Yoga (cont.)
Who's doing yoga?
Apparently, many people are practicing yoga. According to a 2003 survey by the Sporting Goods
Manufacturers Association, an estimated 13.4 million Americans practice yoga or
other mind-body exercises such as tai chi. Of those, an estimated 1.6 million
were 55 or older. According to data published in 2004 in the journal Alternative
Therapies in Health and Medicine, an estimated 15 million American adults have
used yoga at least once in their lifetime, and individuals interviewed for that
study reported that they used yoga for wellness (stress reduction, quality of
life), health conditions, and specific ailments like back or neck pain. And 90% felt
yoga was very or somewhat helpful.
What about kids and yoga?
Studies show that kids are getting less physical education today than ever
before. Yoga for kids may be just the activity to help alleviate the problem.
Kids can learn how to experience their physicality and learn how they move with
yoga. It can also be fun! I encourage all parents to look for kids' yoga in your
area and enroll your children.
What about seniors and yoga?
It's well known that balance, posture, and other elements of fitness and
health diminish as we age. What if yoga could help? I'm not aware of yoga
studies that specifically target seniors, but there may be hope. In a study of
balance and tai chi (a Chinese martial art that uses slow, controlled poses to
promote health) in 256 physically inactive adults aged 70 to 92 who practiced
tai chi three times a week for six months, it was found that tai chi helped
decrease the number of falls, the risk for falling, and the fear of falling, and
it improved functional balance and physical performance. Although tai chi isn't
yoga, there are similarities, and one could speculate that yoga might yield
similar benefits.
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