Studies show yoga can erase aging as well as pounds

November 2, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Well, we already knew yoga was good for weight loss.

First, it gets us nice and limber. (A great state to be in if you wanna motivate your body to go work out). Second, it imparts the kind of calm that helps you make better dietary choices while reducing stress. (And thus stress eating). And, because of that, it also lessens the stress induced belly blubber-fying hormone, cortisol, from your system. Not to mention that there are certain genres (hashtag: kundalini) that’re like the crack of yoga practices. This stuff’ll energize you so much that you won’t have to try and get it up for your morning run. You’ll be burning the rubber of your yoga mat faster than you can say “Namaste and hit up the HIIT class after this”.

Now, that alone sounds like reason enough to add a dash’ve yoga to your weight loss regimen.

But, if it’s not, there’s a whole other level of “why” I just read about today.

And it’s called the fountain of youth.

See, one’ve the things some’ve us might notice as we age, is that it’s tougher to keep the weight at bay. (Hormones do ya dirty as you get older, so get on that shiz right meow.). But… what if you didn’t get older? Sure, you may not be able to change your actual age. But you know what you can do? Be a convincing liar when you say “25” ’cause you look so young. Well, that and stave off what causes your body to age quickly. On a biological level (*pops on nerd specs*), what happens is kinda cool. See, as you’re aging, these protective ends on the tips of your DNA (called telomeres) start sloughing off. To slow aging, however, an enzyme called telomerase keeps those telomeres tips from doing that. It protects them. So, they did some research on yogis versus non-yogis to check for this stuff. And, sure enough, for folks diligently doing their downward dogs (or even just meditating, believe it or not), there were significantly larger levels of telomerase floating around – keeping the subjects young ‘n supple.

And, with that, yoga strikes again with yet another way to lure me back to my yoga mat. One more reason. Which, subsequently, makes me wonder: why? Why do so many people convince themselves this life altering activity isn’t for them? That it’s meant for someone ballerina looking blonde in her 20’s? Or some grizzled dude in a faraway ashram? Spoiler alert: it ain’t.

I mean, sure, yoga’s for her. But it’s also for these guys:

Don’t be fooled by the way yoga’s advertised. It’s for the inmate just as much as the gymnast chick. And you know who else it’s for? You. You, specifically. Anyone can do it. (Yes, even if you’re “not flexible” – ’cause that’s how you get flexible.) Too stiff? There’s an asana for that. Too fat? There’s an asana for that. Too unmotivated? There’s an asana for that, too. All ya hafta do is dredge up just enough willpower to try it out.

And, before you know it, you’ll be losing weight and years alike.