In this episode of Deepen Your Yoga Practice, Lauren Leduc explores some of the most common physiological claims made in yoga spaces and asks: Are they actually true?

From detox claims to inversions, immunity, lymphatic flow, and the pineal gland, this episode takes a thoughtful, evidence-based look at what yoga does and does not do for the body.

Inspired by The Physiology of Yoga by Andrew McGonigle and Matthew Huy, Lauren unpacks several common yoga myths with curiosity, nuance, and respect for both yogic tradition and modern science.

In this episode, she explores:

Whether inversions really send more blood to the brain

If inversions or shoulder stand stimulate the pineal gland or thyroid

Whether Kapalabhati or breath of fire detoxifies the body

If sweating in hot yoga removes toxins

Whether yoga improves lymphatic drainage

If yoga “boosts” the immune system

Why truthfulness and precision matter when we teach and practice yoga

Lauren also emphasizes that dispelling these myths does not make yoga less powerful. Instead, it helps us practice and teach with more honesty, precision, and trustworthiness.

Yoga still offers profound benefits — including nervous system regulation, improved circulation, greater awareness, and support for overall wellbeing — but we do not need to exaggerate those benefits in order to appreciate them.

The Physiology of Yoga by Andrew McGonigle and Matthew Huy

Understanding the body more clearly does not take away the magic of yoga. It makes the practice more intelligent, skillful, and grounded in truth.

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