How Attending Online Yoga Classes Has Made Me a Better Person

I first tried yoga and meditation in 2011 in Kolkata, in a small, humble club run by a local teacher. Not exactly the kind of studio you have in mind while trying to find out the best online yoga classes for beginners. 

I have been living with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), a chronic digestive illness since I was a teenager. My physician said it was a gut-brain disorder, triggered by anxiety, nothing dangerous. But he also warned that it was going to bother me and hamper my whole life, unless I paid attention to my health and lifestyle.

This was a time when I used to pop in pills (Bentyl/Levsin) like candies. Still, they could not soothe my stomach and intestines, not permanently. I skipped my classes, avoided social gatherings. My dating life and studies went off the rails. My insecurities surrounding body image could not be any lower.   

Then I tried yoga and experienced a whole new path to better living altogether. It is not that my digestive issues like stomach cramps disappeared overnight never to return again. But yes, there have been some helpful effects empowering me to manage the symptoms and to become a better person.

Years later, I signed up for online yoga courses for beginners to go deeper and the benefits this time were even more pronounced.

• Low-intensity, gentle postures help me deal with physical symptoms of IBS. I used to have excess fat around the belly which resulted in the feeling of an always full, uncomfortable, bloated stomach. Now that I have shed the extra pounds and strengthened my abdominal muscles, I have noticed a clear difference in my digestion. 

The key benefit of joining online yoga classes for beginners is that the postures are mild and do not apply too much pressure on the intestines. Bhujangasana, Jathara Parivartanasana, Paschimottanasana are examples of the yoga poses that have provided me some relief from IBS.

• Practicing yoga helps me manage stress and anxiety: A big challenge with Irritable Bowel Syndrome is that anxiety can easily cause a stomach upset. The more anxious I feel,  the more stress-related hormones and chemicals creep into my gut. This, in turn, further affects the entire system. It leads to more stress. With restorative yoga poses, I have been able to break this vicious cycle and to be more in control of my body, mind and overall health.    

In fact, studies have shown that asanas and pranayama have a calming effect on the mind and the body. If you constantly feel stressed, you might have an overactive sympathetic nervous system (SNS). This is true whether your gut health is—strong or weak. These powerful movements and breathing exercises can prevent the sympathetic nervous system from being overactive. It has lowered my stress levels. 

So, I have gradually been able to reach my health and wellness goals. Along the way, I have been nurturing stable relationships and progressing through my career with a relaxed, less stressed and happier version of myself.

Thanks to the modern online yoga courses for beginners, the practices have touched millions of people like me, and improved the quality of their lives in so many ways.