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Go the yoga way
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While the health benefits of yoga are indisputable, certain postures can actually worsen some illnesses .
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HATHA YOGA deals with the system of exercises, postures and breathing techniques designed to strengthen the body. While the word "yoga" underlines much of Indian philosophy, for the West it has come to mean an exercise cum meditation-relaxation system.
This narrow definition is what interests modern medicine too, especially in an age which produces so much mental stress and also emphasises physical fitness. Only the physical and mental aspects of yoga lend themselves to the analysis of the double-blind study. The results validate what the yogis have known since ages past.
Research proves that regular practice of yoga postures, meditation and breathing techniques profoundly affects the body and mind. The physical effects include lowering of the resting heart rate and blood pressure, an increase in the vital capacity of the lungs, muscle relaxation, weight loss and increased stamina. The mental effects depend on the way it affects neurochemistry, particularly brain levels of stress hormones, neurotransmitters, melatonin and monoamines.
For example, the effect on serotonin levels in the brain resembles the effect seen with anti-depressant drugs. This profound effect on neurochemistry may also explain the age-old injunction that only those of sound mind should attempt yoga. The impact of this ancient system goes beyond mere neurochemistry; it manifests itself in improved attention span and memory, and higher scores on tests of cognition and visual processing.
The health benefits of yoga are indisputable, but they are also difficult to quantify. Speaking broadly, research suggests that regular practice of exercises, meditation and breathing techniques reduces stress-related conditions like tension-headaches and insomnia, and helps control obsessive-compulsive disorders.
It improves lung function and vital capacity in asthmatics and also reduces the need for drugs in this group. In people suffering from depression, the anti-depressive effect is as potent as low-dose anti-depressant drug therapy. It lowers blood sugar levels in those who suffer from Non Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM).
Heart disease sufferers experience fewer episodes of angina and report increased exercise -tolerance. Epileptics report fewer seizures per month, and children with mental deficits report higher IQ scores. It improves posture in the handicapped and spastic. The picture is not uniformly rosy.
Certain yoga postures can actually make some illnesses worse. Headstands can worsen glaucoma and cause eye damage, especially in those who already suffer from hypertension or diabetes.
Certain postures tend to worsen cervical spondylitis. Those with ateriosclerotic arteries, extreme hypertension or hypotension, severe osteoporosis and ear problems must consult with their doctors before attempting certain postures. Besides, none of the proven benefits is potent enough to replace medication completely. Otherwise, yoga remains a valuable way of improving one's body and mind with minimum side effects and cost.
RAJIV M.
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