How Yoga Can Change Your Life Forever

“Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured. ”

While it's true that you'll get out of your practice only as much as you're willing or able to put into it, a committed approach to your practice can help you in ways that you've never expected. Indeed practicing yoga could be the platform and motivation you need to completely transform your life.


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The basic benefits of yoga are widely documented and have been extensively researched. Research into the more controversial benefits of yoga continue - at the time of writing, pubmed.org (a Service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institute of health) listed more than 900 research papers investigating the benefits of yoga. A search on the internet typically reveals benefits which include:

> Increased fitness
> Increased strength
> Fat reduction and weight loss
> Relief of back pain
> Better relaxation

Individually these benefits sound like compelling reasons to practice yoga and may be exactly what you are looking for. But yoga is an all encompassing approach to health and well-being - the word itself literally means union, and when we look at the impact practicing yoga can have on our lives, we should also take an all encompassing approach. While yoga alone cannot work miracles, it may be the foundation, along with some self belief, to help you:-

Earn more money: Practicing yoga increases your ability to relax and cope with your daily stresses. It also helps to develop a meditative ability allowing you to slow or clear your mind of constantly racing thoughts. After a hard days work, these are exactly the techniques you need so you can unwind, and recharge through longer and deeper sleep. If you can achieve that then you'll feel more refreshed, energised and motivated each day, improving your focus and concentration. You can channel this in what ever direction you want including working towards a promotion, searching for your ideal job or starting your own business.

Write a book, learn to dance: As outlined above, regular yoga practice can help you increase your energy, motivation and focus as well as improving your concentration - all of which can be used to develop your personal hobbies and interests, whatever they may be, mental activities or physical ones.

Spend more time with your friends and family: Promotion and money aren't your motivators? How about using your increased energy levels to bring greater balance between your work and personal lives, allowing you to spend more time with the people that matter.

A shot of self confidence: performing regular exercise, combined with the positive effects yoga has on metabolism and appetite, can help with weight (fat) loss. Combine that slimming with the toning effect yoga has on your muscles and you can start to develop the body you want in no time - and be feeling better about yourself just as quick. What better boost is there to your self confidence?

Depression relief: Yoga postures are designed to stretch, compress and massage your internal organs and glands. This stimulation is thought to help balance hormone levels in the body, which can help to achieve a more balanced emotional state.

Quit smoking: As well as strengthening your resolve to quit through the increased motivation, energy and focus, yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) are ideal to help you pass the cravings that at the biggest hurdle to quitting smoking.

As you can see, the benefits of yoga go far beyond simply improving your wellbeing - the benefits can be channeled to help you to make fundamental improvements to your whole life. When the rewards are so great, it's not difficult to understand why people become so enthusiastic about yoga.

Good Foods for People Quitting Smoking

Most smokers worry about gaining weight when they quit smoking, and some may use it as an excuse to avoid quitting. Regardless of weight gain, quitting smoking will benefit your health in many ways. There are ways to reduce the chances of weight gain or at least reduce the amount of weight you may gain. Replacing cigarette breaks with a short walk and eating the right snacks can help to reduce cravings and weight gain. Eating foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and small portions of sweet and salty treats can help to curb cigarette cravings.



Fruit: Fresh fruit is healthy and usually an easy-to-grab snack. Bite-sized fruit such as grapes, strawberries, cherries and raisins can be eaten at room temperature and do not require utensils. Having bite-sized fruit available when you have a craving can be helpful. In addition, you can select dehydrated fruits as well such as mangos, banana chips, apple chips and apricots. Dehydrated fruit lasts longer and is a handy and tasty snack to have on your desk at work.

Vegetables: Fresh vegetables such as celery sticks, carrot sticks, green beans, mushrooms, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and broccoli are tasty raw and healthy for you. If you are craving a cigarette, grab a small dish of some fresh vegetables to help pass the urge and reduce weight gain. Most grocery stores sell vegetables already cut up for an added convenience.

Nuts: Raw nuts such as almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts are packed full of important nutrients and even help lower your cholesterol and reduce the chances of heart disease. Nuts are bite-size, and they last a long time. Carrying a sandwich bag of mixed nuts around will help with any on-the-go cravings you may have, and they will also provide your body with fiber and vitamin E.

Sweet and Salty Snacks: If you are craving a sweet or salty snack, consider eating rye crackers, pretzels, dry cereal, rice cakes, unbuttered popcorn or low-fat baked potato chips. Since some of these snacks may not be as healthy, try to stick to the serving size by pre-portioning the snacks into small sandwich bags. It will add to the convenience as well, you will be able to grab a little snack when you are on the go.