Om...

Bite This: According to yogabussinessacademy.com, one on ten Americans practice yoga. Last year alone,  six billion was spent on yoga products. In other news, some insurances are already paying for yoga classes because of all of the wonderful health benefits. (Sign me up!)

I have never really been into yoga until the past year or so. To me, yoga was not exercise - it was like nap time. And I never really wanted to spend $15 per class and an hour of my time to take a nap and call it exercise. If I am going to exercise, I need to sweat. Profusely. I need to feel like I really "worked it out." Yoga just did not do it for me. Then about a year ago, I took a hiatus from running, as I have mentioned, and I thought I'd give yoga another shot. Running has always been my therapy for stress, irritability, or other irrational emotions. Without running, I needed an outlet for these emotions before my husband threw me in the nut house. Yoga was the next best thing.
When a new yoga studio opened near my house, I bribed my friend (who I already pay to be my friend) to go to a class with me. I was rather embarrassed by my lack of flexibility, not to mention my downward facing dog pose looked more like I was trying to catch myself after slipping on ice, but whatever.  During the class I just kept thinking, "this is stupid, I am not even burning any calories", but once those 60 minutes were up, I found myself wanting more of it. I felt refreshed, energized, calm and more emotionally and physically balanced. (And ironically, my favorite pose is savasana. I mean, you get an eye pillow and scented oils and everything!)
Apparently, that's what yoga does for you. More and more doctors, as well as integrative medicine professionals are prescribing yoga for all sorts of ailments. As you are probably aware, yoga positively affects the mind and the body.  Research has shown that yoga and meditation greatly relieves stress, induces sleep but also relieves fatigue, improves symptoms of depression, and reduces blood pressure. Physically, yoga improves strength and flexibility, improves posture, and can possibly improve lung capacity. Yoga helps relieve arthritic pain, as well as other joint pain and stiffness. Mentally, yoga can improve concentration, and memory and learning processes. Think about all of the benefits you obtain just from posing for an hour!
Now that I have gotten back into running, yoga has again taken a back seat.  But, recently I have been feeling more and more like the ripe age of 30 that I am. The actual running has been easy, but afterwards my ankles crack, my hips creak, and my knees pop. If I sit in any position with my legs bent for more than 5 minutes, my stiff knees and sore hips prevent me from getting out of that position very quickly. I should probably ask my grandma if I can borrow her walker. I have had a headache since last weekend from pulling a muscle in my neck while dancing. I was not even head banging.(However, if you have ever seen my dancing, this is not all that surprising, really.)
Not only am I deteriorating physically, but mentally as well. I am having issues concentrating, I cannot remember mid-sentence what I was going to say, and anything I have learned in the last year has vanished. And that has nothing to do with what I have been smoking. (I kid, I kid, Dad.)
I am starting to think that yoga could quite possibly be the best thing for me in my old age.  Perhaps then my legs would stop with the snap, crackle and pop, and I would remember what I did with my keys.

Do you practice yoga regularly? What's your favorite pose? (Again, not a rhetorical question - I really want to know!)

Sound bite: This week look for Groupons or coupons for a yoga studio near you and try a class. Or try a yoga DVD - although, I would not start with the P90X yoga. That video is an hour and a half of nothing but warrior poses.

Because a friend talked me into joining, you can also now follow me on Instagram - larakbennett. I posted my first picture tonight. Peanut butter cookies and wine. ;)

(Disclaimer: Yes, I know 30 is not old and I know I will get a lot of heat for that comment. Especially from my husband who is now looking for a 27 year old wife. Side note - he threw his back out once from stretching. Maybe I need a 27 year old husband. )