Yoga – the panacea for all ills?

The twenties never seem to last forever.  Body aches and lifestyle diseases catch up with us sooner than later. Exercise seems to be the only way to combat them. While, any form of exercise seems to be good for the body and mind – be it bicycling, walking, swimming, running – these traditional forms of exercise might not be a viable option as we start aging. These forms of exercise leads to wear and tear of the knee or the other joints. It is here that Yoga steps in to cure the human body and mind.

What is Yoga?
Yoga is said to have originated 5000 years ago in India. It is a gentle bending and stretching of the body to relax the body and mind. It also involves breathing exercises to harmonize the body and mind. This bending and stretching brings the body and mind under control.  Yoga involves asanas, breathing exercises and meditation. There are different styles of Yoga and some of them are the Hatha Yoga, Iyengar Yoga, Bikram Yoga. 

What are the different poses of Yoga?
There are poses to suit every individual’s flexibility and Yoga experience. There are standing poses, sitting poses, poses for the knees, forward bends, backward bend and so on. Some of the Yoga poses are the Surya Namaskar(the 12 poses that give a complete stretch to the body), Tree pose(Vrikshashana) , Boat pose(naukasana), Locust pose, Crocodile pose to name a few. Each pose is said to be  good for some part of the body. For example, the Tree pose helps you get physical and mental balance. In addition, the “Tree Pose stretches the thighs, groins, torso, and shoulders. It builds strength in the ankles and calves, and tones the abdominal muscles. The pose also helps to remedy flat feet and is therapeutic for sciatica”(Source: https://www.yogaoutlet.com/guides/how-to-do-tree-pose-in-yoga)
What are some advantages of Yoga?

1. Yoga is timeless – whether you are 5 years old or 80 years old, you can do it
2. There is no competition in Yoga – no clock to beat – you do each pose according to your comfort level(that is – you stretch as much as you can) In fact, even sitting cross legged on the ground is a perfect and simple Yoga pose.
3. Each pose can be modified to suit each person’s physical condition
4. There is no special equipment to be purchased(like footwear, bathing suits) All we need is a Yoga mat.
5. There is no wear and tear of any of the joints as you age
6. It is a lifelong exercise – there is no need to stop it at any age(just modify the poses or adopt new ones)
7. It has withstood the test of time and has lasted this long!
8. And we feel really good after practising Yoga! 🙂

Yoga is said to cure diseases asthma, arthritis, migraine, Depression, Anxiety, Diabetes, Hypertension and a host of other problems. 
Now isn’t it true that Yoga is a panacea for all ills? 
Note: It is always good to consult a doctor before beginning an exercise program even if it is Yoga! 🙂
This post is for alphabet ‘Y’ for the BlogchatterA2Z challenge… the previous ones are here…

1.  ‘A’ – Asset
2.     ‘B’ – What is Blockchain ?
3.      ‘C’ – Caesar cipher
4.     ‘D’ –  Detroit
5.     ‘E’ – Empowering women
6.     ‘F’ – Four concepts of Blockchain
7.     ‘G’ – Go green
8.     ‘H’ – Hyperledger Composer
9.     ‘I’ – India
10.     ‘J’ – Java 101
11.     ‘K’ – Kulambu
12.     ‘L’ – List of Information security certifications
13.     ‘M’ – Michigan
14.     ‘N’ – NIST publications
15.     ‘O’ – Object oriented programming
16.     ‘P’ – Palm tree fruit
17.     ‘Q’ – Quiet
18.     ‘R’ – For the love of ‘Reading’….
19.     ‘S’ – Security
20.     ‘T’ – Time
21.      ‘U’ – Usage of Information security
22.      ‘V’ – VPN
23.   ‘W’ – Why do parents name their children after Gods?
24.   ‘X’ – XOR operator in Java