YOGA CAN BE PRACTISED AT ANY AGE
Old age is the stage when one has more time for oneself, family, leisure and relaxation. It is also the stage that gives birth to diseases like arthritis, rheumatism, incontinence and high blood pressure. In old age, the body also becomes old and loses the power to resist and fight diseases. The degeneration of the body also limits the types of exercises one can practice. This leads to the practice of milder forms of exercise such as jogging, brisk walking, and Yoga.
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With advancing age, vigorous physical exercises cannot be performed easily because of stiffening joints and muscles that have lost tone. Isometric exercises, for example, cannot be practised with increasing age, as they lead to sprained muscles, painful joints, strained body systems, and the degeneration of organs. The great advantage of Yoga is that it can be practised by anyone, irrespective of age, sex, and physical condition.
In fact, Yoga is particularly beneficial in middle age and after. Yoga is a gift to old people as the recuperative power of the body is declining and resistance to illness is weakened. Yoga generates energy and doesn't dissipate it. With Yoga one can look forward to a satisfying, healthier future, rather than reflecting on one's youthful past.
Unlike other exercises, Yoga results in the concentration of immunity cells in areas affected by disease, and thus improved immunity. That is why the ancient sages called Yoga a therapeutic as well as a preventive science.
Yoga is a form of exercise that can be altered according to your needs and abilities. It breaks the boundaries of age and shape of the body. It not only improves a particular part of the body, but also improves the health of the body as a whole. It works both at the physical as well as the mental level. It makes your body fitter, the mind calmer and more relaxed. Yoga is also beneficial in the prevention and control of common health and emotional problems that are linked with old age. It helps you in becoming more in touch with yourself and your body enabling you to accept who you are and the state you are in. Thus creating a positive approach towards life.
Some of the Yoga Asanas can work wonders. Yoga offers a wide range of Asanas for almost every ailment. But one should always practice Yoga under the guidance of a proper teacher.
In practicing Yoga, one should respect the limitations of the body. Yoga requires patience and time to prove its benefits. Yoga aims to quiet the mind as you exercise the body. If you feel pain, stop what you are doing.
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