1 2744 215 YOGA PRACTICE IMPROVES PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STATUS AT HIGH ALTITUDES: A PROSPECTIVE CASE-CONTROL STUDY. UNLABELLED: CONTEXT * HIGH ALTITUDE (HA) IS A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STRESSOR FOR NATIVES OF LOWER ALTITUDES. REDUCING THE MORBIDITY AND OPTIMIZING THE PERFORMANCE OF INDIVIDUALS DEPLOYED IN AN HA REGION HAS BEEN ATTEMPTED AND REPORTED WITH VARIED RESULTS. OBJECTIVE * THE PRESENT STUDY INTENDED TO EXPLORE THE EFFECTS OF COMPREHENSIVE YOGIC PRACTICES ON THE HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE OF INDIAN SOLDIERS DEPLOYED AT HAS. DESIGN * THE RESEARCH TEAM DESIGNED A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED, CASE-CONTROL STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY WAS DONE AT KARU, LEH, INDIA, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 3445 M. PARTICIPANTS * FULLY ACCLIMATIZED SOLDIERS IN THE INDIAN ARMY WERE RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM THOSE POSTED TO HA REGIONS (IE, ALTITUDES >3000 M). INTERVENTION * THE SOLDIERS WERE DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS OF EQUAL SIZE. THE FIRST GROUP, THE CONTROL GROUP, CARRIED OUT THE ROUTINE ACTIVITIES FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING IN THE INDIAN ARMY. THE SECOND GROUP, THE INTERVENTION GROUP PRACTICED A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PACKAGE, INCLUDING PHYSICAL ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, AND MEDITATION, AND DID NOT PERFORM THE PHYSICAL TRAINING THAT THE FIRST GROUP DID. BOTH GROUPS WERE MONITORED DURING THEIR ACTIVITIES. OUTCOME MEASURES * A WIDE AND COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF ANTHROPOMETRICAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, BIOCHEMICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS WERE MEASURED: (1) HEIGHT AND WEIGHT; (2) BODY FAT PERCENTAGE (BFP); (3) HEART RATE (HR); (4) RESPIRATORY RATE (RR); (5) SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DPB); (6) PERIPHERAL SATURATION OF OXYGEN; (7) END TIDAL CO2 (ETCO2); (8) CHEST EXPANSION; (9) PULMONARY FUNCTION; (10) PHYSICAL WORK CAPACITY (VO2MAX); (11) HEMATOLOGICAL VARIABLES; (12) LIPID PROFILE; (13) SERUM UREA; (14) CREATININE; (15) LIVER ENZYMES; (16) BLOOD GLUCOSE; AND (17) ANXIETY SCORES. MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE AT BASELINE AND POSTINTERVENTION. RESULTS * TWO-HUNDRED SOLDIERS TOOK PART IN THE STUDY. THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTH INDICES AND PERFORMANCE AS COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL GROUP. THEY HAD LOWER WEIGHTS, BFPS, RRS, DBPS, AND ANXIETY SCORES. THEY ALSO HAD A SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER ETCO2, FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN THE FIRST SECOND (FEV1), AND VO2MAX. ALSO, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN SERUM CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND BLOOD UREA AS COMPARED WITH THEIR PREYOGA LEVELS AND WITH THE EXERCISE GROUP. CONCLUSIONS * PRACTICE OF YOGA FACILITATES IMPROVEMENTS IN HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE AT HAS AND IS SUPERIOR TO ROUTINE TRAINING WITH PHYSICAL EXERCISES. COMPREHENSIVE YOGIC PRACTICES ARE AN EFFECTIVE MODALITY FOR IMPROVING HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE AT HAS. 2016 2 2386 61 YOGA AIDS BLOOD PRESSURE RECOVERY AFTER EXPOSURE OF FOREHEAD TO COLD: A PILOT STUDY. CONTEXT: HYPOTENSION THAT OCCURS AFTER A SINGLE BOUT OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ALSO ATTENUATES THE VASCULAR RESPONSE TO DISCRETE STRESSORS, AN EFFECT THAT CAN LAST FOR HOURS. IT IS UNKNOWN WHETHER THE HYPOTENSIVE BENEFITS OF TRADITIONAL EXERCISE EXTEND TO ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF MINDFUL EXERCISE, SUCH AS YOGA, TO CONFER TRANSIENT PROTECTION AGAINST NEUROVASCULAR CHALLENGES THAT INCREASE BLOOD PRESSURE (BP). OBJECTIVES: THE STUDY INTENDED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE EXERCISE ON NEUROVASCULAR RESPONSES TO EXPOSURE OF THE FOREHEAD OF FEMALE YOGA PRACTITIONERS TO VASOCONSTRICTIVE COLD (IE, TO COLD PRESSOR STRESS). DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM DESIGNED A STUDY WITH 3 CONDITIONS (IE, WITH PARTICIPANTS' PARTICIPATION IN 3 ACTIVITIES ON SEPARATE DAYS IN A REPEATED-MEASURES DESIGN). PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO PERFORM THE ACTIVITIES IN 1 OF 3 ORDERS ACROSS SUCCESSIVE VISITS. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE 9 FEMALES, 20 TO 33 Y OLD, WHO HAD REGULARLY PRACTICED HATHA YOGA FROM 6 MO TO 12 Y BEFORE THE START OF THE STUDY. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE NORMOTENSIVE AT ENTRY TO THE STUDY AND HAD NORMAL BODY WEIGHTS FOR THEIR HEIGHTS. INTERVENTIONS: ALL PARTICIPANTS PERFORMED 3 ACTIVITIES: (1) SELF-DIRECTED YOGA PRACTICE, THE INTERVENTION; (2) CYCLING EXERCISE AT A SELF-SELECTED INTENSITY, A POSITIVE CONTROL; AND (3) QUIET REST, A NEGATIVE CONTROL. OUTCOME MEASURES: POSTINTERVENTION, PARTICIPANTS' FOREHEADS WERE EXPOSED TO COLD. THEIR SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES (SBPS), DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES (DBPS), PULSE RATES, AND FOREARM OXYGENATION WERE ASSESSED USING NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS' SBPS AND DBPS INCREASED DURING COLD PRESSOR STRESS UNDER ALL CONDITIONS, CONCURRENT WITH DECREASED FOREARM OXYGENATION. DURING RECOVERY FROM THE COLD, PARTICIPANTS' BPS DECLINED TO NEAR PRECOLD PRESSOR BASELINE LEVELS AFTER YOGA AND CYCLING BUT REMAINED ELEVATED AFTER QUIET REST. CONCLUSIONS: THE ENHANCED RECOVERY OF BP FROM COLD APPLIED TO THE FOREHEAD AFTER YOGA PRACTICE OR CYCLING EXERCISE SUGGESTS THAT BOTH TYPES OF EXERCISE PROMOTE A HYPOTENSIVE RESPONSE, WHICH COULD INDICATE LOWERED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK. 2018 3 324 47 ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN CLIMACTERIC YOGA PRACTITIONERS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY AIMED TO EVALUATE ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL PARAMETERS IN CLIMACTERIC YOGA PRACTITIONERS. METHODS: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED 108 CLIMACTERIC WOMEN. WE RECRUITED 28 WOMEN BETWEEN 40 AND 65 YEARS OLD WHO STARTED YOGA PRACTICES IN PREMENOPAUSE AND HAD ALREADY PRACTICED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS. AS CONTROLS, WE SELECTED 30 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (PA) PRACTITIONERS WHO HAD PRACTICED FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS AND 50 SEDENTARY WOMEN IN THE SAME AGE RANGE. WE CONDUCED ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS. RESULTS: THE YOGA GROUP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE THAN THE PA PRACTITIONERS AND SEDENTARY WOMEN. YOGA PRACTITIONERS ALSO HAD LOWER WEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, BODY FAT PERCENTAGE AND WAIST-TO-HEIGHT RATIO; HIGHER LEVELS OF HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL; LOWER LEVELS OF TRIGLYCERIDES, INSULIN, HOMEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT OF INSULIN RESISTANCE, URIC ACID, APOLIPOPROTEIN B AND HIGH-SENSITIVITY C-REACTIVE PROTEIN; AND LOWER FREQUENCY OF METABOLIC SYNDROME, LIPID ACCUMULATION PRODUCT, VISCERAL ADIPOSITY INDEX AND SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE THAN THE SEDENTARY WOMEN. CONCLUSION: YOGA PRACTITIONERS HAD LOWER GLUCOSE SERUM CONCENTRATIONS THAN THE PA PRACTITIONERS AND SEDENTARY WOMEN. OVERALL, THE YOGA GROUP ALSO HAD BETTER ANTHROPOMETRIC, BIOCHEMICAL AND CLINICAL VARIABLES THAN THE OTHER GROUPS. ALTHOUGH FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS REQUIRED, YOGA PRACTICE IN PREMENOPAUSE SEEMS TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR WOMEN WHEN THEY REACH MENOPAUSE. 2022 4 1374 49 IMPACT OF AN INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY PROTOCOL ON INSULIN RESISTANCE AND GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVE: DIABETES MELLITUS (DM), CHARACTERIZED BY CHRONIC HYPERGLYCEMIA, IS ATTRIBUTED TO RELATIVE INSULIN DEFICIENCY OR RESISTANCE, OR BOTH. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA CAN MODULATE PARAMETERS OF INSULIN RESISTANCE. THE PRESENT STUDY EXPLORED THE POSSIBLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY WITH REFERENCE TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND INSULIN RESISTANCE (IR) IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES MAINTAINED ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE WITH YOGA THERAPY, COMPARED TO THOSE ON STANDARD ORAL MEDICAL CARE ALONE. METHODS: IN THIS STUDY, THE SUBJECTS ON YOGA INTERVENTION COMPRISED 35 TYPE 2 DIABETICS, AND AN EQUAL NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS CONSTITUTED THE CONTROL GROUP. SUBJECTS RANGED IN AGE FROM 30 TO 70 YEARS, WITH HEMOGLOBIN A1C (HBA1C) TEST MORE THAN 7%, AND WERE MAINTAINED ON DIABETIC DIET AND ORAL HYPOGLYCEMIC AGENTS. BLOOD SAMPLES WERE DRAWN PRIOR TO AND AFTER 120 DAYS OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTION. FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE (FBG), POST-PRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE (PPBG), HBA1C, INSULIN, AND LIPID PROFILE WERE ASSESSED IN BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS. RESULTS: THE INTERVENTION GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) (0.7 KG/M(2) MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.001), FBG (20 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), PPBG (33 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HBA1C (0.4% MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), HOMEOSTATIC MODEL ASSESSMENT FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE (HOMA-IR) (1.2 MEDIAN DECREASE; P<0.001), CHOLESTEROL (13 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE, P=0.006), TRIACYLGLYCEROL (22 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.027), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (6 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.004), AND VERY-LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS (4 MG/DL MEDIAN DECREASE; P=0.032). INCREASES IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN AFTER 120 DAYS WERE NOT SIGNIFICANT (6 MG/DL MEDIAN INCREASE; P=0.15). HOWEVER, WHEN COMPARED TO CHANGES OBSERVED IN PATIENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP, ALL THESE IMPROVEMENTS PROVED TO BE SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: ADMINISTRATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY TO INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES LEADS TO A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN GLYCEMIC CONTROL, INSULIN RESISTANCE, AND KEY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS. 2022 5 674 57 EFFECT OF A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS. OBJECTIVE: TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE (HRQOL) IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. DESIGN AND SETTING: NONRANDOMIZED, SINGLE-ARM INTERVENTIONAL STUDY CONDUCTED FROM AUGUST 2012 TO MARCH 2015 AT INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC, DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY, ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, INDIA. PARTICIPANTS: OVERWEIGHT (BODY-MASS INDEX [BMI], 23-24.9 KG/M(2)) AND OBESE (BMI, >/=25 KG/M(2)) PERSONS (N = 279) AGED 20-60 YEARS. INTERVENTION: PRETESTED YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, INCLUDING ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, LECTURES, GROUP SUPPORT, NUTRITION AWARENESS PROGRAM, AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE. OUTCOME MEASURES: PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS HRQOL, MEASURED BY USING SHORT VERSION OF WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION QUALITY OF LIFE (WHOQOL-BREF) QUESTIONNAIRE. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANTHROPOMETRIC VARIABLES, SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, PULSE RATE, LIPID PROFILE, AND FASTING GLUCOSE. A SUBGROUP ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO SEX WAS ALSO PERFORMED. RESULTS: THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND HEALTH IMPROVED AFTER SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. PHYSICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DOMAIN SCORES SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10, AND EFFICACY WAS NOTED IN BOTH MALE AND FEMALE SUBGROUPS. AFTER 10 DAYS OF INTERVENTION, THE FOLLOWING ALSO DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY: BODY WEIGHT, BMI, TOTAL BODY FAT, WAIST AND HIP CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST-TO-HIP RATIO, SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND FASTING GLUCOSE. CONCLUSION: A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION HAD A POSITIVE EFFECT ON HRQOL IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE PERSONS. 2016 6 1352 46 IMMEDIATE EFFECT OF MIND SOUND RESONANCE TECHNIQUE (MSRT - A YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUE) ON BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE, AND STATE ANXIETY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH HYPERTENSION: A PILOT STUDY. BACKGROUND MIND SOUND RESONANCE TECHNIQUE (MSRT) IS A YOGA-BASED RELAXATION TECHNIQUE. PREVIOUS STUDIES ON MSRT DEMONSTRATED ITS POTENTIAL HEALTH-BENEFITING EFFECTS IN BOTH CLINICAL AND NONCLINICAL POPULATION. PRESENT STUDY INTENDED TO ASSESS THE ACUTE EFFECT OF MSRT INTERVENTION ON BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE (HR), AND STATE ANXIETY IN PATIENTS WITH ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION (HTN). METHODS THIRTY PARTICIPANTS (13 FEMALES) WITH HTN, WITHIN THE AGE RANGE 30-60 YEARS (WITH MEAN+/-SD: 57.23+/-11.3 YEARS), WHO VISITED SVYASA UNIVERSITY CAMPUS TO ATTEND 1-WEEK RESIDENTIAL YOGA PROGRAM FOR HTN TREATMENT, WERE CONSIDERED FOR THIS STUDY BASED ON INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA. ALL PARTICIPANTS RECEIVED A 4-DAY MSRT ORIENTATION SESSIONS PRIOR TO THE STUDY. EACH PARTICIPANT UNDERWENT 30-MIN SESSION OF BOTH MSRT AND SUPINE REST (SR) ON 2 SUCCESSIVE DAYS. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURES, PULSE RATE, AND STATE ANXIETY WERE MEASURED BEFORE AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER BOTH MSRT AND SR SESSIONS. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING SPSS VERSION 16. REPEATED-MEASURE ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE WAS APPLIED TO ASSESS WITHIN-SUBJECTS CHANGES. RESULTS AFTER MSRT SESSION, SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (SBP), DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (DBP), HR, AND STATE ANXIETY WAS OBSERVED COMPARED TO BASELINE. SIMILARLY, AFTER SR SESSION, SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE FOUND IN HR AND STATE ANXIETY. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WAS SEEN IN SBP AND DBP FOLLOWING SR COMPARED TO SR SESSION; MSRT SESSION SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER IMPROVEMENT IN SBP, DBP, HR, AND STATE ANXIETY. CONCLUSION PRESENT STUDY DEMONSTRATED THE USEFULNESS OF SINGLE SESSION OF MSRT IN REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE, HR, AND STATE ANXIETY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WITH HTN AS COMPARED TO SR. THESE FINDINGS ENCOURAGE THE FURTHER STUDIES WITH LARGER SAMPLE SIZE AND LONG-TERM INTERVENTION WITH A ROBUST RESEARCH DESIGN. 2018 7 1016 38 EFFECTS OF SENSORY-ENHANCED YOGA ON SYMPTOMS OF COMBAT STRESS IN DEPLOYED MILITARY PERSONNEL. OBJECTIVE: WE EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF SENSORY-ENHANCED HATHA YOGA ON SYMPTOMS OF COMBAT STRESS IN DEPLOYED MILITARY PERSONNEL, COMPARED THEIR ANXIETY AND SENSORY PROCESSING WITH THAT OF STATESIDE CIVILIANS, AND IDENTIFIED ANY CORRELATIONS BETWEEN THE STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY SCALES AND THE ADOLESCENT/ADULT SENSORY PROFILE QUADRANTS. METHOD: SEVENTY MILITARY PERSONNEL WHO WERE DEPLOYED TO IRAQ PARTICIPATED IN A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THIRTY-FIVE RECEIVED 3 WK (>/=9 SESSIONS) OF SENSORY-ENHANCED HATHA YOGA, AND 35 DID NOT RECEIVE ANY FORM OF YOGA. RESULTS: SENSORY-ENHANCED HATHA YOGA WAS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY, DESPITE NORMAL PRETEST SCORES. TREATMENT PARTICIPANTS SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER IMPROVEMENT THAN CONTROL PARTICIPANTS ON 16 OF 18 MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE FACTORS. WE FOUND POSITIVE CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ALL TEST MEASURES EXCEPT SENSORY SEEKING. SENSORY SEEKING WAS NEGATIVELY CORRELATED WITH ALL MEASURES EXCEPT LOW REGISTRATION, WHICH WAS INSIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: THE RESULTS SUPPORT USING SENSORY-ENHANCED HATHA YOGA FOR PROACTIVE COMBAT STRESS MANAGEMENT. 2012 8 1898 40 RESTORATIVE YOGA AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS: THE PRACTICING RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING FOR THE METABOLIC SYNDROME (PRYSMS) RANDOMIZED TRIAL. AIMS: INTENSIVE LIFESTYLE CHANGE PREVENTS TYPE 2 DIABETES BUT IS DIFFICULT TO SUSTAIN. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY IMPROVE METABOLIC FACTORS. WE TESTED A RESTORATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION VS. ACTIVE STRETCHING FOR METABOLIC OUTCOMES. METHODS: IN 2009-2012, WE CONDUCTED A 48-WEEK RANDOMIZED TRIAL COMPARING RESTORATIVE YOGA VS. STRETCHING AMONG UNDERACTIVE ADULTS WITH THE METABOLIC SYNDROME AT THE UNIVERSITIES OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO AND SAN DIEGO. WE PROVIDED LIFESTYLE COUNSELING AND A TAPERING SERIES OF 90-MIN GROUP CLASSES IN THE 24-WEEK INTERVENTION PERIOD AND 24-WEEK MAINTENANCE PERIOD. FASTING AND 2-H GLUCOSE, HBA1C, TRIGLYCERIDES, HDL-CHOLESTEROL, INSULIN, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, VISCERAL FAT, AND QUALITY OF LIFE WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, 6- AND 12-MONTHS. RESULTS: 180 PARTICIPANTS WERE RANDOMIZED AND 135 (75%) COMPLETED THE TRIAL. AT 12 MONTHS, FASTING GLUCOSE DECREASED MORE IN THE YOGA GROUP THAN IN THE STRETCHING GROUP (-0.35 MMOL/L VS. -0.03 MMOL/L; P=0.002); THERE WERE NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN GROUPS. AT 6 MONTHS FAVORABLE CHANGES WITHIN THE YOGA GROUP INCLUDED REDUCTIONS IN FASTING GLUCOSE, INSULIN, AND HBA1C AND AN INCREASE IN HDL-CHOLESTEROL THAT WERE NOT SUSTAINED AT 1 YEAR EXCEPT CHANGES IN FASTING GLUCOSE. THE STRETCHING GROUP HAD A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN TRIGLYCERIDES AT 6 MONTHS WHICH WAS NOT SUSTAINED AT 1 YEAR BUT HAD IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE AT BOTH TIME-POINTS. CONCLUSIONS: RESTORATIVE YOGA WAS MARGINALLY BETTER THAN STRETCHING FOR IMPROVING FASTING GLUCOSE BUT NOT OTHER METABOLIC FACTORS. 2014 9 39 58 A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE LIFESTYLE EDUCATION PROGRAM BASED ON YOGA REDUCES RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION BASED ON YOGA ON SOME OF THE BIOCHEMICAL INDICATORS OF RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DIABETES MELLITUS. DESIGN: THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST WERE MEASURED AT THE BEGINNING (DAY 1) AND END (DAY 10) OF THE INTERVENTION USING A PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING: THE STUDY IS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN OUR INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC). THE IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY WHICH CONDUCTS 8-DAY LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAMS BASED ON YOGA FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASE. A NEW COURSE BEGINS EVERY ALTERNATE WEEK OF THE YEAR. SUBJECTS: THE STUDY IS BASED ON DATA COLLECTED ON 98 SUBJECTS (67 MALE, 31 FEMALE), AGES 20-74 YEARS, WHO ATTENDED ONE OF OUR PROGRAMS. THE SUBJECTS WERE A HETEROGENEOUS GROUP OF PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES. INTERVENTION: THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, LECTURES AND FILMS ON THE PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA AND THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE AND SERUM LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE. THESE VARIABLES WERE DETERMINED IN FASTING BLOOD SAMPLES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. RESULTS: FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL) CHOLESTEROL, VERY- LDL CHOLESTEROL, THE RATIO OF TOTAL CHOLESTEROL TO HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL, AND TOTAL TRIGLYCERIDES WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER, AND HDL CHOLESTEROL SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, ON THE LAST DAY OF THE COURSE COMPARED TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE CHANGES WERE MORE MARKED IN SUBJECTS WITH HYPERGLYCEMIA OR HYPERCHOLESTEROLEMIA. CONCLUSIONS: THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM LEADS TO FAVORABLE METABOLIC EFFECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 9 DAYS. 2005 10 724 60 EFFECT OF LAUGHTER YOGA ON MOOD AND HEART RATE VARIABILITY IN PATIENTS AWAITING ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION: A PILOT STUDY. CONTEXT: RESEARCH SHOWS THAT LAUGHTER HAS MYRIAD HEALTH BENEFITS, YET THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY HAS NOT IMPLEMENTED IT FORMALLY AS A TREATMENT. PATIENTS AWAITING ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION HAVE SIGNIFICANT PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND ARE AT RISK FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS. ATTENUATED HEART RATE VARIABILITY (HRV) IS A RISK FACTOR FOR A NEGATIVE LONG-TERM OUTCOME IN SOME PATIENTS. OBJECTIVE: THE STUDY INTENDED TO EVALUATE THE CLINICAL UTILITY OF LAUGHTER YOGA IN IMPROVING PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES IN OUTPATIENTS AWAITING ORGAN TRANSPLANTATION. POSITIVE RESULTS WOULD INDICATE PROMISING AREAS TO PURSUE IN A FOLLOW-UP STUDY. DESIGN: SIX PARTICIPANTS MET FOR 10 SESSIONS OVER 4 WEEKS. THE RESEARCH TEAM MEASURED EACH PARTICIPANT'S HEART RATE, HRV, BLOOD PRESSURE (BP), AND IMMEDIATE MOOD BEFORE AND AFTER THE LAUGHTER AND CONTROL INTERVENTIONS. THE TEAM ASSESSED PARTICIPANTS' LONGER-TERM MOOD (ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION) AT THE STUDY'S INITIATION, AFTER A NO-TREATMENT CONTROL WEEK, AND AT THE END OF THE STUDY. SETTING: THE STUDY OCCURRED AT THE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY AND MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER, TUCSON. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS WERE PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTS (THREE HEART AND THREE LUNG), TWO WOMEN AND FOUR MEN (AGES 51-69 Y). PARTICIPANTS HAD RECEIVED NO MAJOR SURGERY IN THE 3 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE INTERVENTION, DID NOT HAVE A HERNIA OR UNCONTROLLED HYPERTENSION, AND DID NOT FALL INTO THE NEW YORK HEART ASSOCIATION FUNCTION CLASS 4. INTERVENTION: THE 20-MINUTE LAUGHTER INTERVENTION INVOLVED BREATHING AND STRETCHING EXERCISES, SIMULATED LAUGHTER (IE, UNCONDITIONAL LAUGHTER THAT IS NOT CONTINGENT ON THE ENVIRONMENT), CHANTING, CLAPPING, AND A MEDITATION. THE 20-MINUTE CONTROL INTERVENTION INVOLVED THE STUDY'S PERSONNEL DISCUSSING HEALTH AND STUDY-RELATED TOPICS WITH THE PARTICIPANTS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE RESEARCH TEAM MEASURED BP, HEART RATE, AND HRV AND ADMINISTERED THE PROFILE OF MOOD STATES, BECK ANXIETY INVENTORY, AND BECK DEPRESSION INVENTORY-II TO EVALUATE IMMEDIATE AND LONGER-TERM MOOD. THE TEAM HAD PLANNED QUANTITATIVE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DATA AT THE STUDY'S INITIATION BUT DID NOT COMPLETE IT BECAUSE THE NUMBER OF ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS WAS TOO LOW FOR THE ANALYSIS TO BE MEANINGFUL. THE TEAM VISUALLY EXAMINED THE DATA, HOWEVER, FOR TRENDS THAT WOULD INDICATE AREAS TO EXAMINE FURTHER IN A FOLLOW-UP STUDY. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS SHOWED IMPROVED IMMEDIATE MOOD (VIGOR-ACTIVITY AND FRIENDLINESS) AND INCREASED HRV AFTER THE LAUGHTER INTERVENTION. BOTH THE LAUGHTER AND CONTROL INTERVENTIONS APPEARED TO IMPROVE LONGER-TERM ANXIETY. TWO PARTICIPANTS AWAITING A LUNG TRANSPLANT DROPPED OUT OF THE STUDY, AND NO ADVERSE EVENTS OCCURRED. CONCLUSION: THIS PILOT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT LAUGHTER YOGA MAY IMPROVE HRV AND SOME ASPECTS OF MOOD, AND THIS TOPIC WARRANTS FURTHER RESEARCH. 2012 11 985 65 EFFECTS OF HATHA YOGA AND OMKAR MEDITATION ON CARDIORESPIRATORY PERFORMANCE, PSYCHOLOGIC PROFILE, AND MELATONIN SECRETION. OBJECTIVES: TO EVALUATE EFFECTS OF HATHA YOGA AND OMKAR MEDITATION ON CARDIORESPIRATORY PERFORMANCE, PSYCHOLOGIC PROFILE, AND MELATONIN SECRETION. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: THIRTY HEALTHY MEN IN THE AGE GROUP OF 25-35 YEARS VOLUNTEERED FOR THE STUDY. THEY WERE RANDOMLY DIVIDED IN TWO GROUPS OF 15 EACH. GROUP 1 SUBJECTS SERVED AS CONTROLS AND PERFORMED BODY FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES FOR 40 MINUTES AND SLOW RUNNING FOR 20 MINUTES DURING MORNING HOURS AND PLAYED GAMES FOR 60 MINUTES DURING EVENING HOURS DAILY FOR 3 MONTHS. GROUP 2 SUBJECTS PRACTICED SELECTED YOGIC ASANAS (POSTURES) FOR 45 MINUTES AND PRANAYAMA FOR 15 MINUTES DURING THE MORNING, WHEREAS DURING THE EVENING HOURS THESE SUBJECTS PERFORMED PREPARATORY YOGIC POSTURES FOR 15 MINUTES, PRANAYAMA FOR 15 MINUTES, AND MEDITATION FOR 30 MINUTES DAILY, FOR 3 MONTHS. ORTHOSTATIC TOLERANCE, HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, RESPIRATORY RATE, DYNAMIC LUNG FUNCTION (SUCH AS FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 SECOND, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME PERCENTAGE, PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE, AND MAXIMUM VOLUNTARY VENTILATION), AND PSYCHOLOGIC PROFILE WERE MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER 3 MONTHS OF YOGIC PRACTICES. SERIAL BLOOD SAMPLES WERE DRAWN AT VARIOUS TIME INTERVALS TO STUDY EFFECTS OF THESE YOGIC PRACTICES AND OMKAR MEDITATION ON MELATONIN LEVELS. RESULTS: YOGIC PRACTICES FOR 3 MONTHS RESULTED IN AN IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIORESPIRATORY PERFORMANCE AND PSYCHOLOGIC PROFILE. THE PLASMA MELATONIN ALSO SHOWED AN INCREASE AFTER THREE MONTHS OF YOGIC PRACTICES. THE SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, MEAN ARTERIAL PRESSURE, AND ORTHOSTATIC TOLERANCE DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION WITH PLASMA MELATONIN. HOWEVER, THE MAXIMUM NIGHT TIME MELATONIN LEVELS IN YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT CORRELATION (R = 0.71, P < 0.05) WITH WELL-BEING SCORE. CONCLUSION: THESE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT YOGIC PRACTICES CAN BE USED AS PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGIC STIMULI TO INCREASE ENDOGENOUS SECRETION OF MELATONIN, WHICH, IN TURN, MIGHT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IMPROVED SENSE OF WELL-BEING. 2004 12 2344 46 USING A STANDARDIZED VINIYOGA PROTOCOL FOR LUNG CANCER SURVIVORS: A PILOT STUDY EXAMINING EFFECTS ON BREATHING EASE. ALTHOUGH LUNG CANCER IS PERCEIVED AS A DIRE DIAGNOSIS, INCREASES IN THE 5-YEAR SURVIVAL RATE OF INDIVIDUALS WITH NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER (NSCLC) HAVE BEEN REPORTED. SURVIVORS, HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO BE EXCESSIVELY BURDENED WITH SYMPTOMS SUCH AS RESPIRATORY DISTRESS WHICH INTERFERE WITH FUNCTIONING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. WHILE EXERCISE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ARE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED, NSCLC SURVIVORS MAY BE RELUCTANT TO PARTICIPATE DUE TO ACTUAL OR ANTICIPATED SHORTNESS OF BREATH EXACERBATED WITH MOVEMENT.THIS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL, INTERVENTION-ONLY PILOT STUDY AIMED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF AN 8-WEEK STANDARDIZED YOGA PROTOCOL FOR STAGE I-IIIA NSCLC SURVIVORS (N=9). THE PROTOCOL WAS DEVELOPED WITHIN THE VINIYOGA (HATHA) TRADITION WITH RESPIRATORY EXPERTS. BREATHING EASE, DYSPNEA, OXYGEN SATURATION, AND RESPIRATORY FUNCTION WERE EXPLORED IN RELATIONSHIP TO YOGA PRACTICE (45-MINUTE SESSIONS ONCE PER WEEK AND HOME PRACTICE) USING REPEATED-MEASURES ANALYSIS. NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS REPORTING DYSPNEA RANGED FROM 25 TO 50% PRIOR TO PRACTICE WITH NO SIGNIFICANT INCREASE DURING SESSIONS, AND MODERATE DECREASES NOTED AT TIMES. OXYGEN SATURATION REMAINED HIGH AND VITAL SIGNS STABLE; FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 SECOND (FEV1) VALUES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE 14-WEEK STUDY PERIOD (P<0.0001). YOGA, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON POSTURES COORDINATED WITH BREATHING AND MEDITATION PRACTICES, OFFERS A POTENTIALLY FEASIBLE AND BENEFICIAL OPTION THAT REQUIRES FURTHER STUDY IN THIS POPULATION. 2013 13 938 41 EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR YOGA ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL. BACKGROUND: METABOLIC SYNDROME (METS) IS A CLUSTERING OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, WHICH IS ASSOCIATED WITH DIABETES MELLITUS AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTIONS APPLIED TO PEOPLE WITH METS HAS CONSIDERABLE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON DISEASE PREVENTIVE OUTCOMES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTS OF 1-YEAR OF YOGA EXERCISE ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY, HYPERTENSION, DYSLIPIDEMIA AND HYPERGLYCEMIA IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER HONG KONG CHINESE ADULTS WITH METS. METHODS: ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH METS USING NATIONAL CHOLESTEROL EDUCATION PROGRAM CRITERIA (N = 182; MEAN +/- SD AGE = 56 +/- 9.1) WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO A 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION GROUP OR CONTROL GROUP. SYSTOLIC AND DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE, TRIGLYCERIDES, AND HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL WERE EXAMINED AT BASELINE, MIDWAY, AND ON COMPLETION OF THE STUDY. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LEVEL AND CALORIC INTAKE WERE ASSESSED AND INCLUDED IN THE COVARIATE ANALYSES. RESULTS: A REDUCTION OF THE NUMBER OF DIAGNOSTIC COMPONENTS FOR METS WAS FOUND TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA INTERVENTION. WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED AFTER THE 1-YEAR YOGA INTERVENTION. A TREND TOWARDS A DECREASE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE WAS OBSERVED FOLLOWING YOGA INTERVENTION. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES THE CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS INCLUDING CENTRAL OBESITY AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER ADULTS WITH METS. THESE FINDINGS SUPPORT THE COMPLEMENTARY BENEFICIAL ROLE OF YOGA IN MANAGING METS. 2015 14 1030 44 EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: REGULAR AND CONTINUOUS YOGA EXERCISE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT NONPHARMACOLOGICAL METHODS OF IMPROVING SERUM LIPID CONCENTRATIONS, ADIPOSE TISSUE, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA EXERCISE ON SERUM ADIPONECTIN AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. METHODS: SIXTEEN HEALTHY POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN AGED 54.50 +/- 2.75 YEARS WITH MORE THAN 36% BODY FAT WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO EITHER A YOGA EXERCISE GROUP (N = 8) OR TO A "NO EXERCISE" CONTROL GROUP (N = 8). THE VARIABLES OF BODY COMPOSITION, VISCERAL FAT, SERUM ADIPONECTIN, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME FACTORS WERE MEASURED IN ALL THE PARTICIPANTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE 16-WEEK STUDY. RESULTS: BODY WEIGHT, PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT, LEAN BODY MASS, BODY MASS INDEX, WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, AND VISCERAL FAT AREA HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL AND ADIPONECTIN HAD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED, BUT TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE, LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, BLOOD PRESSURE, INSULIN, GLUCOSE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE HAD SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED. SERUM ADIPONECTIN CONCENTRATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND HOMOEOSTASIS MODEL ASSESSMENT-INSULIN RESISTANCE IN THE POSTYOGA EXERCISE GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: OUR FINDINGS INDICATE THAT YOGA EXERCISE IMPROVES ADIPONECTIN LEVEL, SERUM LIPIDS, AND METABOLIC SYNDROME RISK FACTORS IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONSEQUENTLY, YOGA EXERCISE WILL BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CAUSED BY OBESITY IN OBESE POSTMENOPAUSAL KOREAN WOMEN. 2012 15 435 53 CARDIOPULMONARY AND METABOLIC EFFECTS OF YOGA IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS. BACKGROUND: YOGA THE SPIRITUAL UNION OF MIND WITH THE DIVINE INTELLIGENCE OF THE UNIVERSE AIMS TO LIBERATE A HUMAN BEING FROM CONFLICTS OF BODY-MIND DUALITY. BENEFICIAL CARDIOVASCULAR AND PULMONARY EFFECTS OF YOGA ARE IN PAR WITH AEROBIC EXERCISE, EVEN AMOUNTING TO REPLACE THE EXERCISE MODEL. WE CONDUCTED AN INTERVENTIONAL STUDY IN HEALTHY VOLUNTEERS, TO ANALYZE THE IMPACT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA TRAINING ON CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A SAMPLE OF FIFTY NEW RECRUITS ATTENDING THE DISTRICT YOGA CENTER WAS SUBJECT TO 75 MIN YOGA PRACTICE A DAY FOR 41 DAYS. BASAL VALUES OF CARDIOVASCULAR, PULMONARY, AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS, LIPID PROFILE, AND THYROID FUNCTION TESTS WERE RECORDED BEFORE YOGA TRAINING AND WERE REASSESSED FOR POSTYOGA CHANGES AFTER 41 DAYS. RESULTS: AFTER YOGA PRACTICE THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE RESTING HEART RATE, SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, DIASTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AND MEAN BLOOD PRESSURE OF THE PARTICIPANTS. EFFECTS ON AUTONOMIC FUNCTION TESTS WERE VARIABLE AND INCONCLUSIVE. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FORCED VITAL CAPACITY, FORCED EXPIRATORY VOLUME IN 1 S, AND PEAK EXPIRATORY FLOW RATE AFTER YOGA. A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN BODY MASS INDEX WAS OBSERVED. EFFECTS ON METABOLIC PARAMETERS WERE PROMISING WITH A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN FASTING BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL, SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, SERUM TRIGLYCERIDES SERUM LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN LEVELS, AND SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THYROID FUNCTION TESTS AFTER YOGA. CONCLUSION: SHORT-TERM YOGA PRACTICE HAS NO EFFECT ON THYROID FUNCTIONS. YOGA PRACTICE WAS FOUND BENEFICIAL IN MAINTAINING PHYSIOLOGICAL MILIEU PERTAINING TO CARDIOVASCULAR AND OTHER METABOLIC PARAMETERS. 2017 16 90 51 A MODIFIED YOGA-BASED EXERCISE PROGRAM IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY. AIM: TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA-BASED EXERCISE PROGRAM ON PAIN, FATIGUE, SLEEP DISTURBANCE, AND BIOCHEMICAL MARKERS IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IN 2004 A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL WAS CARRIED OUT IN THE OUTPATIENT HEMODIALYSIS UNIT OF THE NEPHROLOGY DEPARTMENT, ULUDAG UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MEDICINE. CLINICALLY STABLE HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS (N=37) WERE INCLUDED AND FOLLOWED IN TWO GROUPS: THE MODIFIED YOGA-BASED EXERCISE GROUP (N=19) AND THE CONTROL GROUP (N=18). YOGA-BASED EXERCISES WERE DONE IN GROUPS FOR 30 MIN/DAY TWICE A WEEK FOR 3 MONTHS. ALL OF THE PATIENTS IN THE YOGA AND CONTROL GROUPS WERE GIVEN AN ACTIVE RANGE OF MOTION EXERCISES TO DO FOR 10 MIN AT HOME. THE MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES WERE PAIN INTENSITY (MEASURED BY THE VISUAL ANALOGUE SCALE, VAS), FATIGUE (VAS), SLEEP DISTURBANCE (VAS), AND GRIP STRENGTH (MMHG); BIOCHEMICAL VARIABLES-- UREA, CREATININE, CALCIUM, ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE, PHOSPHORUS, CHOLESTEROL, HDL-CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE, ERYTHROCYTE, HEMATOCRIT--WERE EVALUATED. RESULTS: AFTER A 12-WEEK INTERVENTION, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS WERE SEEN IN THE VARIABLES: PAIN -37%, FATIGUE -55%, SLEEP DISTURBANCE -25%, GRIP STRENGTH +15%, UREA -29%, CREATININE -14%, ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE -15%, CHOLESTEROL -15%, ERYTHROCYTE +11%, AND HEMATOCRIT COUNT +13%; NO SIDE-EFFECTS WERE SEEN. IMPROVEMENT OF THE VARIABLES IN THE YOGA-BASED EXERCISE PROGRAM WAS FOUND TO BE SUPERIOR TO THAT IN THE CONTROL GROUP FOR ALL THE VARIABLES EXCEPT CALCIUM, PHOSPHORUS, HDL-CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDE LEVELS. CONCLUSION: A SIMPLIFIED YOGA-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAM IS A COMPLEMENTARY, SAFE AND EFFECTIVE CLINICAL TREATMENT MODALITY IN PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE RENAL DISEASE. 2007 17 881 42 EFFECT OF YOGA TRAINING ON INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN EMPLOYEES OF SMALL-SCALE INDUSTRIES. OBJECTIVE: THE PRESENT STUDY INTENDS TO SEE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICES ON LIPID PROFILE, INTERLEUKIN (IL)-6, TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR (TNF)-ALPHA, AND HIGH-SENSITIVITY-C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (HS-CRP) AMONG APPARENTLY HEALTHY ADULTS EXPOSED TO OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: IN THE PRESENT STUDY, 48 PARTICIPANTS AGED 30-58 YEARS (41.5 +/- 5.2) WHO WERE EXPOSED TO OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS WERE RANDOMIZED INTO TWO GROUPS, THAT IS, EXPERIMENTAL AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL. ALL THE PARTICIPANTS WERE ASSESSED FOR LIPID PROFILE, IL-6, TNF-ALPHA, AND HS-CRP AT THE BASELINE AND AFTER COMPLETION OF 3 MONTHS OF YOGA TRAINING INTERVENTION. THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP UNDERWENT YOGA TRAINING INTERVENTION FOR 1 H FOR 6 DAYS A WEEK FOR 3 MONTHS, WHEREAS CONTROL GROUP CONTINUED WITH THEIR DAILY ACTIVITIES EXCEPT YOGA TRAINING. DATA ANALYSIS WAS DONE USING STATISTICAL SOFTWARE SPSS VERSION 20.0. DATA WERE ANALYZED USING PAIRED T-TESTS AND INDEPENDENT T-TEST. RESULTS: THE RESULTS OF WITHIN GROUP COMPARISON REVEALED HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CHOLESTEROL (P < 0.001), HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (P < 0.001), LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (LDL)(P < 0.01), HS-CRP (P < 0.01), IL-6 (P < 0.001), AND TNF-ALPHA (P < 0.001) IN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP. COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUP REVEALED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CHOLESTEROL (P < 0.01), LDL (P < 0.05), IL-6 (P < 0.01), TNF-ALPHA (P < 0.01), AND HS-CRP (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION SEEMS TO BE A HIGHLY PROMISING ALTERNATIVE THERAPY WHICH FAVORABLY ALTERS INFLAMMATORY MARKERS AND METABOLIC RISK FACTORS. 2017 18 300 41 AN ASSESSMENT OF A SEQUENCE OF YOGA EXERCISES TO PATIENTS WITH ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION. THIS QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY DESCRIBES THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA SEQUENCE FOLLOWING HEMODYNAMIC AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. THIRTY-THREE VOLUNTEERS PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY (CONTROL = 16 AND YOGA = 17) FOR FOUR MONTHS. BLOOD PRESSURE MEASUREMENTS, CARDIAC AND RESPIRATORY RATE WERE COLLECTED MONTHLY, WHILE THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE WAS TAKEN AT THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE PROGRAM. TO ANALYZE THE DATA, STUDENT'S T TEST AND REPEATED MEASURES ANALYSES WERE PERFORMED. THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION OF SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART AND RESPIRATORY RATE (P < 0.05). AS FOR THE BIOCHEMICAL PROFILE, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS BETWEEN INITIAL VALUES AND FINAL RESPONSES GREATER THAN THE CONTROL OF FASTING GLUCOSE, TOTAL CHOLESTEROL, LDL-CHOLESTEROL AND TRIGLYCERIDES. THE ELABORATED SEQUENCE PRACTICE PROMOTED SIGNIFICANT CARDIOVASCULAR AND METABOLIC BENEFITS. THE YOGA EXERCISES PERFORMED IN THE PROPOSED SEQUENCE CONSTITUTE COMPLEMENTARY NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL CONTROL OF BLOOD PRESSURE IN PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION. 2013 19 2834 45 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 20 508 33 COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF A 12 WEEK YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION AND DIETARY INTERVENTION ON ADIPOKINES, INFLAMMATION, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. THE PRESENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (RCT) EVALUATED THE COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF 12 WEEK YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION (YBLI) AND DIETARY INTERVENTION (DI) ALONE ON ADIPOKINES, INFLAMMATION, AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN INDIAN ADULTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME (MET S). A PARALLEL, TWO ARM, RCT WAS CONDUCTED IN INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC), ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, INDIA FROM 2012 TO 2014. IHC IS AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY CONDUCTING YBLI PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. TWO HUNDRED SIXTY MEN AND WOMEN (20-45 YEARS) VISITING THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL WERE DIAGNOSED WITH MET S AND RANDOMIZED 1:1 TO RECEIVE 12 WEEK YBLI (N = 130) OR DI (N = 130). PRIMARY OUTCOMES WERE CHANGE IN PLASMA LEVELS OF ADIPOKINES (LEPTIN, ADIPONECTIN, AND LEPTIN:ADIPONECTIN RATIO), MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION (TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR [TNF]-ALPHA, INTERLEUKIN [IL]-6), MARKERS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS (THIOBARBITURIC ACID REACTIVE SUBSTANCES [TBARS], 8-HYDROXY-2'-DEOXYGUANOSINE [8-OHDG], AND SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE [SOD]) MEASURED AT BASELINE, 2 WEEKS, AND 12 WEEKS. YBLI GROUP SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN LEPTIN, LEPTIN:ADIPONECTIN RATIO, IL-6, 8-OHDG, AND TBARS LEVELS, WHEREAS THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN ADIPONECTIN AND SOD LEVELS. NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES WERE NOTICED IN DI ALONE GROUP. YBLI SHOWED SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER REDUCTION IN TBARS LEVELS THAN IN DI GROUP, SUGGESTIVE OF REDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS IN ADULTS WITH MET S. A 12 WEEK YBLI HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT ON OXIDATIVE STRESS VERSUS DI ALONE IN ADULTS WITH MET S. 2019