We’re still here on our detox path and it’s running surprisingly smoothly. We’re all still smiling and nobody has lost it over not being able to have there caffeine fix. Here’s the feedback from the group about personal benefits.
Physical benefits of Yoga Wellbeing detox (so far)
- Hair is in better condition
- Eyes are brighter
- Body is stronger
- Body is toned
- Skin clearer
- Mind is focused
(oh and, one of our teachers mentioned a boosted libido too)
How detox yoga works
Yoga with its focus on systematically stretching and compressing every part of the body, is particularly well-suited to keeping the waste-removal departments of the body functioning well.
“In a well-rounded yoga practice, every part of the body is pushed, pulled, twisted, turned and upended,” explains New York City yoga teacher Witold Fitz-Simon. “This facilitates the removal of waste products such as carbon dioxide, lactic acid and lymphatic fluid from the deep tissues and extremities of the body that a jog or a bike ride just don’t reach.”
The yogic breathing also plays an role in helping to detox. “We have as many bad habits in breathing as we do in every other area of our lives,” Fitz-Simon explains. Sitting with poor posture impedes the lungs from inflating fully, and our chronic state of low-grade stress often leads to a clenched diaphragm. As a result, we don’t take in as much oxygen when we inhale, or expel as much of the potentially hazardous carbon dioxide when we exhale.
“Yoga breathing helps clear out carbon dioxide from the lung tissue, stimulates the organs of digestion and can, over time, retrain the diaphragm to move freely,” Fitz-Simon says. And when the diaphragm moves with its natural fluidity, the abdominal organs are massaged and the lungs are fully emptied with every breath — not just the ones you take on the yoga mat.
Detox for the mind
In addition to its physical benefits, yoga aids in a mental detox as well. “When we’re in a state of stress, fear or depression, that attitude creates a sensation in the body,” explains Patricia Moreno, founder of the intenSati workout. “Doing yoga helps purge toxic thoughts by teaching you to move your awareness away from the chaos of the mind and back to the present moment. That practice is not a basic component of other fitness pursuits.”
So those are the facts folk, yoga helps you eliminate the tangible and intangible toxins that could otherwise keep you from feeling your best. Yoga and detoxing are a match made in heaven.
