YOGA AND GOOD HEALTH

We concluded last week’s Yoga Corner with the introduction of ‘meditation and good health’, highlighting the vastness of the subject and that there isn’t a part of our lives that is not touched or affected by meditation. Starting with the category of physical benefits, and with probably the most favorite of slow aging, I’m sure that most us would like to slow down the aging process, especially in the most natural and harmless way. Studies have shown that experienced meditators often look a lot younger than their «true» age, and they also arguably live longer than people who do not practice meditation as a lifestyle. Scientific studies have been published, which I will not delve in to avoid being technical, explaining why meditation is the very best way to freeze “father time”, but I encourage those interested on the details to read more on the subject. According to leading health and longevity researchers, stress accelerates our biological clock leaving us looking and feeling old long before our time (as you read this you may even think of one or two people yourself). Mediation is a natural tool to counter stress, hence slowing down the biological clock so to speak. Granted there are very few people who are not yogis but still live even beyond a hundred. And if you were to interview these people, you would find that their general disposition is that of inner peace, very little or no stress at all. These are the fortunate ones. Most of us need to make an effort to reach the state of inner peace amidst chaotic surroundings. This is where meditation as part of yoga comes in. The next physical benefit is that of beating addiction whether it is alcohol, tobacco, food, coffee, prescriptions, illegal substances, the list goes on. Researchers have found that there are physiological and psychological reasons why meditation is the best, most effective way to naturally overcome any addiction. It has been proven to give a “natural high” through the brain’s “happiness center”. Indeed, the brain researchers have built a mountain of evidence showing that meditation can help immensely in beating addiction, healthily and naturally. When one practices meditation regularly, the mind develops the power as well as the inner strength to observe the coming and going of urges and cravings without emotions and in a detached manner. More next week……..