Podcast: Is Yoga Good for You? Part 1

I started doing hatha yoga a few months ago, just a simple 30 minute routine. My Apple Watch tracks my heart rate and I can say that my heart rate is definitely elevated for the entire routine. Adding yoga helped my range of motion and ability to stand up better when laying on the floor. All in all I enjoy it very much and feel better.

You can easily get a cardio workout doing repeated sun salutations! It’s a lot like burpees!

Yoga has all the benefits of meditation as well, if you are doing it right. Focus on bodily sensations takes you into the present moment.

Try Ashtanga yoga primary series. It is called the boot camp of yoga. Very tough but try to relax and only use necessary energy or force.

Thank you for this vlog. I agree with you. As long as you're moving, it's healthy – no matter what it is.

'yoga' is a red herring. 'stretching' is just resistance exercise in the other direction with the added benefit of stressing (and maintaining) the extracellular matrix. it's good for you, really good

Some Yoga instructors incorporate cardio and calisthenics along with the yoga. I work out 4 days a week, usually in 3 15 minute workouts (on work-breaks), everything is on the table, but Boho Beautiful has some well rounded exercises for those who want more intensity and well-rounded exercise. 2000 step workouts are also fun and about 15 minutes, with less time I do a 5 minute Tabata hit cardio that kicks my behind. There is a ton of stuff on YT for whatever level you're at! I plan on incorporating walking into the remaining 3 days of the week now that I know of it's benefits!

Yoga has been so good for my mind and helps me feel way more in touch with my body, which naturally lends itself to a plant based diet.

My friend has been instructing me an other seniors in yoga with some Pilates and balance exercises. I have been doing it for years and I believe it helps my arthritis, sinuses and state of mind. I’m sure the breathing is a large part of it. I’m 69 and wfpb for seven years.

I avoid yoga because of the ever-present yoga snobs. Omg how I detest those uppity bitches.

I practically came off all meds for allergic asthma thanks to Yoga. It maybe true that people are biased to yoga because of it is originally from India however I personally found that people in India weren't fully aware of how immensely powerful yoga is. You mentioned muscle sprain s , again it all depends on the instructor and if the practicing team or guy/ girl is clueless then it's not the technique that fails. It could be said of a qualified quack,a physio therapist,a reiki practitioner,an anisthesian,or whatever. I can definitely say that people are unwilling to put in the effort in order to reap rewards both in India and elsewhere…. I often think of making my life mission to teach people how they can REVOLUTIONISE their health beyond their wildest dreams though yoga🕉️☮️🍀🙏

I know you're just kidding when you talked about a "tinfoil hat". Maybe let's not make fun of the mentally ill ,however. Also, instead of using the word "crazy" maybe say "wild or "out there " instead. You seem very compassionate so let's try and extend that compassion to ppl who suffer from this incurable disease. Thank you.

Yoga incorporates bending, stretching, balance and breathing exercises. They are all helpful and necessary.
How many elderly people, those over 50, have trouble getting down to the floor and getting up from the floor. or are slow getting out of a chair. People that practice yoga seem to be able to get up from the floor, couch or chair easier than those that do not practice yoga. It takes a while to get into the routine and see improvement but after a few months the improvement in mobility will be noticeable. Yoga improves range of motion with slow gentle movements that can increase in range and duration over time. Yoga is a great low impact way to improve flexibility. How many older adults have poor balance as they age. Yoga will help strengthen the necessary muscle groups and improve balance as we age.

The lack of reported general mental wellbeing benefits doesn't surprise me. I would like to see a more detailed breakdown of what mental illnesses are common, more rare, helped or made worse by yoga. From my own personal experience, it seems yoga teachers are more likely to be in the present moment, dealing with difficult emotions and feelings and not in a dissociated state. From the outside it's a hell of a lot uglier
but provides more opportunity for personal growth.

The Body Keeps Score talks about how Yoga is a useful tool for Trauma healing so it's reasonable to think those people will be more actively engaged with the world for better or worse.

Yoga is also helpful for people with back pain, which most people suffer from at some point in their life.
The stretching of the back muscles and the movement of the vertebrae when doing the cat, cow pose for example seems to help relieve tension and increase mobility in the back area. The stretching in many of the yoga poses seems to release tension in many muscle groups.

Yoga was a game changer for me. I started practicing about 6 years ago in my early 50s. I kept injuring myself during cardio and slipped & fell a lot. Yoga helped me realize my bunions (genetic not from wearing ill fitting shoes) were causing imbalances in my entire body. Between accu-massage for my feet and practicing yoga, I’m virtually pain free and walk straighter than I ever have. I can bend and stretch in ways I couldn’t in my 20s. Any good instructor will tell you that everyone is different and so is their practice. It’s not about getting into a pose as it is what the pose teaches you along the way. 🙏

Yoga is a wonderful tool for Flexibility. It would be difficult to capture the physical benefits of Yoga in a short-term study. Yoga is one of those things that you get out of it what you put into it. Everyone's body has different alignment and inflammation issues. Yoga is worth doing simply for the benefits of increasing flexibility and mobility. Yoga encourages it's participants to stretch their body tissue in ways we normally would not attempt. It is especially valuable for people living in Western cultures because we are the least flexible people on planet Earth. In Western culture, we sit on chairs when not standing straight as a board. Our bodies are rarely stretched once we reach puberty in this culture. We go from sitting at the breakfast table to sitting in automobile, sitting at a desk, sitting on a commode, sitting on a park bench, then back to the dinner table. Our bodies grow into this limited range of motion which catches up with us in our later years when we are unable to tie our shoes or walk without pain. We blame our nerve pain on the supposed "failed" disc in our back and we seek relief with either medication or the knife. We should be seeking relief with our Yoga mats. I believe Yoga is most effective when combined with a plant-based diet and a regular walking program. It is difficult to explain the physical benefits of Yoga without getting bogged down in a lot of anatomy terms like fascia, myofascial trigger points, the nervous system, and muscles.

What I adore about yoga is the invention of yoga pants.

sad to know the research is fairly limited in proving positive benefits. well ive been working out for like 15 years, and doing yoga daily in the last five years. also went pant based, around the same period, so i guess my data is similar to the studies. but im pretty sure(obvious confirmation bias) having a cleaner diet, and also doing fasting, makes the progress of yoga go alot quicker.

also no back pains anymore. and def the neck is better overall. but at the same time the neck gets sore, alot more, because yoga(especially if i go to town on headstand and shoulder stands, make it sore) its probably true the root to back probs, is bad stuff in the diet (not well planned plant based) can lead to interior damage, and that will be locking up the body in all kinds of ways, where yoga can gently open up those areas, complimented with a health diet enabling the body to naturally come into its healthier more aligned state. ie ur bones and ligaments facia, and all the associated inflammation, can heal alot easier now that ur system isnt being overworked cleaning the damage u just dumped in through the diet, could be plant based, too obviously if ur dumping oreos or other copious unhealthy foods.

but yeah no one is obviously going to read this. but in case someone does,
thanks dr greger, ur dope. hopefully one day i can be as good of a positive communicator as you.

Can yoga be eaten raw ?

How can it not be? It feels great and connects one with breathing and mind. It helps me feel better every time I do it. I just don't practice regularly. (yet)
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Just because the studies he's looking at didn't catch the effect doesn't mean that the effect (+) doesn't exist. Perhaps there was bias or error. I know when I'm in pain and I also know when downward-facing-dog releases all of that pain in a way nothing else does. There is no other sport or activity I would engage in when in that distress-dodging knife-like pains. And the mental side is great too-it's where some folks learn to meditate and for some brain wiring-it's the only way we can meditate. I am a study of me-where yoga is supreme for my infrequent but sometimes acute back pains. And for meditation. Respectful full disagree.

But then with an anti-inflammatory and fibre-packed diet, I am always in less pain than when I was eating SAD.

Whether yoga is beneficial or detrimental to our health is very debateable.

Yoga helps immensely with getting your range of motion back.

The migraines I'd had all my life until 48–went away after learning to eat WFPB (90%). They did "leave a shadow" and by that I mean I will still occasionally have the "aura" effect as if I was going to have a migraine, but the pain never comes. This has happened at least about a dozen times in the last eight years. Before I changed my eating ways I would get a migraine about every three weeks or so. I had learned to control with with caffeine (but one must abstain from caffeine otherwise) when I had aura or felt one coming on. Once I had aura so badly that I could not see to drive. I pulled over and found a sweetened beverage (hard to read labels too in that condition. I was all the way back to my vehicle and seated before I popped the top and took a big swig of sweet tea, and get this: My vision cleared as I lowered the bottle from my mouth! It was the most instantaneous reaction I've every experienced. I was shocked a little but not totally surprised because the very first time I tried caffeine for a migraine I was driving and 2 hours from home in heavy traffic–aura hit and the pain started before I could find a market. I went in and got a soda, bar of candy, and some ibuprofen. I got back to my vehicle and took a few bits and swigs and slammed down the pills. Then started on my way again, AS I pulled back onto the roadway it was ALL gone. The headache the aura the WHOLE thing was gone!

And only later did we learn that I'm a slow metabolizer of caffeine-so I avoid it all the time now to avoid insomnia-and to preserve it's function as an aura-elimination tool for myself. I'm sure there are others who could use it similarly. Then it hit me why many headache preparations of the 70's-80's had caffeine in them! Perhaps they still do. I never looked-just don't need OTC much anymore. Plants rule a healthy life.

It destroys your lumbar spine

This analysis lacks a full understanding of different kinds of yoga and the purpose for the practice. Yoga is not and never was considered to be exercise. Any such benefits are side effects. Please find out more before turning people away from the path of yoga. I personally find yoga practice to be an important part of my meditation practice and its value is great-even beyond my exercise routine which includes running and biking. Yoga is not exercise. Please.

So many comments here are almost as if they hadn't listened to the podcast first…or hadn't understood a word of it. They just want to tell a story (anecdote)…and yet, like Dr Greger says in the first minute or so, that's not how you learn about yoga's benefits. 😊

I view it as a precursor benefit activity. I've had two full hip replacements due to a congenitally severe joint degeneration (Legg-Calve-Perthes Syndrome). This caused very bad osteoporosis-arthritis to the point where I was basically unable to walk much. I had been able to finish a marathon as well as back to back double century rides years before so was used to being active. Post surgery I did the usual PT but afterward never really regained hip mobility. i.e. I couldn't comfortably sit cross legged on the floor. My surgeon however said I was doing "fine" and was about average for my age (in his mind the surgery was a complete success). I started doing yoga again as I had years before and over a period of 2 years my hip mobility is better than almost anyone my age (young 60's) and my core strength and flexibility in general is the best it's ever been. It has allowed me to do things I couldn't do twenty years ago. This synergistic effect shouldn't be overlooked but I know it's nearly impossible to capture in clinical studies. I would say perhaps some of the same is true of acupuncture/accupressure and other alternative therapies. Also, in Eastern cultures, these practices are rooted in thousands of years of trial and error. This makes it more likely that folks from those cultures would believe they work and actually stick to the regimens for the rest of their lives. Yoga only works it's magic if one starts slow and makes it habit for years. Yes it is a commitment. I would add that it's also a spiritual practice for some people (as myself: Buddhist) and is part of mindfulness activities. Again, practices that happen everyday as habit. My BP is <120/80 always, BMI 22 and yes I am vegan. It's all a package. These things all go together.

(1:22) what did I just hear?

I love these podcasts!

I dearly wish you'd share benefits from Tai Chi and Chi Kung practice, that need zero equipment for many body and mental health benefits. It is also popular with many cultures throughout the world.

I am 67 , have been doing Yoga 20 years, and except benefits I see nothing. It’s a miracle medicine to me.Yoga helped me to become a vegan . I love Yoga ❤.

Hatha Yoga is not an exercise , it is a spiritual practice with health benefits. Doing yoga improperly will cause health problems.

Thanks a lot. God bless!

Thank u hindus for this amazing thing

The translation of the name Yoga means union, union with all that is. The problem I found is the western translation of yoga as an exercise is just not the idea.
It is intended as part of an entire spiritual process and practice which you did touch on. It may be worth exploring as the whole spiritual process, not just the yoga part.

Yoga is not just stretching and contorting into strange postures. Rather it is a system for life, including self control, discarding harmful habits and when considered in its entirety, it is a (Hindu) spiritual practice. It is not a pill to a pain as westerners would like to see…

Yoga cannot be measured as a simple cardio workout. Its long term effects on organs is a different story. Its basically “organ workout”. The setup of these studies seems to misunderstand what yoga actually is?
Anyways. My personal experience with yoga (asthanga, vinyasas and Yin ) is that it has a massive effect on sleep, stress and posture as well as general wellbeing. Based on garmin watch readings I can go from 52-170 pulse in different yoga sessions. And my sleep states are deeper and with more REM as well after yoga.

Perhaps yoga is not comparable to other kind og exercises, that focuses on strength and muscle growth due to it's focus on stretching muscle, joints, releasing synovial fluid and, if done correctly, the breath.
In danish the ancient and still used word for breath is: "Åndedrag". That's actually two words put together: "Ånd" wich means: Spirit and drag, wich means: "to drag".
So when I talk about breathing, to this day, I say that I "drag in the spirit".
And thats to say, that Denmark or Scandinavia is the most sekular or nonbelieving parts of the world today.

Thanks for all your fantastic work, wich my family and I have been benefitting from for some years now.
I'm looking forward to experience you live in Copenhagen next year🙏♥

I believe that these few studies were not set up properly – yoga is famous for increasing flexibility and decreasing feelings of anxiety and so the studies should have been based on this.

Well, I was an avid reader in the 8th grade. I was more than 50 pounds overweight. I failed the President’s physical fitness test every year. Sigh. Then I read Yoga, Youth, and Reincarnation by Jess Stearn and did yoga daily. I felt better and so had more freedom to eat less. Soon I was running a mile and then two, and finally sometimes 6-9 miles a day. I practiced yoga every other day which helped heal my mind and give me peace. I soon weighed 118 pounds which was an appropriate weight then. I am very thankful.

I’m not a big fan of other workouts, but yoga… 😊 also it would be nice if he specified hatha or vinyasa not just mention hot and basically lump them together cuz their vastly different at getting the heart rate up.

I couldn't fully lift either one of my arms before starting yoga. Within weeks my rom improved. I now have no ROM issues with either shoulder. It also helped me get in touch with my body and with being present. To me, yoga is amazing!

Yoga was my path out of chronic back pain almost 20 years ago. Other therapies and way too many pain meds never helped. Yoga did move me into an overall healthier lifestyle of meditation and eating better.

Yoga was fundamentally responsible for recovery from grade 3 whiplash injuries after a car accident. Frozen shoulder, neck pain and back pain. Balance was also an issue. Cannot imagine my life without Yoga it restored strength and balance when other exercises caused flare ups and more pain. I am a yoga lifer as a result.

You know nothing 😂

I love Dr. Gregor's podcasts but this one seemed pretty biased, the way he framed it as "yoga isn't any better than exercise in most ways". Hello? You mean exercise, that incredibly powerful weapon against disease and aging? Yoga is that good? And apparently better for neck pain and diabetics controlling their blood sugar? That is AMAZING!

I don't think that the overall benefits shown in India related to Yoga spring out of national pride. My guess is it's because they follow the tradition in a holistic way: along with meditation, karma yoga (good deeds and compassion) and Ayurveda, among other practices. In the West, many yoga schools only focus on the asanas practice (the yoga postures) so it's no surprise that the benefits are milder

Also, walking and cardio are good for your health, but Yoga incorporates fascia stretching and conscious breathing which are really game changers 😊

Just remember everything Yogi Berra said and yoga will help you.

Whoops, i thought it initially said yogurt 😅

Would love to hear about running for mental and physical health!

Yoga was never intended as an exercise, it was intended as a form of religious meditation to help control and still the mind and body for the purpose of focusing on Bhagavan and the soul to achieve enlightenment

yoga is practice itself, a philosophy that teaches establishing a practice and changing habits through daily practice, therefore changing the world. it is something many people struggle with and definitely an easier approach than zen, although based on same principle. id highly recommend anyone to read up on karma yoga. yoga is not the individual sport the west made of it. and even in that form, it is good, there was also very little else anyone could do for themselves during lockdowns for example

As people get old, they lose mobility and their range of motion decreases. One of the most important things yoga does is that it increases your range of motion no matter what age you are. And the great thing is that you don’t have to do painful stretches, the type they sometimes force you to do in Judo training so you can do the split! The changes happen gradually and without having to suffer pain.

Not every movement activity has to work on the heart and arteries. I personally do a yoga as soon as I get a headache! 5 min into the practice and it’s gone every single time. Be that due to sharp concentration on my breathing or the movements, I don’t care!

I don’t think modern research methods are capable of measuring what yoga can do. Things yoga does are not easy to measure in a scientific way. I’ve been doing yoga for a few years and now my partner who had never done yoga in 35 years of his life is almost addicted to it! Why would we do it if it didn’t make us feel amazing?

"While I respect diverse opinions, it's essential to note that in India, yoga is traditionally seen as a holistic practice encompassing the 8 steps to Samadhi. It's not merely exercise but a comprehensive spiritual and physical discipline. Many in the West focus solely on the physical aspect, missing out on the deeper benefits that come from incorporating breath and mindfulness. To truly appreciate yoga's potential, understanding and embracing all 8 steps could make a significant difference in overall well-being."

I love walking and hiking.
I really like swimming.
But yoga and other stretching activities are kinda boring.

I am a lazy exerciser, when i do yoga for a few days i feel good. Fantastic. When i don't i feel s***. I can only describe it as getting the tracking done on the car. When i walk im taller, walk up the stairs easier. People dont take yoga serious enough. I think the functions of the body just flow better when doing yoga. Ill be doing it again tomorrow and will try to be consistent as i know nothing makes me feel better ir is as enjoyable. And as i say im lazy.