by Coby Rose

Created on: February 11, 2010

The physical fitness enthusiasm is sweeping many countries. With more time to spare, people spend much of it in exercising, jogging, swimming, and the like. But along with all this activity, many are turning to yoga. Even celebrities and movie stars have given glowing testimonials concerning yoga.

To start with, yoga is an all-embracing way of life. In Sanskrit, the word yoga means "to unite", hence it can be said to suggest a unified discipline. It is more of an inner self exercise that cultivates an overall wellness of a human being.

Yoga is not only a series of physical postures or meditative practices. It is a lifestyle which can be lived by everyone. It is a form of understanding, of realizing our interactions in life, trying to improve them, trying to understand the needs of the body, the mind and of the spirit. This is the concept of a yogic lifestyle: living according to the laws of the body and the laws of nature.

When it comes to diet, it is said that `What you eat is what you are.' which clearly emphasizes the impact of food on human mind, personality and behavior. Despite the fact that the Yoga Diet is not a diet in the common sense of the word, you will probably lose considerable weight by just eating only healthy foods. Never has this yogic philosophy of a balanced whole foods diet been felt more than today when 97% of all health disorders can be traced to a faulty nutrition and diet.

Yoga also works great for pregnancy. Smooth pregnancy and a natural childbirth are just some of the benefits of yoga. But more importantly, yoga does wonders on the physical and mental development of the fetus. Yoga exercise, breathing or pranayama, mudras, meditation and deep relaxation are the five vital tools to attain wonders on a woman’s health and to ensure a smooth pregnancy.

Aside from the aforementioned, here is a general list of benefits we can attain with the practice of yoga.

- Parasympathetic System dominates

- Sub cortical regions of brain dominate

- Slow dynamic and static movements

- Normalization of muscle tone

- Low risk of injuring muscles and ligaments

- Low caloric consumption

- Effort is minimized, relaxed

- Energizing (breathing is natural or controlled)

- Balanced activity of opposing muscle groups

- Noncompetitive, process-oriented

- Awareness is internal (focus is on breath and the infinite)

- Limitless possibilities for growth in self-awareness

What is even great about yoga is that it does not discriminate anyone from practicing it. And because yoga is not that all complicated to learn, it may be even introduced to old people or to small children. Best of all, yoga only requires simple and comfortable equipments such as a mat and comfortable yoga pants and shirt.

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