Credit: iStock/DMP Yoga is well known for improving flexibility, building strength and reducing stress. Better gut health rarely makes the list of expected benefits. Yet a growing body of research suggests that yoga may help some people manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects millions of people and can cause abdominal pain and bloating, along with diarrhea, constipation or both. At first glance, yoga and gastrointestinal health might seem unrelated. But physiology tells a … Continue reading Have Irritable Bowel Syndrome? A Yoga Class Might Help
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Breathe Deep to Explore the Heart’s Physiology
Credit: iStock Breathe in, breathe out. You may have heard that deep breathing techniques are good for your health because they can help you relax and manage stress. You may not know that they are also useful teaching tools for learning about cardiovascular physiology—the study of how the heart and blood vessels work. Breathing—particularly deep … Continue reading Breathe Deep to Explore the Heart’s Physiology
Yoga + Deep Breathing = A Calmer You
“I’m not flexible enough to do yoga!” In my 12 years as a yoga instructor, this is the excuse I have heard most often for why people aren’t practicing yoga. My initial response is usually, “That’s exactly why you should be practicing yoga!” However, I am also an assistant professor of physiology, and I know … Continue reading Yoga + Deep Breathing = A Calmer You