The New Yoga for Healthy Aging

Book excerpt: A step-by-step guide for the millions of baby boomers who want one simple practice for feeling and looking great—yoga! One in five Americans is now moving toward the age bracket of "sixty and beyond," and while many are calling sixty the "new forty," this milestone is the perfect time to take stock in good health. One form of exercise that is proven to prevent or alleviate a host of physical and mental ailments for the last 5,000 years is yoga. Now, under the guidance of a qualified and well-known Iyengar yoga teacher, who is also the author of The New Yoga for People Over 50, readers can reap the benefits of yoga with this gentle and clear guide written specifically with today’s baby boomers in mind. Filled with clear instructions, including the use of yoga props and modified poses, plus crisp follow-along photographs, The New Yoga for Healthy Aging takes readers step by step through the asanas (poses) that can prevent or lessen ailments such as osteoporosis, hip fractures, chronic pain, arthritis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. With heartfelt interviews and tips from some of America's most active yoga teachers and their older students—each sharing wisdom, insights and successes—readers will discover a source of inspiration that will help their practice evolve into more than just those moments they spend on the mat.