A recent article published by Harvard Medical School indicates that yoga may be especially beneficial for people with high blood pressure, heart failure, and other forms of heart disease. The combination of gentle exercise, stretching, breathing and meditation work together to create a balanced mind and body while providing special benefits to your cardiovascular health.
So what exactly is helping your heart’s health during a yoga session? For starters, any sort of activity that works your muscles is helpful to your cardiovascular system and increases muscles’ sensitivity to insulin, important for controlling blood sugar. Moving between different physical postures gently exercises muscles in a low-impact workout that can be adjusted to fit your level of ability.
The combination of postures and controlled deep breathing yield the benefits of physical meditation that focuses and clears the mind. Meditation and the mindfulness of yoga have both been shown to help people with cardiovascular disease. In addition, by taking fewer but deeper breaths and slowing the breathing rate, a person can temporarily lower blood pressure and calm the sympathetic nervous system (the generator of stress hormones.)
The research into the connection between yoga and cardiovascular disease is still in its scientific infancy, but several dozen studies suggest that yoga may
- reduce high blood pressure
- improve symptoms of heart failure
- ease palpitations
- enhance cardiac rehabilitation
- lower cardiovascular risk factors such as cholesterol levels, blood sugar, and stress hormones
- improve balance, reduce falls, ease arthritis, and improve breathing for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
While yoga can’t guarantee magical protection or a cure for heart disease, yoga could be a useful method for coping with it. Since heart disease is often accompanied by other health issues such as arthritis or osteoporosis that limit flexibility, it’s best if people with these concerns work with a yoga instructor who offers individualized attention and tailoring to their yoga routine to fit their limitations and abilities.
Our own Dr. Paula Barros, DC, offers private yoga therapy sessions to provide personal attention to your unique needs. For the month of May, book a one hour session for $60 (standard yoga therapy fees are $100 for one hour initial consultation, $75 for follow-up sessions.) To schedule an appointment, call 530-894-8756.
