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Heart Health
Yoga and high blood pressure
Ask the doctor
Q. I have coronary artery disease and take medications for high blood pressure. I did yoga when I was younger and would like to resume the practice. Are there any poses I should avoid?
A. Restarting your yoga practice is a terrific idea. Yoga may help lower your blood pressure, especially if you practice often. A 2019 review and analysis of earlier data published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that people (most of whom were overweight, middle-aged adults with high blood pressure) who did yoga for an hour about five times a week for 13 weeks had significant reductions in their blood pressure. The improvements were even greater when the yoga practice included breathing techniques and meditation.
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Introduction to Yoga
Yoga is more than just a workout—it’s actually a combination of four components: postures (like tree pose), breathing practices, deep relaxation, and meditation that can transform your health on many different levels. To show you how easy yoga can be and how you can reap the many health benefits, Harvard Medical School experts created An Introduction to Yoga.
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