Yoga has been understood as a way of life in India for the last 5000 years. However, it only reached the west about 50 years ago and major research into it has only taken place in the last 5 years or so. However, whatever research has been conducted has only reinforced the positive benefits of practicing yoga. No wonder then that a large number of people around the world are beginning to embrace yoga practice as part of their routine. But, what is more noteworthy is that there has been sufficient medical evidence to consider yoga as an alternative therapy for a number of ailments. Here are just some of the instances:

Yoga breathing exercises teach you to breathe fully. They help your blood to absorb as much oxygen as is possible and exhale as much gaseous toxic waste material as possible. Breathing is such a basic act that we hardly ever pay any attention to it, which leads us to not utilize the process fully and as a result we barely absorb half the amount of oxygen we can and a lot of gaseous toxic waste matter remains behind in out lungs when we exhale. This leads to a number of respiratory problems. Yoga breathing is now actively prescribed as alternative therapy to deal with respiratory problems of any kind.

Yoga also helps immensely with cleansing the body of all its toxins. Toxins usually end up residing in the kidney and the colon, when they do not get flushed out if the body properly. The blood that reaches the kidney and the colon then gets this toxic matter into it and spreads to the whole body through circulation. This can also result in many different types of ailments. Whenever detoxification of the body is required to treat a patient, yoga therapy is strongly recommended.

Yoga therapy is also immensely useful in dealing with psychological, emotional and mental problems and is increasingly prescribed to people suffering from any of these. Yoga helps stabilize the mind and rids it of unwanted thoughts, distractions, worries, concern and stress. The ability to control one’s mind is of great use to people who have trouble doing so. Yoga teaches you how to control your mind as well as how to imbibe it with positive thoughts. This has been proven to be very effective in treating people with psychological disorders.

Yoga is also known for its benefits to people suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is caused when the connective tissue of the joints undergo wear and tear, thus causing friction and pain when moved. Yoga helps in rebuilding this tissue as well as lubricating the joint, hence enabling greater range of movement along with pain relief.

Yoga is also prescribed to pregnant women. Yoga helps pregnant women prepare their body as well as their mind to bear the additional burden of the baby. It strengthens the body, makes it more flexible and ensures that the baby gets full nourishment and space in the womb. At the same time, it helps the mother stay calm and composed.