The essence of optimal health is a healthy mind in a health body. Yoga, which has been practiced for more than 5,000 years, is a way to achieve both, health experts and yoga aficionados say. 

And what a great way to relax after cooking up a storm for all the kinfolks during these holidays.

Rooted in ancient India, today's yoga is broadly understood as a system of relaxation, postures and breathing. Over the centuries, different forms of yoga have evolved with some focusing more on spirituality, others on mediation and mastering the conscious mind.

Some are more physically challenging than others, according to November's Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

Regardless of the focus, here are five benefits that numerous research projects have shown you can get from yoga:

•  Relaxation and stress relief - Yoga's quiet precise movements focus your mind less on your busy day and more on movement as you breathe deeply and progress through a series of poses.

•  Lower blood pressure and elimination of insomnia - As you relax through yoga and ward off stress, health experts say, you may even lower your blood pressure and sleep better at night.

•  Increased flexibility and balance - As you learn and practice new poses, you'll find that each time you can reach a little farther.

•  Help to manage chronic health conditions - Although evidence isn't definitive, yoga may help manage depression, anxiety and other mental health disorders; asthma; cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol; pain; diabetes.

•  Relief of menopause symptoms and some lower back pain - Researchers at Richard Stockton College in Pomona, N.J., said their study of women 44 to 62 found one-hour yoga classes twice a week for eight weeks helped most of them improve lower-back flexibility and reduce their menopause symptoms, especially hot flashes and night sweats.

If you'd like to try yoga, look for classes in your area. You also can learn from books and videos, but an instructor can help you adjust poses to your needs.

Ask about the instructor's training and experience in working with your particular needs or health concerns.

At the end of the yoga class, you should feel invigorated yet calm. If that's not the case, talk to the instructor for suggestions. Otherwise, another yoga class may be better suited to your needs.

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Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., offers content intended for informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. We encourage our readers to seek prompt medical care for health issues and consult their physicians before starting a new diet, fitness regimen, or medical treatment.