Did you know that the fastest growing demographic of new yogis is the 55 and older set? Neither did I. I learned all sorts of fascinating facts, statistics, and new research from this week's guest, Baxter Bell.

Together with his co-author, Nina Zolotow, Baxter has a new book, Yoga for Healthy Aging and that's the main focus of this episode. I can't think of two people better-positioned to write this book: Baxter spent years practicing medicine as a family doc before becoming a yoga therapist and practicing acupuncturist. Nina is the author of several books on yoga and is a certified yoga teacher, having studied extensively with esteemed teachers like Rodney Yee and Donald Moyer.

I don't know about you, but Jason and I have tried -- unsuccessfully! -- to get our parents to do yoga. This book reminds me of how beneficial yoga practice is as we age. I think it's a vital and meaningful book for any thoughtful yoga teacher's toolkit.

In this week's podcast we learn more about:

* The story behind Baxter and Nina's new book Yoga for Healthy Aging: A Guide to Lifelong Wellness

* Why "health span" might be a better goal than a longer life span.

* How holding yoga poses can assist with bone strength.

* His perspective on "resting" the heart in addition to exercising it.

* How spending time barefoot can assist with balance and proprioception as we age.

* The importance of flexibility, agility, strength, and balance as we age -- and how they overlap and influence each other.

* The best thing we can do to improve cognitive function over time. (It's not crossword puzzles)

Shownotes: yogalandpodcast.com/episode92/

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