Yoga revitalizes body, spirit
Susan Laborde swears that her 10 years of Yoga practice have minimized the effects of aging.
“Absolutely no doubt in my mind that Yoga is a vital routine that supports the aging process like nothing else can,” says Susan, a medical office manager by day, and a tennis player and avid gardener in her spare time. “The benefits of a yoga practice while aging are truly innumerable.”
Research has shown that Yoga helps to slow and even reverse the aging process because of the positive effects it has on the body. Elasticity to your muscles can improve. Yoga tones tendons and ligaments. It reduces fat and slows weight gain, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress and helps promote an inner peace.
Susan can attest to these benefits. “I can see incremental improvement in my posture, fewer injuries off the tennis court and a general sense of well-being,” she says.
When she first started practicing Yoga, she sought to relieve symptoms of menopause and the stiffness and muscle soreness after playing tennis. She soon came to enjoy the Iyengar style yoga practice because of its calming effect the breathing produced and the afterglow she experienced.
Susan began to deepen her Yoga practice, studying the underlying principles of this ancient practice.
“I have experimented with other styles of yoga, but the Iyengar method is the one I am most comfortable with,” she says. “Still, trying new instructors and new ways of approaching asanas are a way to keep my Yoga interesting. YAM has some awesome instructors who make practice fun – even funny – and inspiring.”
Susan has tried all the different classes at YAM, and learns something new every time. “The heated room is not only comforting but also allows me to go beyond perceived boundaries – if only in my mind!
“The studio has a relaxed, welcoming feel that is critical for making people feel they are practicing in a non-judgmental environment. Averee and all the instructors bring a personal touch, so it is evident that their own Yoga practice is more than what they do on the mat – it is a way of life,” Susan says.
“I have had the good fortune to practice at many different studios, so I can strongly recommend YAM to anyone who is curious about trying Yoga or anyone who has a home practice and would like more of a community of practitioners.”