By Michael Roizen, M.D. on Mar 30, 2023
It's estimated that 34 million Americans do yoga at least once a year -- a practice that brings mind and body into harmony through movement, breathing and meditation. But that's not frequently enough to reap its far-reaching benefits of better balance, less joint and muscle pain, enhanced immune response, less stress, stronger muscles -- and, it turns out, lower blood pressure.
A study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology looked at 60 folks with high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome (a precursor to diabetes, heart attack and stroke). For three months, the researchers had half the participants do 30 minutes of aerobics five days a week, followed by 15 minutes of yoga and half do the aerobics routine followed by 15 minutes of regular muscle stretching. Turns out that the yoga group saw their systolic blood pressure (the top number) go down by 10 points -- the stretching group saw a four-point reduction. That major drop in blood pressure significantly reduced the yoga group's 10-year risk of heart attack or stroke.
While some forms of yoga are intense, flowing and even done in 100-degree rooms with 40% humidity, there are many forms, including restorative yoga, chair yoga and Iyengar yoga, that will suit the flexibility (or inflexibility) of almost everyone. So don't let "Downward Dog" or "The Cobra" nip at your enthusiasm. Go to ClevelandClinic.org; search for "yoga" for instructive videos. And then carve out time in your schedule for 30 minutes of walking followed by 15 minutes of yoga -- just reading about it has little effect!
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Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. His next book is "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow." Do you have a topic Dr. Mike should cover in a future column? If so, please email questions@GreatAgeReboot.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2023 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
