The Health Benefits of Yoga

The Health Benefits of Yoga: Why Everyone Should Do It

Yoga is an increasingly popular practice, now offered in most gyms and workout studios across the U.S. But why are so many people drawn to it? What is the big deal?

The big deal is the amount of health benefits from practicing yoga. Flexibility is often what comes to mind when one thinks of yoga; but there are more benefits to yoga than just becoming flexible.

The first thing that yoga teaches is breathing and meditation. Meditation has long been used to fight stress and depression, as well as heighten your awareness of your mind and body in harmony. Meditation is essentially a concentration on what is going on at present. Meditation slows the breathing and heart rate, and increases the alpha, theta, and delta brain waves, which are the physiological opposites of a stress response.

Yoga also has great physical benefits, first and foremost being flexibility. You can reach around to scratch the middle of your back without feeling like you have to dislocate your shoulder to do it. You can bend down to smell the flowers and not worry about being able to stand back up. Flexibility also means your joints are healthier, which can help prevent injury and treat mild forms of arthritis and fibromyalgia.

Another physical benefit of yoga is the ability to achieve strength in your entire body, starting with your core. A strong core also carries with it a stronger lower back. Many people have some form of a lower back injury or weakness and keeping your core strong is essential in maintaining a healthy back.

Balance is crucial in life. Standing yoga poses encourage your body and mind to learn how to achieve and maintain balance. There are also arm balancing poses that increase the strength in your arms and shoulders.

Yoga teaches you how to maintain strength and agility and balance in your body and your mind. Yoga can be as relaxing or as intense as you want it to be. Yoga can be tailored to you and your body and your needs. Go ahead, give it a try.

Organics Come to Rural Communities

I live in a small, rural community 100 miles from the capital. For many years, the nearest organic food store was 8 miles from my home. When you don’t work anywhere near these kinds of stores, spending the money in gasoline to shop there doesn’t make a lot of sense does it?

Organic foods are a healthier way for people to enjoy foods without worrying what they are ultimately putting into their bodies. Many people in rural communities often have the misunderstanding that organics are expensive and only available to the rich and elite. And until recently, organic foods were only available in specialty stores, such as Wild Oats Markets or Whole Foods, further feeding that notion. Now, many major chains, such as Safeway and King Soopers, are now offering more selections of organic foods.

Safeway and King Soopers both are just minutes from my home and both have started to carry organic products. Both chains now have an entire sections devoted to organic juices, soups, and soy, rice and almond milk. You can also look for Safeway’s own brand of organic products at a slight lower cost than brand names. King Soopers also offers a section in which you can purchase natural herbs such as Echinacea and cranberry and St. John’s Wart. Both stores carry a quality selection of organic meats, cheese, and produce. And since these stores excel at saving people money, these products are offered a lower price than traditional organic stores.

Another way organic foods are available is farmers’ markets. Most communities have farmers markets on the weekends, and more farmers are offering organic produce. There is one I like that offers the biggest organic tomatoes you have ever seen.

People in rural communities now have increasing access to organic products and they can take comfort in knowing what they are feeding their families.