Who says you need to be sweating profusely to get a good workout?
A review of more than 60 case studies on the benefits of yoga has proven that stretching can protect your body from cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors just as successfully as aerobic activities like running.
High blood pressure, high blood sugar, increased body fat and abnormal cholesterol levels are usually best tackled with high sweat, sprinting activity, but findings suggest regular yoga could be the ticket to a healthier you.
The study combined the results of 69 studies on Hatha yoga (a common style of yoga that focusses the body on movements that stretch and stimulate your spine and muscles) tracking people who practiced yoga and those who did traditional aerobic, against those who did no weekly exercise.
The results speak for themselves.
When measuring those who did yoga against those who performed traditional aerobic exercises, there was no differentiation to their fitness, or cardiovascular/ metabolic health.
The studies also found that those who practised yoga regularly also had a lower rate of heart disease and blood pressure.
Authors of the study also believe that yoga is a great form of releasing stress, improving overall health, body and mind. The study also found that those who practiced yoga were more likely to do it daily, increasing the body’s exercise output.
So if you’re looking to kickstart your health this year, better roll out the mat…
