By
[http://EzineArticles.com/expert/J_Russell_Hart/278755] J Russell Hart
Yoga
combines movement, breath awareness, and mental focus. This
integrated approach to movement supports the health of the body and
the mind. Some practitioners and teachers say that movement through
various yoga poses makes yoga a moving meditation.
During
a yoga session, each of the poses, asanas, are linked to the breath.
Movement is guided with the inhales and exhales. As the practitioner
takes open poses, where they extend or lengthen the body, they
inhale. When a practitioner folds or contracts the body as in
standing forward fold, they exhale.
Some
asanas build strength and endurance. Other asanas allow muscles to
lengthen and relax.
A
complete yoga practice takes the spine in all six directions,
forward, up, back, bending side to side and twisting to the left and
right. A traditional yoga practice ends with complete relaxation,
lying in Svasana, corpse pose, and includes breathing exercises as
well as various forms of meditation.
What
are the Benefits of Yoga?
Yoga
exercises increase strength and flexibility. They also have a calming
effect on the mind and nervous system. Yoga provides numerous health
benefits.
Physical
benefits associated with Yoga
Improves
and maintains flexibility
Builds
muscle strength and endurance
Elevates
the heart rate (depending on the style of yoga)
Keeps
the spine supple
Improves
posture
Increases
circulation
Maintains
the cartilage and joints
Lowers
blood pressure
Improves
functional fitness
Improves
blood circulation
Boosts
heart health
And
many other health benefits for the body
Mental
benefits associated with Yoga
Improves
depression and increases serotonin (mood nerotransimetters in the
brain) levels
Improves
ability to focus and concentration
Alleviates
stress, and anxiety
Decreases
the body's fight or flight response and increases the relaxation
response
Builds
confidence
Fosters
an increased sense of well-being
Develops
mindfulness which results in better body awareness to meet its needs
What
Is Blood Pressure?
A
blood pressure reading measures the level of force exerted on the
walls of the body's blood vessels as blood passes through them. With
each beat, the heart moves blood through the blood vessels to every
part of the body. A high hypertension reading indicates the heart
must work harder to do this.
Blood
pressure readings measure two components, the systolic and diastolic
readings. Systolic and diastolic pressure references the two stages
of a heartbeat. The reading is most often notated like a fraction
with the systolic reading on the top and the diastolic reading on the
bottom.
A
blood pressure reading of less than 120/80 falls within the normal
range. High blood pressure or hypertension becomes a concern when a
reading exceeds this range.
Normal:
Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
Prehypertension:
120-139 over 80-89
Stage
1 high blood pressure: 140-159 over 90-99
Stage
2 high blood pressure: 160 and above over 100 and above
High
blood pressure in people over age 60: 150 and above over 90 and above
Consequences
of High Blood Pressure
Untreated
hypertension can lead to various health problems, including:
Damage
to the heart and coronary arteries that can lead to heart attack,
heart disease, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis and aortic
dissection.
Stroke
Vision
loss
Erectile
dysfunction
Memory
loss
Fluid
in the lungs
Kidney
damage
Angina
Peripheral
artery disease
Yoga
and Blood Pressure
Stress,
obesity, and poor diet adversely affect hypertension. Stress causes a
consistent pattern of adrenal stimulation and increased heart rate,
essentially causing the body to remain in fight or flight mode. The
heart works harder raising blood pressure.
An
obese person's heart must multiply its efforts to send oxygenated
blood throughout the body. A poor diet, especially one high in
processed foods, sodium, and fat contributes to hardening of the
arteries. As the arteries narrow, more force is required to move
blood through them, which increase probability of developing
hypertension, heart disease, and possibly heart failure.
Yoga
addresses each of these issues and is recommended as a complementary
therapy to manage and prevent high blood pressure.
The
physical postures build muscle and bone density, which helps people,
manage and lose weight.
They
also allow the heart to grow stronger by improving circulation.
The
mindfulness component allows people to build thought patterns, which
lend themselves to making mindful choices across the board. According
to Yoga Journal, this includes building a healthy diet.
Yoga
also lowers hypertension. A recent study attributes yoga's effect on
blood pressure to its mindfulness and relaxation components.
According
to researchers from the Boston University School of Medicine, yoga
may provide excellent benefits to people seeking to relieve anxiety
and overall improvement in their mood. Yoga eases the stress and
anxiety, which contribute to depression, poor dietary choices, and a
sedentary lifestyle.
Yoga
provides an accessible and effective way to prevent and manage high
blood pressure. In this sense, it is a complementary therapy and
professional guidance is necessary. People who have hypertension need
to consult with their doctor and a knowledgeable yoga instructor
before beginning a yoga program; some poses may increase hypertension
if unmodified.
Russell
(Rusty) Hart is the founder of the Health, Fitness & Sport Club,
a website devoted to the promotion of health, fitness and wellness.
The site encompasses a wide variety of health and fitness activities
including general health matters, pilates, yoga, CrossFit, treadmill
training, running, kettlebell, swimming, baseball, camping, hunting,
HIIT, triathlons, extreme sports, equestrian and more. Should this
subject matter be of interest you can visit the HF & S Club home
site where you'll find over 1,300 quality posts with new posts being
published daily. To quickly access those that are of interest you can
select any of 20 Categories broken down by over 260 Sub-Categories
for easy access.
You
can also visit visit any of the HF & S Club's four Stores all of
which feature 1,000s of sports and health products at the very best
prices. Access this website by going to
[http://www.healthfitnessandsport.com]
Article
Source:
[http://EzineArticles.com/?Reducing-Stress-With-Yoga-Helps-Lower-Blood-Pressure-And-Prevents-Heart-Disease&id=8975288]
Reducing Stress With Yoga Helps Lower Blood Pressure And Prevents
Heart Disease
