The Smithsonian has hosted a Medical Yoga Symposium, discussing the transformational potential of yoga and integrative medicine. One of the keynote speakers was Dr. Dean Ornish:

"We tend to think of advances in medicine as something very new and high-tech and expensive, but what we've been able to show with over three decades of research is that ... lifestyle changes, which is including yoga and meditation, can not only prevent but reverse chronic diseases," Ornish tells The Huffington Post.

Yoga's many possible health benefits -- from improved cognitive function to a lower risk of diabetes -- are well-documented. Recent studies have even suggested that yoga and meditation could influence gene expression, maybe even limiting the expression of genes associated with inflammation. This year, research also showed that lifestyle changes including improved diet, moderate exercise and less stress might actually reverse the aging process at a cellular level.

As the research suggests, practices to reduce stress and calm the mind -- in conjunction with intimacy, community and social support -- may be as important as diet and exercising when it comes to maintaining good health, Ornish explains.

Via Michelle Clemons.