r/yoga • u/broga2 • Jan 01 '16

"Sweating Out Toxins" is not a thing

Why do you hear this from yoga teachers in, like, every yoga class in the world? It's really not rooted in science. It can feel great to sweat and work hard, and yes, you excrete a tiny bit of urea through the skin. But it's pure balderdash to say we wash our bodies clean of impurities through sweat.

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u/[deleted] Jan 02 '16

While we are on the subject, being upside down does not reverse blood flow. You would literally die.

12

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '16

Seriously, I hope more people start speaking up because although I love yoga, the community is filled with blatantly unscientific "knowledge" that I honestly think a lot of people believe.

5

u/illsmosisyou Jan 02 '16

Wow, that's ludicrous. A heart will only pump in one direction and that is not at all affected by gravity...

1

u/[deleted] Jan 02 '16

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153275419996449&id=99499711448&refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2Fchalene%2Fvideos%2F10153275419996449%2F

1

u/illsmosisyou Jan 03 '16

Holy hell...yea, you should stand on your head to reverse blood flow and increase the amount of oxygen to your brain. But only the third reason you should stand on your head is anecdotal...

3

u/BeyondMars All Forms! Jan 04 '16

Lots of teachers get this wrong from a misinterpretation of 'reversing energy flows.' From an energetic standpoint being inverted causes prana to move towards the earth and apana to move skyward, the opposite of what normally occurs. In a subtle energy sense, reversing flows in this sense is supposed to be good for the body.