Yoga and Heart Health
Regular Stretching Rejuvenates Artery Walls - Wonderful news from the world of fascia via Robert Schleip⠀
⠀
According to a new study, regular stretching can significantly reduce the stiffening of arterial walls of older people.
A meta-analysis of nearly 70 individual trials has concluded that regular stretching performed over at least 4 weeks in middle-aged and older people (ie of at least 40 years of age) results in a significant reduction in arterial stiffness. This stiffening of the arteries usually increases with age and is associated with arteriosclerosis and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
This subject is close to my heart (no pun intended) because my husband suffered his second violent heart attack almost two years ago and has since undergone a triple bypass operation.
If, like me, you are interested in maintaining and even improving your health as you age, these findings are an exciting and important confirmation of what we know: that yoga is fundamentally good for us and that its power is really only just beginning to be recognised by the medical establishment.
Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in our current lifestyle (i.e. more common than the sum of all cancers, and also many times more common than all viral and bacterial infections combined).
∗ lower resting heart rate in users⠀⠀
∗ lower diastolic blood pressure⠀⠀
∗ improved vascular endothelial function
All of which means that we can, with even more confidence, go out and promote yoga as a heart healthy practice.
View the study by clicking here
Enjoyed this? Let's stay connected.
Follow me on Instagram for practical movement ideas, strength and somatic yoga, and ideas to help you move well, feel strong and stay resilient.