Fitness Program for Aches, Impotence, Weight Gain Relief
Many men looking for meaningful fitness activities find yoga has been described as a cure-all for many physical ailments of the middle and senior years. It really can help.
Sometimes yoga is described as a panacea for all the ailments of the middle-aged man, from indigestion, hair loss, bad backs, joint pain, obesity, depression, anxiety, and impotence. In reality, yoga has many benefits, but it isn’t magic.
Yoga for Hair Loss
Losing scalp hair can be genetic. Hair can also be lost during times of stress, diet, or due to illness or medications. Inversions increase circulation to the scalp. Blood nourishes the area.
Proper breathing will decrease tension and anxiety. A calm mind puts the body back in balance, so stress-related problems such as hair loss could diminish.
Yoga for Middle-Aged Weight Loss
Yoga also emphasizes a proper diet. And has been shown to decrease middle-aged spread. Any regular exercise that moves a person off the couch will induce some weight loss and a feeling of well-being, but yoga can benefit in the following ways:
- Ashtanga yoga is an athletic style of yoga that builds up heat within the body and can effectively be combined with a weight loss program.
- Bikram is very popular for those wanting to get thin and initially heats the body externally in an overheated room. Water weight via sweat is instantly dropped, and with decreased food consumption, pounds are also lost.
Yoga for Men with Achy Joints and Bad Backs
Undoubtedly, yoga is a program that will increase flexibility. Select a Hatha style with props or Iyengar yoga, ideal for modifying poses and easing the body into a posture. Massaging with a bolster may help break up tight fibrous muscle tissue. A good instructor should be aware of back problems to modify the body and strengthen opposing areas to diminish the pain eventually. Yoga isn’t really about extreme flexibility, although becoming more limber in mind and body is a certainty of the practice regardless of its start. Regular exercise can lubricate joints and help back pain.
Yoga for Depression and Anxiety
Studies have verified the power of practice on mood disorders by elevating the brain’s GABA levels. The physical aspect of improved blood flow and concentration but decreasing the stress hormone cortisol and increasing endorphins works to improve mood. The April 2009 Harvard Mental Health Letter details positive results of yoga for anxiety and depression, and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). Achieving physical balance in postures seems to create emotional balance as well.
Yoga and Impotence
Psychological aspects of impotence can be helped by regular practice with its stress reduction techniques.
- Postures such as Kandasana that focus on the endocrine system and increasing oxygen intake have been discussed as a possible help, if not a cure.
- The Cobra Pose increases oxygen intake while maintaining a flexible back and strengthening the shoulders, abdomen and arms. “Baby cobra” is a modification.
- Anal lift affects the ductless endocrine gland. Mulabandhasana poses also affect the anus and pelvis.
Someone new begins yoga somewhere every day… At this point in life, there is no need to feel foolish as the newbie in class. No one cares, and the teacher is glad to have another student. Find a good beginner class at the Y or a community center to start. Some local schools only have beginner classes since all the students are new to yoga. There is no doubt yoga will improve well-being. A year from now, the new student is experienced. Begin now, where you are.