Yoga Allows You To Hack Gene Expression: Improve Stress, Longevity

Yoga, from the archive

We know that yoga feels good, but what's really happening between the brain and the body when we're in Child's Pose? It turns out, the mind-body connection during the practice goes deeper than we might think. According to Dr. John Denninger of the Benson-Henry Institute, certain genes turn on and off during yoga, triggering beneficial responses in the body and the brain. In order to uncover which genes are affected by the practice, Denninger conducted an experiment which measured blood samples of individuals who ranged from yoga beginners to advanced practitioners. The results found that practicing yoga engages areas of the brain that helps with better response to stress, an improved immune system and even properties associated with slowing down the aging process. "We saw changes in certain genes that suggested there were improvements that are probably the basis of a lot of the positive benefits that these techniques have," Denninger said.

Originally published December 7, 2013 on GreenMedTV.