1 565 119 CURRENT STATUS OF YOGA IN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. YOGA (DERIVED FROM 'YUJ' WHICH MEANS TO YOKE TOGETHER OR UNITE) HAS BEEN USED FOR MILLENNIA AS A TOOL FOR SELF-IMPROVEMENT, WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF UNITING THE INDIVIDUAL CONSCIOUSNESS WITH THE UNIVERSAL. THE PHYSICAL ELEMENTS OF YOGA, ALTHOUGH SEEN AS NECESSARY IN THE PATH TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL, THEY WERE NOT CONSIDERED AS THE ENDPOINT FOR A PRACTITIONER. SAGE PATANJALI, WHO CODIFIED THE PRACTICES INTO AN EIGHT-LIMBED MODEL (ASHTANGA YOGA) IN THE PATANJALI YOGA SUTRAS, MAKES IT CLEAR THAT THE TARGET OF YOGA IS PRIMARILY THE MIND. HOWEVER, IN THE MODERN WORLD, YOGA PRACTICES HAVE BECOME IMMENSELY POPULAR AS AIDS TO IMPROVE HEALTH. YOGA-BASED PRACTICES ARE BEING EXTENSIVELY USED AS THERAPEUTIC INGREDIENTS, ALONE OR AS ADJUNCTS TO OTHER THERAPIES IN A VARIETY OF DISORDERS, BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL. THERE IS NOW STRONG EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE BENEFICIAL IN SEVERAL LIFESTYLE DISORDERS. RECENT RESEARCH HAS ALSO SHOWN SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS IN MENTAL DISORDERS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PSYCHOSIS. THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE PLACE OF YOGA AS ONE OF THE THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES IN THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO MENTAL DISORDERS, AND THE CHALLENGES INHERENT TO RESEARCH IN THIS AREA. 2016 2 1480 33 INTEGRATING YOGA INTO CANCER CARE. ALTHOUGH YOGA HAS BEEN PRACTICED IN EASTERN CULTURE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS AS PART OF LIFE PHILOSOPHY, CLASSES IN THE UNITED STATES ONLY RECENTLY HAVE BEEN OFFERED TO PEOPLE WITH CANCER. THE WORD YOGA IS DERIVED FROM THE SANSKRIT ROOT YUJ, MEANING TO BIND, JOIN, AND YOKE. THIS REFLECTION OF THE UNION OF THE BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT IS WHAT DIFFERENTIATES YOGA FROM GENERAL EXERCISE PROGRAMS. YOGA CLASSES IN THE UNITED STATES GENERALLY CONSIST OF ASANAS (POSTURES), WHICH ARE DESIGNED TO EXERCISE EVERY MUSCLE, NERVE, AND GLAND IN THE BODY. THE POSTURES ARE COMBINED WITH PRANAYAMA, OR RHYTHMIC CONTROL OF THE BREATH. AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY, YOGA INTEGRATES AWARENESS OF BREATH, RELAXATION, EXERCISE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT--ELEMENTS THAT ARE KEY TO ENHANCING QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH CANCER. YOGA PRACTICE MAY ASSIST CANCER SURVIVORS IN MANAGING SYMPTOMS SUCH AS DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, INSOMNIA, PAIN, AND FATIGUE. AS WITH ALL EXERCISE PROGRAMS, PARTICIPANTS NEED TO BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL RISKS AND THEIR OWN LIMITATIONS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO FAMILIARIZE NURSES WITH YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY, INCLUDING CURRENT RESEARCH FINDINGS, TYPES OF YOGA, POTENTIAL BENEFITS, SAFETY CONCERNS, TEACHER TRAINING, AND WAYS TO INTEGRATE YOGA INTO CANCER CARE. 2008 3 582 26 DESIGNING AND VALIDATION OF A YOGA-BASED MODULE FOR OBESITY WITH METABOLIC COMORBIDITIES. OBJECTIVES: OBESITY IS A CONDITION OF INCREASED ADIPOSE TISSUE IN THE BODY, WHICH IS COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS COMORBIDITIES LIKE DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, ARTHRITIS, BACK PAIN, AND MANY OTHERS. YOGA MODULES HAVE BEEN DESIGNED AND VALIDATED FOR OBESITY; HOWEVER, WE COULDN'T FIND ANY SPECIFIC MODULE FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME, A CONDITION WHICH INCLUDES OBESITY, DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 AND/OR HYPERTENSION TOGETHER. KEEPING THIS IN VIEW, OUR STUDY AIMED TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE A SPECIFIC GENERIC YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION MODULE FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME PATIENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A YOGA MODULE WAS DESIGNED BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY YOGA LITERATURE AS WELL AS PUBLISHED STUDIES. WE DERIVED THE YOGA PRACTICES FOR THE MODULE, FROM THESE YOGA TEXTS AND RESEARCH EVIDENCE WERE ALREADY AVAILABLE. THE YOGA MODULE WAS SENT TO 40 YOGA EXPERTS FOR THEIR VALIDATION. RESULTS: TWENTY-TWO EXPERTS GAVE THEIR OPINION ON THE USEFULNESS OF A YOGA MODULE FOR PATIENTS WITH METABOLIC SYNDROME WITH SOME SUGGESTIONS. OF THESE EXPERTS, 73% WERE MALES, AND 27% WERE FEMALES. YOGA THERAPY PRACTICES WITH CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO (CVR) >0.08 WERE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL MODULE. IN TOTAL, 86% (31 OF 36 ITEMS) OF THE ITEMS IN THE INITIAL MODULE WERE RETAINED. CONCLUSION: A SPECIFIC YOGA-BASED MODULE FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME WAS DESIGNED AND VALIDATED BY EXPERTS. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO CONFIRM THE EFFICACY AND CLINICAL UTILITY OF THE MODULE.ADDITIONAL CLINICAL VALIDATION IS SUGGESTED. 2020 4 2881 39 YOGA: A SPIRITUAL PRACTICE WITH THERAPEUTIC VALUE IN PSYCHIATRY. UNLABELLED: YOGA IS ONE OF THE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES DERIVED FROM THE ORTHODOX SCHOOL OF HINDU PHILOSOPHY. THE PRACTICES WERE CODIFIED BY PATANJALI UNDER THE TITLE OF ASHTANGA YOGA. ALTHOUGH YOGA WAS TRADITIONALLY SEEN AS A PRACTICE MEANT FOR ACHIEVING SELF-REALIZATION, IN RECENT YEARS THERE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT ATTENTION GIVEN TO THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICES ON PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. YOGA AS A THERAPY HAS PROVEN TO BE EFFECTIVE AS A SOLE OR ADDITIONAL INTERVENTION IN SEVERAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. CONCLUSIONS: THE LITERATURE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA CAN LEAD TO SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMATIC IMPROVEMENTS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS, ALONG WITH NEUROBIOLOGICAL EFFECTS WHICH MAY UNDERLIE THESE CHANGES. THIS SUGGESTS THAT MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS SHOULD BE OPEN TO THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR THEIR PATIENTS, EITHER AS COMPLEMENTARY INTERVENTIONS TO MODERN TREATMENTS OR AS SOLE TREATMENT IN SOME DISORDERS. 2012 5 588 30 DETERMINING PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGIC MARKERS OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR PERSONS DIAGNOSED WITH PTSD: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. THERE IS A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH ON YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) ACCOMPANIED BY SPECULATIONS ON UNDERLYING PHYSIOLOGIC MECHANISMS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW IS TO IDENTIFY, QUALITATIVELY EVALUATE, AND SYNTHESIZE STUDIES OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR PTSD THAT MEASURED PHYSIOLOGIC OUTCOMES IN ORDER TO GAIN INSIGHTS INTO POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. THE FOCUS IS ON STUDIES EVALUATING YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION FOR PTSD RATHER THAN FOR TRAUMA EXPOSURE, PTSD PREVENTION, OR SUBCLINICAL PTSD. MULTIPLE DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR PUBLICATIONS FROM THE PAST TWO DECADES USING TERMS DERIVED FROM THE QUESTION, "IN PEOPLE WITH PTSD, WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON OBJECTIVE OUTCOMES?" ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA INCLUDED YOGA-ONLY MODALITIES TESTED AS AN INTERVENTION FOR FORMALLY DIAGNOSED PTSD WITH AT LEAST ONE PHYSIOLOGIC OUTCOME. RESULTS OF THIS REVIEW CONFIRMED THAT, THOUGH MUCH OF THE PUBLISHED LITERATURE PROPOSES PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING YOGA'S EFFECTS ON PTSD, VERY FEW STUDIES ( N = 3) HAVE ACTUALLY EVALUATED PHYSIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE. ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL STUDIES HAD METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS. IN LIGHT OF THE LIMITED DATA SUPPORTING YOGA'S BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ON AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM DYSREGULATION, WE PRESENT A THEORETICAL MODEL OF THE PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGIC PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH PTSD AND THE EFFECTS YOGA MAY HAVE ON THESE PROCESSES TO GUIDE FUTURE RESEARCH. GAPS IN THE LITERATURE REMAIN FOR MECHANISMS RELATED TO ACTIVATION OF THE HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-ADRENAL AXIS AND INFLAMMATION. ADDITIONAL RIGOROUS MECHANISTIC STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO GUIDE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR PTSD TO AUGMENT EXISTING EVIDENCE-BASED PTSD TREATMENTS. 2018 6 611 24 DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA MODULE TARGETING CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH FOR PATIENTS WITH POST-MYOCARDIAL LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION IN INDIA. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS KNOWN TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. THIS PAPER DESCRIBES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEED-BASED YOGA PROGRAM WHICH IS SUITABLE TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE CARDIAC REHABILITATION OF POST-MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION PATIENTS WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BASED ON THE ASSESSMENT OF THE NEED OF THE PATIENTS, LITERATURE REVIEW, AND EXPERT OPINION, A YOGA MODULE WAS DEVELOPED USING THE QUALITATIVE METHOD OF INQUIRY. THE PROGRAM INCLUDED WARM-UP EXERCISES, YOGIC ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, MEDITATION AND COUNSELING SESSIONS. A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE ELICITING COMMENTS ON THE CONTENTS WAS GIVEN INDEPENDENTLY TO TEN EXPERTS WORKING IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH AND YOGA FOR VALIDATION. THE FINAL MODULE WAS DERIVED AFTER INCORPORATING THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE EXPERTS. RESULTS: USING THE RATERS' EXPERTISE IN CARDIOLOGY AND YOGA PRACTICE, THE PRACTICES WHICH CONSTITUTE THE MODULE WERE OPTIMIZED. MAJORITY OF THE EXPERTS (RATERS) AGREED WITH THE DURATION OF 1 H TRAINING FOR 1MONTH UNDER SUPERVISION AS ADEQUATE FOR SUBSEQUENT PRACTICE AT HOME. THERE WAS A 0.786 INTER-RATER RELIABILITY ESTIMATED USING THE INTERCLASS COEFFICIENT (ICC) AND 0.789 INTERNAL CONSISTENCY OF THE QUESTIONS, MEASURED USING CRONBACH'S ALPHA. BOTH VALUES INDICATE "GOOD" RELIABILITY AND CONSISTENCY OF THE YOGA MODULE. CONCLUSION: THE DEVELOPED YOGA MODULE WAS FOUND TO BE ACCEPTABLE. FUTURE RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS WILL BE NECESSARY TO VALIDATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS MODULE AND IF THE MODULE DEMONSTRATES TO BE EFFECTIVE BY CLINICAL STUDIES, IT MAY ADD A THERAPEUTIC OPTION IN THE REHABILITATION OF PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE FOLLOWING MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, WHICH CAN BE APPLIED IN THE HOSPITALS AND COMMUNITY LEVEL. 2019 7 2473 38 YOGA AS ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA: A DELPHI STUDY. BACKGROUND: THERE IS PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT YOGA CAN BE BENEFICIAL IN REDUCING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND GENERAL EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS IN PEOPLE WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN). IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA ARE SUPPORTED OR UTILISED IN THE TREATMENT OF AN AMONGST CLINICAL EXPERTS. THE PRESENT STUDY AIMED TO EXPLORE AND SYNTHESISE EXPERT OPINION ON THE USE OF YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND OVER-EXERCISE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AN. METHODS: A DELPHI METHODOLOGY WAS EMPLOYED, WITH CLINICIANS CONSIDERED EXPERTS IN THE TREATMENT OF AN RECRUITED INTERNATIONALLY TO FORM THE PANEL (N = 18). THE FIRST ITERATION OF QUESTIONNAIRES COMPRISED OF FOUR OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE EXPERTS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM YOGA AND OPINIONS ON ITS' USE IN THERAPY GENERALLY AND MORE SPECIFICALLY IN THE TREATMENT OF AN. USING CONTENT ANALYSIS, STATEMENTS WERE DERIVED FROM THIS DATA AND INCLUDED AS LIKERT-BASED ITEMS IN TWO SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS WHERE PANELLISTS RATED THEIR LEVEL OF AGREEMENT ON EACH ITEM. SEVENTEEN OUT OF 18 RESPONDENTS COMPLETED ALL THREE ITERATIONS. RESULTS: CONSENSUS (LEVEL OF AGREEMENT DEFINED AT >/= 85%) WAS ACHIEVED FOR 36.47% OF THE ITEMS INCLUDED IN THE SECOND AND THIRD ROUNDS. THE PANEL REACHED CONSENSUS ON ITEMS DEFINING YOGA AND PERTAINING TO ITS' GENERAL BENEFITS. THE PANEL AGREED THAT YOGA IS A ADJUNCT THERAPY FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS, CONSENSUS WAS NOT ACHIEVED ON THE SPECIFIC USE OF YOGA AS AN ADJUNCT THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF COMORBID ANXIETY, DEPRESSION OR TRAUMA IN PATIENTS WITH AN. ALTHOUGH THE EXPERT PANEL ACKNOWLEDGED A NUMBER OF BENEFITS FOR USE OF YOGA IN AN, THEY STRONGLY ENDORSED THAT FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF USING YOGA AS AN EMBODIED PRACTICE. CONCLUSIONS: IT IS POSSIBLE THAT YOGA COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR INCLUSION IN FUTURE GUIDELINES IF SUPPORTED BY EMPIRICAL RESEARCH. WE CONCLUDE THAT THERE SEEMS TO BE ENOUGH CONSENSUS THAT SUCH FURTHER SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION IS WARRANTED. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXPLORE EXPERT OPINION ON THE USE OF YOGA AS AN ADJUNCTIVE THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND OVER-EXERCISE IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ANOREXIA NERVOSA (AN). CLINICIANS CONSIDERED EXPERTS IN THE TREATMENT OF AN RECRUITED INTERNATIONALLY TO FORM THE PANEL (N = 18). EXPERTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE TERM YOGA AND THEIR OPINIONS ON ITS' USE IN THERAPY. THE PANEL REACHED CONSENSUS ON ITEMS DEFINING YOGA AND PERTAINING TO ITS' GENERAL BENEFITS. ALTHOUGH THE PANEL AGREED THAT YOGA IS A NICE ADDITIONAL THERAPY FOR VARIOUS PROBLEMS, CONSENSUS WAS NOT ACHIEVED ON THE USE OF YOGA AS AN ADDITIONAL THERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF SPECIFIC PROBLEMS LIKE ANXIETY, DEPRESSION OR TRAUMA IN PEOPLE WITH AN. THE EXPERT PANEL ACKNOWLEDGED A NUMBER OF BENEFITS FOR USE OF YOGA IN AN. HOWEVER THE PANEL STRONGLY CONSIDERED THAT FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EVALUATE THE POTENTIAL RISKS OF USING YOGA AS AN EMBODIED PRACTICE. THE AREAS OF COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT GAINED IN THE STUDY CAN SERVE AS PRELIMINARY GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF YOGA IN AN WHILST GUIDING FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS. 2021 8 581 25 DESIGNING AND VALIDATION OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA. CONTEXT: SCHIZOPHRENIA IS A CHRONIC MENTAL ILLNESS WHICH CAUSES SIGNIFICANT DISTRESS AND DYSFUNCTION. YOGA HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE AS AN ADD-ON THERAPY IN SCHIZOPHRENIA. MODULES OF YOGA USED IN PREVIOUS STUDIES WERE BASED ON INDIVIDUAL RESEARCHER'S EXPERIENCE. AIM: THIS STUDY AIMED TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE A SPECIFIC GENERIC YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION MODULE FOR PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA. THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AT NIMHANS INTEGRATED CENTRE FOR YOGA (NICY). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A YOGA MODULE WAS DESIGNED BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY YOGA LITERATURE AS WELL AS PUBLISHED STUDIES. THE YOGA MODULE ALONG WITH THREE CASE VIGNETTES OF ADULT PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA WAS SENT TO 10 YOGA EXPERTS FOR THEIR VALIDATION. RESULTS: EXPERTS (N = 10) GAVE THEIR OPINION ON THE USEFULNESS OF A YOGA MODULE FOR PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS. IN TOTAL, 87% (13 OF 15 ITEMS) OF THE ITEMS IN THE INITIAL MODULE WERE RETAINED, WITH MODIFICATION IN THE REMAINDER AS SUGGESTED BY THE EXPERTS. CONCLUSION: A SPECIFIC YOGA-BASED MODULE FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA WAS DESIGNED AND VALIDATED BY EXPERTS. FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED TO CONFIRM EFFICACY AND CLINICAL UTILITY OF THE MODULE. ADDITIONAL CLINICAL VALIDATION IS SUGGESTED. 2016 9 2014 32 SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA: BREATHING FOR HEALTH. BREATHING TECHNIQUES ARE REGULARLY RECOMMENDED FOR RELAXATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, CONTROL OF PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL STATES, AND TO IMPROVE ORGAN FUNCTION. YOGIC BREATHING, DEFINED AS A MANIPULATION OF BREATH MOVEMENT, HAS BEEN SHOWN TO POSITIVELY AFFECT IMMUNE FUNCTION, AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM IMBALANCES, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OR STRESS-RELATED DISORDERS. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO ASSESS AND PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS, THE MIND-BODY CONNECTION, AND THE BENEFITS OF SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA (SKY) IN A WIDE RANGE OF CLINICAL CONDITIONS. VARIOUS ONLINE DATABASES SEARCHED WERE MEDLINE, PSYCHINFO, EMBASE, AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR. ALL THE RESULTS WERE CAREFULLY SCREENED AND ARTICLES ON SKY WERE SELECTED. THE REFERENCES FROM THESE ARTICLES WERE CHECKED TO FIND ANY OTHER POTENTIALLY RELEVANT ARTICLES. SKY, A UNIQUE YOGIC BREATHING PRACTICE, INVOLVES SEVERAL TYPES OF CYCLICAL BREATHING PATTERNS, RANGING FROM SLOW AND CALMING TO RAPID AND STIMULATING. THERE IS MOUNTING EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT SKY CAN BE A BENEFICIAL, LOW-RISK, LOW-COST ADJUNCT TO THE TREATMENT OF STRESS, ANXIETY, POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER, DEPRESSION, STRESS-RELATED MEDICAL ILLNESSES, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND REHABILITATION OF CRIMINAL OFFENDERS. 2013 10 583 25 DESIGNING, VALIDATION AND FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR ELDERLY. CONTEXT: AGEING IS AN UNAVOIDABLE FACET OF LIFE. YOGIC PRACTICES HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO PROMOTE HEALTHY AGING. PREVIOUS STUDIES HAVE USED EITHER YOGA THERAPY INTERVENTIONS DERIVED FROM A PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF YOGA OR HAVE TESTED SPECIFIC YOGIC PRACTICES LIKE MEDITATION. AIMS: THIS STUDY REPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT, VALIDATION AND FEASIBILITY OF A YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION FOR ELDERLY WITH OR WITHOUT MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: THE STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AT THE ADVANCED CENTRE FOR YOGA, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND NEUROSCIENCES, BANGALORE. THE MODULE WAS DEVELOPED, VALIDATED, AND THEN PILOT-TESTED ON VOLUNTEERS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE FIRST PART OF THE STUDY CONSISTED OF DESIGNING OF A YOGA MODULE BASED ON TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY YOGIC LITERATURE. THIS YOGA MODULE ALONG WITH THE THREE CASE VIGNETTES OF ELDERLY WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT WERE SENT TO 10 YOGA EXPERTS TO HELP DEVELOP THE INTENDED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION. IN THE SECOND PART, THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPED YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION WAS TESTED. RESULTS: EXPERTS (N=10) OPINED THE YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION WILL BE USEFUL IN IMPROVING COGNITION IN ELDERLY, BUT WITH SOME MODIFICATIONS. FREQUENT SUPERVISED YOGA SESSIONS, REGULAR FOLLOW-UPS, ADDITION/DELETION/MODIFICATIONS OF YOGA POSTURES WERE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS. TEN ELDERLY CONSENTED AND EIGHT COMPLETED THE PILOT TESTING OF THE INTERVENTION. ALL OF THEM WERE ABLE TO PERFORM MOST OF THE SUKSMAVYAYAMA, PRANAYAMA AND NADANUSANDHANA (MEDITATION) TECHNIQUE WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS (N=3) EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN PERFORMING POSTURES SEATED ON THE GROUND. MOST OF THE OLDER ADULTS EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN REMEMBERING AND COMPLETING ENTIRE SEQUENCE OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION INDEPENDENTLY. CONCLUSIONS: THE YOGA BASED INTERVENTION IS FEASIBLE IN THE ELDERLY WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. TESTING WITH A LARGER SAMPLE OF OLDER ADULTS IS WARRANTED. 2013 11 1913 32 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 12 1927 25 ROLE OF YOGA IN CARDIAC DISEASE AND REHABILITATION. PURPOSE: CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE CONTINUES TO BE THE LEADING CAUSE OF MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AROUND THE WORLD. YOGA, A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANA), BREATHING EXERCISES (PRANAYAMA), AND MEDITATION (DHYANA), HAS GAINED INCREASING RECOGNITION AS A FORM OF MIND-BODY EXERCISE. IN THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW, WE INTENDED TO REVIEW THE EMERGING EVIDENCE ASSESSING THE PHYSIOLOGIC AND CLINICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM AND THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS A COMPONENT OF COMPREHENSIVE CARDIAC REHABILITATION. METHODS: WE SEARCHED PUBMED, GOOGLE SCHOLAR, EMBASE, AND COCHRANE DATABASES FOR LITERATURE RELATED TO CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF YOGA FROM INCEPTION UP UNTIL 2017. RESULTS: YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE FAVORABLE EFFECTS ON SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION, STRESS, THE CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND TRADITIONAL AND EMERGING CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA HAS SHOWN PROMISE AS A USEFUL LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION THAT CAN BE INCORPORATED INTO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MANAGEMENT ALGORITHMS. ALTHOUGH MANY INVESTIGATORS HAVE REPORTED THE CLINICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA IN REDUCING CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, MORBIDITY, AND MORTALITY, EVIDENCE SUPPORTING THESE CONCLUSIONS IS SOMEWHAT LIMITED, THEREBY EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR LARGE, WELL-DESIGNED RANDOMIZED TRIALS THAT MINIMIZE BIAS AND METHODOLOGICAL DRAWBACKS. 2019 13 2436 34 YOGA AND PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A REVIEW OF BIOMARKER EVIDENCE. TRADITIONALLY, YOGA HAS BEEN USED AS A MEANS FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH BUT OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES OR SO ITS THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY EXPLORED. YOGA HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE USEFUL AS A MONO-THERAPY IN MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION AND AS AN ADJUVANT IN SEVERAL PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS INCLUDING SCHIZOPHRENIA, ANXIETY DISORDERS, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT. FURTHERMORE, SYSTEMATIC ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE TO UNDERSTAND THE BIOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF YOGA IN THESE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. GIVEN THAT NO PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER HAS STRONG AND ESTABLISHED BIOMARKERS, IT IS INTERESTING THAT PRELIMINARY RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN CERTAIN IMPORTANT BIOMARKERS FOLLOWING REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. IN THIS BRIEF REVIEW, WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BIOCHEMICAL, NEURO-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND NEURO-IMAGING RELATED BIO-MARKERS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. ALTHOUGH FINDINGS AND TRENDS ARE PROMISING, MUCH MORE RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO ESTABLISH A DEFINITE BIOLOGICAL BASIS FOR YOGA IN PSYCHIATRY. 2021 14 1640 38 MOLECULAR SIGNATURE OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE TO YOGA THERAPY IN STRESS-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE CONDITIONS: AN INSIGHT. THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DEFINES HEALTH AS COMPLETE WELL-BEING IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL, AND NOT MERELY THE ABSENCE OF DISEASE. TO ATTAIN THIS, INDIVIDUAL SHOULD ADAPT AND SELF-MANGE THE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES OF LIFE. EXPOSURE TO CHRONIC STRESS DUE TO URBANIZATION, WORK STRESS, NUCLEAR FAMILY, POLLUTION, UNHEALTHY FOOD HABITS, LIFESTYLE, ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN THE FAMILY, AND NATURAL CALAMITIES ARE THE TRIGGERING FACTORS, LEADING TO HORMONAL IMBALANCE AND INFLAMMATION IN THE TISSUE. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESS AND ILLNESS IS COMPLEX; ALL CHRONIC ILLNESSES SUCH AS CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND ASTHMA HAVE THEIR ROOT IN CHRONIC STRESS ATTRIBUTED BY INFLAMMATION. IN RECENT TIMES, YOGA THERAPY HAS EMERGED AS AN IMPORTANT COMPLEMENTARY ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR MANY HUMAN DISEASES. YOGA THERAPY HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON MIND AND BODY; IT ACTS BY INCORPORATING APPROPRIATE BREATHING TECHNIQUES AND MINDFULNESS TO ATTAIN CONSCIOUS DIRECTION OF OUR AWARENESS OF THE PRESENT MOMENT BY MEDITATION, WHICH HELPS ACHIEVE HARMONY BETWEEN THE BODY AND MIND. STUDIES HAVE ALSO DEMONSTRATED THE IMPORTANT REGULATORY EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS. DESPITE THESE ADVANCES, THE CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS BY WHICH YOGA THERAPY RENDERS ITS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS ARE INADEQUATELY KNOWN. A GROWING BODY OF EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA THERAPY HAS IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS. HOWEVER, THE PRECISE MECHANISTIC BASIS HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED EMPIRICALLY. IN THIS REVIEW, WE HAVE ATTEMPTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON IMMUNE SYSTEM FUNCTIONING WITH AN AIM TO IDENTIFY IMPORTANT IMMUNOLOGICAL SIGNATURES THAT INDEX THE EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY. TOWARD THIS, WE HAVE SUMMARIZED THE AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE SHOWING POSITIVE IMPACTS OF YOGA THERAPY. FINALLY, WE HAVE EMPHASIZED THE EFFICACY OF YOGA IN IMPROVING PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING. YOGA HAS BEEN A PART OF INDIAN CULTURE AND TRADITION FOR LONG; NOW, THE TIME HAS COME TO SCIENTIFICALLY VALIDATE THIS AND IMPLEMENT THIS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT METHOD FOR STRESS-RELATED CHRONIC DISEASE. 2020 15 373 37 AYURVEDA AND YOGA IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES. AYURVEDA IS DERIVED FROM 2 SANSKRIT WORDS, NAMELY, "AYUS" AND "VEDA," MEANING LIFE AND KNOWLEDGE, RESPECTIVELY. IT LITERALLY MEANS SCIENCE OF LIFE. AYURVEDA, OF WHICH YOGA IS AN INTEGRAL PART, IS WIDELY PRACTICED IN INDIA AND IS GAINING ACCEPTANCE IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD. IT IS A COMPREHENSIVE AND A HOLISTIC SYSTEM, THE FOCUS OF WHICH IS ON THE BODY, MIND, AND CONSCIOUSNESS. THE AYURVEDIC TREATMENT CONSISTS OF THE USE HERBAL PREPARATIONS, DIET, YOGA, MEDITATION, AND OTHER PRACTICES. BASED ON THE REVIEW OF AVAILABLE STUDIES, THE EVIDENCE IS NOT CONVINCING THAT ANY AYURVEDIC HERBAL TREATMENT IS EFFECTIVE IN THE TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASE OR HYPERTENSION. HOWEVER, THE USE OF CERTAIN SPICES AND HERBS SUCH AS GARLIC AND TURMERIC IN AN OVERALL HEALTHY DIET IS APPROPRIATE. MANY HERBS USED BY AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONERS SHOW PROMISE AND COULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR LARGER RANDOMIZED TRIALS. YOGA, AN INTEGRAL PART OF AYURVEDA, HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE USEFUL TO PATIENTS WITH HEART DISEASE AND HYPERTENSION. YOGA REDUCES ANXIETY, PROMOTES WELL-BEING, AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE. ITS SAFETY PROFILE IS EXCELLENT. ITS USE AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPEUTIC REGIMEN UNDER MEDICAL SUPERVISION IS APPROPRIATE AND COULD BE WORTH CONSIDERING. 2005 16 596 26 DEVELOPMENT AND FEASIBILITY OF YOGA THERAPY MODULE FOR OUT-PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION IN INDIA. CONTEXT: EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CERTAIN YOGA PRACTICES ARE USEFUL IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DEPRESSION. TO THE BEST OF OUR KNOWLEDGE, THERE HAS BEEN NO STUDY THAT DEALS WITH THE FORMULATION OF A YOGA MODULE FOR THE PARTICULAR CLINICAL FEATURES OF DEPRESSION. AIM: THE MAIN AIM OF OUR STUDY WAS TO DEVELOP A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA THERAPY MODULE TARGETING SPECIFIC CLINICAL FEATURES OF DEPRESSION. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: SPECIFIC YOGA PRACTICES WERE MATCHED FOR CLINICAL FEATURES OF DEPRESSION BASED ON A THOROUGH LITERATURE REVIEW. A YOGA PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED, WHICH CONSISTED OF SUKSMAVYAYAMA, (LOOSENING EXERCISES), ASANAS (POSTURES), RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES) AND CHANTING MEDITATION TO BE TAUGHT IN A 2 WEEK PERIOD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE WAS DEVELOPED FOR VALIDATION FROM NINE EXPERIENCED YOGA PROFESSIONALS. THE FINAL VERSION OF YOGA THERAPY MODULE WAS PILOT-TESTED ON SEVEN PATIENTS (FIVE FEMALES) WITH DEPRESSION RECRUITED FROM OUTPATIENT SERVICE OF NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND NEURO SCIENCES, BANGALORE. RESULTS: THE FINAL YOGA THERAPY MODULE HAD THOSE PRACTICES THAT RECEIVED A SCORE OF THREE OR MORE (MODERATELY/VERY MUCH/EXTREMELY USEFUL) FROM ALL RESPONDERS. SIX OUT OF NINE (>65%) EXPERTS SUGGESTED SUKSMAVYAYAMA SHOULD BE INCLUDED. FIVE OUT OF NINE EXPERTS OPINED THAT TRAINING WITH 10 SESSIONS (OVER 2 WEEKS) IS RATHER SHORT. ALL EXPERTS OPINED THAT THE MODULE IS EASY TO TEACH, LEARN AND PRACTICE. AT THE PILOT STAGE, THE FIVE PATIENTS WHO COMPLETED THE MODULE REPORTED MORE THAN 80% SATISFACTION ABOUT THE YOGA PRACTICES AND HOW THE YOGA WAS TAUGHT. SEVERITY OF DEPRESSION SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCED AT BOTH 1 AND 3 MONTHS FOLLOW-UP. CONCLUSION: THE DEVELOPED COMPREHENSIVE YOGA THERAPY MODULE WAS VALIDATED BY EXPERTS IN THE FIELD AND WAS FOUND TO BE FEASIBLE AND USEFUL IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION. 2013 17 2466 26 YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS OF PUBLISHED RESEARCH STUDIES. ALTHOUGH YOGA IS HISTORICALLY A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE, IT HAS ALSO BEEN USED CLINICALLY AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION. A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS ON THE BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL LITERATURE INVOLVING RESEARCH ON THE CLINICAL APPLICATION OF YOGA HAS REVEALED AN INCREASE IN PUBLICATION FREQUENCY OVER THE PAST 3 DECADES WITH A SUBSTANTIAL AND GROWING USE OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS. TYPES OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS HAVE INCLUDED PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL (E.G. DEPRESSION, ANXIETY), CARDIOVASCULAR (E.G. HYPERTENSION, HEART DISEASE), RESPIRATORY (E.G. ASTHMA), DIABETES AND A VARIETY OF OTHERS. A MAJORITY OF THIS RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED BY INDIAN INVESTIGATORS AND PUBLISHED IN INDIAN JOURNALS, PARTICULARLY YOGA SPECIALTY JOURNALS, ALTHOUGH RECENT TRENDS INDICATE INCREASING CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INVESTIGATORS IN THE U.S. AND ENGLAND. YOGA THERAPY IS A RELATIVELY NOVEL AND EMERGING CLINICAL DISCIPLINE WITHIN THE BROAD CATEGORY OF MIND-BODY MEDICINE, WHOSE GROWTH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE BURGEONING POPULARITY OF YOGA IN THE WEST AND THE INCREASING WORLDWIDE USE OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE. 2004 18 544 32 CONTENT VALIDITY OF AN INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE FOR PRACTICE DURING REMISSION IN RELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS. BACKGROUND: SOME INVESTIGATIONS POINT TO THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA IN ALLEVIATING THE MOTOR AND COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTIONS IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) PATIENTS BY USING VARYING COMBINATIONS OF PHYSICAL, BREATHING, AND MEDITATIVE PRACTICES OF YOGA. THERE IS A NEED FOR A VALIDATED YOGA MODULE WITH A HOLISTIC APPROACH THAT CAN BE USED AS A STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL BY RESEARCHERS AND THERAPISTS. PURPOSE: TO DEVELOP AND VALIDATE AN INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE FOR PRACTICE IN RELAPSING-REMITTING MS PATIENTS TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. METHODS: WE DID A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE YOGA MODULE. WE FORMED AN EXPERT GROUP WITH 24 EXPERTS AND A NEUROLOGIST AND USED TWO ROUNDS OF INTERACTIVE DELPHI METHOD TO COMBINE THEIR OPINION TO OBTAIN CONTENT VALIDITY OF THE MODULE THROUGH ONLINE STRUCTURED QUESTIONNAIRE PREPARED FOR THE PURPOSE ON A GOOGLE FORM. WE INCORPORATED ALL SUGGESTIONS OBTAINED BY THE EXPERTS. THE FINAL MODULE (60 MIN PER SESSION, TWICE A DAY, FIVE DAYS PER WEEK) INCLUDED WARM-UP EXERCISES, CUSTOMIZED ASANAS, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, AND OM MEDITATION. ADVICE ON YOGIC DIET AND DISCUSSION USING YOGIC CONCEPTS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT ALSO FORM A PART OF THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO YOGA LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION. RESULTS: ANALYSIS DIVULGED THAT 30 OUT OF 39 PRACTICES EXHIBITED A CONTENT VALIDITY RATIO VALUE GREATER THAN OR EQUAL TO 0.42. CONCLUSION: THE STUDY HAS SHOWN GOOD CONTENT VALIDITY OF THE INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE. FUTURE CLINICAL STUDIES ARE BEING PLANNED TO RULE THE FEASIBILITY AND RELIABILITY OF THIS MODULE. 2021 19 1294 24 GUIDELINES FOR DEVELOPING YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR RANDOMIZED TRIALS. LITTLE GUIDANCE IS AVAILABLE TO ASSIST RESEARCHERS IN DEVELOPING TREATMENT PROTOCOLS FOR RESEARCH ON YOGA FOR HEALTH CONCERNS. BECAUSE YOGA IS A COMPLEX MULTIFACTORIAL MIND-BODY DISCIPLINE HISTORICALLY DEVELOPED FOR NONMEDICAL PURPOSES, NUMEROUS DECISIONS MUST BE MADE IN ORDER TO THOUGHTFULLY DEVELOP SUCH PROTOCOLS. IN THIS PAPER, A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IS PROPOSED TO ASSIST RESEARCHERS IN SELECTING AN INTERVENTION THAT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE CONDITION UNDER CONSIDERATION AND EXPLICITLY DEVELOPED. RESEARCHERS NEED TO CONSIDER THE TYPE OR "STYLE" OF YOGA, THE COMPONENTS TO INCLUDE (E.G., BREATHING EXERCISES, POSTURES) AS WELL AS THE SPECIFIC PROTOCOL FOR EACH COMPONENT, THE DOSE TO BE DELIVERED (FREQUENCY, DURATION OF PRACTICE, AND THE TOTAL DURATION OF PRACTICE), AND ISSUES RELATED TO SELECTION OF INSTRUCTORS AND MONITORING THE FIDELITY TO THE INTERVENTION. EACH OF THESE DOMAINS AND THE KEY ISSUES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROTOCOLS IS DISCUSSED. FINALLY, SOME AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH RELATED TO PROTOCOL DEVELOPMENT ARE RECOMMENDED. 2012 20 2454 33 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR METABOLIC SYNDROME: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. METABOLIC SYNDROME (MS) IS ASSOCIATED WITH A SEDENTARY AND STRESSFUL LIFESTYLE AND AFFECTS UNDERACTIVE PEOPLE DISPROPORTIONATELY. YOGA IS CONSIDERED TO BE A LOW-IMPACT MIND-BODY STRESS-RELIEVING EXERCISE, AND RESEARCHERS ARE INCREASING THEIR FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR MANAGING METABOLIC DISORDERS. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO UNDERSTAND THE THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF YOGA INTERVENTION, IN TERMS OF ITS TYPE, DURATION AND FREQUENCY ON VARIOUS MS RISK FACTORS. THE PRESENT REVIEW SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS SUCH AS GLUCOSE HOMEOSTASIS MARKERS, LIPID PROFILE, ADIPOCYTOKINES AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORS, AND DISCUSSES THE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS OF ACTION. MEDLINE, PUBMED, SCOPUS AND COCHRANE LIBRARY WERE SEARCHED FROM THEIR INCEPTION UP TO DECEMBER 2019, USING THE KEYWORDS "METABOLIC SYNDROME," "DIABETES," "CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES," "OBESITY" AND "YOGA." THE LITERATURE SUMMARIZED IN THIS REVIEW HAVE SHOWN MIXED EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MS RISK FACTORS AND DO NOT PROVIDE ROBUST EVIDENCE FOR ITS EFFICACY. MORE RIGOROUS RESEARCH AND WELL-DESIGNED TRIALS THAT HAVE A HIGHER STANDARD OF METHODOLOGY AND EVALUATE YOGA'S LONG-TERM IMPACTS ON MS ARE NEEDED. UNDERSTANDING YOGA'S BIOCHEMICAL AND MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF ACTION ON VARIOUS METABOLIC PATHWAYS IS ALSO NEEDED. 2021