1 2901 63 [ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION AND STRESS. WHEN DO YOGA, PSYCHOTHERAPY AND AUTOGENIC TRAINING HELP?]. PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND COURSE OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION, ALTHOUGH "STRESS" CAN ACCOUNT FOR ONLY 10% OF BLOOD PRESSURE VARIANCE. A VARIETY OF PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS RELAXATION TECHNIQUES (AUTOGENIC TRAINING OR PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION), BEHAVIORAL THERAPY OR BIOFEEDBACK TECHNIQUES, CAN LOWER ELEVATED BLOOD PRESSURE BY AN AVERAGE OF 10 MMHG (SYSTOLIC) AND 5 MMHG (DIASTOLIC). AS A "SECONDARY EFFECT", SUCH MEASURES MAY ALSO PROMPT THE HYPERTENSIVE TO ADOPT A MORE HEALTH-CONSCIOUS LIFESTYLE. 2002 2 2196 28 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 3 330 19 APPLICATION OF AN INTEGRATIVE YOGA THERAPY PROGRAMME IN CASES OF ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION IN PUBLIC HEALTHCARE. OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE THE EFFICACY OF AN INTEGRATIVE YOGA PROGRAMME AS ADJUVANT TREATMENT OF ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. METHODS: AN INTEGRATIVE YOGA PROGRAMME WAS CONDUCTED DURING THREE MONTHS IN 26 SESSIONS WITH A GROUP OF TEN ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION PATIENTS AT A PUBLIC HEALTH CENTRE. THE SAME NUMBER OF PATIENTS ACTED AS THE CONTROL GROUP WITHOUT TREATMENT. THE PATIENTS WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED AND ASSIGNED TO THE GROUPS. ALL PATIENTS FILLED IN THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE AFFECT SCHEDULE (PANAS), THE HOSPITAL ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION SCALE (HADS) AND THE SMITH RELAXATION STATES INVENTORY 3 (SRSI3) BEFORE AND AFTER THE TREATMENT. RESULTS: A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, NEGATIVE AFFECT, SYMPTOMS OF ANXIETY AND DEGREE OF STRESS COULD BE OBSERVED IN THE STUDY GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: THESE POSITIVE AND PROMISING RESULTS CONFIRM THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE TECHNIQUES IN THE TREATMENT OF ESSENTIAL ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND SUGGEST POSSIBLE FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS. 2014 4 1552 18 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 5 1929 20 ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGEMENT OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION. TWENTY FIVE PATIENTS OF ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION WERE STUDIED. OF THESE, 20 PATIENTS WERE NOT GIVEN ANY ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG TREATMENT (GROUP A); OTHER 5 HAD TO BE PUT ON ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS BEFORE INCLUDING THEM IN THE STUDY (GROUP B). THESE PATIENTS WERE DEMONSTRATED "SHAVASANA" AND TRAINED TO PERFORM IT CORRECTLY. SHAVASANA THERAPY WAS CONTINUED FOR SIX MONTHS. THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FALL IN BOTH MEAN SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC PRESSURE OF BOTH GROUPS. FURTHER, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN DOSES OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS, BEING GIVEN TO PATIENTS OF GROUP B. IN 65% PATIENTS OF GROUP A, BLOOD PRESSURE COULD BE CONTROLLED WITH SHAVASANA ONLY AND NO DRUG WAS NEEDED IN THEM AT ALL. BLOOD PRESSURE ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY TO PRE-SHAVASANA LEVELS IN PATIENTS WHO LEFT PRACTISING YOGA. THUS, WITH USE OF YOGA (SHAVASANA) IN THERAPY OF HYPERTENSION, REQUIREMENT OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS MAY BE SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED AND IN SOME CASES MAY BE TOTALLY DISPENSED WITH AND IT MAY BE AN USEFUL ADJUNCT IN TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. 1984 6 784 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 7 845 17 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PULSE RATE AND BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG WOMEN. OBJECTIVES: CHANGE IN THE PAST FEW DECADES IN HUMAN LIFE STYLE, NOWADAYS INTERNATIONAL HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS, I.E., WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION ARE ALSO FOCUSING ON PREVENTION ALONG WITH TREATMENT ASPECT OF CHRONIC ILLNESS. RESEARCHES FOCUS THAT WOMEN OF AGE GROUP 30-45 YEARS ARE AT INCREASED RISK FOR HYPERTENSION AND HEART DISEASE DUE TO INCREASED WEIGHT. YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES LIKE BLOOD PRESSURE (BP), PULSE, ETC. THE MAIN AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES. METHODS: THE STUDY WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY WITH TWO GROUP, PRETEST AND POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP, DESIGN, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON 40 FEMALE PARTICIPANTS. PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION FOR A PERIOD OF 6 WEEKS WAS DONE BY THESE WOMEN. RESULTS: YOGA THERAPY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE BP (0.000*) AND PULSE RATE (0.000*) OF WOMEN, WHICH WAS ALSO STATISTICALLY PROVED. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA THERAPY CAN BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD TO CONTROL BP AND PULSE RATE OF PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES. 2021 8 1587 15 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 9 1915 22 ROLE OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA TREATMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION. AIM: THE PRIMARY AIM WAS TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA INTERVENTIONS IN TREATMENT OF MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY INYS MEDICAL RESEARCH SOCIETY IN JINDAL NATURE CURE INSTITUTE, BANGALORE. SUBJECTS: A TOTAL OF 104 SUBJECTS, ALREADY DIAGNOSED WITH MILD TO MODERATE HYPERTENSION AND ON TREATMENT WITH ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICINES WERE INCLUDED IN STUDY. INTERVENTIONS: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF VARIOUS INPATIENT ADMINISTRATION OF DIFFERENT NATUROPATHY TREATMENTS, YOGA THERAPIES, LOW CALORIE AND LOW SODIUM DIET FOR 21 DAYS. ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICINES WERE WITHDRAWN FOR SOME PATIENTS IN ONE WEEK BASED UPON RESPONSE TO THE TREATMENT. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE VALUES OF DIASTOLIC AND SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND BODY WEIGHT. SUBJECTS WERE FOLLOWED FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR AFTER EVERY 3 MONTHS. RESULTS: AFTER STARTING NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH OF NATUROPATHY AND YOGA, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE CAME DOWN FROM MEAN OF 139.6 TO 129.6 WHERE AS IT CAME DOWN FROM 91.2 TO 86.1 FOR DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE. AT THE SAME TIME FAVORABLE EFFECT WAS ALSO SEEN IN OTHER VARIABLES LIKE LIPID PROFILE AND BODY WEIGHT. AT THE END OF ONE YEAR OUT OF 57 PATIENTS WHO CAME FOR FOLLOW-UP, 14 CASES WERE FOUND TO HAVE BLOOD PRESSURE WITHIN NORMAL RANGES WITHOUT ANY MEDICATION OVER THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS. CONCLUSION: NATUROPATHY AND YOGA THERAPY CAN BE CONSIDERED AS A VALUABLE NONPHARMACOLOGICAL APPROACH IN TREATMENT OF HYPERTENSION. 2011 10 2516 13 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 11 1964 13 SEPARATING THE "LIMBS" OF YOGA: LIMITED EFFECTS ON STRESS AND MOOD. THOUGH MILLIONS OF PEOPLE PRACTICE YOGA TO REDUCE STRESS AND IMPROVE THEIR MOOD, IT IS UNCLEAR WHICH ASPECT OF YOGA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE EFFECTS. TO INVESTIGATE RELEVANT ASPECTS, OR "LIMBS" OF YOGA, PARTICIPANTS WHO WERE NOVICES IN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ENGAGED IN A SINGLE YOGA MANIPULATION (I.E., POSES, BREATH WORK, MEDITATION, OR LISTENING TO A LECTURE ABOUT YOGA) FOR 20 MIN BEFORE EXPERIENCING A MILD STRESSOR. PARTICIPANTS' HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, MOOD, AND ANXIETY LEVEL WERE ASSESSED, BOTH IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE YOGA MANIPULATION AND AFTER THE MILD STRESSOR. THE 20-MIN YOGA MANIPULATION DID NOT DIFFERENTIALLY AFFECT ANY OF THE MEASURES, INCLUDING PARTICIPANTS' STRESS RESPONSE AFTER THE MILD STRESSOR. RESULTS ARE DISCUSSED REGARDING THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF A YOGA PRACTICE. 2019 12 341 25 ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURE AND CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES TO YOGA PRACTICE. CONTEXT: YOGA IS QUALITATIVELY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER MODE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN THAT IT CONSISTS OF A UNIQUE COMBINATION OF ISOMETRIC MUSCULAR CONTRACTIONS, STRETCHING EXERCISES, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, AND BREATHING EXERCISES. IN PARTICULAR, YOGA POSTURES CONSIST OF SYSTEMIC ISOMETRIC CONTRACTIONS THAT ARE KNOWN TO ELICIT MARKED INCREASES IN MEAN BLOOD PRESSURE THAT ARE NOT OBSERVED DURING DYNAMIC EXERCISE. STRETCHING CAN ALSO INDUCE INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND SYMPATHETIC NERVE ACTIVITY IN THE MUSCLES. CURRENTLY, NOT MUCH IS KNOWN ABOUT CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES TO YOGA PRACTICE. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY INTENDED TO DETERMINE THE ACUTE EFFECTS OF ONE SESSION OF HATHA YOGA PRACTICE ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES. TO GAIN INSIGHT INTO THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE, BOTH NOVICE (N = 19) AND ADVANCED (N = 18) YOGA PRACTITIONERS WERE STUDIED. DESIGN: THE TWO GROUPS WERE MATCHED FOR AGE, GENDER, BMI, AND BLOOD PRESSURE. SETTING: THE SETTING WAS A RESEARCH LABORATORY AT A UNIVERSITY. PARTICIPANTS: THIRTY-SIX APPARENTLY HEALTHY, NONOBESE, SEDENTARY, OR RECREATIONALLY ACTIVE INDIVIDUALS FROM THE COMMUNITY PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. INTERVENTION THE INTERVENTION COMPRISED ONE SESSION OF YOGA PRACTICE, IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS FOLLOWED A CUSTOM MADE INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO PROVIDING A YOGA ROUTINE THAT CONSISTED OF A SERIES OF 23 HATHA-BASED YOGA POSTURES. OUTCOME MEASURES: PRIOR TO ARRIVING AT THE LABORATORY, EACH PARTICIPANT COMPLETED A RESEARCH HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE, A TRAINING-STATUS QUESTIONNAIRE, AND A YOGA-EXPERIENCE QUESTIONNAIRE. PRIOR TO THE YOGA PRACTICE, EACH PARTICIPANT'S HEIGHT, BODY FAT PERCENTAGE, TRUNK OR LUMBAR FLEXIBILITY, AND ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AS ASSESSED BY CAROTID FEMORAL PULSE WAVE VELOCITY (CFPWV) WERE MEASURED. FOR EACH POSTURE DURING THE YOGA PRACTICE, THE STUDY CONTINUOUSLY MEASURED SYSTOLIC, MEAN, AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES, HEART RATE, STROKE VOLUME, AND CARDIAC OUTPUT. RESULTS: SYSTOLIC, MEAN, AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE YOGA PRACTICE. THE MAGNITUDE OF THESE INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE WAS GREATEST WITH STANDING POSTURES. HEART RATE AND CARDIAC OUTPUT INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY DURING YOGA PRACTICE, ESPECIALLY WITH STANDING POSTURES. OVERALL, NO DIFFERENCES EXISTED IN CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES BETWEEN THE NOVICE AND ADVANCED PRACTITIONERS THROUGHOUT THE YOGA TESTING SESSION; CFPWV VELOCITY WAS SIGNIFICANTLY AND INVERSELY ASSOCIATED WITH LUMBAR FLEXION BUT NOT WITH SIT-AND-REACH TEST SCORES. CONCLUSIONS: THE RESEARCH TEAM CONCLUDED THAT A VARIETY OF HATHA YOGA POSTURES, ESPECIALLY STANDING POSTURES, EVOKED SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE. THE ELEVATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE DUE TO YOGA PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASES IN CARDIAC OUTPUT AND HEART RATE, WHICH ARE RESPONSES SIMILAR TO THOSE OBSERVED IN ISOMETRIC EXERCISE. THE LACK OF OBVIOUS DIFFERENCES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSES BETWEEN NOVICE AND ADVANCED YOGA PRACTITIONERS SUGGESTS THAT LONG-TERM YOGA PRACTICE DOES NOT ATTENUATE ACUTE YOGA RESPONSES. 2013 13 783 21 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 14 1512 15 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 15 413 23 BLOOD PRESSURE RESPONSE TO MEDITATION AND YOGA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. OBJECTIVES: TO INTRODUCE RESEARCH THAT PRESENTS SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF MANTRA AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TECHNIQUES AND YOGA ON DECREASING BLOOD PRESSURE (BP) IN PATIENTS WHO HAVE HYPERTENSION. METHODS: A LITERATURE SEARCH WAS PERFORMED TO IDENTIFY ALL STUDIES PUBLISHED BETWEEN 1946 AND 2014 FROM PERIODICALS INDEXED IN OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PSYCINFO, KOREAMED, AND NDSL BY USING THE FOLLOWING KEYWORDS: "HYPERTENSION," "BLOOD PRESSURE," "PSYCHOTHERAPY," "RELAXATION THERAPY," "MEDITATION," "YOGA," AND "MIND-BODY THERAPY." THE COCHRANE'S RISK OF BIAS WAS APPLIED TO ASSESS THE INTERNAL VALIDITY OF THE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL STUDIES. THIRTEEN STUDIES WERE ANALYZED IN THIS META-ANALYSIS BY USING REVIEW MANAGER 5.3. RESULTS: AMONG 510 POSSIBLE STUDIES, 13 MET THE SELECTION CRITERIA. SEVEN EXAMINED MEDITATION, AND SIX EXAMINED YOGA. THE META-ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT MEDITATION AND YOGA APPEARED TO DECREASE BOTH SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BP, WHICH WERE WITHIN SIMILAR BASELINE RANGES, AND THE REDUCTION WAS STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT; HOWEVER, SOME RESULTS SHOWED LITTLE DIFFERENCE. AFTER AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THOSE RESULTS, BP RANGE AND PATIENT AGE WERE REVEALED AS THE FACTORS THAT AFFECTED THE DIFFERENT RESULTS IN SOME REPORTS. IN PARTICULAR, MEDITATION PLAYED A NOTICEABLE ROLE IN DECREASING THE BP OF SUBJECTS OLDER THAN 60 YEARS OF AGE, WHEREAS YOGA SEEMED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DECREASE OF SUBJECTS AGED LESS THAN 60 YEARS. CONCLUSIONS: WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE LIMITATIONS OF THIS RESEARCH DUE TO THE DIFFERENCES IN BP AND THE PARTICIPANTS' AGES, MEDITATION AND YOGA ARE DEMONSTRATED TO BE EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVES TO PHARMACOTHERAPY. GIVEN THAT BP DECREASED WITH THE USE OF MEDITATION AND YOGA, AND THIS EFFECT VARIED IN DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS, SCIENTIFICALLY MEASURED OUTCOMES INDICATE THAT THESE PRACTICES ARE SAFE ALTERNATIVES IN SOME CASES. 2017 16 532 14 COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA AND AEROBICS IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE IN THE INDIAN POPULATION. AIM: THIS STUDY AIMS AT COMPARING THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA DANCE, AND AEROBIC EXERCISES IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG THE INDIAN POPULATION WITHOUT USING HYPERTENSIVE DRUGS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY IS DESIGNED TO ANALYZE THE EFFECT OF YOGA, ZUMBA, AND AEROBICS IN CONTROLLING BLOOD PRESSURE AMONG THE INDIAN POPULATION AND TO DETERMINE WHICH OF THE THREE IS BETTER TO TREAT HYPERTENSION WITHOUT USING HYPERTENSIVE DRUGS. BACKGROUND: HYPERTENSION IS A DISEASE WHICH IS NOWADAYS MOST COMMONLY SEEN AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS AND HAS BEEN FOUND THAT REGULAR EXERCISE TENDS TO REDUCE THE LEVELS OF HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY AMONG WHICH THE EFFECTS OF AEROBICS EXERCISE ON REDUCING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS HAD BEEN MORE CONVINCING THAT REGULAR AEROBICS EXERCISE REDUCES THE BLOOD PRESSURE BY > 1.5 MMHG. 2020 17 646 21 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 18 1424 14 IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AFTER 6 MONTHS OF YOGA PRACTICE. YOGA IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON COGNITION, ATTENUATION OF EMOTIONAL INTENSITY AND STRESS REDUCTION. PREVIOUS STUDIES WERE MAINLY PERFORMED ON EASTERN EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS OR UNHEALTHY SUBJECTS UNDERGOING CONCOMITANT CONVENTIONAL THERAPIES. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PER SE, AS WELL AS ITS POSSIBLE PREVENTIVE BENEFITS ON HEALTHY SUBJECTS. WE INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MEMORY AND PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS RELATED TO STRESS, COMPARING YOGA PRACTICE AND CONVENTIONAL PHYSICAL EXERCISES IN HEALTHY MEN (PREVIOUSLY YOGA-NAIVE). MEMORY TESTS, SALIVARY CORTISOL LEVELS AND STRESS, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION INVENTORIES WERE ASSESSED BEFORE AND AFTER 6 MONTHS OF PRACTICE. YOGA PRACTITIONERS SHOWED IMPROVEMENT OF THE MEMORY PERFORMANCE, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENTS IN PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS. THE PRESENT RESULTS SUGGEST THAT REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE CAN IMPROVE ASPECTS OF COGNITION AND QUALITY OF LIFE FOR HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS. AN INDIRECT INFLUENCE OF EMOTIONAL STATE ON COGNITIVE IMPROVEMENT PROMOTED BY YOGA PRACTICE CAN BE PROPOSED. 2012 19 2923 14 [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 20 2416 19 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