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Yoga affects us as a whole. As well
as eliminating stress, charging the immune system and reducing age-related
degeneration it offers flexibility, strength and an increased understanding
of how your body works. Below is a breakdown of the different ways yoga
affects the body.
Yoga & the digestive system
Most of the time we just let our digestion just get on with things.
But we can help by stretching and developing muscles in the stomach
and internal organs. Back bends pull the stomach away from oesophagus
and the diaphragm - thus increasing tone and reducing the tendency to
herniate. By stretching and manipulating our digestive system the intestines
get massaged, peristaltic activity is improved and absorptive capacity
is toned up. IBS and heartburn are aided by the gentle stretching and
compressing of twists, massaging and increasing circulation to the area.
Yoga & the respiratory
system
Regular yoga practitioners have oxygen uptake levels equivalent to that
of moderate athletes. Principally this is because yoga expands the elasticity
of the inter-rib muscles, thus maximising lung capacity. This is especially
the case in forward bends (which stretch the posterior part of the lungs)
and pranayama which open the alveoli (sacs that contain air in the lungs)
so gas transfer is improved. Oxygen capacity usually diminishes with
age as the ribs stiffen, but practicing yoga loosens these muscles,
reversing the effects of age.
Yoga & the circulatory
system
Yoga strengthens and maintains flexibility in the heart and blood vessels.
This can be seen on ultrasound taken during practice - the heart changes
shape in response to different postures. Yet because yoga is less coronary-intensive
than other exercise regimes, less lactic acid builds up in the muscles
and this in turn avoids fatiguing the circulatory and skeletal systems.
Backbends develop the cardiac sphincter as well as the anterior and
lateral walls of the heart so blood flow remains strong. Furthermore
inversions and restorative postures give gravity a chance to work out
the blood vessels in a new way, reducing formation of varicose veins,
for example, and increasing circulation to the brain.
Yoga & the endocrine system
The endocrine system monitors and produces hormonal secretions that
regulate body activities. Largely controlled by glands, this system
is centred in two areas: the thymus in the mid-sternal area and the
thyroid in the neck. When functioning well, this system creates a healthy
balance (homeostasis) within the body, maintaining the strength of the
immune system and increasing resistance to illness. The act of stretching
elongates both muscles, organs and glands, flattening and squeezing
out venous blood, leaving them ready to accept a complete dose of freshly
oxygenated blood. Thus asanas which affect the endocrine glands (shoulder
stands or backbends) maintain them at full vitality.
Skeletal system
Weight bearing exercises stimulate osteogenisis, or bone-tissue growth.
So by holding your body in different ways, postures promote bone strength
in different areas. Standing poses, especially balances, create and
maintain joint stability in hips, knees, and ankles, while inverted
postures such as Downward-Facing Dog build stability in the shoulders.
Twists and inversions keep the spine strong.
At the same time a yoga practice builds up the muscles
that support the skeleton. Chiropractors manipulate the joints of the
spine to realign them, but if the muscle tissue that connect to the
spine are not balanced and strengthened then the adjustment is only
temporary. In the long run, treating the root cause of the misalignment
is the safest - and cheapest - method.
Muscular system
Yoga is one of the few physical practices that increases both muscular
strength and flexibility. Research done at the University of California
showed that after only 8 weeks of practicing yoga subjects' strength
increased by 31%, muscular endurance by 57% and flexibility by 188%
(Bauman, 2002). This has a direct impact on the quality of life: simple
things like getting up from a chair, walking up stairs or opening a
jar become effortless. Yoga offers protection from things like repetitive
strain injury as it balances opposing muscles and stretches over tense
ones. By maintaining a healthy, strong muscular system yoga makes movement
easier, and protects against strain.
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