Yoga and My Health

Last week, I had my annual check-up with my doctor. When I’d seen him approximately 15 months ago, he’d mentioned that my “bad” cholesterol was quite high – phooey.

My doc’s great, though. He’s not one to take the easy way out and throw a pill at his patients immediately. Instead, he suggested that I consider adding some flaxseed oil and fiber to my diet. Oh, and while I was at it, he said, a little exercise wouldn’t hurt – although he hastened to add that he wasn’t insinuating that I was overweight by any means (oh thanks)!

So for the past year, like a good girl, I’ve been having cereal with fiber and drinking a daily mixture of flaxseed powder and warm milk – it’s really not as bad as it sounds, okay? In fact, I quite enjoy it now, which leads my husband to believe that my taste buds have died!

In addition, I’ve taken my doc’s advice on getting some exercise and have been going to yoga classes. I love my yoga classes so there’s no hardship there – but I must admit that I’ve been wondering whether all this effort on my part has been working in getting my cholesterol down.

Well, wonder no more. My doc said the results of my latest cholesterol test are excellent. My “bad” cholesterol is way down and my “good” cholesterol is great – the best he’s seen in a long time. He also noticed that I’m looking very fit and “far younger than your 52 years” (didn’t I tell you he’s a great doctor?), so I told him that’s because I’ve been doing yoga for the past few months.

Well, guess what – it turns out my doc’s been doing yoga for years and thinks it’s one of the best forms of exercise for both the mind and body. So I guess that means I made the best choice possible for my health when I decided – thanks to Christina’s encouragement – to take up yoga.

Excuse me while I go and pat myself on the back now…

[tags]yoga and health, lowering cholesterol, benefits of yoga, fiber, flaxseed oil, improving one’s health[/tags]