Self Care: Yoga

The most widely practiced form of yoga in the U.S. is Hatha yoga. This type of physical activity combines asanas (physical poses) & pranayama (breathing techniques). The purpose of yoga is to connect the mind and body to improve overall wellbeing. The pose shown to the right is called the "Tree Pose".

Did you know that yoga has been found to be an effective means of improving physical health, such as improving heart rate variability (HRV), blood lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure, salivary cortisol and oxidative stress?
Many studies have also shown improved measures of mental well-being, with reports of decreased fatigue and stress. Yoga, like other forms of physical activity, is thought to suppress the HPA axis and SNS stimulation, to help modulate the stress response and reduce the adverse affects that manifest from chronic stress. Emerging studies are looking at yoga as an adjunct treatment to many diseases, such as depression, anxiety, cancer, and rehabilitation after stroke.

What's your favorite yoga pose? How has yoga been beneficial to your health? Comment below!

Use #MSNAyogi in your pictures throughout the month of July to be featured on our social media!

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