I usually head back to India once a year in December and January to visit family and friends. I was happy to see one of my relatives looking much healthier and brighter than before. He looked lighter having lost around 6 kg and seemed happier and more energetic. I asked him what he had been doing and he simply replied, “yoga”.

He had become a regular practitioner of Integral yoga that was made popular by Swami Satchidananda. His routine was 1 hour and 15 minutes of yoga every morning in a class. By practicing within a group environment this helped to carry him and motivate him. And after 6 weeks, the practice of yoga became part of his regular routine. It’s great that this has happened to him before hitting 40, because there is a “beyond no return stage” that occurs with physical neglect.

I mentioned to him that the practice of meditation and yoga has been scientifically proven to influence the telomeres which are capped on our DNA strands and these affect the ageing process. The practice of yoga hence reduces the speed of ageing. Just take a look at most yogis and they will look well short of their years. It’s a nice side effect!

Why not look up a yoga class this year and make yoga a regular part of your daily life.

Be Well

In Health and Wellness