Fact: New research shows that practicing yoga can actually change your body on a molecular level.

email36525.JPGIt’s long been accepted that yoga is a great way to de-stress, prevent heart disease risk, remediate depression, improve sleep quality, and more.

But no one has understood exactly how or why.

Recent research from the University of Oslo has shed light on the issue.

“There are rapid (within two hours of start of practice) and significant gene expression changes… during a comprehensive yoga program,” the research team writes in the study. “These data suggest that previously reported effects of yoga practices have an integral physiological component at the molecular level which is initiated immediately during practice and may form the basis for the long-term stable effects.”

So roll out your mats and get practicing that tricky downward-facing dog pose!

Are you a regular yogi?

Sarah Forrest is a yoga novice and Easyread System Coach. Easyread is an online program for struggling readers who need assistance in reading and spelling due to dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, highly visual learning styles and more. www.morganlearning.com