When we think of yoga and healthy aging, we usually think of improving mobility, or retaining joint range of motion, or developing strength. While these certainly are vital to our well-being, the holy grail of our efforts to age well really lies in slowing brain aging, notes physician and yoga therapist Baxter Bell, MD in this free download.
From dementia and Alzheimer’s to Parkinson’s disease and stroke, there are numerous brain-related health issues that we become at higher risk for with each year of advancing age. But the good news is that while genetic factors do play a role, numerous other factors determine how well your brain age. And many of these are factors that we have the power to influence.
Dr. Baxter Bell outlines some specific risk factors for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s and identifies how yoga can actually help with these, as well as with cardiovascular complications like stroke. He highlights the results of a recent study comparing the results of yoga to stretching with surprising results. He shares insights into why yoga might be having such a powerful positive effect, as well as the mechanics by which yoga can help improve brain health.
Dr. Bell covers several physical changes in the brain seen in response to certain yogic practices, and the mechanics of how staying active physically, mentally, and socially affect the synaptic discharge of the neurons of your brain.
Also check out Baxter’s course: Yoga for Your Brain: A New Formula for Healthy Aging
