Yoga Reduces Hypertension

Washington, Aug. 23 (ANI): A systematic review to assess the efficacy of mind-body therapies (MBT), such as meditation, yoga and guided imagery in the treatment of hypertension, has shown that such complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches significantly reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

The review and synthesis of 12 published randomised trials also showed that yoga was the most effective among the three therapies studied in reducing hypertension.

The researchers involved in the study reviewed randomised, or quasi-randomised, controlled trials comparing mind-body techniques (meditation, yoga, and guided imagery) alone or in combination with conventional treatment to conventional treatment alone or no intervention/waiting list control.

Participants in these trials were adult men and non-pregnant women who were suffering from hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg.

Relevant trials were identified in the register of trials maintained by the Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field Registry, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, EMBASE, PsycInfo, and CINAHL.

It was found that mind-body therapies significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) by a mean 11.52 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) by 6.83 mm Hg.

The study also showed that yoga therapies demonstrated results of the greatest magnitude, with mean SBP reductions of 19.07 mm Hg and DBP by 13.13 mm Hg. Significant results were seen in SBP reductions by yoga and meditation therapy, while only yoga therapies demonstrated significant reductions in DBP.

The absolute reductions in blood pressure were comparable to pharmacologic monotherapy in both effect size and temporality. Additionally, reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure to the degree found in yoga interventions were associated with reductions in vascular death rates as well as decreased overall cardiac risk.“This review shows that there is some high quality scientific literature supporting the use of mind-body therapies as a treatment for hypertension, and the magnitude of effect is clinically significant," says lead author of the study, Dr. Ather Ali of the Prevention Research Center, School of Medicine, Yale University.

Despite the limitations of a review, he suggests mind-body interventions may be prudent choices for adjunctive treatment for motivated patients. (ANI)

Introduction To Asanas

Sage Pathanjali in one of the yoga sutras described Asanas (Yoga Postures) as, " Sthiram Sukham Asanam," meaning that which is comfortable and easy, yet firm. Through the practice of asanas, we develop the habit of discipline and the ability to concentrate, both of which are necessary for meditation.

Asanas are vehicles for meditation. They help the body and the nervous system build stamina, stillness, strength, flexibility and balance to sit in meditative postures for long hours. Any movement in the body automatically moves the mind away from meditation. Asanas help to build stillness which will in turn keep the body firm without movement.

Yoga postures are divided into three:
Cultural Postures: This has 840,000 asanas
Relaxing Postures: Shavasana, Makarasana, Sithilasana
Meditative Postures: Siddhasana, Padmasana, Vajrasana, Sukhasana

The vast diversity in the asanas is derived from nature. From Vrikshasana (Tree Posture) and Parvatasana (Mountain Posture) to Ushtrasana (Camel Posture), Makarasana (crocodile posture) and Matsyasana (Fish posture) all are elements of nature. Some asanas assume the name of sages, like in Anantasana (from sage Ananta) and Vashishtasana (from sage Vashishta). These were postures in which the respective sages meditated and thus the name. There are asanas assuming names of objects like in Dhanurasana (bow posture) and Halasana (plough posture). The body is made to take form of a bow and plough respectively. Asana thus aims to make the body one with nature. They are not only made for the body but also for the mind and spirit.

The Asanas work on the internal organs and the endocrine system (glands and hormones).

When to practise Asanas: The best time to practise Asanas is early in the morning, on an empty stomach. Alternatively they may be practiced three hours after a heavy meal or two hours after a light meal. Practise asanas in an open area or a well lit airy room.

Clothes to practise Asanas: Wear comfortable cotton clothes. Avoid synthetic. Men can wear light coloured cotton tee shirts and cotton shorts or track pants. Women can wear cotton salwar-kameez with the duppatta fastened around them. This will allow easy movement of the limbs and prevent the kameez from coming in the way. Alternatively you can wear light coloured cotton tee shirts and cotton track pants.

How to practice Asanas: If you are a beginner it is better you join a yoga school, with experienced yoga teachers. This will give a good foundation to your yoga learning. It will also help prevent hurting yourself when getting into an asana or getting out of an asana. Asanas are highly powerful and care must be taken when practicing. Yoga schools are ideal to learn. Every session must be followed by Shavasana (corpse posture). This is deep relaxation for the body and mind.

Flexibilty, toned body, good health are only the side effects of yoga. Yoga is more for the soul than just for the body and mind

By: Poonam Deviah

Yoga Is Scientifically Proven to Reduce Stress

(NaturalNews) People have been proclaiming the many benefits of yoga for centuries. Some of the praises for this ancient discipline include greater flexibility and strength, improved energy levels and sleep, and a calmer, more contented mind. People love it because it is not only a powerful way to get into shape physically; it is also a fantastic way to feel more emotionally harmonious. It offers a holistic approach to coping with the challenges of daily life.

People are drawn to yoga these days for many reasons. Some people simply hope for increased health and fitness, or may be seeking relief for a specific physical condition. Others are seeking a way to manage stress. Yoga can also complement medical science and therapy for specific conditions such as depression and anxiety. Yoga has also become known as a good way to prepare for child birth. It helps less able-bodied people to get into shape.

While hearing how yoga has enhanced so many people's lives is enough of a reason to make this practice part of your weekly or even daily routine, a recent scientific study has further validated the benefits that have been talked about for years.

This study was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Nineteen individuals were assigned to either an hour yoga session of postures and conscious breathing, or a 1 hour reading session. It was important to the creators of the study to compare two activities that have been known to be relaxing and pleasurable in order to ascertain the true power of yoga.

The level of GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) was tested before and after the session. All subjects were then assessed for brain levels of GABA both before and after the session. GABA is a brain chemical that has a generally calming, anti-anxiety effect within the brain.

Individuals who completed the yoga session had a 27 percent increase in GABA levels on average. However, those who read saw no change in the levels of this brain chemical.

This brilliant study explains some of the health benefits that are enjoyed and exclaimed by those who regularly practice yoga with an objective measurement. It certainly reinforces the claims that have been made by yogis and regular people alike, in a scientific way.

What Is Yoga ... And Is It Right For You?

By Benjamin Klein

What is yoga? What type of yoga is best for you?

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit word ''Yuj'' meaning to yoke, join or unite. Yoga works to join or integrate all aspects of the individual - body with mind and mind with soul - to achieve a happy, balanced and useful life.

The various types of yoga aim to achieve these goals through different techniques.

Kripalu yoga teaches breathing, stretching, and relaxation techniques while emphasizing the practices of being present, listening to one's body, and accepting where one is today in terms of flexibility, strength, and alignment. Kripalu yoga also teaches you to accept yourself how you are in the moment.

Pre-natal yoga will help to strengthen the muscles used to give birth, increase flexibility, and improve greater awareness of your body and the baby within. Gentle postures, breath work, deep relaxation and more will help cultivate calm and confidence during birth.

Vinyasa flow links breath to movement by using sun salutations, standing and seated poses based on Ashtanga yoga.

Ashtanga yoga involves synchronizing the breath with a progressive series of postures. A process which produces intense internal heat and a profuse, purifying sweat that detoxifies muscles and organs. The result is improved circulation, a light and strong body, and a calm mind.

Yin yoga helps to open fascia tissue, joint spaces, tendons and ligaments. These poses are held for up to five minutes and will help open the body slowly and gently.

Iyengar yoga emphasizes correct alignment of all body parts within each yoga posture. This precise approach builds strength, stamina, balance, flexibility and a new sense of well being.

Restorative yoga is thought of as active relaxation, working to counteract the effects of stress on the immune system. Props are used to provide a completely supportive environment for total relaxation. The sequence of poses helps move the spine in all directions, illustrating the wisdom of yoga that teaches well-being enhanced by a healthy spine. Restorative yoga balances energy so that one is neither overstimulated or depleted.

via: My Desert

Chakra, The Energy Tunnels

Chakra are described or seen as vortexes ( spinning wheels) of energy which receive, regulate and disperse the universal energies we need to function . The may also be perceived as flames or flowers or cones or as pulsating energy. Chakra are real but the descriptions are spiritual metaphor. Through the chakra we are able to give, receive & sense energy. Each chakra vibrates at a different frequency and is associated with a particular color. There are seven main chakra in the etheric layer of the aura . and many lesser minor energy points . These permeate the entire aura on all planes but there are also additional chakra and other energy formations on each level of the aura.
All beings animals and even Planets, Galaxies ,etc. have Chakra or the equivalent but this text will discuss the human Aura and chakras.
Chakra is the Sanskrit word for moving wheel, the chakra are present in the energy body and extend into related locations of the physical body. There are traditionally seven major chakra and these function as pathways for energy to be taken in, metabolized and sent to the major nerve center nearest each one. the energy and information that is brought into and processed by the chakra and aura is a major unacknowledged source of fuel for our physical, emotional, mental, intuitive and spiritual existence.

Read full Article here

The Seven basic Chakras

The seven basic chakras.

Sahasrara

Sahasrara or the crown chakra is said to be the chakra of consciousness, the master chakra that controls all the others. Its role would be very similar to that of the pituitary gland, which secretes hormones to control the rest of the endocrine system, and also connects to the central nervous system via the hypothalamus. The thalamus is thought to have a key role in the physical basis of consciousness. Symbolised by a lotus with a thousand petals.
Ajna

Ajna or the third eye is linked to the pineal gland. Ajna is the chakra of time and awareness and of light. The pineal gland is a light sensitive gland, that produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates the instincts of going to sleep and awakening. It has been conjectured that it also produces trace amounts of the psychedelic chemical dimethyltryptamine. Symbolised by a lotus with two petals.

(Note: some argue that the pineal and pituitary glands should be exchanged in their relationship to the Crown and Brow chakras, based on the description in Arthur Avalon’s book on kundalini called Serpent Power or empirical research.)

Vishuddha

Vishuddha or the throat chakra is said to be related to communication and growth, growth being a form of expression. This chakra is paralleled to the thyroid, a gland that is also in the throat, and which produces thyroid hormone, responsible for growth and maturation. Symbolised by a lotus with sixteen petals.

Anahata

Anahata or the heart/emotions chakra is related to love, equilibrium, and well-being. It is related to the thymus, located in the chest. This organ is part of the immune system, as well as being part of the endocrine system. It produces T cells responsible for fighting off disease, and is adversely affected by stress. Symbolised by a lotus with twelve petals.

Manipura

Manipura or the solar plexus chakra is related to energy, assimilation and digestion, and is said to correspond to the roles played by the pancreas and the outer adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. These play a valuable role in digestion, the conversion of food matter into energy for the body. Symbolised by a lotus with ten petals.

Swadhisthana

Swadhisthana or the sacral chakra is located in the groin, and is related to emotion, sexuality and creativity. This chakra is said to correspond to the testicles or the ovaries, that produce the various sex hormones involved in the reproductive cycle, which can cause dramatic mood swings. Symbolised by a lotus with six petals.

Muladhara

Muladhara or the base or root chakra is related to security, survival and also to basic human potentiality. This centre is located in the region between the genitals and the anus. Although no endocrine organ is placed here, it is said to relate to the inner adrenal glands, the adrenal medulla, responsible for the fight and flight response when survival is under threat. In this region is located a muscle that controls ejaculation in the sexual act. A parallel is drawn between the sperm cell and the ovum, where the genetic code lies coiled, and the kundalini. Symbolised by a lotus with four petals.

More: The Seven ......

More About Yoga

Yoga is a spiritual practices originating in India. It is one of the six schools of Hindu Philosophy, in which it is often paired with Samkhya, and they are referred together as the Samkhya-Yoga school. The diversity within Yoga philosophy itself is traditionally classified into four main braches: Karma Yoga (yoga of action), Jnana Yoga (yoga of knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (yoga of devotion), and Raja Yoga (yoga of meditation), but other classifications do exist. It remains a vibrant living tradition in which the common goal of all branches is liberation from suffering by attainment of enlightenment.

In the later half of the twentieth century, a co-movement of Yoga teachers to the West and travellers coming to India to study Yoga led to a great rise in teaching of Yoga in western countries. As with Yoga itself, these teachings are incredibly diverse but it can be said that outside India, Yoga has become primarily associated with the asanas (postures) of Hatha Yoga (a development within Raja Yoga placing more emphasis on physical practice than meditation). Indeed for many practitioners today, Yoga is a purely physical exercise (akin to aerobics and pilates), and is taught without the rest of its philosophy. According to a 2005 study, there are now over 16 million yoga practitioners in the USA alone . This figure suggests the worldwide total may be over 100 million.

Ancient Hindu texts establishing the basis for yoga include the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and many others, which specify the criteria of having successfully mastered a particular yoga technique.

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