1 1675 106 OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION & CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: EFFICACY OF A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. OBESITY IS A GLOBAL HEALTH BURDEN AND ITS PREVALENCE IS INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY DUE TO CHANGING LIFESTYLE. CHRONIC ADIPOSITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH METABOLIC IMBALANCE LEADING TO DYSLIPIDAEMIA, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVD). ADIPOSE TISSUE ACTS AS AN ENDOCRINE ORGAN RELEASING SEVERAL ADIPOCYTOKINES, AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED LEVELS OF TISSUE AND CIRCULATING INFLAMMATORY BIOMOLECULES CAUSING VASCULAR INFLAMMATION AND ATHEROGENESIS. FURTHER, INFLAMMATION IS ALSO ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENTLY WITH OBESITY AS WELL AS CVD. KEEPING THIS IN VIEW, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A REDUCTION IN WEIGHT MAY LEAD TO A DECREASE IN INFLAMMATION, RESULTING IN CVD RISK REDUCTION, AND BETTER MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY SEVERAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION APPEARS TO BE A PROMISING OPTION IN REDUCING THE RISK FOR CVD AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD AS IT IS SIMPLE TO FOLLOW AND COST-EFFECTIVE WITH HIGH COMPLIANCE. THE EFFICACY OF SUCH LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES IS MULTIFACETED, AND IS ACHIEVED VIA REDUCTION IN WEIGHT, OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND STRESS, THEREBY CULMINATING INTO RISK REDUCTION TOWARDS SEVERAL CHRONIC DISEASES INCLUDING CVD. IN THIS REVIEW, THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND CVD, AND THE ROLE OF YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CVD ARE DISCUSSED. 2014 2 2416 29 YOGA AND MEDITATION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. YOGA IS A HOLISTIC MIND-BODY INTERVENTION AIMED AT PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL BEING. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA AND/OR MEDITATION CAN CONTROL RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE LIKE HYPERTENSION, TYPE II DIABETES AND INSULIN RESISTANCE, OBESITY, LIPID PROFILE, PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AND SMOKING. SOME RANDOMIZED STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA/MEDITATION COULD RETARD OR EVEN REGRESS EARLY AND ADVANCED CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS. A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION MAY BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IN SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND MAY REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS BY 48% OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. ANOTHER SMALL STUDY SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE HELPFUL IN PREVENTION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS LIKE LACK OF ADEQUATE CONTROLS, SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, INCONSISTENCIES IN BASELINE AND DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES, ETC. AND THEREFORE LARGE TRIALS WITH IMPROVED METHODOLOGIES ARE REQUIRED TO CONFIRM THESE FINDINGS. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING KNOWLEDGE AND YOGA BEING A COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS, IT APPEARS APPROPRIATE TO INCORPORATE YOGA/MEDITATION FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. 2014 3 2196 30 THE EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF YOGA IN MANAGING HYPERTENSION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CAUSES OF PREMATURE MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. YOGA IS A TRADITIONAL INDIAN PRACTICE THAT HAS BEEN ADAPTED FOR USE IN COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND MAINLY INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING TECHNIQUES, AND MEDITATION. THE IMPACT OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTION FOR HYPERTENSION HAS BEEN INVESTIGATED IN A NUMBER OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS; WITH AN OVERALL EFFECT OF ABOUT 10 MMHG REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC AND ABOUT 8 MMHG REDUCTION IN DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. YOGA SEEMS TO BE EFFECTIVE ONLY FOR HYPERTENSION BUT NOT FOR PREHYPERTENSION; AND ONLY AS AN ADJUNCT TO ANTIHYPERTENSIVE PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT BUT NOT AS AN ALTERNATIVE THERAPY. BREATHING AND MEDITATION RATHER THAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY SEEM TO BE THE ACTIVE PART OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. THESE PRACTICES CAN INCREASE PARASYMPATHIC ACTIVITY AND DECREASE SYMPATHETIC ACTIVITY, ARGUABLY MAINLY BY INCREASING GABA ACTIVITY; THUS COUNTERACTING EXCESS ACTIVITY OF THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM WHICH HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH HYPERTENSION. ALTHOUGH YOGA HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS IN SINGLE CASE REPORTS, POPULATION-BASED SURVEYS AS WELL AS CLINICAL TRIALS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS A RELATIVELY SAFE INTERVENTION THAT IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH MORE ADVERSE EVENTS THAN OTHER FORMS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. YOGA CAN THUS BE CONSIDERED A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR MANAGING HYPERTENSION. GIVEN THE POSSIBLY BETTER RISK/BENEFIT RATIO, IT MAY BE ADVISABLE TO FOCUS ON YOGIC MEDITATION AND/OR BREATHING TECHNIQUES. 2016 4 204 27 A REVIEW OF YOGA PROGRAMS FOR FOUR LEADING RISK FACTORS OF CHRONIC DISEASES. YOGA, A FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, IS RAPIDLY GAINING IN POPULARITY AND HAS MANY HEALTH BENEFITS. YET HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS HAVE BEEN SLOW TO RECOGNIZE YOGA FOR ITS ABILITY TO IMPROVE HEALTH CONDITIONS, AND FEW INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED THAT TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ITS BENEFITS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO REVIEW PUBLISHED STUDIES USING YOGA PROGRAMS AND TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON COMMON RISK FACTORS OF CHRONIC DISEASES (OVERWEIGHT, HYPERTENSION, HIGH GLUCOSE LEVEL AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL). A SYSTEMATIC SEARCH YIELDED 32 ARTICLES PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1980 AND APRIL 2007. THE STUDIES FOUND THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE GENERALLY EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING BODY WEIGHT, BLOOD PRESSURE, GLUCOSE LEVEL AND HIGH CHOLESTEROL, BUT ONLY A FEW STUDIES EXAMINED LONG-TERM ADHERENCE. ADDITIONALLY, NOT ENOUGH STUDIES INCLUDED DIVERSE POPULATIONS AT HIGH RISK FOR DIABETES AND ITS RELATED COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS. 2007 5 2454 34 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. METABOLIC SYNDROME (MS) IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SEDENTARY AND STRESSFUL LIFESTYLE AND AFFECTS UNDERACTIVE PEOPLE DISPROPORTIONATELY. YOGA IS CONSIDERED TO BE A LOW-IMPACT MIND-BODY STRESS-RELIEVING EXERCISE, AND RESEARCHERS ARE INCREASING THEIR FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR MANAGING METABOLIC DISORDERS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO UNDERSTAND THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF YOGA INTERVENTION, IN TERMS OF ITS TYPE, DURATION AND FREQUENCY ON VARIOUS MS RISK FACTORS. THE PRESENT REVIEW SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS SUCH AS GLUCOSE HOMEOSTASIS MARKERS, LIPID PROFILE, ADIPOCYTOKINES AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, AND DISCUSSES THE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS OF ACTION. MEDLINE, PUBMED, SCOPUS AND COCHRANE LIBRARY WERE SEARCHED FROM THEIR INCEPTION UP TO DECEMBER 2019, USING THE KEYWORDS "METABOLIC SYNDROME," "DIABETES," "CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES," "OBESITY" AND "YOGA." THE LITERATURE SUMMARIZED IN THIS REVIEW HAVE SHOWN MIXED EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS AND DO NOT PROVIDE ROBUST EVIDENCE FOR ITS EFFICACY. MORE RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND WELL-DESIGNED TRIALS THAT HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD OF METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATE YOGA'S LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON MS ARE NEEDED. UNDERSTANDING YOGA'S BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF ACTION ON VARIOUS METABOLIC PATHWAYS IS ALSO NEEDED. 2021 6 1927 29 ROLE OF YOGA IN CARDIAC DISEASE AND REHABILITATION. PURPOSE: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AROUND THE WORLD. YOGA, A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANA), BREATHING EXERCISES (PRANAYAMA), AND MEDITATION (DHYANA), HAS GAINED INCREASING RECOGNITION AS A FORM OF MIND-BODY EXERCISE. IN THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW, WE INTENDED TO REVIEW THE EMERGING EVIDENCE ASSESSING THE PHYSIOLOGIC AND CLINICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS A COMPONENT OF COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC REHABILITATION. METHODS: WE SEARCHED PUBMED, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, EMBASE, AND COCHRANE DATABASES FOR LITERATURE RELATED TO CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF YOGA FROM INCEPTION UP UNTIL 2017. RESULTS: YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION, STRESS, THE CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND TRADITIONAL AND EMERGING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A USEFUL LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MANAGEMENT ALGORITHMS. ALTHOUGH MANY INVESTIGATORS HAVE REPORTED THE CLINICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA IN REDUCING CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, MORBIDITY, AND MORTALITY, EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THESE CONCLUSIONS IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED, THEREBY EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR LARGE, WELL-DESIGNED RANDOMIZED TRIALS THAT MINIMIZE BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL DRAWBACKS. 2019 7 1661 38 NARRATIVE REVIEW OF YOGA INTERVENTION CLINICAL TRIALS INCLUDING WEIGHT-RELATED OUTCOMES. CONTEXT: MEDICAL AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED OBESITY AS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD), AND MORE BROADLY, OF METABOLIC SYNDROME/INSULIN RESISTANCE SYNDROME. TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN MODIFY THIS RISK FACTOR, RESEARCHERS NEED TO IDENTIFY METHODS OF EFFECTIVE RISK REDUCTION AND PRIMARY PREVENTION OF OBESITY. RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR OBESITY IS LIMITED, AND STUDIES VARY IN OVERALL QUALITY AND METHODOLOGICAL RIGOR. OBJECTIVE: THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW ASSESSED THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF CLINICAL TRIALS OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT LOSS OR AS A MEANS OF RISK REDUCTION OR TREATMENT FOR OBESITY AND DISEASES IN WHICH OBESITY IS A CAUSAL FACTOR. THIS REVIEW SUMMARIZED THE STUDIES' RESEARCH DESIGNS AND EVALUATED THE EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS VIA THE CURRENT EVIDENCE BASE. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM EVALUATED PUBLISHED STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF RESEARCH DESIGNS, COMPARABILITY OF PROGRAMS' INTERVENTION ELEMENTS, AND STANDARDIZATION OF OUTCOME MEASURES. THE RESEARCH TEAM'S LITERATURE SEARCH USED THE KEY TERMS YOGA AND OBESITY OR YOGA AND WEIGHT LOSS IN THREE PRIMARY MEDICAL-LITERATURE DATABASES (PUBMED, PSYCHINFO, AND WEB OF SCIENCE). THE STUDY EXCLUDED CLINICAL TRIALS WITH NO QUANTITATIVE OBESITY RELATED MEASURE. EXTRACTED DATA INCLUDED EACH STUDY'S (1) DESIGN; (2) SETTING AND POPULATION; (3) NATURE, DURATION, AND FREQUENCY OF INTERVENTIONS; (4) COMPARISON GROUPS; (5) RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES; (6) OUTCOME MEASURES; (7) DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION; AND (8) RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. THE RESEARCH TEAM DEVELOPED AN OVERALL EVALUATION PARAMETER TO COMPARE DISPARATE TRIALS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE RESEARCH TEAM REVIEWED EACH STUDY TO DETERMINE ITS KEY FEATURES, EACH WORTH A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF POINTS, WITH A MAXIMUM TOTAL OF 20 POINTS. THE FEATURES INCLUDED A STUDY'S (1) DURATION, (2) FREQUENCY OF YOGA PRACTICE, (3) INTENSITY OF (LENGTH OF) EACH PRACTICE, (4) NUMBER OF YOGIC ELEMENTS, (5) INCLUSION OF DIETARY MODIFICATION, (6) INCLUSION OF A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, (7) THE NUMBER OF WEIGHT-RELATED OUTCOME MEASURES, AND (8) A DISCUSSION OF THE DETAILS OF THE YOGIC ELEMENTS. RESULTS: OVERALL, THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMS ARE FREQUENTLY EFFECTIVE IN PROMOTING WEIGHT LOSS AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY COMPOSITION. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS IS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING KEY FEATURES: (1) AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE; (2) A LONGER INTERVENTION DURATION (3) A YOGIC DIETARY COMPONENT; (4) A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT; (5) THE COMPREHENSIVE INCLUSION OF YOGIC COMPONENTS; (5) AND A HOME-PRACTICE COMPONENT. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA APPEARS TO BE AN APPROPRIATE AND POTENTIALLY SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE, PREVENTION OF OBESITY, AND RISK REDUCTION FOR DISEASES IN WHICH OBESITY PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT CAUSAL ROLE. 2013 8 2516 21 YOGA CLINICAL RESEARCH REVIEW. IN THIS PAPER RECENT RESEARCH IS REVIEWED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSES ON PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, ON PAIN SYNDROMES, CARDIOVASCULAR, AUTOIMMUNE AND IMMUNE CONDITIONS AND ON PREGNANCY. FURTHER, THE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA INCLUDING DECREASED HEARTRATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AND THE PHYSICAL EFFECTS INCLUDING WEIGHT LOSS AND INCREASED MUSCLE STRENGTH ARE REVIEWED. FINALLY, POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS ARE PROPOSED INCLUDING THE STIMULATION OF PRESSURE RECEPTORS LEADING TO ENHANCED VAGAL ACTIVITY AND REDUCED CORTISOL. THE REDUCTION IN CORTISOL, IN TURN, MAY CONTRIBUTE TO POSITIVE EFFECTS SUCH AS ENHANCED IMMUNE FUNCTION AND A LOWER PREMATURITY RATE. 2011 9 2858 28 YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES FROM RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE CARRIES A HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WORLDWIDE, AND EXERCISE-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN SECONDARY PREVENTION. EXERCISE-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES ARE EXPENSIVE, AND IN CERTAIN SUBGROUPS UPTAKE IS POOR. YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO SHOW IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH WHICH WOULD SUPPORT ITS USE IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. WE CARRIED OUT A REVIEW OF CURRENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS TO DETERMINE IF YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION LEADS TO REDUCED CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, AND IMPROVED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE COMPARED TO STANDARD CARE. SIX RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED AFTER A MEDICAL DATABASE SEARCH, AND META-ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT FOR THE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. OVERALL, THE ADDITION OF YOGA TO STANDARD CARE RESULTED IN IMPROVED SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF CARDIAC HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THERE WAS ALSO A TREND TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT IN LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION. IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, MACE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN THIS COHORT HAS STILL TO BE PROVEN, BUT WAS NOT INFERIOR TO STANDARD OR ENHANCED CARE, AND THE BENEFITS BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED AT LONGER FOLLOW-UP. FUTURE STUDIES WITH LONGER FOLLOW-UP AND LARGER PATIENT NUMBERS WOULD AID IN ACCURATELY ASSESSING THE LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF YOGA-BASED REHABILITATION. 2021 10 549 19 CONTEXTUALIZING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT: A REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES A REVIEW OF LITERATURE BOTH TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED THERAPY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND TO EXAMINE THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. FINDINGS FROM THE REVIEW INDICATE THAT YOGA HAS A POSITIVE SHORT-TERM EFFECT ON MULTIPLE DIABETES-RELATED OUTCOMES; HOWEVER, LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT REMAIN UNCLEAR. THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND DISCRIMINATION, INFLUENCES THE ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS SUCH AS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING YOGA PRACTICE. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THIS INFLUENCE. 2008 11 1910 28 RISK INDICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSULIN RESISTANCE SYNDROME, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, AND POSSIBLE PROTECTION WITH YOGA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. OBJECTIVE: TO CONDUCT A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF PUBLISHED LITERATURE REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA, A PROMISING MIND-BODY THERAPY, ON SPECIFIC ANTHROPOMETRIC AND PHYSIOLOGIC INDICES OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) RISK AND ON RELATED CLINICAL ENDPOINTS. METHODS: WE PERFORMED A LITERATURE SEARCH USING 4 COMPUTERIZED ENGLISH AND INDIAN SCIENTIFIC DATABASES. THE SEARCH WAS RESTRICTED TO ORIGINAL STUDIES (1970 TO 2004) EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CVD OR INDICES OF CVD RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE INSULIN RESISTANCE SYNDROME (IRS). RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS (RCTS), NONRANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS, UNCONTROLLED (PRE AND POST) CLINICAL TRIALS, AND CROSS-SECTIONAL (OBSERVATIONAL) STUDIES WERE INCLUDED IF THEY MET SPECIFIC CRITERIA. DATA WERE EXTRACTED REGARDING STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, POPULATION SIZE AND CHARACTERISTICS, INTERVENTION TYPE AND DURATION, COMPARISON GROUP OR CONDITION, OUTCOME ASSESSMENT, DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION, FOLLOW-UP, AND KEY RESULTS, AND THE QUALITY OF EACH STUDY WAS EVALUATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC PREDETERMINED CRITERIA. RESULTS: WE IDENTIFIED 70 ELIGIBLE STUDIES, INCLUDING 1 OBSERVATIONAL STUDY, 26 UNCONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS, 21 NONRANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIALS, AND 22 RCTS. TOGETHER, THE REPORTED RESULTS OF THESE STUDIES INDICATE BENEFICIAL CHANGES OVERALL IN SEVERAL IRS-RELATED INDICES OF CVD RISK, INCLUDING GLUCOSE TOLERANCE AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY, LIPID PROFILES, ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS, BLOOD PRESSURE, OXIDATIVE STRESS, COAGULATION PROFILES, SYMPATHETIC ACTIVATION, AND CARDIOVAGAL FUNCTION, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENT IN SEVERAL CLINICAL ENDPOINTS. CONCLUSIONS: COLLECTIVELY, THESE STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY REDUCE MANY IRS-RELATED RISK FACTORS FOR CVD, MAY IMPROVE CLINICAL OUTCOMES, AND MAY AID IN THE MANAGEMENT OF CVD AND OTHER IRS-RELATED CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, THE METHODOLOGIC AND OTHER LIMITATIONS CHARACTERIZING MOST OF THESE STUDIES PRECLUDE DRAWING FIRM CONCLUSIONS. ADDITIONAL HIGH QUALITY RCTS ARE NEEDED TO CONFIRM AND FURTHER ELUCIDATE THE EFFECTS OF STANDARDIZED YOGA PROGRAMS ON SPECIFIC INDICES OF CVD RISK AND RELATED CLINICAL ENDPOINTS. 2005 12 2025 23 SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS TO PROMOTE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN OLDER ADULTS. THE BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ARE WELL ESTABLISHED, YET FEW OLDER ADULTS ENGAGE IN ADEQUATE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO OPTIMIZE HEALTH. WHILE YOGA MAY REDUCE THE RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, FEW STUDIES HAVE FOCUSED ON THE EFFICACY OF YOGA-BASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY TO PROMOTE CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH IN OLDER ADULTS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS REVIEW IS TO PROVIDE AN EVALUATION OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN OLDER ADULTS. FOUR DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN OLDER ADULTS. STUDIES WITH CARDIOVASCULAR OUTCOMES WERE INCLUDED. LITERATURE SEARCHES IDENTIFIED NINE ARTICLES ELIGIBLE FOR REVIEW. SIGNIFICANT HEALTH BENEFITS WERE REPORTED, INCLUDING FAVORABLE CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE, BODY COMPOSITION, GLUCOSE, AND LIPIDS. YOGA PRACTICES, PARTICIPANT CHARACTERISTICS, AND OUTCOME MEASURES WERE VARIABLE. THERE WAS LIMITED USE OF THEORY. YOGA IS SAFE AND FEASIBLE IN OLDER ADULTS; ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EXAMINE THE SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS ESSENTIAL TO REDUCING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK. 2016 13 2834 28 YOGA'S EFFECT ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION - A CONTROLLED TRIAL IN PRIMARY CARE. BACKGROUND: YOGA CAN REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE AND HAS ALSO BEEN SUGGESTED TO REDUCE INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDS). WE AIMED TO ASSESS THE BENEFIT OF TWO YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN A HIGH RISK POPULATION IN PRIMARY CARE. METHODS: ADULT PATIENTS FROM A HEALTH CARE CENTER IN SWEDEN, WITH DIAGNOSED HYPERTENSION, WERE INVITED TO UNDERGO A BASELINE CHECK AT THE HEALTH CARE CENTER. BASELINE CHECK INCLUDED STANDARDIZED BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENT, BMI AND WEIGHT CIRCUMFERENCE MEASUREMENTS, BLOOD SAMPLING (HS-CRP, IL-6, FP-GLUCOSE, HBA1C, CHOLESTEROL, TG, LDL AND HDL) AND A QUESTIONNAIRE ON SELF-RATED QUALITY OF LIFE (WHOQOL-BREF). THERE WERE THREE GROUPS: 1) YOGA CLASS WITH YOGA INSTRUCTOR; 2) YOGA AT HOME; AND 3) A CONTROL GROUP. IN TOTAL, 83 PATIENTS WERE INCLUDED AND MATCHED AT THE GROUP LEVEL FOR SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. A MAJORITY OF THE PATIENTS (92 %) WERE ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION, WHICH THEY WERE REQUESTED NOT TO CHANGE DURING THE STUDY. AFTER 12 WEEKS OF INTERVENTION, THE ASSESSMENTS WERE PERFORMED AGAIN. RESULTS: WE RECORDED NO EVIDENCE THAT YOGA ALTERED INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS IN OUR STUDY POPULATION. A TOTAL OF 49 PARTICIPANTS (59 %) MET THE CRITERIA FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME. CONCLUSION: THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS PERFORMED IN OUR STUDY DID NOT AFFECT INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS OR METABOLIC RISK FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH CVD IN THE STUDY POPULATION OF PRIMARY CARE PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. FURTHER RANDOMIZED TRIALS ARE NEEDED TO ELUCIDATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON CVD RISK FACTORS IN THIS PARTICULAR GROUP. TRAIL REGISTRATION: NCT01302535 , FEBRUARY 22, 2011. 2015 14 1185 36 EVIDENCE BASE OF YOGA STUDIES ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS. NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES INCLUDING CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE CONTRIBUTE TO APPROXIMATELY 50% OF GLOBAL MORTALITY. PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENT ALONE MAY NOT BE A PANACEA FOR SUCH DISEASES SINCE IT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS OTHER ADVERSE EFFECTS. HENCE, STRATEGIES SUCH AS YOGA INVOLVING HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND STRESS MANAGEMENT ARE WIDELY SOUGHT BY THE PATIENT POPULATION. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AN ELECTRONIC SEARCH OF PUBMED AS A STANDARD BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE WAS PERFORMED THROUGH FEBRUARY 2015 USING THE KEYWORDS "YOGA" AND "CARDIOVASCULAR." STUDIES WITH YOGA AS THE INDEPENDENT VARIABLE AND PARAMETERS RELATED TO CARDIAC HEALTH AS THE DEPENDENT VARIABLE WERE INCLUDED AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA WERE APPLIED. RESULTS: A TOTAL OF 149 PUBLICATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED WHICH MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA FOR ANALYSIS. OF THE TOTAL PUBLICATIONS, 44% WERE CLINICAL TRIALS OF WHICH 19% WERE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS WHICH MAY BE CATEGORIZED AS HIGH-QUALITY ONES. AN UPWARD TREND IN THE OVERALL RESEARCH IN THIS AREA IS EVIDENT. MAJOR WORK HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY RESEARCHERS OF THE UNITED STATES (38%) AND INDIA (29%). CONCLUSION: THE SURVEY INDICATES THAT THE NUMBER OF PUBLICATIONS IN THE FIELD OF "YOGA" AND "CARDIOVASCULAR" HEALTH HAS INCREASED RAPIDLY IN THE LATE YEARS. ANALYSIS COMPRISING THE NATION/STATE HELPS DEFINE ITS STATUS WITH REGARD TO ITS COUNTERPARTS AND HELPS UNDERSTAND SCIENCE PRIORITIES AND DISEASE CONTROL STRATEGIES IN AN EFFORT TO PROVIDE COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND QUALITY CONTROL. THERE IS A NEED FOR FURTHER HIGH-QUALITY STUDIES IN THE FIELD OF "YOGA" AND "CARDIOVASCULAR" DISEASES TO VALIDATE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON HEALTH PARAMETERS. 2019 15 1552 26 LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY II (LIMBS): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF A 24 WEEK STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM VERSUS LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AFFECTING 68 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS THE MOVEMENT BASED MIND BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. WE COMPLETED A PILOT STUDY IN 2009 WHICH SHOWED MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS AFTER A 12 WEEK PERIOD OF YOGA PARTICIPATION. BASED ON DATA FROM OUR PILOT STUDY WE ARE NOW COMPLETING THE LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY (LIMBS II) WHICH IS A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY AND ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE IN PRE-HYPERTENSIVE AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS. USING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING, LIMBS II AIMS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION IN SUBJECTS RANDOMIZED FOR 24 WEEKS TO ONE OF THE THREE FOLLOWING GROUPS: YOGA THERAPY VERSUS BLOOD PRESSURE EDUCATION PROGRAM (SODIUM RESTRICTION AND WALKING PROGRAM) VERSUS A COMBINATION PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES COMPONENTS OF BOTH GROUPS. LIMBS II WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE IMPACT THAT CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE LIMBS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF YOGA THERAPY COMBINED WITH ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION WILL RESULT IN CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND THUS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH PREHYPERTENSION AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. 2013 16 2923 22 [WHERE AND HOW DOES YOGA WORK? - A SCIENTIFIC OVERVIEW]. AS A TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM, YOGA COMBINES PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BREATHING TECHNIQUES AND MEDITATION. IT IS INCREASINGLY USED AS A PREVENTIVE OR THERAPEUTIC MEANS. YOGA HAS BEEN RESEARCHED IN HUNDREDS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS. POSITIVE EFFECTS ARE ESPECIALLY FOUND FOR CHRONIC PAIN CONDITIONS, HYPERTENSION, DEPRESSION AND IN SUPPORTIVE CANCER CARE. WHILE THERE ARE CASE REPORTS OF SERIOUS ADVERSE EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA, THE RISK SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY LOW AND COMPARABLE TO OTHER FORMS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. YOGA CAN THUS BE CONSIDERED AS A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE ADJUNCT THERAPY FOR A NUMBER OF CONDITIONS. 2017 17 1407 22 IMPACT OF YOGA ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. BACKGROUND: MANY CHRONIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING HEART DISEASE, CANCER, AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS, ARE ASSOCIATED WITH UNDERLYING CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY PROCESSES. LITERATURE REVIEWS HAVE ANALYZED A VARIETY OF INTEGRATIVE THERAPIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHRONIC INFLAMMATION. THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW IS UNIQUE IN REPORTING SOLELY ON YOGA'S RELATIONSHIP WITH INFLAMMATION. ITS PURPOSE WAS TO SYNTHESIZE CURRENT LITERATURE EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS IN ADULTS WITH CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY-RELATED DISORDERS. METHOD: SEARCHES OF SEVERAL ELECTRONIC DATABASES WERE CONDUCTED. INCLUSION CRITERIA WERE (A) ENGLISH LANGUAGE, (B) SAMPLE AGE >18 YEARS OLD, (C) YOGA INTERVENTIONS INVOLVING POSTURES WITH OR WITHOUT YOGA BREATHING AND/OR MEDITATION, AND (D) MEASURED INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS. RESULTS: THE FINAL REVIEW INCLUDED 15 PRIMARY STUDIES. OF THESE, SEVEN WERE RATED AS EXCELLENT AND EIGHT AS AVERAGE OR FAIR. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE VARIABILITY IN YOGA TYPES, COMPONENTS, FREQUENCY, SESSION LENGTH, INTERVENTION DURATION, AND INTENSITY. THE MOST COMMON BIOMARKERS MEASURED WERE INTERLEUKIN-6 ( N = 11), C-REACTIVE PROTEIN ( N = 10), AND TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR ( N = 8). MOST STUDIES REPORTED POSITIVE EFFECTS ON INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS ( N = 11) FROM BASELINE TO POST YOGA INTERVENTION. ANALYSIS OF THE DOSE SHOWED HIGHER TOTAL DOSE (>1,000 MIN) RESULTED IN GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN INFLAMMATION. CONCLUSION: THIS REVIEW SUGGESTS THAT YOGA CAN BE A VIABLE INTERVENTION TO REDUCE INFLAMMATION ACROSS A MULTITUDE OF CHRONIC CONDITIONS. FUTURE STUDIES WITH DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS, MEASUREMENT OF NEW AND WELL-ESTABLISHED INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS, AND LARGER SAMPLE SIZES ARE WARRANTED TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE AND CORROBORATE RESULTS. 2019 18 1936 26 ROLE OF YOGA IN THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF VARIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES AND THEIR RISK FACTORS: A COMPREHENSIVE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE-BASED REVIEW. CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVDS) ARE A GROUP OF DISORDERS OF THE HEART AND BLOOD VESSELS. CVDS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATHS WORLDWIDE. THOUGH YOGA IS GAINING POPULARITY AS A THERAPY, ESPECIALLY IN CVD PATIENTS, THERE IS A LACK OF A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW REPORTING ITS ROLE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VARIOUS CVDS AND THEIR RISK FACTORS. THUS, WE PERFORMED A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE SEARCH IN THE PUBMED/MEDLINE ELECTRONIC DATABASE. AN AGGREGATE OF 603 ARTICLES PUBLISHED FROM INCEPTION WERE SCREENED AND 85 ARTICLES THAT ARE APPLICABLE WERE REPORTED. THIS REVIEW SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY PLAY A ROLE AS AN ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF VARIOUS CVDS AND THEIR RISK FACTORS. HOWEVER, MANY STUDIES HAD A SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, DIFFERENT TYPES AND DURATIONS OF THE YOGA INTERVENTIONS, AND DID NOT PROVIDE THE DETAILS OF MECHANISMS BEHIND THE IMPROVEMENTS. THUS, FURTHER STUDIES ARE WARRANTED TO EXPLORE THE MECHANISMS OF THE IMPACTS OF YOGA. 2020 19 784 24 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING. YOGA IS ASSUMING IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE TREATMENT OF A NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED STUDY TO EXPLORE THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. NORMAL HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND SUBJECTS HAVING HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS OR A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE 'SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING INVENTORY' (SUBI) SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE INVENTORY CONSISTS OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO ONE'S FEELINGS AND ATTITUDE ABOUT VARIOUS AREAS OF LIFE, SUCH AS HAPPINESS, ACHIEVEMENT AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE 77 SUBJECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS AS COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THESE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM LEADS TO REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE SUBJECTS AND CAN THEREFORE MAKE AN APPRECIABLE CONTRIBUTION TO PRIMARY PREVENTION AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF LIFESTYLE DISEASES. 2008 20 783 30 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY. CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE EXISTS FOR THE PLACE OF MIND BODY MEDICINE IN THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY DISORDERS. EXCESSIVE ANXIETY IS MALADAPTIVE. IT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE PATHOGENESIS OF NOT ONLY PSYCHIATRIC BUT ALSO MANY OTHER SYSTEMIC DISORDERS. AMONG THE APPROACHES TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY HAS BEEN THE SEARCH FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON ANXIETY LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. THE STUDY WAS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC) AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES. THE SUBJECTS HAD HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, OBESITY, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS (DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, 'STRESS'), GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS (NON ULCER DYSPEPSIA, DUODENAL ULCERS, IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE, CROHN'S DISEASE, CHRONIC CONSTIPATION) AND THYROID DISORDERS (HYPERTHYROIDISM AND HYPOTHYROIDISM). THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, AND LECTURES AND FILMS ON PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA, THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANXIETY SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. ANXIETY SCORES, BOTH STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. AMONG THE DISEASED SUBJECTS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT WAS SEEN IN THE ANXIETY LEVELS OF PATIENTS OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, OBESITY, CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS AND THOSE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT LEADS TO REMARKABLE REDUCTION IN THE ANXIETY SCORES WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS. 2006