What Is The Purpose Of Yoga And How It Effects Overall Health

Yoga is a science that has evolved from vedic and tantric roots. Initially practiced by sages in ancient India to prepare them for further meditation, yoga has now become popular across the world. Now practiced for overall fitness and health, yoga is a precise form of exercise that combines healing, stretching postures and pranayama breathing techniques to balance the body and mind. Yoga also flushes out toxins and helps in total purification. Yoga these days is also used as an alternative therapy – therapy that doctors prescribe along with conventional treatment to heal patients. Yoga therapy is also used by companies as a way to manage stress.

Purpose Of Yoga: An ancient form of exercise that combines meditation, breathe work and physical exercises, yoga in Sanskrit means to join’. The principles of yoga were first written down by Patanjali. The main purpose of yoga in ancient times was to prepare the body and mind for meditation and to help sages attain union with God. Yoga is actually a way of life and practicing yoga in earlier times involved following certain life style principles. These days, the main purpose of yoga is for better health, to cope with diseases or aggressive treatments and for stress management.

Health Benefits Of Yoga:

• Yoga is good for one’s mental health. It de-stresses you, calms your mind and even works well with psychotherapy. Since stress can cause numerous diseases, some of which include hypertension, ulcers, and cardiac problems, yoga can reduce the chances of these.

• Yoga is also said to be good for the immune system. It stimulates certain glands that are responsible for the working of the immune system. This prevents frequent colds and other infectious diseases and makes one healthier.

• The stretching and bending exercises help to align the spine; stimulate the internal organs; and, make the muscles and joints more supple.

• Pranayama breathing techniques, not only help to calm your mind, these also help to enrich your blood with more oxygen and flush out the toxins by deep exhalation. Abdominal breathing techniques also keep the respiratory system in a good condition; help in pain management; and, relaxes the entire body.

• Yoga is also prescribed as a complementary therapy along with several physical as well as psychological ailments. These make the patients more receptive to the treatment and even reduce the symptoms of the diseases. Yoga is even prescribed as a therapy to cancer patients.

Yoga is good for your overall health.