Yoga's Surprising Health Benefits

Weight Control

Researchers can't say exactly why, but two recent studies show that yoga helps with weight loss and maintenance. After surveying more than 15,000 adults, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that those who didn't practice yoga gained about 18.5 pounds more over a 10-year period than those who practiced for at least four years. A second study from the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, found that people who practiced yoga and meditation regularly, exercised, and watched their diet lost more weight than those who exercised and ate a healthy diet but skipped yoga.

Sit on floor with legs extended. Bend right knee, stepping right foot on floor next to left hip. Bend left knee, bringing left foot near butt. Place hands on floor behind you. Sit tall and extend left arm in front of you at shoulder height. Turn torso to right, resting left elbow on the outside of your right knee. Breathe deeply for one minute, twisting deeper on each exhale. Repeat on opposite side. Twisting can aid digestion by helping the absorption of nutrients and the elimination of waste.