Best Health – August-September 2019

54 AUGUST | SEPTEMBER 2019 best health besthealthmag.ca

BOOST HEART HEALTH

Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of

Canadian women, according to the Heart and

Stroke Foundation, so the more you do now to

increase your heart health, the better your chances

for achieving longevity. Research suggests that

practising yoga postures along with what’s known

as Pranayama or deep, controlled breathing—

which is an essential part of all forms of yoga prac-

tice—can improve heart health and prevent car-

diovascular disease, says Dr. Hana Stastny, a med-

ical doctor, instructor in the yoga therapy program

at Mount Royal University in Calgary and yoga

therapist who has treated cardiac patients.

According to a 2012 review in the journal Holis-

tic Nursing Practice, learning to lower stress lev-

els by practising yoga postures and breathing tech-

niques combats the unhealthy effects of stress on

the cardiovascular system. After looking at the

results of 10 different studies, researchers con-

cluded that yoga may help reduce high blood pres-

sure, blood glucose and cholesterol.

“We know that there is an element of stress

involved in heart attack, stroke and high blood

pressure,” says McCall. “Stress can cause your

cholesterol to rise and your blood to clot more

heavily, increasing the likelihood that you will

have a heart attack or stroke.”

IMPROVE BALANCE

The risk of falling increases with age because of a

reduced sense of balance as well as muscle and

bone strength. According to Health Canada, every

year one in three seniors will fall at least once, and

about 20 percent of injury-related deaths in seniors

are linked to falls. One of the best ways to prevent

them is to stay fit, says Dr. McCall. “Yoga improves

your balance, making you less likely to fall. And if

you have stronger core muscles, you are better able

to right yourself if you trip.” It also improves con-

centration, another way it helps you avoid falls.

BEAT STRESS & DEPRESSION

A 2012 study in the journal Biological Psychiatry

looked at the effect of stress hormones on chromo-

somes. Researchers found that people who had

depression linked to stress had shorter telomeres,

the part of the chromosome that protects it from

deterioration. Researchers believe shortened telo-

meres may be linked to age-related illnesses such

as heart disease and cancer.

Unchecked stress may also increase your risk of

depression in later life. Women are twice as likely

as men to develop it, and that risk may grow as we

age — approximately 20 percent of seniors living

independently experience depression, which could

be triggered by stressful life changes. Yoga can

help you learn how to manage your stress now and

prepare you to cope with life’s challenges later.

“How we react to stress is a habit of our nervous

system,” explains Dr. McCall. Yoga can break that

by teaching you a new pattern of breathing slowly

and deeply even when your body is in a physically

demanding position. Eventually, your brain learns

to remain calm under pressure, says Dr. McCall. bh

WELLNESS WORKOUT

POSE TO TRY:

TRIANGLE

It promotes cardio

strength by “opening

the chest area” to

allow space for your

heart to beat, says

Scarrow.

POSE TO TRY: CHILD

Pressing the forehead to the

floor calms the nervous system

and the curled-up position of

the body compresses the

organs, which promotes

relaxation in the body.

POSE TO TRY:

TREE

This pose strengthens

muscles and develops

balance.

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