How to use yoga for healthy life

What goes on in the body when you are doing your asanas? Most of us realize that yoga increases and maintains flexibility, strengthens muscles and increases one’s staminMany of us are satisfied with just sensing this, leaving an explanation of how it affects our bodies and spirit to the realm of the mystical. This is done by means of beds of proprioceptive nerve endings located within the joints and muscles. Yoga causes the central nervous system to respond with appropriate self-regulatory measures by promoting proper bio- mechanical use.The central nervous system takes the input from the proprioceptive nerve endings and by relaxing and tightening muscles in an organized fashion allows one to hold that posture.  Muscles respond automatically to stimuli from the nervous system which controls and integrates the activity of the whole body. Flexibility is the proper and full range of motion within the joints of the body. This is brought about by the coordination of muscle tension and muscle relaxation via the nervous ystem. Slowly moving into a proper postural stance and holding it provides for proprioceptive feedback that allows the nervous system to coordinate muscle action. Stretching slowly protects muscle fibers and their tendons from strain while resistance set up by holding the posture increases muscle strength. Improved muscle strength and stretch provides stability, flexibility and protection to the joints. The encouragement and development of proper structural alignment reduces strain on muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Structure determines function. If body cavities are distorted, so too are the contents within. Distortion caused by poor posture changes the relationship of tissues within organs, leading to the dysfunctioning of the system. Stress, a product of the distortion, reduces circulation throughout the area. Proper position and relaxation of tension improves circulation. Nutrition to the whole system is encouraged by the fluctuating internal pressures generated by the different asanas. This fluctuation in pressure enhances cellular diffusion and osmosis. Simply, motion is life!  To say that yoga only affects us physically would be denying the larger reality of our existence.