yoga