Yoga as Medicine: Beyond Flexibility to Healing

BY NICOLE LAU

Yoga is medicine. Research shows yoga reduces inflammation, lowers blood pressure, improves cardiovascular health, reduces chronic pain, enhances immune function, and treats anxiety and depression. Yoga is a complete healing system—body, mind, and spirit. Yoga as medicine beyond flexibility to healing recognizes yoga as holistic healing practice treating whole person through asanas (postures), pranayama (breathwork), and meditation. Yoga heals physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Health Benefits: Reduces stress, Improves flexibility and strength, Lowers blood pressure, Reduces inflammation, Improves cardiovascular health, Reduces chronic pain, Enhances immune function, Treats anxiety and depression, Improves sleep, Increases body awareness.

How Yoga Heals: Physical (stretches muscles, strengthens body, improves circulation), Nervous System (activates parasympathetic, reduces stress), Energetic (balances chakras, clears meridians), Mental/Emotional (calms mind, regulates emotions), Spiritual (connects to higher self, cultivates presence).

Yoga Therapy: Yoga therapy uses yoga to treat specific conditions—chronic pain, PTSD, cancer recovery, heart disease, addiction. Yoga therapists create personalized practices.

Practice: Start with gentle yoga, Practice regularly, Combine asanas, pranayama, meditation, Find qualified teachers, Listen to your body.

Yoga is not just exercise—it is medicine. Your body, mind, and spirit will heal.

Next: Energy Healing and Biofield Science—Reiki meets research.