1 1116 131 EFFICACY OF A VALIDATED YOGA PROTOCOL ON DYSLIPIDEMIA IN DIABETES PATIENTS: NMB-2017 INDIA TRIAL. BACKGROUND: DYSLIPIDEMIA IS CONSIDERED A RISK FACTOR IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM) RESULTING IN CARDIO-VASCULAR COMPLICATIONS. YOGA PRACTICES HAVE SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS IN ALLEVIATING TYPE 2 DIABETES PATHOLOGY. METHOD: IN THIS STRATIFIED TRIAL ON A YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE PROGRAM IN CASES WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES, IN THE RURAL AND URBAN POPULATION FROM ALL ZONES OF INDIA, A TOTAL OF 17,012 ADULTS (>20 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WERE SCREENED FOR LIPID PROFILE AND SUGAR LEVELS. THOSE WHO SATISFIED THE SELECTION CRITERIA WERE TAUGHT THE DIABETES YOGA PROTOCOL (DYP) FOR THREE MONTHS AND THE DATA WERE ANALYZED. RESULTS: AMONG THOSE WITH DIABETES, 29.1% HAD ELEVATED TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (TC > 200 MG/DL) LEVELS THAT WERE HIGHER IN URBAN (69%) THAN RURAL (31%) DIABETES PATIENTS. THERE WAS A POSITIVE CORRELATION (P = 0.048) BETWEEN HBA1C AND TOTAL CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. DYP INTERVENTION HELPED IN REDUCING TC FROM 232.34 +/- 31.48 MG/DL TO 189.38 +/- 40.23 MG/DL WITH SIGNIFICANT PRE POST DIFFERENCE (P < 0.001). CONVERSION RATE FROM HIGH TC (>200 MG/DL) TO NORMAL TC (<200 MG/DL) WAS OBSERVED IN 60.3% OF CASES WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM); FROM HIGH LDL (>130 MG/DL) TO NORMAL LDL (<130 MG/DL) IN 73.7%; FROM HIGH TRIGLYCERIDE (>200 MG/DL) TO NORMAL TRIGLYCERIDE LEVEL (<200 MG/DL) IN 63%; FROM LOW HDL (<45 MG/DL) TO NORMAL HDL (>45 MG/DL) IN 43.7% OF T2DM PATIENTS AFTER THREE MONTHS OF DYP. CONCLUSIONS: A YOGA LIFESTYLE PROGRAM DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO MANAGE DIABETES HELPS IN REDUCING THE CO-MORBIDITY OF DYSLIPIDEMIA IN CASES OF PATIENTS WITH T2DM. 2019 2 926 54 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA LIFESTYLE ON LIPID METABOLISM IN A VULNERABLE POPULATION-A COMMUNITY BASED MULTICENTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: DYSLIPIDEMIA POSES A HIGH RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND STROKE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES (T2DM). THERE ARE NO STUDIES ON THE IMPACT OF A VALIDATED INTEGRATED YOGA LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL ON LIPID PROFILES IN A HIGH-RISK DIABETES POPULATION. METHODS: HERE, WE REPORT THE RESULTS OF LIPID PROFILE VALUES OF 11,254 (YOGA 5932 AND CONTROL 5322) ADULTS (20-70 YEARS) OF BOTH GENDERS WITH HIGH RISK (>/=60 ON INDIAN DIABETES RISK SCORE) FOR DIABETES FROM A NATIONWIDE RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITY-BASED TWO GROUP (YOGA AND CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT) CLUSTER RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE YOGA GROUP PRACTICED A VALIDATED INTEGRATED YOGA LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL (DYP) IN NINE DAY CAMPS FOLLOWED BY DAILY ONE-HOUR PRACTICE. BIOCHEMICAL PROFILING INCLUDED GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN AND LIPID PROFILES BEFORE AND AFTER THREE MONTHS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN GROUPS (P < 0.001 ANCOVA) WITH IMPROVED SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN IN THE YOGA GROUP COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. FURTHER, THE REGULATORY EFFECT OF YOGA WAS NOTED WITH A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OR INCREASE IN THOSE WITH HIGH OR LOW VALUES OF LIPIDS, RESPECTIVELY, WITH MARGINAL OR NO CHANGE IN THOSE WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. CONCLUSION: YOGA LIFESTYLE IMPROVES AND REGULATES (LOWERED IF HIGH, INCREASED IF LOW) THE BLOOD LIPID LEVELS IN BOTH GENDERS OF PREDIABETIC AND DIABETIC INDIVIDUALS IN BOTH RURAL AND URBAN INDIAN COMMUNITIES. 2021 3 1849 42 QUASI PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY ON EFFECT OF YOGA AMONG PREDIABETICS ON PROGRESSION OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS. INTRODUCTION: PREDIABETIC PATIENTS HAVE HIGHER RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES, WHICH FURTHER INCREASES THE RATE OF MORTALITY. REASON FOR THE RATE OF INCREASE MAY BE LACK OF OBSERVATION, FOLLOW-UP PROGRAMS, AND SELF-AWARENESS ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS YOGA CAN PROVE TO BE A BENEFICIAL NONPHARMACOLOGIC INTERVENTION IN PREVENTING PROGRESSION OF PREDIABETES TO TYPE 2 DIABETES. THIS STUDY HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF SHORT-TERM INTERVENTION, I.E., YOGA IN PREDIABETIC PATIENTS AND USE IT AS A TOOL FOR PRIMARY PREVENTION OF DIABETES. METHODS: THIS WAS AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY AMONG ADULTS AGED 30-50 YEARS IN RUHS COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES AND ASSOCIATED RUKMANI DEVI BENI PRASAD JAIPURIA HOSPITAL IN JAIPUR CITY. THE DESIGN OF STUDY WAS QUASI PROSPECTIVE COMPARATIVE STUDY. A TOTAL OF 102 PREDIABETIC PATIENTS OF AGE GROUP 30-50 YEARS WERE RECRUITED FROM JAIPURIA HOSPITAL. THESE WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: STUDY GROUP (GROUP A, N = 51) WERE ENGAGED IN YOGA SESSION AND CONTROL GROUP (B, N = 51) NOT PERFORMED ANY YOGA SESSION. RESULTS: YOGA INTERVENTION RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN BLOOD GLUCOSE (P < 0.001), GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN (P < 0.01), LIPID PROFILE CHOLESTEROL (P < 0.01), TRIGLYCERIDE (P < 0.01), AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (P < 0.01), BUT HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (P < 0.02) AND VERY LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN INCREASE (P < 0.03) BUT NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: SHORT-TERM YOGA INTERVENTION IS HELPFUL IN THE CONTROL OF GLYCEMIC PARAMETERS LIKE BLOOD GLUCOSE, GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN AND LIPID PROFILE IN PREDIABETIC PATIENTS. THIS PRELIMINARY STUDY INDICATES THAT A YOGA PROGRAM WOULD BE A POSSIBLE RISK REDUCTION OPTION FOR ADULTS AT HIGH RISK FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES. IN ADDITION, YOGA HOLDS PROMISE AS AN APPROACH TO REDUCING CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK FACTORS AND INCREASING EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY FOR PREDIABETICS PERFORMING YOGA. 2019 4 2463 39 YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. PURPOSE: THIS STUDY AIMED TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECTS OF 12 WEEKS YOGIC INTERVENTION ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDER WOMEN WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: TWENTY ELDERLY (AGE RANGE 55-70 YEARS) T2DM WOMEN WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, NAMELY, YOGIC INTERVENTION GROUP (YIG: N = 10, AGE 64.70 +/- 4.03, BODY MASS INDEX [BMI] 24.26 +/- 3.40) AND CONTROL GROUP (CG: N = 10, AGE 64.40 +/- 4.79, BMI 24.28 +/- 2.36). YIG UNDERWENT YOGA PRACTICE (ASANAS, KRIYAS, PRANAYAMAS) FOR 12 WEEKS (3 SESSIONS/WEEK), WHILE THE CG CONTINUED THEIR USUAL ROUTINE ACTIVITIES. STANDING HEIGHT, BODY WEIGHT, BMI, BLOOD SUGAR, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE MEASURED BEFORE COMMENCEMENT AND AFTER 6 AND 12 WEEKS OF YOGIC INTERVENTION IN BOTH GROUPS. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) DECREASE IN FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AND VERY LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, WITH A SIGNIFICANT (P < 0.01) INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVEL FROM ITS INITIAL VALUE IN YIG, WHILE SHOWING INSIGNIFICANT RESULT IN CG. CONCLUSION: IT CAN BE SAID THAT YOGIC INTERVENTION MAY HAVE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON BLOOD SUGAR AND LIPID PROFILE IN ELDERLY WOMEN WITH T2DM. 2018 5 959 36 EFFECTS OF A YOGA INTERVENTION ON LIPID PROFILES OF DIABETES PATIENTS WITH DYSLIPIDEMIA. OBJECTIVE: THE PRESENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DYSLIPIDEMIA IN PATIENTS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: THIS RANDOMIZED PARALLEL STUDY WAS CARRIED OUT IN MEDICAL COLLEGE TRIVANDRUM, KERALA, INDIA. HUNDRED TYPE 2 DIABETICS WITH DYSLIPIDEMIA WERE RANDOMIZED INTO CONTROL AND YOGA GROUPS. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS PRESCRIBED ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC DRUGS. THE YOGA GROUP PRACTICED YOGA DAILY FOR 1 H DURATION ALONG WITH ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC DRUGS FOR 3 MONTHS. THE LIPID PROFILES OF BOTH THE GROUPS WERE COMPARED AT THE START AND AT THE END OF 3 MONTHS. RESULTS: AFTER INTERVENTION WITH YOGA FOR A PERIOD OF 3 MONTHS THE STUDY GROUP SHOWED A DECREASE IN TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES AND LDL, WITH AN IMPROVEMENT IN HDL. CONCLUSION: YOGA, BEING A LIFESTYLE INCORPORATING EXERCISE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT TRAINING, TARGETS THE ELEVATED LIPID LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES THROUGH INTEGRATED APPROACHES. 2013 6 823 28 EFFECT OF YOGA ON GLUCOSE CONTROL AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS OF PREDIABETES. OBJECTIVE: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EVALUATE EFFECT OF YOGA ON FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE (FPG), POSTPRANDIAL PLASMA GLUCOSE, AND HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) AND ALSO ON QUALITY OF LIFE (QOL). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: THIS WAS A COHORT STUDY IN WHICH 100 DIAGNOSED CASES OF PREDIABETES WERE RECRUITED FOR DOING SPECIFIC YOGA, AND THEY THEMSELVES ACT AS CONTROL FOR THE STUDY. THE MEASUREMENT AND COMPARISON OF FPG, PRANDIAL PLASMA GLUCOSE (PPG), AND HBA1C WERE DONE AT THREE DIFFERENT TIME INTERVALS, THAT IS, BASELINE, 3 MONTHS, AND AT 6 MONTHS. THE ASSESSMENT OF QOL WAS DONE USING SF-36 SCALE. RESULTS: ONE HUNDRED PREDIABETIC CASES WERE SELECTED FOR THE STUDY IN WHICH IMPAIRED FASTING GLUCOSE (IFG) WAS PRESENT MORE IN YOUNGER POPULATION COMPARED TO IMPAIRED GLUCOSE TOLERANCE (IGT) AND IFG PLUS IGT BOTH OF WHICH ARE MORE PREVALENT IN MIDDLE AGE GROUP. THE YOGA THERAPY WAS FOUND TO HAVE FAVORABLE EFFECT ON FPG, PPG, AND HBA1C ALONG WITH VARIOUS ANTHROPOMETRY MEASURES STUDIED IN THIS STUDY. AFTER ADJUSTING CORRELATION COEFFICIENT FOR VARIOUS ANTHROPOMETRY MEASURES, YOGA WAS FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR CONTROLLING GLYCEMIC PARAMETERS IN PREDIABETICS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA IS A TYPE OF EXERCISE KNOWN TO IMPROVE GLYCEMIC CONTROL BY CHANGING ANTHROPOMETRY MEASURES, BUT OUR STUDY AIDS IN KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT BEYOND THIS KNOWN FACT THROUGH OTHER MECHANISMS YET TO BE EXPLORED. 2021 7 691 43 EFFECT OF COMMUNITY-BASED STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM ON HBA1C LEVEL AMONG TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY. CONTEXT: IN VIEW OF THE RISING BURDEN OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (DM) CASES IN INDIA, THERE IS AN URGENT NEED FOR AN EFFECTIVE, LOW-COST, SUSTAINABLE INTERVENTION CONTROLLING DIABETES THUS PREVENTING COMPLICATIONS. AIMS: THIS STUDY AIMED TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAMS ON DIABETES. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: THIS WAS A COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONAL STUDY THAT WAS CONDUCTED IN AN URBAN RESETTLEMENT COLONY OF DELHI, INDIA. KNOWN DIABETES PATIENTS WITH GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN (HB1AC) >/=6.5% WERE ENROLLED FROM 12 RANDOMLY SELECTED BLOCKS OF THE COMMUNITY WITH A SAMPLE SIZE OF 192 IN EACH INTERVENTION AND WAIT-LISTED CONTROL ARM. THE INTERVENTION WAS STRUCTURED YOGA OF 50 MIN DAILY, 2 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS IN A NEARBY PARK AND HEALTH CENTER FOLLOWED BY TWICE A WEEK HOME PRACTICE UP TO THE 3(RD) MONTH. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS HBA1C% AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE LIPID PROFILE AND FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: APER-PROTOCOL ANALYSIS WAS DONE. MEAN, STANDARD DEVIATION (SD), AND 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL WERE ESTIMATED. THE LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE WAS CONSIDERED FOR 0.05. RESULTS: THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE OF HB1AC (0.5%, SD = 1.5, P = 0.02), TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (11.7 MG/DL, SD = 40.5, P < 0.01), AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (3.2 MG/DL, SD = 37.4, P < 0.01) FROM BASELINE TO END LINE IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP. THESE CHANGES IN INTERVENTION GROUP WERE ALSO SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT FROM THE CHANGE IN THE WAIT-LISTED CONTROL GROUP. THE OTHER VARIABLES DID NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY. CONCLUSIONS: IT REVEALED THAT STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM IMPROVED GLYCEMIC OUTCOME AND LIPID PROFILE OF INDIVIDUALS IN A COMMUNITY-BASED SETTING. YOGA CAN BE A FEASIBLE STRATEGY TO CONTROL HYPERGLYCEMIA, LIPID LEVELS, AND CAN HELP BETTER CONTROL TYPE 2 DM. 2021 8 1703 28 PARTITIONING OF RADIOLOGICAL, STRESS AND BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES IN PRE-DIABETIC WOMEN SUBJECTED TO DIABETIC YOGA PROTOCOL. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS AN ANCIENT SYSTEM OF WELLNESS WITH ASANA AND PRANAYAMA AS ITS MOST POPULAR AND PROPAGATED MODULES FOR MANAGEMENT OF LIFESTYLE DISORDERS. OBJECTIVES: THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO CHARACTERISE THE LIVER ABNORMALITIES, BIOCHEMICAL CHANGES, AND STRESS LEVELS AFTER YOGA INTERVENTION IN PREDIABETIC FEMALES. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 37 FEMALES WERE RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO YOGA PRACTISING AND NON-PRACTISING CONTROL GROUPS. THE YOGA PRACTISING GROUP PERFORMED DIABETIC YOGA PROTOCOL (DYP) FOR 3 MONTHS. PARAMETERS INCLUDING SIZE OF LIVER, FATTY INFILTRATION, AND GRADE OF SEVERITY WERE MEASURED USING ULTRASONOGRAPHY ALONG WITH BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND STRESS LEVELS AT BASELINE AND AFTER YOGA PRACTICE. RESULTS: THE GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN (HBA1C) AND GLUCOSE LEVELS WERE FOUND SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN PREDIABETIC (P=0.015) WOMEN AFTER PRACTISING DYP, ALTHOUGH CHOLESTEROL LEVELS INCREASED IN MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. NO ESCALATION OF FATTY LIVER WAS NOTED AMONG WOMEN PRACTISING DYP. CONCLUSION: DYP REDUCED THE HBA1C AND STRESS LEVELS AND THEREFORE, COULD BE A COST-EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR PREVENTING PREDIABETES TO DIABETES PROGRESSION. 2019 9 374 48 AYURVEDA BODY-MIND CONSTITUTIONAL TYPES AND ROLE OF YOGA INTERVENTION AMONG TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS POPULATION OF CHANDIGARH AND PANCHKULA REGIONS. BACKGROUND: TYPE 2 DIABETES NEEDS A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ETIOLOGICAL FACTORS AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES BASED ON LIFESTYLE AND CONSTITUTIONAL FACTORS, GIVEN ITS HIGH ASSOCIATION RATE WITH MANY CARDIOVASCULAR, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS, AND COVID-19 INFECTION. PURPOSE: THE PRESENT STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF DIABETES-SPECIFIC INTEGRATED YOGA LIFESTYLE PROTOCOL (DYP) ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND LIPID PROFILES OF DIABETIC ADULTS. ALONG WITH THE DYP INTERVENTION, THE INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN CHANDIGARH AND PANCHKULA UNION TERRITORIES IN THE NORTHERN PART OF INDIA WERE ASSESSED FOR AYURVEDA-BASED BODY-MIND CONSTITUTIONAL TYPE. AYURVEDA DESCRIBES BODY-MIND CONSTITUTION AS "PRAKRITI," WHICH HAS BEEN DISCUSSED FROM TWO ANGLES, NAMELY PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL AS BODY AND MIND ARE CORRELATED. METHODS: CLUSTER SAMPLING OF WAITLIST CONTROL STUDY SUBJECTS WAS USED AS THE SAMPLING METHOD FOR THE STUDY. A TOTAL OF 1,215 REGISTERED SUBJECTS (81 DIABETIC) RESPONDED IN RANDOMLY SELECTED CLUSTERS IN CHANDIGARH AND PANCHKULA. AYURVEDA PHYSICIANS DID AYURVEDA BODY-MIND CONSTITUTIONAL ASSESSMENT CALLED PRAKRITI ASSESSMENT (PHYSIOLOGICAL BODY-MIND CONSTITUTION ASSESSMENT) IN 35 PARTICIPANTS (23 DIABETIC, 12 PREDIABETIC) AS A PART OF THE STUDY. RESULTS: A GROUP OF 50 SUBJECTS WAS RANDOMLY SELECTED FOR YOGA INTERVENTION OUT OF 81 DIABETES MELLITUS ADULTS, AND 31 SUBJECTS WERE ENROLLED AS WAITLIST CONTROLS. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS FROM 8.49 +/- 1.94% TO 7.97 +/- 2.20% IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP WAS NOTICED. THE LIPID PROFILES OF THE DYP INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS WERE MONITORED. THREE-MONTH FOLLOW-UP RESULTS OF LIPID PROFILE DIAGNOSTIC TESTS IN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS (P < 0.05). MOST DIABETIC AND PREDIABETIC INDIVIDUALS WERE FOUND TO HAVE PITTA DOSHA (PITTA CONTROLS ALL HEAT, METABOLISM, AND TRANSFORMATION IN THE MIND AND BODY) AS DOMINANT CONSTITUTION TYPE. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY RESULTS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN DIABETIC INDIVIDUALS. THIS STUDY HAS INDICATED THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THE VALIDATED DYP FOR COMMUNITY-LEVEL INTERVENTIONS TO PREVENT MALADIES LIKE BRAIN DAMAGE AND STROKE. 2020 10 625 33 DIABETIC YOGA PROTOCOL IMPROVES GLYCEMIC, ANTHROPOMETRIC AND LIPID LEVELS IN HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS FOR DIABETES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL FROM NORTHERN INDIA. PURPOSE: TO STUDY THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIABETIC YOGA PROTOCOL (DYP) AGAINST MANAGEMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILE IN A HIGH-RISK COMMUNITY FOR DIABETES, FROM CHANDIGARH, INDIA. METHODS: THE STUDY WAS A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL, CONDUCTED AS A SUB STUDY OF THE PAN INDIA TRIAL NIYANTRITA MADHUMEHA BHARATH (NMB). THE COHORT WAS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE INDIAN DIABETES RISK SCORING (IDRS) (>/= 60) AND A TOTAL OF 184 INDIVIDUALS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO INTERVENTION (N = 91) AND CONTROL GROUPS (N = 93). THE DYP GROUP UNDERWENT THE SPECIFIC DYP TRAINING WHEREAS THE CONTROL GROUP FOLLOWED THEIR DAILY REGIMEN. THE STUDY OUTCOMES INCLUDED CHANGES IN GLYCEMIC AND LIPID PROFILE. ANALYSIS WAS DONE UNDER INTENT-TO-TREAT PRINCIPLE. RESULTS: THE 3 MONTHS DYP PRACTICE SHOWED DIVERSE RESULTS SHOWING GLYCEMIC AND LIPID PROFILE OF THE HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS. THREE MONTHS OF DYP INTERVENTION WAS FOUND TO SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE THE LEVELS OF POST-PRANDIAL GLUCOSE LEVELS (P = 0.035) AND LDL-C LEVELS (P = 0.014) AND WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: THE FINDINGS INDICATE THAT THE DYP INTERVENTION COULD IMPROVE THE METABOLIC STATUS OF THE HIGH-DIABETES-RISK INDIVIDUALS WITH RESPECT TO THEIR GLUCOSE TOLERANCE AND LIPID LEVELS, PARTIALLY EXPLAINED BY THE REDUCTION IN ABDOMINAL OBESITY. THE STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA INTERVENTION IN REAL TIME IMPROVEMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR PROFILE IN A HIGH DIABETES RISK COHORT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CTRI, CTRI/2018/03/012804. REGISTERED 01 MARCH 2018-RETROSPECTIVELY REGISTERED, HTTP://WWW.CTRI.NIC.IN/ CTRI/2018/03/012804. 2021 11 876 41 EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON REACTION TIME, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND WELLNESS SCORE OF PERI AND POST-MENOPAUSAL DIABETIC PATIENTS. BACKGROUND: YOGIC PRACTICES MAY AID IN THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS (DM) AND REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN THE POPULATION. THE PRESENT STUDY HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON REACTION TIME, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND WELLNESS SCORE OF PERI AND POST-MENOPAUSAL DIABETIC PATIENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 15 PERI AND POST-MENOPAUSAL PATIENTS RECEIVING STANDARD MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR TYPE 2 DM WERE RECRUITED AND REACTION TIME AND BIOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATIONS WERE DONE BEFORE AND AFTER A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA THERAPY PROGRAM COMPRISING OF THREE TIMES A WEEK SESSIONS FOR SIX WEEKS. A POST-INTERVENTION, RETROSPECTIVE WELLNESS QUESTIONNAIRE COMPILED BY ACYTER WAS USED TO EVALUATE THE COMPARATIVE FEELINGS OF THE PATIENTS AFTER THE THERAPY PROGRAM. RESULTS: YOGA TRAINING REDUCED AUDITORY REACTION TIME (ART) FROM RIGHT AS WELL AS LEFT HAND, THE DECREASE BEING STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (P<0.05) FOR ART FROM THE RIGHT HAND. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT (P<0.01) DECREASE IN FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AS WELL AS LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN. THE DECREASE IN TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND VERY LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN AND INCREASE IN HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN WAS ALSO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT (P<0.05). ALL THE LIPID RATIOS SHOWED DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENT WITH A DECREASE (P<0.01) OF TC/HDL AND LDL/HDL RATIOS AND INCREASE (P<0.05) IN THE HDL/LDL RATIO. DISCUSSION OR CONCLUSION: SHORTENING OF RT IMPLIES AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE INFORMATION PROCESSING AND REFLEXES AND IS THE FIRST SUCH REPORT IN DIABETIC PATIENTS. THIS HAS CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND IS WORTH FURTHER EXPLORATION WITH WIDER, WELL CONTROLLED, RANDOMIZED STUDIES IN THE DIABETIC POPULATION. CHANGES IN BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS MAY BE DUE TO IMPROVED INSULIN SENSITIVITY, DECLINE IN INSULIN RESISTANCE AND INCREASED SENSITIVITY OF THE PANCREATIC B CELLS TO GLUCOSE SIGNALS. YOGA IMPROVED THE 'HEART FRIENDLY' STATUS OF LIPID PROFILE IN OUR SUBJECTS AND AS OUR PARTICIPANTS WERE PERI AND POST-MENOPAUSAL, THE DECREASE IN CARDIOVASCULAR RISK PROFILE IS OF GREATER SIGNIFICANCE. A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA THERAPY PROGRAM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ENHANCE THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF STANDARD MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS AND CAN BE USED AS AN EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY OR INTEGRATIVE THERAPY PROGRAM. 2012 12 1491 33 INTERLEUKIN-6, VITAMIN D & DIABETES RISK-FACTORS MODIFIED BY A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT/OBESE INDIVIDUALS. BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: SEVERAL DIABETES PREVENTION PROGRAMMES HAVE DEMONSTRATED A REDUCTION IN INCIDENCE OF DIABETES IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PREDIABETES THROUGH WEIGHT LOSS. SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES HAVE ALSO BEEN SHOWN TO BE EFFICACIOUS IN WEIGHT LOSS. THIS STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO INVESTIGATE IF INTERLEUKIN (IL)-6, VITAMIN D, NEOPTERIN, VASPIN, AND DIABETES RISK FACTORS CAN BE MODIFIED BY A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT/OBESE SUBJECTS. METHODS: IN THIS PILOT STUDY, 34 OVERWEIGHT/OBESE [BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) >/= 23 TO <35 KG/M [2] PER ASIAN CUT-OFF VALUES] INDIVIDUALS WERE ENROLLED, AND RECEIVED DIRECTLY SUPERVISED INTERVENTION FOR 10 DAYS. THEREAFTER, THEY WERE ADVISED TO FOLLOW THIS YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE AT HOME FOR ONE MONTH, AND WERE REASSESSED FOR STUDY VARIABLES AT DAY 30. RESULTS: THERE WAS A REDUCTION FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 IN WEIGHT ( P <0.001), BMI ( P <0.001), WAIST/HIP-RATIO ( P <0.05), BLOOD GLUCOSE ( P <0.01), AND A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LIPID PROFILE. THERE WAS A DECREASE IN MEDIAN FASTING INSULIN ( P <0.05), HOMEOSTATIC MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE ( P <0.01), AND IL-6 ( PP <0.05). A NON-SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN 25-OH-VITAMIN D, AND A DECREASE IN NEOPTERIN AND VASPIN WERE OBSERVED. TWENTY SUBJECTS RETURNED FOR FOLLOW UP ASSESSMENTS. AT DAY 30, WEIGHT LOSS WAS SUSTAINED WHILE SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE ALSO SHOWED REDUCTION ( P <0.05). CHANGES IN VITAMIN D LEVELS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY AND NEGATIVELY CORRELATED WITH CHANGES IN WEIGHT, BMI AND FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND POSITIVELY WITH CHANGE IN HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN. CHANGES IN BODY WEIGHT AND BMI SIGNIFICANTLY AND POSITIVELY CORRELATED WITH INSULIN. CHANGES IN IL-6 LEVELS POSITIVELY AND SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH CHANGE IN NEOPTERIN LEVELS. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: THE FINDINGS SHOWED THAT IL-6, VITAMIN D, AND DIABETES RISK FACTORS WERE FAVOURABLY MODIFIED BY A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OBESITY. THIS STUDY ALSO HIGHLIGHTED THE CHALLENGES IN COMPLIANCE ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOLLOW UP OF SUBJECTS FOLLOWING AN AGGRESSIVE SUPERVISED INTERVENTION OF 10 DAYS. 2015 13 882 40 EFFECT OF YOGA TRAINING ON LIPID METABOLISM IN INDUSTRIAL WORKERS WITH REFERENCE TO BODY CONSTITUTION (PRAKRITI). INTRODUCTION: THE PROGRESSIVE INCREASE IN DYSLIPIDEMIA AND PHYSICAL INACTIVITY ARE CONSIDERED TO BE MAJOR RISK FACTORS FOR THE ONSET OF NON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. AWARENESS OF BODY CONSTITUTION PLAYS A VITAL ROLE TO REGULARISE OPTIMUM HEALTH. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS PLANNED TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICES ON LIPID METABOLISM WITH REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC BODY CONSTITUTION (PRAKRITI). METHODS: A SELF-AS-CONTROL STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON 36 MALE HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS BETWEEN AGE GROUP OF 30-58 YEARS. THEIR PRAKRITI ANALYSIS WAS DONE USING STANDARDIZED, VALIDATED QUESTIONNAIRE AND WERE DIVIDED INTO VATA-PITTA (N = 16) AND PITTA-KAPHA (N = 20) GROUPS. THE ASSESSMENT OF LIPID PROFILE WAS DONE IN FASTING BLOOD SAMPLES BEFORE AND AFTER 12 WEEKS OF YOGA TRAINING. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING PAIRED T-TEST AND INDEPENDENT T-TEST. RESULTS: AFTER YOGA INTERVENTION, THE RESULT OF WITHIN GROUP COMPARISON REVEALED THAT IN VATA-PITTA (V-P) GROUP, SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE LEVELS OF TC, LDL (P < 0.001) AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HDL (P < 0.01) WAS OBSERVED. WHILE, PITTA-KAPHA (P-K) GROUP SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN TC (P < 0.001), TG (P < 0.01), LDL (P < 0.001) AND VLDL (P < 0.05) LEVELS. FURTHER, THE RESULTS BETWEEN GROUPS REVEALED THAT P-K GROUP HAS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER BASELINE LEVELS OF TC, TG AND VLDL AS COMPARED TO V-P GROUP (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT YOGA PRACTICES CAN EFFECTIVELY REGULATE LIPID METABOLISM AND TOTAL BODY ENERGY EXPENDITURE WITH REFERENCE TO SPECIFIC CONSTITUTIONAL TYPE (PRAKRITI) THAT MAY ACT AS A TOOL TO ASSESS MAGNITUDE OF METABOLIC FUNCTIONS. 2017 14 1453 27 INFLUENCE OF PRANAYAMAS AND YOGA-ASANAS ON SERUM INSULIN, BLOOD GLUCOSE AND LIPID PROFILE IN TYPE 2 DIABETES. A DISTINGUISHABLE FEATURE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES BESIDES HYPERGLYCEMIA AND DERANGED LIPID PROFILE IS AN IMPAIRED INSULIN SECRETION, PERIPHERAL INSULIN RESISTANCE AND OBESITY WHICH HAS BECOME A MAJOR HEALTH CONCERN WORLDWIDE. INDIA WITH AN ESTIMATED 31MILLION DIABETICS IN 2000 AND 79MLLIONS BY THE YR 2030 HAS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF TYPE 2 DIABETICS IN THE WORLD. IN THIS STUDY, WE AIMED TO SEE IF YOGA-ASANAS AND PRANAYAMAS HAVE ANY INFLUENCE IN MODIFYING CERTAIN BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. SIXTY PATIENTS OF UNCOMPLICATED TYPE 2 DIABETES (AGE 35-60 YRS OF 1-10 YRS DURATION) WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: GROUP 1 (N=30): PERFORMED YOGA ALONG WITH THE CONVENTIONAL HYPOGLYCEMIC MEDICINES AND GROUP 2 (N=30): PATIENTS WHO ONLY RECEIVED CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES. DURATION OF THE STUDY WAS 45 DAYS. BASAL RECORDINGS OF BLOOD GLUCOSE (FASTING AND POST-PRANDIAL), LIPID PROFILE AND SERUM INSULIN WERE TAKEN AT THE TIME OF RECRUITMENT AND THE SECOND READING AFTER FORTY FIVE DAYS. RESULTS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN GROUP 1 WHILE GROUP 2 SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN ONLY FEW PARAMETERS, THUS SUGGESTING A BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA REGIMEN ON THESE PARAMETERS IN DIABETIC PATIENTS. 2008 15 810 42 EFFECT OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. INTRODUCTION: IN VIEW OF PEOPLE EMBRACING SEDENTARY LIFE STYLE, AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT BECOMING LESS, THE ROLE OF REGULAR EXERCISE ESPECIALLY 'YOGA' SEEMS TO BE A BENEFICIAL AND ECONOMICAL ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). OBJECTIVES: TO ASSESS THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN NORMAL AND T2DM VOLUNTEERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE CASE-CONTROL STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY AND DIABETIC CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL OVER PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. THE STUDY SUBJECTS CONSISTED OF 30 MALE DIABETIC PATIENTS ATTENDING DIABETIC CLINIC AND 30 NON-DIABETIC MALE VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED CONTROL GROUP. THE PATIENTS IN THE AGE GROUP OF 36 TO 55 YEARS WITH T2DM OF AT LEAST ONE YEAR DURATION AND THOSE ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY GROUP. THE AGE MATCHED HEALTHY MALE VOLUNTEERS WHO HAD COME TO JOIN YOGA TRAINING AT YOGA CENTRE WERE INCLUDED IN THE CONTROL GROUP. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE TRAINED BY YOGA EXPERTS AND SUBJECTED TO REGULAR PRACTICE UNDER SUPERVISION FOR SIX MONTHS. IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS FASTING (FBS) AND POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR (PPBS) WAS ESTIMATED BEFORE, DURING (AT THREE MONTHS) AND AFTER (SIX MONTHS) YOGA TRAINING. PAIRED STUDENT T-TEST WAS USED TO ESTIMATE DIFFERENCE IN MEANS CALCULATED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA TRAINING IN A SAME GROUP. A P-VALUE OF <0.05 WAS CONSIDERED AS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT. RESULTS: THE DISTRIBUTION OF AGE, MEAN HEIGHT AND MEAN WEIGHT AMONG BOTH THE GROUPS WERE COMPARABLE. THE REDUCTION IN MEAN VALUES OF FBS AND PPBS AT THE END OF SIX MONTHS WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT (P <0.001) IN BOTH THE GROUPS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE MEAN VALUES BEFORE AND DURING (THREE MONTHS) YOGA PRACTICE. THE REDUCTION IN THESE VALUES AT THREE MONTHS DURING YOGA WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT IN T2DM GROUP WHEN COMPARED WITH MEAN VALUES BEFORE YOGA (P <0.001), BUT IT WAS INSIGNIFICANT (P<0.05) IN CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS OF THE PRESENT STUDY DEMONSTRATED THAT THE YOGA IS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH T2DM. 2015 16 1455 38 INFLUENCE OF TIME OF YOGA PRACTICE AND GENDER DIFFERENCES ON BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND NORMAL HEALTHY ADULTS. BACKGROUND: PREVALENCE OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM) IS INCREASING WORLDWIDE. MANY STUDIES HAVE DEMONSTRATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA IN IMPROVING GLYCAEMIC CONTROL, WHEREAS NO STUDIES ARE AVAILABLE SHOWING THE IMPACT OF TIME OF PRACTICE ON GLUCOSE LEVELS. THE CURRENT STUDY EXPLORES THE EFFECT OF TIME OF YOGA PRACTICE ON GLUCOSE LEVELS IN COMMUNITY-DWELLING ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT T2DM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A TOTAL OF 189 SUBJECTS WITH T2DM AND 121 SUBJECTS WITHOUT T2DM UNDERWENT A 10-DAY YOGA PROGRAM WHICH INCLUDES PRACTICAL AND THEORY LECTURE SESSIONS FOR 60MIN EVERY DAY, EITHER IN THE MORNING OR EVENING. BASELINE AND POST-INTERVENTION ASSESSMENTS OF FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE (FPG) WERE MEASURED ON DAY-1 AND DAY-10, RESPECTIVELY. DATA ANALYSIS WERE DONE USING STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (SPSS), VERSION 16. RESULTS: RESULTS OF THE STUDY SHOWED THAT IN INDIVIDUALS WITH T2DM, A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER REDUCTION IN FPG WAS OBSERVED WHILE PRACTICING YOGA IN THE EVENING SESSIONS THAN IN THE MORNING SESSIONS. LIKEWISE, A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN FPG WAS OBSERVED ONLY IN WOMEN WHO PRACTICED YOGA IN THE EVENING THAN IN THE MORNING, IN NON-DIABETIC HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS, WHILE THE REDUCTION WAS NOT STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IN MEN. CONCLUSION: RESULTS OF THIS STUDY SUGGEST THAT REDUCTION IN FPG LEVEL WAS BETTER WHILE PRACTICING YOGA IN EVENING THAN MORNING. SIMILARLY, WOMEN HAD A BETTER REDUCTION IN BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL THAN MEN. 2018 17 685 38 EFFECT OF AN INTEGRATED NATUROPATHY AND YOGA PROGRAM ON LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY. AIM: LIFESTYLE IS AN IMPORTANT RISK FACTOR FOR INCREASING THE PREVALENCE OF DIABETES IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. IN THIS STUDY, WE EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF NATUROPATHY TREATMENT, SALT-RESTRICTED LOW-CALORIE DIETS, AND YOGA IN LONG-TERM GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. METHODS: IN THIS PROSPECTIVE, LONGITUDINAL, TWO-ARM COHORT STUDY, PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS REFERRED FROM A TERTIARY CARE CENTER UNDERGOING A 3-MONTH RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY TREATMENT WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE UNDERGOING ONLY CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL. BOTH FASTING AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG) LEVELS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 3 MONTHS FOLLOWING INTERVENTION, AT 6 MONTHS, AND 12 MONTHS FROM THE STUDY START. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING REPEATED-MEASURES ANOVA WITH POST HOC BONFERRONI CORRECTION. RESULTS: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED PPBG LEVELS (P < 0.001), GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS (P < 0.001), AND REDUCED REQUIREMENT FOR ANTIDIABETIC MEDICATIONS (P < 0.008) IN THE INTERVENTION GROUP COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THE EFFECTS WERE MORE PROFOUND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING INTERVENTION AND LASTED UP TO 6 MONTHS FROM THE START OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SUGGEST BENEFIT WITH AN INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAM. RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO FURTHER VALIDATE THE FINDINGS. 2020 18 739 38 EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION ON THE LIPID PROFILE OF POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. BACKGROUND: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISABILITY AMONG OLDER WOMEN. MODIFICATION IN LIPID PROFILE LOWERS THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT IS CLAIMED THAT YOGA AND TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION HAVE A CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECT. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION OF BRAHMAKUMARIS WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO PRACTICE, ON SERUM LIPIDS IN NORMAL INDIAN WOMEN. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 NORMAL FEMALE VOLUNTEERS WERE THE SUBJECTS. THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO PRE-MENOPAUSAL (N=23) AND POST-MENOPAUSAL (N=26) GROUPS. THEY WERE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO NON-MEDITATORS (WHO HAD NEVER DONE ANY KIND OF MEDITATION), SHORT-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS) AND LONG-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS). LIPID PROFILE WAS ASSESSED USING THEIR RESPECTIVE REAGENT SETS. SERUM CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN NONMEDITATORS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN AS COMPARED TO PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED IN BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM MEDITATORS AS COMPARED TO NON-MEDITATORS IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED IN LIPID PROFILE IN PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONCLUSION: RAJA YOGA MEDITATION LOWERED SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN THUS REDUCING THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN THEM. 2008 19 39 38 A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE LIFESTYLE EDUCATION PROGRAM BASED ON YOGA REDUCES RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION BASED ON YOGA ON SOME OF THE BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS OF RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING (DAY 1) AND END (DAY 10) OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY IS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN OUR INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC). THE IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY WHICH CONDUCTS 8-DAY LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAMS BASED ON YOGA FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE. A NEW COURSE BEGINS EVERY ALTERNATE WEEK OF THE YEAR. SUBJECTS: THE STUDY IS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED ON 98 SUBJECTS (67 MALE, 31 FEMALE), AGES 20-74 YEARS, WHO ATTENDED ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE SUBJECTS WERE A HETEROGENEOUS GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES. INTERVENTION: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, LECTURES AND FILMS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA AND THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND SERUM LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE. THESE VARIABLES WERE DETERMINED IN FASTING BLOOD SAMPLES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. RESULTS: FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL, VERY- LDL CHOLESTEROL, THE RATIO OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL TO HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL, AND TOTAL TRIGLYCERIDES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AND HDL CHOLESTEROL SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, ON THE LAST DAY OF THE COURSE COMPARED TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE CHANGES WERE MORE MARKED IN SUBJECTS WITH HYPERGLYCEMIA OR HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. CONCLUSIONS: THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM LEADS TO FAVORABLE METABOLIC EFFECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 9 DAYS. 2005 20 1328 32 HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL INCREASES FOLLOWING A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION: A NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL MODULATION. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C). METHODS: THIS PROSPECTIVE INTERVENTIONAL STUDY WAS PERFORMED AT THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC), AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY AT ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE, CONDUCTING YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. THE STUDY INCLUDED APPARENTLY HEALTHY NORMAL WEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS WHO UNDERWENT A PRETESTED 10-DAY YOGA-BASED PROGRAMME INCLUDING ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), MEDITATION, GROUP DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHY DIET. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS CHANGE IN SERUM HDL-C AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 0. RESULTS: 238 PARTICIPANTS (147 WOMEN, 91 MEN, 38.81+/-11.40 YEARS) WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HDL-C LEVELS FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (42.93+/-5.00 VS 43.52+/-5.07 MG/DL, P = 0.043). NOTABLY, HDL-C WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN THOSE FOR WHOM THE BASELINE HDL-C LEVELS WERE LOWER THAN THE RECOMMENDED VALUES. ALSO, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN BLOOD PRESSURE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND IMPROVEMENT IN OTHER LIPID PROFILE VARIABLES. CONCLUSION: THIS YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED HDL-C LEVELS IN A SHORT DURATION OF 10 DAYS. THIS HAS ADDITIONAL CLINICAL RELEVANCE AS HDL-C IS SUGGESTED TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST STATISTICALLY INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS. 2014