By Tori Loudenback/ reporter
Bogdan Sierra Miranda/The Collegian
If students want to get involved in a lifestyle that hosts a variety of health benefits, yoga might be a good choice since TCC campuses provide classes.
In many ways, yoga can act as a natural cure for those suffering with medical issues like back pain or high blood pressure. Yoga promotes relaxation and helps bring clarity to the mind, said NE yoga instructor Ashley Burgardt, who has been teaching yoga for 10 years.
“If I don’t do yoga for a couple of days, I will have back pain,” she said.
For people who suffer with joint or back pain, yoga is a great way to aid this, Burgardt said. Posture is important in yoga. It can align the back in a certain way that benefits through different positions and stretches.
One of the biggest benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress, Burgardt said. Meditation and breathing are also some techniques for relaxation when under extreme pressure.
“A simple routine of natural movements helps me feel better mentally,” she said.
NE student Lauren Leitschuh is also a yoga advocate.
“I enjoy the meditation part of yoga,” she said. “Some classes concentrate on relaxation using music or essential oils while others concentrate on building strength through various different yoga poses. After yoga classes, I feel more energized, and I can concentrate better throughout the day.”
Leitschuh said she discovered her eating habits are healthier and she drinks more water since she started yoga.
“I have had a lot of students in my classes who are taking a high load of courses that end up telling me that yoga has helped get them through the semester and they have continued those techniques afterward,” she said.
Most people are not aware that self-esteem and self-confidence is strengthened with yoga, Burgardt said. Yoga helps others find balance while discovering their limitations and capabilities as an individual. Even athletes should try yoga as part of their goals, she said.
NE student Harris Azman has also found yoga beneficial.
“In the past, yoga has helped me spiritually and mentally,” he said. “I would recommend yoga to anyone trying to seek calmness in their everyday lives.”
