1 2663 94 YOGA IN CARDIAC HEALTH (A REVIEW). THIS REVIEW STUDIES THE EFFICACY OF YOGA IN THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE AND POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENT REHABILITATION. YOGA IS AN UNCONVENTIONAL FORM OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE THAT HAS BEEN PRACTISED OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN THE INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT. IT HAS GAINED IMMENSE POPULARITY AS A FORM OF RECREATIONAL ACTIVITY ALL OVER THE WORLD. ITS POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO HEALTHY LIVING HAVE BEEN STUDIED AND MANY INTERESTING REVELATIONS HAVE BEEN MADE. BENEFITS OF YOGA IN THE MODIFICATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS AND IN THE REHABILITATION OF THE POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENT ARE AREAS OF SIGNIFICANT IMPORTANCE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO ASSESS THE PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND THE SUITABILITY OF INCORPORATING YOGA INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMME. MAJORITY OF THE REHABILITATION WORKERS BELIEVES THAT INCORPORATING NONCONVENTIONAL FORMS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE SUCH AS YOGA DEFINITELY WOULD ENHANCE EFFICACY AND ADD VALUE. THIS ARTICLE ATTEMPTS TO STUDY THE HISTORY AND THE SCIENCE OF YOGA AND EVALUATE ITS EFFECTS ON CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. 2004 2 406 32 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 1218 29 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 4 1587 23 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 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 2923 20 [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 7 1834 29 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 8 2429 27 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 9 2882 17 YOGA: A THERAPEUTIC APPROACH. YOGA, PRACTICED WIDELY IN THE EAST, IS NOW POPULAR IN THE WEST AS PART OF A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. THIS ARTICLE BRINGS A MEDICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE PRACTICE OF YOGA. SELECTED YOGA POSTURES THAT ARE BELIEVED TO BENEFIT CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE HIGHLIGHTED. IN ADDITION, THE PHILOSOPHY, GENERAL GUIDELINES, AND MEDICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE ARE DESCRIBED. 2004 10 1210 22 EXPLORING DIFFERENT TYPES OF HATHA YOGA FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCER. YOGA HAS BEEN PRACTICED FOR MORE THAN 5,000 YEARS AND IS BASED ON THE COLLECTIVE EXPERIENCES OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS OVER TIME. WESTERN COUNTRIES AND SOPHISTICATED MEDICAL FACILITIES USE THIS PRACTICE AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY WITH STANDARD MEDICAL TREATMENTS. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. SEVERAL TYPES OF YOGA POTENTIALLY CAN BENEFIT PEOPLE WITH CANCER, INCLUDING HATHA YOGA. THE TYPE OF RECOMMENDED HATHA YOGA IS DEPENDENT ON THE PHYSICAL CONDITIONS AND FITNESS LEVEL OF PATIENTS. THIS ARTICLE EXPLORES THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF HATHA YOGA ON VARIOUS CANCER-RELATED SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH CANCER. THE ARTICLE ALSO PROVIDES GUIDELINES FOR HEALTHCARE PERSONNEL-PARTICULARLY NURSES-TO HELP CHOOSE THE RIGHT KIND OF HATHA YOGA THAT SUITS THEIR PATIENTS' NEEDS AND INTERESTS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED ON MEASURES AND INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS TO KNOW BEFORE RECOMMENDING ANY YOGA TYPE TO THEIR PATIENTS. EVIDENCE OF THE FEASIBILITY AND POTENTIAL EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCER IS PROVIDED. 2014 11 2453 21 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A GUIDE FOR CLINICIANS. YOGA IS BEING USED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF YOUTH AND ADULTS AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS. THERE IS ALSO A PROGRESSIVE TREND TOWARD USE OF YOGA AS A MIND-BODY COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE SPECIFIC PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. TO PROVIDE CLINICIANS WITH THERAPEUTICALLY USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA, THE EVIDENCE EVALUATING YOGA AS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS IS REVIEWED AND SUMMARIZED. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND YOGA THERAPY IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH YOGA RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR CLINICAL PRACTITIONERS TO USE WITH THEIR PATIENTS. THE MAJORITY OF AVAILABLE STUDIES WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS SUGGEST BENEFITS TO USING YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AND SHOW VERY FEW ADVERSE EFFECTS. THESE RESULTS MUST BE INTERPRETED AS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS BECAUSE MANY OF THE STUDIES HAVE METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS THAT PREVENT STRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM BEING DRAWN. YOGA APPEARS PROMISING AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY IT MOST EFFECTIVELY AND MORE COORDINATED RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NEEDED. 2010 12 203 18 A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE EXAMINING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES UNDERLYING THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF HATHA YOGA. AN ESTIMATED 7.4 MILLION AMERICANS CURRENTLY PRACTICE HATHA YOGA. MOREOVER, 64% OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA REPORT DOING SO FOR WELL-BEING. PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS REPORTED AN ASSOCIATION BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING; HOWEVER, FEW STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS INVOLVED. THE FOLLOWING REVIEW PROVIDES AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE FIELD OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, WHICH CONCEPTUALIZES YOGA AS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF HATHA YOGA IS PROVIDED THAT DESCRIBES THE PURPORTED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND THE RELAXATION RESPONSE. A REVIEW OF THE EMERGING LITERATURE RELATED TO NITRIC OXIDE AND OXIDATIVE STRESS AS POTENTIAL MECHANISMS IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA AND WELL-BEING ALSO IS INCLUDED. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH A BRIEF DISCUSSION OF THE STATE OF THE RESEARCH AND PROVIDES SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES. 2008 13 2292 24 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 14 2600 19 YOGA FOR OSTEOARTHRITIS: NURSING AND RESEARCH CONSIDERATIONS. OSTEOARTHRITIS (OA) IS A LEADING CAUSE OF PAIN AND DISABILITY WORLDWIDE. CURRENT TREATMENT GUIDELINES RECOMMEND NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACHES SUCH AS YOGA FOR FIRSTLINE TREATMENT OF OA. YOGA IS A PROMISING MIND-BODY PRACTICE THAT INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATHING PRACTICES, AND MEDITATIVE MENTAL FOCUS. THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS THE CURRENT EVIDENCE, AS WELL AS A PROPOSED CONCEPTUAL MODEL FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. CURRENT RESEARCH ON YOGA FOR OA IS SCANT BUT PROMISING, SHOWING SOME EVIDENCE OF REDUCED PAIN, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND DISABILITY. THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL DESCRIBED HERE PROPOSES MUSCULOSKELETAL EFFECTS (STRENGTHENING, FLEXIBILITY, RELAXATION), REDUCTION OF AUTONOMIC AROUSAL, AND THERAPEUTIC COGNITIVE PATTERNS (DISTRACTION, MINDFULNESS) AS POTENTIALLY IMPORTANT MECHANISMS OF YOGA. THIS ARTICLE ALSO DESCRIBES CONSIDERATIONS FOR PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHEN EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL USEFULNESS AND SAFETY OF YOGA PROGRAMS: YOGA STYLE, INSTRUCTOR QUALIFICATIONS, AND AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT IN YOGA PRACTICE. 2012 15 549 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 16 102 19 A PHYSICIAN'S GUIDE TO RECOMMENDING YOGA. THE POPULARITY OF YOGA IN THE UNITED STATES AND ACROSS THE GLOBE HAS BEEN STEADILY INCREASING OVER THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. THE INTEREST IN YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC LIFESTYLE TOOL HAS ALSO GROWN WITHIN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY DURING THIS TIME. HOWEVER, THE WIDE RANGE OF STYLES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC CAN MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS ALIKE TO CHOOSE THE ONE THAT WILL OFFER THE MOST BENEFIT. THIS GUIDE WAS CREATED TO ASSIST PHYSICIANS IN MAKING INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PATIENTS PRACTICING YOGA IN THE COMMUNITY. WHEN THE MOST SUITABLE STYLE IS SELECTED, YOGA CAN BE AN EXTREMELY USEFUL LIFESTYLE TOOL FOR PATIENTS SEEKING TO IMPROVE FITNESS AND DEVELOP A MINDFULNESS-BASED PRACTICE. 2018 17 204 28 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 18 1280 19 GENERIC YOGA MODULES FOR CLINICAL AND RESEARCH SETTINGS-NEED OF THE HOUR. YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS OFFER SIGNIFICANT PROMISE IN HEALTHCARE. HOWEVER, META-ANALYSES OF VARIOUS YOGA TRIALS SUGGEST THAT COMPARISONS OF TRIALS ARE EITHER NOT POSSIBLE OR DIFFICULT DUE TO HETEROGENEITY IN THERAPEUTIC YOGA INTERVENTIONS. ALSO, IN VIEW OF EMERGING EVIDENCE FOR THE ROLE OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFICITY AND VALIDITY OF VARIOUS YOGA COMPONENTS BEING USED IN DIFFERENT TRIALS. EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION WILL BE FRUITFUL ONLY IF A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IS ADOPTED TO DEVELOP YOGA PROGRAMS FOR VARIOUS AILMENTS. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR A "GENERIC YOGA" CONCEPT FOR DESIGNING A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM FOR PARTICULAR HEALTH ISSUES, WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF PROMOTING SCIENTIFIC GROWTH OF THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF YOGA AND WIDESPREAD APPLICATION OF STANDARDIZED THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMS WITHIN A BIOMEDICAL FRAMEWORK. THIS GENERIC THERAPEUTIC YOGA WILL ESSENTIALLY HIGHLIGHT THE DEVELOPMENT-VALIDATION PROCESS OF UNCOPYRIGHTED YOGA PROGRAMS; THEIR COMPONENTS, BENEFITS, AND POSSIBLE SIDE-EFFECTS; AND REQUIREMENT FOR NEED-BASED MODIFICATIONS. 2021 19 646 32 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 20 2061 32 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