I have created a video of simple leg stretches for you

I was catching up on my reading over the holidays. I was excited to read about a study published in the Journal of Physiology that stretching of the legs helps improve blood flow by making it easier for your arteries to dilate and by decreasing their stiffness. In the study, participants performed leg stretches 5 times a week for 12 weeks. That was all it took for them to achieve positive results.

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This is such exciting news. It means that the leg stretches we do in yoga could have implications for diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. All of these diseases are characterized by changes in blood flow control due to an impaired vascular system.

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If there is any chance that leg stretches might improve your vascular health and reduce your risk for certain diseases, why not give stretching a try. I've put together a simple routine of leg stretches for you. All you need is a yoga strap or any belt (and you could even do the routine without that).

This routine is also a great daily routine for runners and the rest of us during this pandemic, as we may be more sedentary because we are largely confined to our homes. Click the link below for my video of leg stretches:

​Click here for a 9 minute video of leg stretches​

​Best,
Christine

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