Fitness

THE AMAZING BENEFITS OF YOGA

By Jyothi Larson and Ken Howard

Discovering yoga during pregnancy -- as your body changes and new life grows within you -- can be wonderful. This ancient practice teaches you how to bring the mind and body into balance, which can help ground you during this time of change.

Yoga designed specifically for pregnant women offers a wonderful way to keep your body in peak shape as you get closer to labor while also serving as a foundation to begin yoga soon after you give birth. Here are some of the rewards:

• The stretching and strengthening of your muscles will help to lessen the aches and pains due to added weight and your shifting center of gravity.
  
  
• The strength building and added flexibility, obtained by holding various yoga postures, tones muscles, improves posture, and helps you to maintain a sense of control as your body changes.
  
  
• Yoga helps to relieve stress and tension by training your body to relax, which can be very helpful during labor.
  
  
• The focus on breathing, an integral part of yoga, is both energizing and relaxing and can be applied in many different contexts, from simple stress management to breathing during child birth.

Whether you have practiced yoga previously or are new to it, now that you're pregnant, check with your doctor first before starting, just as you would with any exercise routine. Also make sure your instructor is certified in prenatal yoga though an accredited yoga institute.

While the movements of yoga are safe, whenever you exercise or strech there is always the risk of overdoing it, so it is important to listen to your body. If a move is too difficult or if there is the slightest bit of pain in any stretch, stop! A gentle approach over time yields the best results.

Many women, with their doctor's approval, are ready to continue their yoga practice soon after giving birth. Yoga can help with getting your body back to "normal," and also enable you to better cope with the demands of a new baby.

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• OB/GYN: Roy Pitkin, M.D.

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