subject: Yoga Has Benefits For You, Outside And In [print this page] Externally, the benefits of yoga are often readily visible: a toned body, greater flexibility, even a relaxed demeanor.
But there are internal changes that can occur with the practice of yoga as well. No, we dont mean inner peace and mental clarity, though those are certainly benefits of yoga.
We're talking about real, actual internal benefits, such as alleviating problems related to the digestive system, the bladder, pituitary, kidney, liver, prostate, thyroid, ovaries or intestines. Yoga experts and scientists have found out that yoga has the potential to have a positive effect on the performance and function of the internal organs.
The experts say that yoga is possibly the only physical activity that can, with proper execution, massage and stimulate the internal organs and improve their function. With specific movements and poses, yoga can stimulate the flow of blood to these parts of the body, cleaning and detoxifying them. Yoga has been proven to cut down on the amount of sodium in the system, increase the function of the endocrine, gastrointestinal and lymphatic systems, lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol and control the production of hormones.
In addition, yoga can increase the red blood cell count and the levels of Vitamin C, both of which help to strengthen your immune system.
Yoga positions that require the body to be inverted help increase the flow of blood to the brain and lungs and permits the heart to take a small rest from its continual work. Performing inversion poses also has been found to improve sleep because they help to relax the sympathetic systems. With twisting poses or asanas, the move massages the organs, improving and increases the blood circulation within them. Forward bending poses massages the abdominal cavity and back-bending poses massaged the adrenal glands and kidneys.
Listed below are a few internal organs of the body and some yoga poses that can help improve their function.
Bladder - The Half Frog Pose: Lie down on the floor on your stomach and press your forearms to the floor while raising your head and upper body. Flex your right leg and push the heel of your foot to your right buttock. While supporting yourself with your right forearm, reach back with your left hand and grab the bottom of your foot. Position your elbow so that it is pointing toward the ceiling, then position your hand on the top of your foot and curl your fingers over the tips of your toes, with the palm of your hand on the top of your foot. Next, press your foot toward your buttock. If you have the flexibility, you can try to position your foot off the side and try to press it to the floor, being mindful to keep your knee in line with your hip. If you begin to feel pain, decrease the pressure. Switch sides and perform the pose, which is also known as the Half Bhekasana, on the other side of your body for anywhere between two minutes and 20 seconds.
Digestive System Bharadvahas Twist: Sit on the floor, legs straight out in front of you. Shift your weight to your right side, bend both your knees and place your legs on the left side of your body. Both your fee should be on the floor at the side of your left hip and your left ankle should be placed on the arch of your right foot. Inhale deeply and stretch your torso as you shift your weight to your right buttock, moving your legs around to the left in the same position you had them place in on the right. As you exhale, twist your torso to the left while making sure your right buttock remains in touch with the floor as much as possible. Relax your torso and try to lengthen your back. Place your right hand under your left knee and place your left hand on the floor behind your left buttock. Twist your right shoulder back a bit and press your shoulder blades into your back while continuing to twist your body to the left. Every time you inhale, twist your torso a bit more and hold for no more than a minute. As you exhale, return to your original pose (legs straight out in front of you) and then perform the pose again, this time for the other side.
Sphinx Pose - Intestines: Lie on your stomach on the floor and extend your legs straight behind you. Gently stretch your spine, contracting your tailbone upward and then down toward your feet. Next, rotate the outer part of your thighs toward the floor to continue stretching and lengthening your lower back. Position your elbows under your shoulders and place your forearms on the floor so that they are evenly positioned. Inhale and raise the upper part of your torso up from the floor in a moderate backbend position. You should keep your buttocks firm but not tight and you should attempt to extend your tailbone to your feet to keep the pressure from your lower back. Now slowly raise the lower part of your stomach (the area just above the pubic bone but below the navel) up and in towards your lower back area to create a dome shape. This should be done without tightening or sucking in your stomach muscles. Maintain this pose for 30-40 seconds, exhale and relax your stomach muscles while lowering your torso back to the floor. You can repeat the pose if you feel like it.
There are many other poses that benefit these areas of internal areas of the body, as well as poses for other internal areas of the body. Consult with a yoga professional to find out the proper execution of these moves and more, as well as how yoga can help create a better you inside and out.
by: Linda Adams
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