Yoga is not a religion, it is a way of living that aims towards a healthy mind in a healthy body.

According to the National Institutes of Health, scientific evidence shows that yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating, weight loss and quality sleep.

I took my first yoga class in 2017 with no idea of what to expect. All I knew is that something was missing from my life whether it was movement, fitness, focus, mindfulness or more. I truly feel the positive change in my physical health and mental health. It was a drive for change in my life and honestly because my mom invited me and motivated me to join yoga. I quickly realized that yoga was something I wanted to do again. Along with yoga, I do meditations and breathing exercises everyday which has been my daily routine to start a day. I appreciated the combination of the strength and the balance of stretching and relaxing in my body. I started eating a healthy diet, green vegetables, stopped eating meat and less junk foods which really felt good for my body.

Yoga has played an important role in my physical and spiritual well-being. It has helped me through the ups and the downs of my life, the stress of college, the intensity of my eating disorder and my recovery and rediscovery of a more balanced lifestyle.

I’d like to encourage everybody, of every body type to find a practice that works for them! We all have different reasons for starting yoga, often it is to find better work/life balance, for more peace and ease in our mental health, to get in better shape and build more strength. Healthy life is all we need and we can achieve everything only if we are healthy and happy.