The new inflammation fighter: Yoga.

I recently stumbled upon some exciting news supporting the positive effects that yoga has on the body at a cellular level. Get ready, cause I'm about to nerd out on you...

This particular study found that breast cancer survivors who practiced yoga regularly over a several-month period demonstrated reduced levels of Il-1, Il-6, and TNF-alpha aka “inflammatory signalers.” That means that those who did yoga experienced fewer “on-switches” or “green-lights” for initiating processes in the body that lead to inflammation (pain, tenderness, swelling) than those who went about their regular routines.

If you’re saying “So what?” right now, check this:

As an athlete, how many times have you experienced swollen, sore knees? How many times have you had tender calf muscles? At the office, how many times have you felt inflammation in your neck and shoulders? I’m guessing more than once! Well, the “on-switches” and the “green-lights” for this type of inflammation are the same key players.

As with all things in research, we can’t say for sure how yoga affects inflammation, and this sample was certainly different than the general population. Still, I think these findings are pretty exciting. So, get on your mat, give it a go, and see how you feel! The Reset Revolution is calling, OMies!