YOGA ASANAS For Building Stronger Arteries

An inability to touch your toes while in a seated position (sitting on the floor with your legs stretched out in front of you) might mean your arteries have become stiff, and you have an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.

Especially if you are middle-aged or older, the answer could indicate how flexible you are - and also how flexible your arteries are. However, if you are stiff and can't reach too far, don't despair. New research suggests stretching exercises that increase flexibility could prevent or reverse stiffening of arteries.

In a study entitled "Poor trunk flexibility is associated with arterial stiffening", published in the American Journal of Physiology, researchers found that how well people age 40 and older performed on a sit-and-reach-past-their-toes test was an accurate way to assess the flexibility of their arteries. So, because arterial stiffness often precedes cardiovascular disease, this simple, non-drug, non-invasive test could become a quick measure of a person's risk for early death from heart attack or stroke.

1 Ragdoll Pose (Uttanasana)

Standing with your feet hip-distance apart, exhale as you bend forward, hinging from your hips, rather than pulling from your low back.

Clasp your hands around the opposite elbow and let your head hang loosely.