Health trends lately are a dime a dozen. For every concern you have, there is an exercise regimen or a diet that promises you results.

You begin to wonder, what is a myth and what is conjecture. Has medicine become so infiltrated by commerce that it is being used as a marketing gimmick?

Amidst all the noise of ‘try this’ and ‘avoid that,’ it would be a good idea to read widely before you practice.

Not every recommendation would be a good fit for you simply because it worked for someone else. Learning the pros and cons of them will help you make an informed decision.

To get you started, here is a look at some popular health trends and their benefits or lack thereof.

Yoga

It is easy to underestimate yoga as a collection of contortionist positions. However medical evidence would prove you wrong.

Studies have proven that different yoga positions improve blood circulation and help burn bad cholesterol in the body. In addition, they also build muscle tone, flexibility, and improve balance even in the elderly.

If you have been feeling anxious lately, you may also want to get on a mat. Poses and breathing exercises induce a state of calmness in your body by helping lower cortisol levels.

Cortisol is also known as ‘the stress hormone’ and it is likely the reason you are also sleeping poorly.

There have been numerous research studies that have proven yoga to have many other benefits. That said, a quick look at them will make you realize that yoga is not magic.

You have to, for example, eat better for it to help you lower your cholesterol. All factors considered, it is definitely not a trend based on myth.

Acupuncture

No one seems to really explain the science behind acupuncture so it often comes across as some voodoo involving needles. It is more complex than that.

Acupuncture needles are inserted in studied nerve points in the human body. The nerves nudge the brain to release endorphins which are pain-reducing hormones.

What’s the point you ask? For starters, pain management. People with chronic illnesses suffer through debilitating amounts of pain and have to stay heavily medicated.

Acupuncture has been medically proven to help with chronic pain and be an alternative for some patients.

Acupuncturists capitalize on the connection between nerves and hormones to address other bodily issues too. Such issues include infertility which is largely based on hormonal function.

However, the evidence of improved chronic infertility after acupuncture is scarce at best…
 
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