By Pam Udell
When you think of yoga, flying mammals that hang upside down are usually not what comes to mind. However, bats and yogis do share one thing in common: They both invert their bodies.
When bats are at rest, they hang upside down. Among other reasons, bats invert to lower their breathing and heart rate during hibernation. Inversions can also alleviate pressure in the joints. According to bewellbuzz.com, bats and sloths are the only creatures not afflicted with osteoarthritis.
Inversions are good for humans for the same reasons. Inverted postures can help temporarily lower heart rate and blood pressure. As an added benefit, going upside down can also facilitate the movement of lymph through the body, which helps with detoxification and strengthens the immune system.
Your lymphatic system works like a well-oiled waste removal machine. It affects every organ and cell in the human body carrying nutrients to cells removing carbon dioxide and other waste. We have more than 600 lymph nodes which are the collection sites for the waste. Lymph is circulated by movement, so it would make sense that going upside down can stimulate the efficiency of the lymphatic system.
The practice of yoga and, in particular, inverted postures, such as downward facing dog, legs up the wall, shoulder stand and headstand, can stimulate the lymphatic system and assist the process of removing toxins from the body. Just as bats ward off osteoarthritis by hanging upside down, natural health care providers use inversion tables and traction therapy to combat the condition and alleviate back pain.
Thanks for hanging with me!
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