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Yoga appeared in India between 2000 and 3000 BC. This is evidenced by ancient written monuments of the Indian culture – the Vedas. The modern yoga has multiple various styles and types, the purpose of which is basically the same: to create awareness, strength, and harmony in both body and soul.

Nowadays this encompassing art form is practiced by millions of people all over the world and offers benefits to people of both genders and all ages. In this article, we would like to tell you about 10 main benefits of yoga that will probably change your perception of this oriental practice and will allow you to see in it something more than just another physical activity.

Increased flexibility

Those people, who practice yoga regularly, notice that the flexibility of their joints is increased and improved.

In the beginning it might be uncomfortable and even painful to sit in certain yoga positions, however, with the passage of some time, the body starts to adapt and joint pain disappears.

As a result, a person can boast of excellent flexibility and good posture.

Building muscles

Sitting in uncomfortable and abnormal positions causes the muscle stress and tension, which allows them to become more functional and stronger.

Therefore, if you start practicing yoga, you will notice soon that you are getting quite strong but not a bulky muscular system.

Strong muscles are very important since they help to maintain flexibility, balance and a good posture.

Improving posture

As it has been mentioned already above, improved posture is a result of regular yoga practice. Improved posture is important for overall health and the health of the back particularly.

In the body with a good posture, a vital energy flows better and more freely, which contributes to greater well-being and the higher energy level in general.

Healthy spine

Another significant benefit of yoga is the healthy spine, which is especially important for modern people who used to sit hunched over their working desks in offices for the whole day.

As a result, many of us suffer from constant back and neck pains. Fortunately, yoga can help to solve these health issues by making spine much healthier eliminating such problems as scoliosis, herniated disks and other spine problems.

Stronger bones

There are many effective exercises in yoga that help to strengthen bones and prevent them from thinning. It is very important for people, who have a predisposition to osteoporosis – a disease that is characterized by weak bone structure and often leads to fractures.

This is particularly beneficial for the elderly, whose bone structure with age becomes weaker.

Better blood circulation

Many people today suffer from poor blood flow that is caused by different modern factors, including sitting at a desk for the whole day, increased cholesterol level, blood pressure issues, diabetes and some others.

A person with poor circulation might suffer from numbness, swelling, breakouts, muscle cramps, and etc. Being an active practice yoga helps to increase and improve circulation by bringing blood to all organs and systems.

Training for heart

Even though at first sight yoga seems to be a very relaxing practice, in reality, some yoga exercises are very demanding, which leads to increasing of heart rate.

Doing such exercises regularly makes the heart stronger and healthier, and improves the blood circulation. As a result, a risk of getting heart diseases with age is reduced, which increases life expectancy and improves the quality of life in general. Moreover, it has been proven that yoga exercises make muscles more sensitive to insulin – a hormone that is responsible for controlling the sugar level in blood.

Decreasing blood pressure

Thousands of people today suffer from a high blood pressure that might become a reason for strokes and heart attacks – often fatal health problems. In order to reduce the risk of them, doctors recommend such patients to try yoga.

Regular yoga exercises help to open blood vessels and pass the blood through. However, it is important to note that not all types of yoga are suitable for controlling the blood pressure, and it is recommended first to consult your doctor and yoga therapist.

Prevention of joint problems

Since yoga practice usually means sitting in uncomfortable positions, the joints of the body become stressed to the limit.

This might be painful in the beginning, however with time the joint tissues get better flexibility and laxity. Therefore, people doing yoga exercises regularly do not suffer from such problems as joint pain or arthritis.

Contribution to spiritual and emotional health

Besides all the physical benefits mentioned and described above, yoga is a perfect practice for reaching emotional and spiritual harmony.

People, who do yoga regularly and for an extended period of time, admit that they feel more relaxed, happy, self-confident and content. In addition, they experience less stress in daily life and do not suffer from various sleep disorders. Yoga helps them to reduce anxiety and decrease the possibility of depression.

Watch video about yoga for complete beginners

Are you interested in to try Yoga now? Watch the video below about the basic exercises. You can try these right now.

Read more about healthy lifestyle or find other amazing & fun facts from the front page. Cover photo image credit: egorshitikov / Pixabay

Have you ever tried Yoga or are you interested in trying it? Share your experiences, questions, and comments below.

Pilates is a kind of workout designed to improve body strength, endurance, and flexibility within a short period of time. It was designed by a man called Joseph Pilates, who believed that this form of exercise uses the mind to control the body muscles. In fact, Pilates called his method Contrology and it was only later that it came to be called Pilates.

What are the focus areas of Pilates?

The focus areas of this workout are the abdomen, lower back, thighs, and hips. A typical routine may involve performing 20 or more repetitive exercises, each different from the other. These exercises include sit-ups and pushups and other specific exercises that target specific areas of the body.

What does Pilates require?

Pilates requires quite a bit of concentration, but you never need to do the exercises to a point where you become exhausted. Each exercise is different. It has its own specific movements with specific emphasis on body position and rhythm.

The Pilates exercises are performed in a particular sequence, and each exercise has its own unique name. For a beginner, the exercises may not be easy to do, because each exercise requires great muscle control, specific movements, and flexibility. But, they do get easier, as long as you keep at it regularly.

One thing to note is that you can perform Pilates on a fitness mat; therefore, you can do them at home, as long you know what you are doing. You can also do them at the gym if it is equipped with a machine known as a Reformer, which is specifically designed for Pilates.

What are the benefits of Pilates?

Since Pilates combines many different exercises, you can be assured that you will see a significant improvement in the core areas of your body. So, let us look at some benefits of Pilates.

1. Improved Body Strength

Pilates strengthens the core, which means all the core muscles of your body become stronger. Your abdominal muscles, hips, thighs, buttocks and lower back become a lot stronger. Your body also becomes more toned.

2. Improves Balance

Since Pilates helps strengthen the lower back, they also help stabilize the spine, giving you better balance. If you have back pain, Pilates will help relieve the pain and even help prevent any back pains in the future.

3. Increased Flexibility

Pilates involves doing numerous exercises, each of which has specific movements. This increases flexibility because each exercise requires that you position your body in a way that exercises an area of focus.

4. Weight Loss

There are possibly hundreds if not thousands of weight loss programs in the market today. But, only a significantly small percentage of these programs are actually effective. If you are not into intense workouts, Pilates is a great alternative to help you shed the extra weight. Even after you have achieved your weight goal, do not stop doing Pilates if you want to maintain your new weight.

5. Reduces Stress

Stress brings about all kinds of emotional and physical problems. Too much stress can affect your mental as well as your physical health. Pilates can help relieve stress because the exercises require your concentration. So, whatever issue is stressing you out, you cease to focus on it when you are exercising. Yoga is another great way of reducing stress. Studies have proven that by doing Yoga, you can keep your stress levels at down. It is also a great way to relax.

6. Improves Mental Health

A healthy mind means a healthy body. But, if you are constantly stressed out, frustrated, angry or depressed, these can have adverse effects on your health. Pilates can help improve mental health because it relaxes the mind. Even though all your concentration is needed, at least your mind is focused on your exercises and not what is stressing you out.

Pilates generally help relieve stress, depression, and anxiety; promotes mental health; lowers blood pressure; promotes creative thinking, improves heart health, and helps manage chronic pain.

7. Increased Endurance

Pilates improves exercise endurance, which in turn helps improve the health of the circulatory system, health, and lungs.

8. Boosts Confidence

Pilates can definitely help boost your confidence because they improve posture and balance, they tone the body and help maintain a healthy weight. Having a well-toned body turns head, but more importantly, you feel better about yourself.

Who can do Pilates?

The Pilate workout system was not designed for specific people, it can be performed by anyone. Whether you are old or young, Pilates can help you stay in shape and reduce your risk of developing many health-related diseases.  Since Pilates involves doing several different exercises, you can perform those exercises that you are comfortable with; so, it does not matter if you are 80 years old, pregnant or overweight. Anyone can do Pilates.

But, if you have a health problem, like diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol or high blood pressure, and you want to do Pilates, it is advisable you talk to your doctor first.

Pilates is not aerobic, so you may want to add cardio to your exercise program. Cardio helps improve your breathing, heart and lung function and it also reduces stress, depression, mood swings and other negative emotions.

If you have never tried Pilates before and you are wondering where to begin. Start by getting rid of any bad habits like smoking. Reduce the amount of alcohol you take and avoid any poor lifestyle habits that may thwart your health goals. Maintain a healthy diet because exercising alone is not enough to maintain a healthy weight.

Con you do Pilates at Home?

You can choose to do your Pilates at home, but if you are a novice, it is advisable that you buy a Pilates DVD or get a private fitness instructor to help through the first few sessions. The instructor can monitor your movements and overall performance, as well as offer suggestions and advice on how to prevent injury.

On other hand, you can hit the gym, which is great because you can get to meet and build relationships with the other people who are in your Pilates class. These relationships are very beneficial because they can help you stay motivated and focused on achieving a healthy lifestyle.

Watch introduction video about Pilates exercises

Conclusion

Pilates is a very flexible form of workout and it is suitable for all ages and genders. in a short the most important benefits of the Pilates are:

1. Improved Body Strength
2. Improves Balance
3. Increased Flexibility
4. Helps with Weight Loss
5. Reduces Stress
6. Improves Mental Health
7. Increased Endurance
8. Boosts Confidence

Are you exercising Pilates or are you interested in to start? Please leave your questions and comments below!

Be sure to discover also how to motivate yourself to workout!

If you a fan of healthy nutrition and you used to take care of your health and body, then you should definitely have spinach in your daily ration. Spinach is green leafy vegetable that grows in sunny and humid regions. The benefits of spinach have been known for many years since old times in ancient Persia, where it was used as a medical plant mostly.

Spinach is full of useful nutrients that have a positive effect on all organs, hair and skin. You can easily find it supermarkets today both fresh and frozen, as well as a mix with other vegetables and crops. In this article you will learn more about top 12 health benefits of this vegetable that is a key to your health and beauty.

Spinach improves vision

Spinach is rich in beta-carotene, xanthine, and lutein – three elements that have a positive impact on vision. Spinach helps to fight with dryness of eyes and itchy eyes, and contributes to the cornea healing due to its anti-inflammatory qualities. If you want to get the maximum of benefits from spinach for your eyes, it is recommended to cook it.

It normalizes the arterial pressure

The high concentration of potassium and the absence of sodium makes spinach a perfect product for those people, who suffer from high blood pressure. Moreover, it also includes folate – an element that is able to relax blood vessels and to reduce hypertension. As a result, an overall tension in the cardiovascular system is decreased which reduces the risk of a possible stroke and heart attack.

Prevents development of stomach ulcer

It has been proved already that spinach is able to protect the mucus membrane of the stomach, which minimizes the possibility of development of stomach ulcer. Moreover, there is a high concentration of lipids in spinach by improving the overall condition of the digestive tract and preventing any possible inflammation there.

Spinach is beneficial for pregnant women

Doctors highly recommend pregnant women to eat this vegetable as much as possible, since it contributed to proper and healthy development of embryo and formation of its nervous system. As it has been found out by researchers, the reason of most birth effects is the lack of folate – one of the main elements contained in spinach. In addition, this green vegetable is rich in vitamin A that also contributes to the growth of the fetus’ organism. Spinach is also recommended for nursing mothers because it improves the quality of the mother’s milk and enriches it with all necessary microelements.

It strengthens the immune system

Due to the high concentration of useful microelements and vitamins, spinach can be considered the leading product for strengthening the immune system. Moreover, there is a number of antioxidants in spinach that protect the enzymes, the task of which to repair any DNA damage and to enhance the capacity of the human body to rejuvenate itself.

Spinach has anti-cancer properties

Many researches showed that there are certain beneficial constituents found in spinach that contribute to prevention of different forms of cancer. It is especially successful in fighting with such types as lungs, prostate, bladder and liver cancers. Even if the cancer has already developed, spinach might help, since there are carotenois, violaxanthin and neoxanthin that minimize the activity of tumour and do not allow cancer to spread throughout the body.

It promotes bone mineralization

Among all the elements and vitamins contained in spinach, one of the most beneficial is Vitamin K. Its main function is to retain calcium in the bone structure, which contributes to bone mineralization. Moreover, such elements as copper, manganese, zinc, magnesium, and prosphorus also help to build up strong and healthy bones. Therefore, spinach is especially recommended for older people suffering from osteoporosis and children, who might also suffer from the lack of calcium.

Spinach is beneficial for skin

As other most green vegetables, spinach is appreciated for the high concentration of potent antioxidants that contribute to normal and healthy development of skin cells and improvement of a skin tone in general. Moreover, spinach also boosts the production of collagen in the body – en element that strengthens capillaries and prevents appearance of wrinkles. Therefore, it is possible to say that spinach is a product of youth and beauty.

It contributes to weight loss

If you are on a diet, it might be difficult to control yourself due to a strong feeling of hunger sometimes. However, it will be much easier if you add spinach to your daily menu. Due to a healthy combination of vitamins and nutrients, spinach is able to decrease hunger. It is especially useful and effective to make juice from spinach for this purpose and drink it daily. It has been also noted that drinking a glass of spinach juice before meal, helps to eat much less.

Spinach boost muscle strength

If you want to have strong muscles and get better and faster results by doing physical exercises, then you should eat spinach regularly. One study conducted in 2011 and published in the journal Cell Metabolism found out that eating a 300-gram portion of spinach daily helps to reduce the amount of oxygen needed for powering muscles during physical exercising by almost 5%.

Spinach is a great source of iron

This vegetable is one of the best natural cholesterol-free sources of iron. A sufficient amount of iron is very important for overall health because it is the main component of haemoglobin responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the organism. The lack of iron can have serious health consequences, including fatigue, headache, hair loss, worse functioning of immune system and even the brain. Therefore, anyone who wants to feel good and full of energy is recommended to eat spinach.

Spinach is able to cure acne

Spinach is not only a vegetable to eat, but also a great cosmetic product that is able to cure acne. In order to get rid of acne that makes your face look so unhealthy, you can prepare mask by blending spinach with some amount of water. When the green mask is ready, you should apply it to your face and leave for 20 minutes. Such mask is good not only for curing acne, but for improving skin condition in general by removing dirt, inflammation and oil from the skin. In addition to mask, you can also cure acne by drinking a spinach juice in combination with such vegetables as cabbage, tomato, carrot, pepper, cucumber and celery.