Why do people actually do yoga? The fact that it has now become a health craze has resulted in many glowing reviews. On one hand, the increase in interest in yoga has led many to try it out themselves. On the other hand, its popularity has led to many false beliefs regarding yoga. So to clear everything up this article will look to debunk some myths and detail the endless benefits that can be obtained from practicing yoga regularly.

Can yoga help people lose weight?

Many people have taken up yoga because it can help them lose weight. Wanderlust explains the amount of weight that you can lose will depend on the intensity of the workout that you will do. Furthermore, it can help boost metabolism. However, like other types of exercise, yoga is not a magic pill, which will immediately enable you to shed 10 lbs. overnight. On the positive side of things, yoga works for just about any body type, so you can actually use this as a platform to get back into shape.

Can yoga improve health?

According to YogaSite, it has been proven to help or control several ailments, including arthritis, asthma, back pain, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart diseases, and chronic fatigue. It also has been shown to have an impact on regulating blood pressure and stress. Again, however, this is not because yoga is a magic bullet. Rather, it is the series of exercises and activities done during yoga that can help improve health. For instance, the stretches undertaken can improve strength, flexibility, and posture, which in turn can bring relief to the body’s aches and pains. Breathing exercises are also part of yoga, which can help asthmatics cope with their illness. Furthermore, since yoga involves a lot of stretching, there it reduces the risk of injury, unlike high impact sports.

Does yoga have an effect on mental health?

Central to yoga is meditation, which trains people to become more focused. This has a large impact on mental health, because it can keep a frazzled mind from losing focus on the task-at-hand. That is why those who suffer from anxiety problems can benefit from yoga, because meditation can help calm their mind from frequent, errant thoughts, thus allowing them to focus on the important things. This is why yoga is credited for helping bring inner peace, because it allows people to silence their erratic thoughts. It can even improve concentration, which is always helpful, especially for those who need to constantly think on their feet. Furthermore, an increase in awareness will not only make you more aware of your surroundings, it can also help cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

Do you need to change your religion to do yoga?

While it is true that yoga is connected to eastern religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, it does not mean that it is a religion in itself. Christians Practicing Yoga explained, it is a philosophy, state of mind, and physical exercise, and practicing yoga can actually help deepen your beliefs, no matter what your faith is.

Does yoga promote youthfulness?

The jury is still out regarding this. However, sometimes you only have to see the youthful glow of celebrities who endorse yoga to make your mind up regarding its many benefits. A fitting example is Hollywood actress Heather Graham, who has surface recently as the new face of the highly rated Foxy Bingo gaming platform. Graham, who is nearly 50-years-old, claims that she has never gone under the knife. She attributes her youthful appearance to yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet. One thing that can be guaranteed, however, is that yoga can help give you glowing skin, according to Art of Living.

Is yoga only for women?

Many people assume that yoga is a woman’s pursuit, probably because most of the photos of it feature ladies. However, yoga can also be enjoyed by men. In fact, Men’s Fitness wrote an article on the subject, detailing the benefits guys can get by doing yoga.

If you want further proof that yoga is an unbelievable medium to improve wellbeing The Huffington Post revealed a study, which showed that more than 90 percent of those who initially tried yoga experienced changes in their primary reasons for doing it in the first place.