03/25/2018 / By Jessica Dolores
Research has found out that yoga improves the way our organs function. In particular, yoga stimulates bone marrow stem cells trafficking to the blood surrounding it. This, in turn, helps reduce inflammation, reduce apoptosis, revive lost cells and delay the aging process. The results of this study were published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine.
In the study, the authors looked at yoga and pranayama, which both originated in India and have now found an international following. In a survey by Yoga Alliance, it showed that this ancient art found some 37 million practitioners in the U.S. in 2016. This is nearly twice than that of 2012, which was only 20 million, indicating a significant increase in people who are into yoga.
Matching these findings is the fact that nearly three-quarters of people have been into yoga for less than five years. This means people have embrace yoga fairly recently.
In the study, the researchers suggested that the movements practiced in yoga – stretching, bending, and twisting – can likely release stem cells into the bone marrow and increase circulation. These stem cells, once released, travel to bone, tissue, or muscle, where it is used for repair.
Pranayama, in particular, can create a brief episode of hypoxia, that is, the absence of oxygen, similar to that of intense exercise. This allows stem cells to be efficiently transported throughout the body, and it also activates beta cells needed for insulin production.
“In diabetic patients, pranayama is likely to play a major role in activating beta cells for insulin production,” the authors added.
Because they have solid evidence to back them up, the researchers recommend yoga as a key to improved quality of life and longevity.
If you need more reasons to get into yoga – you’ve got it. Here are even more benefits that your body gets when it practices yoga.
So get on that yoga mat now and stretch, twist and turn your body. It will reward you with a better quality of life for years to come.
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Tagged Under: aging, arthritis, arthritis of the spine, back pain, balance, beta cells, blood, blood circulation, bone health, bone marrow, cartilage, connective tissue, diabetes, diabetic, flexibility, healing, hypoxia, inflammation, joint breakdown, muscle strength, muscles, organ function, oxygenated blood flow, perfect posture, poor posture, posture, pranayama, reduce apoptosis, Stem cells, strength and flexibility, Yoga