1 1913 132 ROLE OF BREATHING EXERCISES IN ASTHMA-YOGA AND PRANAYAMA. ASTHMA IS A CHRONIC AIRWAY INFLAMMATORY DISEASE THAT RESULTS FROM A COMPLEX INTERPLAY OF GENETIC, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND LIFESTYLE FACTORS. THERE IS NO CURE FOR ASTHMA, AND THE MANAGEMENT IS USUALLY AS PER PUBLISHED GUIDELINES. AS IN MANY CHRONIC DISEASES CONDITIONS, VARIOUS ALTERNATIVE OR COMPLIMENTARY THERAPIES HAVE BEEN TRIED. OF THESE, YOGA AND PRANAYAMA HAVE GAINED WIDER ATTENTION IN RECENT YEARS. WHILE THE TERM YOGA IS A COMPLEX TERM ENCOMPASSING EIGHT LIMBS AS PER PATAMJAI IN THE YOGA SUTRAS, IN SIMPLE TERMS, YOGA IS DESCRIBED AS A COMBINATION OF 'ASANA' (PHYSICAL EXERCISES) AND 'PRANAYAMA' (BREATHING EXERCISE). THE TERM "ASTHMA" HAS BEEN DERIVED FROM THE GREEK WORD "PANTING,", WHICH INDICATES A RAPID AND SHALLOW BREATHING. THE MAIN AIM OF YOGA AND PRANAYAMA IN ASTHMA IS TO SYNCHRONIZE AND CONTROL BREATHING, THUS DECREASING HYPERVENTILATION. BESIDES THIS, THEY ALSO DECREASE THE STRESS/STRAIN/ANXIETY, CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR, BOOST IMMUNITY, AND IMPROVE STRENGTH/ENDURANCE OF RESPIRATORY MUSCLES THAT ARE HELPFUL IN ANY SUBJECT WITH ASTHMA. THERE HAVE BEEN A GOOD NUMBER OF STUDIES INCLUDING CLINICAL TRIALS IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA THAT HAVE FOUND SOME BENEFICIAL EFFECTS. IN THE PRESENT REVIEW, THE PHYSIOLOGY OF YOGA AND PRANAYAMA, RATIONALE FOR THEIR USE IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA ALONG WITH A SUMMARY OF VARIOUS STUDIES CONDUCTED TILL DATE, HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED. THESE ARE FOLLOWED BY RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THEIR INCORPORATION IN THE STANDARD OF CARE OF CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA. 2022 2 406 35 BIOLOGICAL MARKERS FOR THE EFFECTS OF YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. FROM THE LAST FEW DECADES, THERE ARE INCREASING INCIDENCES OF DISORDERS LIKE PREMATURE AGING, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS, FIBROMYALGIA, AND ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE IN ADDITION TO MEDICATION, RESEARCHERS HAVE FOUND THAT YOGA, A MIND-BODY THERAPY, CAN BE USED AS AN ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. YOGA COMBINES SPECIFIC PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING TECHNIQUES, RELAXATION AND MEDITATION THAT IMPROVE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE BODY. THE PURPOSE OF THIS REVIEW IS TO COLLATE THE RESEARCH EVIDENCES CLAIMING HEALTH BENEFITS OF PERFORMING TRADITIONAL YOGIC PRACTICES. WHAT ARE THE BIOLOGICAL AND OTHER RELIABLE INDICATORS TO SUGGEST THAT DOING ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, AND MEDITATION COULD REDUCE OR TREAT WIDE RANGE OF LIFE STYLE DISORDERS ARE DISCUSSED. IMPORTANTLY, THESE INDICATORS ARE OTHERWISE USED TO ASSESS THE SEVERITY OF DISORDERS. IN MANY OF THE STUDY IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT YOGA IMPROVES THE REDOX HEALTH OF BODY WHOSE IMBALANCE HAS BEEN WELL PROVEN TO CAUSE MANY HEALTH COMPLICATIONS. THE IMPACT OF YOGA ON NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES HAVE REVEALED THAT IT REVERSES MEMORY LOSS, REDUCE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND STRESS, THE BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS OF DISEASE. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS AND THEREFORE FURTHER RESEARCH INTO YOGA IS NEEDED TO VALIDATE THESE FINDINGS. 2019 3 1587 27 MEDICAL YOGA THERAPY. MEDICAL YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE USE OF YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS. BEYOND THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, WHICH ARE IMPORTANT AND EFFECTIVE FOR STRENGTHENING THE BODY, MEDICAL YOGA ALSO INCORPORATES APPROPRIATE BREATHING TECHNIQUES, MINDFULNESS, AND MEDITATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE MAXIMUM BENEFITS. MULTIPLE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN POSITIVELY IMPACT THE BODY IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING HELPING TO REGULATE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, IMPROVE MUSCULOSKELETAL AILMENTS AND KEEPING THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN TUNE. IT ALSO HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS, AS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA CAN HELP TO INCREASE MENTAL ENERGY AND POSITIVE FEELINGS, AND DECREASE NEGATIVE FEELINGS OF AGGRESSIVENESS, DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. 2017 4 2429 33 YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE - A REVIEW AND COMPARISON. YOGA IS A MULTIFACETED SPIRITUAL TOOL WITH ENHANCED HEALTH AND WELL-BEING AS ONE OF ITS POSITIVE EFFECTS. THE COMPONENTS OF YOGA WHICH ARE VERY COMMONLY APPLIED FOR HEALTH BENEFITS ARE ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (REGULATED BREATHING) AND MEDITATION. IN THE CONTEXT OF ASANAS, YOGA RESEMBLES MORE OF A PHYSICAL EXERCISE, WHICH MAY LEAD TO THE PERCEPTION THAT YOGA IS ANOTHER KIND OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE. THIS ARTICLE AIMS AT EXPLORING THE COMMONALITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOGA AND PHYSICAL EXERCISE IN TERMS OF CONCEPTS, POSSIBLE MECHANISMS AND EFFECTIVENESS FOR HEALTH BENEFITS. A NARRATIVE REVIEW IS UNDERTAKEN BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE FOR YOGA, ALONG WITH SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES AVAILABLE ON YOGA AND EXERCISE INCLUDING HEAD-TO-HEAD COMPARATIVE TRIALS WITH HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS AND PATIENTS WITH VARIOUS DISEASE CONDITIONS. PHYSICAL EXERCISES AND THE PHYSICAL COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICES HAVE SEVERAL SIMILARITIES, BUT ALSO IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA INTERVENTIONS APPEAR TO BE EQUAL AND/OR SUPERIOR TO EXERCISE IN MOST OUTCOME MEASURES. EMPHASIS ON BREATH REGULATION, MINDFULNESS DURING PRACTICE, AND IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO MAINTENANCE OF POSTURES ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS WHICH DIFFERENTIATE YOGA PRACTICES FROM PHYSICAL EXERCISES. 2016 5 2908 17 [PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES]. PREVENTION OF ADDICTIVE DISEASES SHOULD BE COMPLEX AND SYSTEMATIC AND IT SHOULD INCLUDE TRAINING OF SOCIAL SKILLS, DECISION-MAKING SKILLS, FAMILY INTERVENTION, ETC. SIMILARLY, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT IS USUALLY LONG-TERM, SYSTEMATIC AND COMPLEX. PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND YOGA CAN BE USEFUL COMPONENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT PROGRAMMES. ON THE OTHER HAND, COMPETITIVE PROFESSIONAL SPORT RATHER INCREASES THE NUMBER OF RISK FACTORS FOR SUBSTANCE-RELATED PROBLEMS. PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE USE OF YOGA IN SUBSTANCE DEPENDENT PATIENTS AND PATHOLOGICAL GAMBLES ARE MENTIONED. ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF YOGA IS THE INTEGRATION OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE AND RELAXATION. 2005 6 2061 37 THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN CHILDREN. THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM STRESS AND ANXIETY IN MALAYSIA IS ON THE RISE. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT MIND-BODY THERAPIES SUCH AS MINDFULNESS THERAPY, MEDITATION AND YOGA HAVE BEEN PRACTICED IN MANY OTHER COUNTRIES TO REDUCE AND/OR MANAGE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY. THIS REVIEW ARTICLE LOOKS AT THE INTERVENTION OF YOGA AS A MEDITATIVE MOVEMENT PRACTICE IN HELPING SCHOOL CHILDREN MANAGE STRESS AND ANXIETY. ARTICLES WERE RETRIEVED USING A COMBINATION OF DATABASES INCLUDING PUBMED/MEDLINE, AND PSYCINFO. NOT ONLY PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES, BUT ALSO THOSE WRITTEN IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE WERE INCLUDED IN THIS REVIEW. ALL STUDIES REVIEWED HAD INCORPORATED SOME FORM OF MEDITATIVE MOVEMENT EXERCISE. THE INTERVENTION ENCOMPASSED ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (EXPANSION OF LIFE FORCE), DHARANA (CONCENTRATION) AND DHYANA (MEDITATION), WHICH ARE THE DIFFERENT PATHS IN YOGA. A TOTAL OF EIGHT ARTICLES MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA AND WERE REVIEWED. THE FINDINGS OF THIS REVIEW REVEAL THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA HAS BROUGHT ABOUT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IMPROVEMENT IN MANAGING AND REDUCING STRESS AND ANXIETY. DESPITE THE LIMITATIONS IN MOST, IF NOT ALL OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED, IN TERMS OF HETEROGENEITY AND SAMPLE SIZE, YOGA APPEARS TO BE AN EFFECTIVE MODALITY FOR HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH STRESS AND ANXIETY. IT APPEARS THAT IF SCHOOLS IN MALAYSIA CAN INCORPORATE YOGA AS PART OF THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION CURRICULUM, IT WILL DEFINITELY BENEFIT THE STUDENTS. 2018 7 2923 28 [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 8 646 36 DOES YOGA THERAPY REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION?: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW. THE AIM OF THIS ARTICLE WAS TO PRESENT A EVIDENCE-BASED INTEGRATIVE RESEARCH REVIEW THAT VALIDATES YOGA THERAPY AS AN EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE (BP). THE ARTICLE ALSO USES THE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK OF DR HANS SELYE'S GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME. YOGA RESEARCHERS DEMONSTRATE THAT YOGA WORKS BECAUSE IT MODULATES THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEM OF THE BODY, SPECIFICALLY ITS EFFECT ON THE HEART RATE. THIS REVIEW IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE YOGA PRESENTS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD OF TREATING HYPERTENSION THAT IS NONPHARMACOLOGIC AND THEREFORE THERE ARE NO ADVERSE EFFECTS AND THERE ARE OTHER VALUABLE HEALTH BENEFITS. RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT STRESS IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO HIGH BP; HENCE, THE USE OF THE GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTRIBUTE OF YOGA, THAT IS, IT IS A PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISE PROGRAM, THAT IS IN SYNC WITH THE PHILOSOPHY OF HOLISTIC NURSING CARE WHERE ONE TREATS THE WHOLE INDIVIDUAL AND NOT JUST THE DISEASE. THE REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH A SEARCH OF COMPUTERIZED DATABASES SUCH AS OVID, ACADEMIC SEARCH PREMIER, CINAHL, MEDLINE, AND HEALTH SOURCE: NURSING/ACADEMIC EDITION, PSYCHINFO, AS WELL AS RELIABLE WEB SITES SUCH AS THE CDC.GOV, AMONG OTHERS. AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED, AND 10 STUDIES MET THE INCLUSION CRITERIA. THEY INCLUDE A COMBINATION OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS, QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES, AND PILOT STUDIES. YOGA THERAPY IS A MULTIFUNCTIONAL EXERCISE MODALITY WITH NUMEROUS BENEFITS. NOT ONLY DOES YOGA REDUCE HIGH BP BUT IT HAS ALSO BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO EFFECTIVELY REDUCE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVEL, CHOLESTEROL LEVEL, AND BODY WEIGHT, MAJOR PROBLEMS AFFECTING THE AMERICAN SOCIETY. THE COMPLETED INTEGRATIVE REVIEW PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR NURSING IMPLEMENTATION AS A COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT OF HIGH BP. 2012 9 1834 30 PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF HATHA YOGA ON MUSCULOSKELETAL AND CARDIOPULMONARY FUNCTION: A LITERATURE REVIEW. YOGA HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN WESTERN CULTURES AS A MEANS OF EXERCISE AND FITNESS TRAINING; HOWEVER, IT IS STILL DEPICTED AS TRENDY AS EVIDENCED BY AN APRIL 2001 TIME MAGAZINE COVER STORY ON "THE POWER OF YOGA." THERE IS A NEED TO HAVE YOGA BETTER RECOGNIZED BY THE HEALTH CARE COMMUNITY AS A COMPLEMENT TO CONVENTIONAL MEDICAL CARE. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, A GROWING NUMBER OF RESEARCH STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT THE PRACTICE OF HATHA YOGA CAN IMPROVE STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY, AND MAY HELP CONTROL SUCH PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES AS BLOOD PRESSURE, RESPIRATION AND HEART RATE, AND METABOLIC RATE TO IMPROVE OVERALL EXERCISE CAPACITY. THIS REVIEW PRESENTS A SUMMARY OF MEDICALLY SUBSTANTIATED INFORMATION ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE AND FOR PEOPLE COMPROMISED BY MUSCULOSKELETAL AND CARDIOPULMONARY DISEASE. 2002 10 1218 31 EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE FINDINGS OF SELECTED ARTICLES REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. AS PARTICIPATION RATES IN MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOGA CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOGA AND THE EVIDENCE OF ITS MANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THUS, THIS MANUSCRIPT PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AS IT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN VARIOUS POPULATIONS CONCERNING A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AILMENTS AND CONDITIONS. THERAPEUTIC YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE APPLICATION OF YOGA POSTURES AND PRACTICE TO THE TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND INVOLVES INSTRUCTION IN YOGIC PRACTICES AND TEACHINGS TO PREVENT REDUCE OR ALLEVIATE STRUCTURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PAIN, SUFFERING OR LIMITATIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY SHOW THAT YOGIC PRACTICES ENHANCE MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND BODY FLEXIBILITY, PROMOTE AND IMPROVE RESPIRATORY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTION, REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CHRONIC PAIN, IMPROVE SLEEP PATTERNS, AND ENHANCE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 2011 11 1051 27 EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BRAIN WAVES AND STRUCTURAL ACTIVATION: A REVIEW. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THE VAST MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA. YOGA PRACTICE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO SUBCATEGORIES THAT INCLUDE POSTURE-HOLDING EXERCISE (ASANA), BREATHING (PRANAYAMA, KRIYA), AND MEDITATION (SAHAJ) PRACTICE. STUDIES MEASURING MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES HAVE SHOWN DECREASES IN ANXIETY, AND INCREASES IN COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE AFTER YOGA INTERVENTIONS. SIMILAR STUDIES HAVE ALSO SHOWN COGNITIVE ADVANTAGES AMONGST YOGA PRACTITIONERS VERSUS NON-PRACTITIONERS. THE MENTAL HEALTH AND COGNITIVE BENEFITS OF YOGA ARE EVIDENT, BUT THE PHYSIOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN THE BRAIN THAT LEAD TO THIS REMAIN A TOPIC THAT LACKS CONSENSUS. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE AND REVIEW EXISTING LITERATURE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BRAIN WAVES AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND ACTIVATION. AFTER A NARROWED SEARCH THROUGH A SET OF SPECIFIC INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA, 15 ARTICLES WERE USED IN THIS REVIEW. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT BREATHING, MEDITATION, AND POSTURE-BASED YOGA INCREASED OVERALL BRAIN WAVE ACTIVITY. INCREASES IN GRAYGRAY MATTER ALONG WITH INCREASES IN AMYGDALA AND FRONTAL CORTEX ACTIVATION WERE EVIDENT AFTER A YOGA INTERVENTION. YOGA PRACTICE MAY BE AN EFFECTIVE ADJUNCTIVE TREATMENT FOR A CLINICAL AND HEALTHY AGING POPULATION. FURTHER RESEARCH CAN EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF SPECIFIC BRANCHES OF YOGA ON A DESIGNATED CLINICAL POPULATION. 2015 12 514 25 COMPARING AEROBIC EXERCISE WITH YOGA IN ANXIETY REDUCTION: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW. ANXIETY IS A COMMON MENTAL HEALTH DISORDER THAT AFFECTS MANY AMERICANS YET OFTEN GOES UNRECOGNIZED OR UNDERTREATED. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO REVIEW THE CURRENT LITERATURE TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING WHICH ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLIMENTARY THERAPY, AEROBIC EXERCISE OR YOGA, IS MOST BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING ANXIETY SYMPTOMS. THE LITERATURE SEARCH PROCESS RESULTED IN A TOTAL OF 14 ARTICLES INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW. RESULTS INDICATE THAT YOGA IS MORE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING ANXIETY SYMPTOMS THAN AEROBIC EXERCISE. HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP RECOMMEND AN ALTERNATIVE FORM OF THERAPY FOR PATIENTS. 2022 13 1083 33 EFFECTS OF YOGA ON STRESS AMONG HEALTHY ADULTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. BACKGROUND: YOGA WAS RECOMMENDED IN BOTH CLINICAL AND NONCLINICAL POPULATIONS AS THERAPY METHODS. THE DIVERSITY OF YOGA PRACTICE AS A THERAPY METHOD HAS RARELY BEEN DISCUSSED AND IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ADDRESS THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON STRESS. PRIMARY STUDY OBJECTIVE: THIS ARTICLE AIMS TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF YOGA ON STRESS IN HEALTHY POPULATION. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE AUTHORS INTENDED TO FIGURE OUT YOGA EFFECTS ON STRESS SYSTEMATICALLY. METHODS/DESIGN: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW WAS CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY ARTICLES THAT ASSESS THE EFFECT OF YOGA AND YOGA-RELATED INTERVENTIONS ON STRESS REDUCTION IN NONCLINICAL POPULATIONS. STUDIES WERE CLASSIFIED ACCORDING TO THE LENGTH OF THE INTERVENTION, YOGA TYPE, AND MEASURES OF OUTCOME. THE STUDIES WERE SELECTED THROUGHOUT LAST 5 YEARS (JANUARY 2014 TO NOVEMBER 2018) BY USING THE KEY SEARCHING TERM YOGA AND STRESS INCORPORATION WITH TENSION AND PRESSURE. THE SELECTION PROCESS FOLLOWED THE PRISMA FLOW DIAGRAM. RESULTS: TOTALLY, 12 ARTICLES ELABORATING ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA OR YOGA-RELATED INTERVENTIONS ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND REMISSION WERE INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW. THIS REVIEW INCLUDED VARIOUS TYPES OF YOGA PRACTICE (E.G., HATHA YOGA, BIKRAM YOGA, KUNDALINI YOGA, SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA, KRIPALU YOGA, YIN YOGA). A TIME SPECTRUM WAS CONDUCTED FROM 4 WKS TO 28 WKS. THIS REVIEW REVEALED THAT MOST TYPES OF YOGA HAVE POSITIVE EFFECTS ON STRESS REDUCTION IN HEATHY POPULATIONS. CONCLUSION: FURTHER STUDIES ARE RECOMMENDED TO EXAMINE THE LONG-TERM EFFECT OF YOGA AND UNDERLYING PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS CAUSING STRESS AND MENTAL RESTRAIN. IN ADDITION, IT IS SUGGESTED TO CONSIDER AGE AS A RISK FACTOR AFFECTING THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON STRESS. 2020 14 2292 26 THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. PURPOSE: WE COMPLETED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PHYSICAL OUTCOME MEASURES IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION. WE EXPLORED VARIOUS DATABASES AND INCLUDED CASE-CONTROL AND PILOT STUDIES, COHORT AND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS THAT EXAMINED YOGA AS AN EXERCISE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: USING THE SACKETT LEVELS OF EVIDENCE, THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE LITERATURE ON YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY MIND-BODY MOVEMENT THERAPY. WE ADDRESS THE RESEARCH THROUGH THREE PRACTICE PATTERNS ACCORDING TO THE GUIDE TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE AND PROVIDE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE INCLUSION OF YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE. STATEMENT OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: THE EVIDENCE SHOWS PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION THAT MAY BENEFIT CHILDREN THROUGH THE REHABILITATION PROCESS, BUT LARGER CLINICAL TRIALS, INCLUDING SPECIFIC MEASURES OF QUALITY OF LIFE ARE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE. 2008 15 2670 24 YOGA IN PREGNANCY. YOGA IS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE THAT ENCOMPASSES A SYSTEM OF POSTURES (ASANA), DEEP BREATHING (PRANAYAMA), AND MEDITATION. OVER 36 MILLION AMERICANS PRACTICE YOGA OF WHICH THE MAJORITY ARE REPRODUCTIVE-AGED WOMEN. LITERATURE TO SUPPORT THIS PRACTICE IS LIMITED, ALBEIT ON THE RISE. A PRENATAL YOGA PRACTICE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BENEFIT WOMEN WHO SUFFER FROM ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, STRESS, LOW BACK PAIN, AND SLEEP DISTURBANCES. A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES THAT ALSO DEMONSTRATE AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUTCOMES. THE SAFETY OF PERFORMING YOGA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PREGNANCY AND FETAL TOLERANCE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED. 2016 16 366 26 ASTHMA: THE YOGA PERSPECTIVE. PART I. THE SOMATOPSYCHIC IMBALANCE IN ASTHMA: TOWARDS A HOLISTIC THERAPY. WHILE THE STANDARD PHYSIOLOGICAL AND EVEN CERTAIN PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ASTHMATIC PATIENTS ARE WELL KNOWN, THE CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC AND THERAPEUTIC APPROACH TO ASTHMA REMAINS INADEQUATE, AS IT NEGLECTS CERTAIN INTERRELATED SOMATOPSYCHIC FACTORS VITAL TO AN OPTIMAL DIAGNOSTIC-THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMME. THESE INCLUDE THE ROLE OF SKELETAL MUSCLE TENSION AND POSTURE, THE ROLE OF THE 'VOLUNTARY' RESPIRATORY MUSCULATURE, ESPECIALLY THE DIAPHRAGM, AS WELL AS ANXIETY, EMOTIONAL SUPPRESSION AND EXCESSIVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, ALL OF WHICH MAY BE PRECIPITANTS RATHER THAN THE OUTCOME OF THE ONSET OF ASTHMA. ON THE BASIS OF THESE NEGLECTED FACTORS AND OTHERS, IMPLICATIONS FOR AN OPTIMALLY EFFECTIVE THERAPY ARE DISCUSSED. THE PHYSICAL MEDICINE OR PHYSIOTHERAPEUTIC, AS WELL AS OTHER RECENT THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES, ARE REVIEWED AND EVALUATED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ALL OF THESE THERAPIES ARE TOO "SPECIFIC," AND THAT A MORE HOLISTIC APPROACH IS NECESSARY (WHICH IS PROVIDED IN 'ASTHMA: THE YOGA PERSPECTIVE,' PART II-"YOGA THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF ASTHMA"). 1980 17 2774 35 YOGA RESEARCH REVIEW. THIS PAPER IS A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES, REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS PUBLICATIONS ON YOGA FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE REVIEW INCLUDES DEMOGRAPHICS/PREVALENCE OF YOGA AS A PRACTICE, BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSES OF THE YOGA PUBLICATIONS AND THE USE OF YOGA FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION. MOST OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE INVOLVE YOGA EFFECTS ON PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THESE INCLUDE PREGNANCY, PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; STRESS, PTSD, ANXIETY, AND OBESITY; CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS INCLUDING HYPERTENSION; PAIN SYNDROMES INCLUDING ARTHRITIS, HEADACHES AND LOW BACK PAIN; AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING ASTHMA, TYPE II DIABETES AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS; IMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING HIV AND BREAST CANCER; AND AGING PROBLEMS INCLUDING BALANCE, OSTEOPOROSIS AND PARKINSON'S. THE METHODS AND RESULTS OF THOSE STUDIES ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED ALONG WITH THEIR LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. BASICALLY YOGA HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CONTROL AND WAITLIST CONTROL CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TREATMENT COMPARISON GROUPS SUCH AS OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE. MORE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES ARE NEEDED IN WHICH YOGA IS COMPARED TO ACTIVE EXERCISE GROUPS. HAVING ESTABLISHED THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA MAKES IT ETHICALLY QUESTIONABLE TO ASSIGN PARTICIPANTS TO INACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. SHORTER SESSIONS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FOR DAILY PRACTICE. MULTIPLE PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE SELF-REPORT RESEARCH PROTOCOLS AND POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS NEED TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED. IN THE INTERIM, THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE HIGHLIGHT THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, A PRACTICE THAT COULD COME TO BE CALLED YOGA THERAPY. 2016 18 549 20 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 19 2196 26 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 20 2105 25 THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON MENSTRUAL DISORDERS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. OBJECTIVE: TO SUMMARIZE AND EVALUATE EVIDENCE FOR THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON MENSTRUAL DISORDERS. METHODS: PUBMED, CINAHL/MEDLINE, WEB OF SCIENCE, AMED, AND SCOPUS WERE SEARCHED FOR ENGLISH-LANGUAGE LITERATURE RELEVANT TO THE REVIEW QUESTION. ALL PRIMARY RESEARCH STUDIES WERE INCLUDED. RESULTS: FIFTEEN STUDIES DESCRIBED IN 18 PAPERS WERE INCLUDED IN THE REVIEW. A RANGE OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS WERE USED. SOME STUDIES USED A COMBINATION OF ASANA, PRANAYAMA, AND OTHER YOGIC RELAXATION OR MEDITATION TECHNIQUES. ALL INCLUDED STUDIES REPORTED SOME CHANGE IN THEIR OUTCOME MEASURES, SUGGESTING REDUCED SYMPTOMS OF MENSTRUAL DISTRESS FOLLOWING A YOGA INTERVENTION; HOWEVER, THE HETEROGENEITY AND INTENSITY OF THE INTERVENTIONS AND OUTCOME MEASURES MEANT THAT FINDINGS HAVE LIMITED GENERALIZABILITY AND APPLICABILITY IN PRACTICE SETTINGS. CONCLUSIONS: FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND MENSTRUAL DISORDERS IS WARRANTED, BUT THERE MUST BE BOTH CONSISTENCY IN THE METHODS, MEASURES, AND QUALITY OF STUDIES AND A SHIFT TOWARD RESEARCH ON YOGA PRACTICES THAT ARE REPLICABLE OUTSIDE OF THE CLINICAL TRIAL SETTING. 2017