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There are plenty of healthy choices you associate with improving the function of your heart, like taking omega 3 supplements, hitting the treadmill every day, and avoiding fast food. But there is another heart-healthy activity right at your fingertips; one that you will probably enjoy more than the treadmill! Yoga has been proven in multiple studies to support heart health, and while it can’t replace cardiovascular exercise and healthy eating, it offers a wide range of unique benefits!
Yoga: The Meditative Exercise
Yoga is the practice of strengthening and balancing the whole body that originated in ancient India. As it improves the body’s strength and balance, yoga also helps people achieve tranquility and spiritual insight as stress melts away and calm takes its place. It is different than running or lifting weights because it does not require intense, fast-paced movements that raise the heartbeat. Yoga is more of a challenge to your flexibility, stamina, and breathing techniques.
How Does Yoga Support the Heart?
Breathing, stretching, and increased mindfulness combine into a powerful experience that has positive impacts on the heart Since yoga is gentle enough for people who cannot endure intense movements, yet customizable enough to challenge a weekend warrior, it can meet the needs of all participants.
Yoga is especially important for people who have disabilities or restrictions that prevent them from participating in other forms of exercise. It opens up a pathway to fitness to members of the population who would normally not pursue exercise at all. Yoga is comprised of so many different physical stances and positions that its movements strengthen the muscles and open blood vessels to support circulation.
Exercise also helps muscles function with more sensitivity to insulin, which is a major achievement for those dealing with diabetes and working to control their blood sugar. The better diabetes is managed, the healthier the heart can remain. Furthermore, the deep breaths that are encouraged in yoga help to lower blood pressure and calm the part of the nervous system that produces stress hormones.
Together, all of these effects create undeniably improved heart health. People who enjoy yoga on a regular basis may be able to ease palpitations, minimize symptoms of heart failure, reduce high blood pressure, support cardiac rehabilitation, and reduce dangerous cardiovascular risk factors like blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and stress hormones.
Make Positive Changes Now
However, it does take more than weekly yoga to improve your heart health, so contact Cardiovascular Solutions Institute in Bradenton and Sarasota for high quality, state of the art, comprehensive cardiovascular care. Call (941) 747-8789 to make an appointment with one of Cardiovascular Solutions Institute’s experienced physicians and safeguard your health for the future.