Health benefits of yoga: 9 yoga asanas to boost your bone density

Best yoga asanas: Locust pose (Salabhasana) for strong back. (Image: Canva)

Bones are the scaffolding of our human constitution, the scaffolding which protects us from organs getting injured, holding our body skeletal frame together making us perform, making us function and this should last us for more than a lifetime. To protect its interest we need appropriate nutrition, appropriate supplementation, natural supplementation and appropriate challenge to our musculoskeletal structure through different kinds of exercise may it be yoga, calisthenics and functional training.

When bones don't remain bold enough to take the weight of your own being, when bones become brittle and cannot allow you to anchor within your frame and peacefully settle, that's the time you must know that the bones have eroded, corroded from inside. They become weak, says Dr Mickey Mehta, Global Holistic health guru.

The biggest question is how? Why? look out for those questions and you will realise that you haven't loved them enough, serviced them enough, fed them enough, challenged them enough. The neglect of food and fitness results in degeneration of bone health. If there is neglect, the understanding is very clear as to why, and then the answer emerges ‘how’ do we once again reverse? Of course, yoga can help improve bone strength. It is reversible and yes it may not happen overnight. It will take a while.

Yoga helps to increase muscle and bone strength, which has a positive effect on your balance, posture, and stability. Staying active can help to alleviate pain and reduce your risk of bone fractures. The best yoga poses for bone strength include balance and strengthening moves, and any pose that encourages you to sit or stand tall, as opposed to flexing the spine and bending forward. Balance and strengthening poses help prevent falls. to a great extent, says Dr Mehta.

Yoga is an excellent way to enhance your bone strength. A daily routine of certain yoga asanas can help to strengthen your muscles and bones, which helps lower your risk of injuries and falls. Yoga is a useful addition to your osteoporosis treatment plan. It can help to ease symptoms, improve bone health, and lower your risk of complications. Yoga may also increase bone density after menopause.

Gentle yoga involving weight-bearing poses can build strength, ease pain, and encourage good posture. It also helps improve flexibility, stability, and agility. These benefits of daily movements will help improve coordination and reduce your risk of falling too.

Various yoga asanas that help in increasing bone density are as follows:

Treepose vrukshasan for balancing and concentration

Best yoga asanas: Treepose vrikshasan. (Image: Canva)

Triangle pose for flexibility in the spine, hips, and legs

Best yoga asanas: Triangle pose. (Image: Canva)

Warrior 2 pose strengthens legs and improves stamina

Best yoga asanas: Warrior 2 pose. (Image: Canva)

Side angle pose (Utthita parsvakonasana) for stretching

Best yoga asana: Side angle pose. (Image: Canva)

Revolved triangle pose for flexibility

Best yoga asanas: Revolved triangle pose. (Image: Canva)

Locust pose (Salabhasana) for strong back

Best yoga asanas: Locust pose Salabhasana. (Image: Canva)

Bridge pose (Setu bandhasana) for strengthening glutes, knees and thighs

Best yoga asanas: Bridge pose Setu bandhasana. (Image: Canva)

Reclining hand to big toe pose 1 & 2 ( supta padangusthasana) twisting while lying down

Best yoga asanas: Reclining hand to big toe pose 1 & 2 supta padangusthasana. (Image: Canva)

Ardha matsyendrasana it strengthens the spine, increases flexibility

Best yoga asanas: Ardha matsyendrasana. (Image: Canva)

Other than strengthening bones these asanas also improve digestion, removes toxins, cleanses the body, decreases fatigue, and improves functioning of the heart, liver, lungs, kidney and spleen.

Stress is major cause of degeneration. So, relaxing that is shavasana promotes relaxation and reduces stress. As much as asanas are important, relaxing is also important. Practicing shavasana can help reduce stress, which is a major pathogenic factor in the ageing. Stress triggers the oxidation process at the lipid membrane level, which aids in the tissue's oxygen release and results in hypoxia. Savasana or corpse pose also helps to replenish the cells and rejuvenate the body.

These practices not only alleviate physical discomfort but also nurture mental and emotional resilience, fostering a balanced state of being.