Practicing Yoga Can Improve Your Health at Any Age

What are "Boomers and Beyond" you might ask - well for our purposes - the term is short for Baby Boomer which, according to the U.S. Census Bureau,  is a person who was born during the demographic Post–World War II baby boom between the years 1946 and 1964.  Bottom line - anyone between the ages of 49 and 67 is a Boomer and anyone older than 67 is "Beyond".  I am on the earlier end of that date range having been born in 1949 so I am one of the older Boomers.  I have been practicing yoga since  the publication of Richard Hittleman's book "Yoga - 28 day exercise plan" in 1969.  There have been years since that time when I have been a more devoted practitioner than others.  I'm not one of those people who can twist myself into a pretzel, stand on my hands or balance in crane or crow (yet anyway) .  I intensified my practice in 2008 (at the age of 59) to challenge myself physically and to heal myself emotionally after a number of personal losses.

 I practice yoga because it keeps my mind, body and spirit connected, enabling me to stay mentally, physically and spiritually healthy and happy through all the ups and downs that happen in life.  It has become my personal mission to encourage people in the Boomer and Beyond category to test the waters and give yoga a try. 

As I talk about the benefits of practicing yoga to my "Boomer and Beyond"  peers - I hear things like - I'm too old, I'm too stiff, I'm too heavy, I have a new knee or a new hip, or I have high blood pressure, low blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, arthritis, heart disease.  The list goes on.  As I have studied the benefits of yoga over the past several years for my own personal knowledge as well as to become a better instructor, I have read time and time again about the proven benefits of yoga for improving the lives of individuals with all of those very same conditions.

 It is my intention through this " Yoga for Boomers and Beyond " Blog   to share some of the facts I have learned in the hope that it will encourage you "Boomers and Beyond" readers to give yoga a try.

 Here is a fact that may be of interest.

 Promotes Good Bone Health -  

A gentle yoga practice is not only safe for those with osteoporosis, but it can also be effective in preventing and slowing bone density loss, according to medical director of Manhattan Physical Medicine Dr. Loren Fishman.  Whether you're looking to prevent osteoporosis or to relieve pain from an existing bone condition or fracture, gentle twisting poses and stretches can be beneficial.

"I know [yoga] can help because I've done the studies," Fishman, who has done extensive research on yoga and osteoporosis, told Huff/Post50 in a previous interview. Referring to a study involving adults with an average age of 68, he said, "We did a bone mineral density (DEXA) scan, then we taught half of them the yoga, waited two years, and did another scan. And not only did these people not lose bone, they gained bone. The ones who didn't do the yoga lost a little bone, as you would expect."  Excerpt from HuffingtonPost article " Yoga For Older Adults: 5 Health Benefits Of The Practice For Post50s "

It is important that individuals with health issues not go running into a 90 minute long hot power yoga class -  perhaps begin with a gentle Hatha yoga class where there is an experienced teacher who will offer modifications and props and encourage students to listen to their bodies, rest whenever they feel the need.  There are also classes that are taught using chairs as props for modifying and supporting postures when necessary.

Nancy Boyle is a certified yoga teacher having completed her 200 Hour Teacher Training certification and Chair Yoga Certification through Open Doors Yoga Studios. 

She will be teaching "Yoga for Boomers and Beyond" at the Hingham Community Center on Thursday mornings from 10:30 - 11:30 through the Summer and has been teaching the same class at the Hingham Recreation Center.  That class will restart in September.