Yoga for Boomers and Beyond

If yoga makes you think of pretzel poses, think again.  Yoga that is adapted for boomers and beyond offers many tools for optimal health.  It is a science that promotes physical fitness, physiological and emotional/mental health through yoga postures, breathing practices, deep relaxation, and other practices.

What are the tangible benefits of regular yoga practice?

Physical – Expect improved strength and stability, better flexibility, improvement in posture, better mind-body awareness, more functional movement patterns, reduced pain and stiffness, better balance and improved circulation from doing yoga several times per week.

Physiological – As we age, our physiology (organ and glands) benefits from the deep breathing practices so common in most yoga traditions.  Deeper breathing helps almost all of our organs and glands and can improve digestion, heart rate, blood pressure, stress, sleep, immunity, nervous system tone and energy level.  Deep breathing also has an important role in pain management and mental health.

Mental/Emotional — While Yoga does a body good in terms of physical and physiological fitness, it also improves what I like to call “attitude and gratitude.”  A yoga practice suited to your individual needs can increase self-confidence, happiness, focus, memory, compassion, and capacity to deal with life’s inevitable changes.  At its core, yoga philosophy teaches us not to identify with our body, that we are much more than the aging chassis that we walk around in.

Aging is not for wimps.  You need good tools to support your body, mind and spirit.  Even a small amount of yoga on a daily basis (10 – 15 minutes) can make a difference in how your body feels, your organ systems work and your mind functions.  Give it a whirl.  And if you have questions, we’re happy to talk to you about how to get started.

 

 

 

Mary Hilliker, RDN, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT is a Certified Viniyoga Teacher and Yoga Therapist and Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist with 5 Koshas Yoga and Wellness Center and River Flow Yoga Teacher Training School in Wausau WI. Mary offers individualized Yoga Therapy and nutrition counseling. She teaches therapeutic and wellness yoga classes, mini-retreats, workshops, webinars and yoga teacher training.