You can read previous newsletters and blog entries if you go here.

In today's newsletter/blog, we continue the discussion on yoga and aging. In the last blog, we mentioned yoga as a lifetime practice and the work you can do with an experienced yoga teacher who can help you to modify movements as we progress on this journey of life. This week, we discuss some of the scientific research on this topic.

Yoga and Aging Part 2.

I have received yoga teacher training by some of the world's most remarkable octogenarians. At this writing they continue to go full-throttle by teaching other teachers and doing their own practice all the while maintaining their mental acuity and self-knowledge. However, that is a very small population of two. Thus, not very scientific. So let's back up this observation with a little science.

Effects of Yoga on Aging

Has anyone ever said to you that you can't do yoga, because "you're too old, too frail, too fat, too short, too tall?" None of these statements can be further from the truth. Yoga is universal and can be done by any person who is capable of some movement, or brain function, or breath (or all of the above). Yoga can be modified for any of life's situations. Read on.

Tolahunase, Sager and Dada (2017) Studied the impact of yoga on cellular aging. They measured endorphins, some hormones and other biological chemistries. After 12 weeks of yoga and meditation, significant improvements were found when compared to baseline before the yoga intervention. Yes, on a cellular level practicing yoga has an effect! The cells functioned like those of a younger person.

Yoga for Balance

One of the most studied areas is fall prevention. Many older people will tell you that they are afraid of falling. When you see an older person in your life suddenly relying on a cane or a walker, these devices may be signs of that fear. I am personally not at the point where I have that fear, but I do want to avoid preventable falls. I also want to avoid that fear. It's all about sensing where the different parts of your body are in the space in which you move. The kinesthesiologists have a word for this: perioperception or the unconscious awareness of how you move. That is, how do you perceive where you are and how you move in that place.

Another study by Youkhana, et al. (2015), described how a yoga intervention improves balance for those who are 60+. Although, more research needs to be done, they found that yoga resulted in improvements in balance and physical mobility. (Practice heel raises and or tree pose daily to maintain your balance). It has not yet been scientifically fully proven that yoga will decrease your chances of falling, but it has been proven to help your balance and mobility.

For Balance Practice Daily: Heel Raises and/or Tree

Resources & Further Reading

Madhivanan, P., Krupp, K., Waechter, R., & Shidhaye, R. (2021). Yoga for Healthy Aging: Science or Hype?. Advances in geriatric medicine and research, 3(3), e210016. https://doi.org/10.20900/agmr20210016

Östh, J., Diwan, V., Jirwe, M., Diwan, V., Choudhary, A., Mahadik, V. K., Pascoe, M., & Hallgren, M. (2019). Effects of yoga on well-being and healthy ageing: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial (FitForAge). BMJ open, 9(5), e027386. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-027386

Tiedemann A, O'Rourke S, Sesto R, Sherrington C. A 12-week Iyengar yoga program improved balance and mobility in older community-dwelling people: a pilot randomized controlled trial. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2013 Sep;68(9):1068-75. doi: 10.1093/gerona/glt087. Epub 2013 Jul 2. PMID: 23825035.

Tolahunase, M., Sagar, R., & Dada, R. (2017). Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open-Label Single-Arm Exploratory Study. Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2017, 7928981. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/7928981

Youkhana S, Dean CM, Wolff M, Sherrington C, Tiedemann A. Yoga-based exercise improves balance and mobility in people aged 60 and over: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Age Ageing. 2016 Jan;45(1):21-9. doi: 10.1093/ageing/afv175. Epub 2015 Dec 25. PMID: 26707903.

The Gift of Private Yoga Lessons

It is not too late to buy yourself or a loved one a gift of private yoga lessons. The Mother's Day Special has been extended through the end of the month. . Buy a private BOGO lesson. Yes, two for one.

Ongoing Offerings

Yoga nidra classes continue online at 7:30 ET Monday nights. Join me tonight for a beautiful relaxing journey that will help you to heal, relax, and de-stress for an hour.

Meditation & Yoga for Organizations

Using yoga and meditation techniques, I am available to support an organization's institutional mission and values tailored to the needs of employees. Meditation and yogic exercise have been shown to promote wellness that boosts employee morale, effectiveness, and productivity (Sheelu, Garg, & Rastogi, 2022). If you know someone who may be interested in setting up a meditation or yoga class for a retreat or as a regular amenity or employee benefit in their organization please forward this link to them.

Private Lessons

I continue my availability for face-to-face or online meditation and private lessons. Contact me via the form at the bottom of any of the website pages.

https://www.laurietenzeryoga.c...UnlinkEdit