1 1069 123 EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH: A SHORT SUMMARY OF REVIEWS. THIS REPORT SUMMARIZES THE CURRENT EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS ON VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, BY FOCUSSING ON THE EVIDENCE DESCRIBED IN REVIEW ARTICLES. COLLECTIVELY, THESE REVIEWS SUGGEST A NUMBER OF AREAS WHERE YOGA MAY WELL BE BENEFICIAL, BUT MORE RESEARCH IS REQUIRED FOR VIRTUALLY ALL OF THEM TO FIRMLY ESTABLISH SUCH BENEFITS. THE HETEROGENEITY AMONG INTERVENTIONS AND CONDITIONS STUDIED HAS HAMPERED THE USE OF META-ANALYSIS AS AN APPROPRIATE TOOL FOR SUMMARIZING THE CURRENT LITERATURE. NEVERTHELESS, THERE ARE SOME META-ANALYSES WHICH INDICATE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS, AND THERE ARE SEVERAL RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIALS (RCT'S) OF RELATIVELY HIGH QUALITY INDICATING BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR PAIN-ASSOCIATED DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH. YOGA MAY WELL BE EFFECTIVE AS A SUPPORTIVE ADJUNCT TO MITIGATE SOME MEDICAL CONDITIONS, BUT NOT YET A PROVEN STAND-ALONE, CURATIVE TREATMENT. LARGER-SCALE AND MORE RIGOROUS RESEARCH WITH HIGHER METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY AND ADEQUATE CONTROL INTERVENTIONS IS HIGHLY ENCOURAGED BECAUSE YOGA MAY HAVE POTENTIAL TO BE IMPLEMENTED AS A BENEFICIAL SUPPORTIVE/ADJUNCT TREATMENT THAT IS RELATIVELY COST-EFFECTIVE, MAY BE PRACTICED AT LEAST IN PART AS A SELF-CARE BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT, PROVIDES A LIFE-LONG BEHAVIOURAL SKILL, ENHANCES SELF-EFFICACY AND SELF-CONFIDENCE AND IS OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH ADDITIONAL POSITIVE SIDE EFFECTS. 2012 2 1819 21 PROTEIN YOGA: CONFORMATIONAL VERSATILITY OF THE HEMOLYSIN II C-TERMINAL DOMAIN DETAILED BY NMR STRUCTURES FOR MULTIPLE STATES. THE C-TERMINAL DOMAIN OF BACILLUS CEREUS HEMOLYSIN II (HLYIIC), STABILIZES THE TRANS-MEMBRANE-PORE FORMED BY THE HLYII TOXIN AND MAY AID IN TARGET CELL RECOGNITION. INITIAL EFFORTS TO DETERMINE THE NMR STRUCTURE OF HLYIIC WERE HAMPERED BY CIS/TRANS ISOMERIZATION ABOUT THE SINGLE PROLINE AT POSITION 405 THAT LEADS TO DOUBLING OF NMR RESONANCES. WE USED THE MUTANT P405M-HLYIIC THAT ELIMINATES THE CIS PROLINE TO DETERMINE THE NMR STRUCTURE OF THE DOMAIN, WHICH REVEALED A NOVEL FOLD. HERE, WE EXTEND EARLIER STUDIES TO THE NMR STRUCTURE DETERMINATION OF THE CIS AND TRANS STATES OF WT-HLYIIC THAT EXIST SIMULTANEOUSLY IN SOLUTION. THE PRIMARY STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE CIS AND TRANS STATES ARE IN THE LOOP THAT CONTAINS P405, AND STRUCTURALLY ADJACENT LOOPS. THERMODYNAMIC LINKAGE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT AT 25 C THE CIS PROLINE, WHICH ALREADY HAS A LARGE FRACTION OF 20% IN THE UNFOLDED PROTEIN, INCREASES TO 50% IN THE FOLDED STATE DUE TO COUPLING WITH THE GLOBAL STABILITY OF THE DOMAIN. THE P405M OR P405A SUBSTITUTIONS ELIMINATE HETEROGENEITY DUE TO PROLINE ISOMERIZATION BUT LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF A NEW DIMERIC SPECIES. THE NMR STRUCTURE OF THE DIMER SHOWS THAT IT IS FORMED THROUGH DOMAIN-SWAPPING OF STRAND BETA5, THE LAST SEGMENT OF SECONDARY STRUCTURE FOLLOWING P405. THE PRESENCE OF P405 IN WT-HLYIIC STRONGLY DISFAVORS THE DIMER COMPARED TO THE P405M-HLYIIC OR P405A-HLYIIC MUTANTS. THE WT PROLINE MAY THUS ACT AS A "GATEKEEPER," WARDING OFF AGGREGATIVE MISFOLDING. 2021 3 2910 26 [PREVENTIVE AND CURATIVE VALUE OF YOGA IN CARDIOMETABOLIC DISEASES]. YOGA AND OTHER BODY-MIND TECHNIQUES ENJOY AN INCREASING POPULARITY IN MANY FIELDS OF HEALTH MAINTAINING PRACTICES, IN PREVENTION OF SOME ILLNESSES AND IN CURATIVE MEDICINE IN SPITE OF OUR INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ITS APPLICABILITY AND EFFECTS. THERE ARE LARGE DIFFERENCES AMONG THE VARIOUS YOGA-SCHOOLS AND THE HETEROGENEITY OF INDICATIONS ETC. IN THIS ARTICLE A BUCKET OF RECENT INFORMATION IS OFFERED FOR THE INQUIRERS ON THE POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES OF YOGA (DIET, MIND-EXERCISES, ASANAS, PRANAYAMAS) FOR DECREASING CARDIO-METABOLIC RISK FACTORS, STABILIZING MENTAL HEALTH, AND ITS ADDICTIVE USE IN CURATIVE MEDICINE. FEW ADVERSE SIDE-EFFECTS MAY OCCUR ONLY IN THE CASE OF MISAPPLICATION. ITS ADVANTAGES ARE LOW COSTS, AVAILABILITY FOR BROAD POPULATION, AND VERY FEW CONTRAINDICATIONS. DISADVANTAGES INCLUDE DIFFERENCES IN THE ABILITY OF YOGA INSTRUCTORS AND IN YOGA PRACTICES. 2016 4 2304 25 TOWARD AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR YOGA THERAPY INFORMED BY PHILOSOPHICAL AND ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES. CONTEXT * YOGA THERAPY IS AN EMERGING COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH PRACTICE FOR WHICH THERE IS INCREASING INTEREST FROM BOTH CLINICAL AND RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES. CURRENTLY MISSING, HOWEVER, IS AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROFESSION THAT PROVIDES PRACTITIONERS, CLIENTS, AND THE PUBLIC WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW VARIOUS YOGIC TRADITIONS AND PRINCIPLES CAN BE UNDERSTOOD IN MODERN HEALTH CARE CONTEXTS. OBJECTIVE * THIS STUDY PROPOSES AN EXPLANATORY FRAMEWORK FOR YOGA THERAPY, INFORMED BY PHENOMENOLOGY, EUDAIMONIA, VIRTUE ETHICS, AND FIRST-PERSON ETHICAL INQUIRY. CONCLUSIONS * THESE 4 PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES-PHENOMENOLOGY, EUDAIMONIA, VIRTUE ETHICS, AND FIRST-PERSON ETHICAL INQUIRY-PROVIDE A LENS THROUGH WHICH TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOGIC PRACTICES SUPPORT THE INDIVIDUAL'S TRANSFORMATION IN THE EXPERIENCE OF ILLNESS, PAIN, OR DISABILITY. WE PROPOSE THAT THIS TRANSFORMATION OCCURS THROUGH FACILITATING A REHARMONIZATION OF BODY, MIND, AND ENVIRONMENT TOWARD THE EXPERIENCE OF EUDAIMONIC WELL-BEING. 2018 5 2211 25 THE HEALTH IMAGINARY OF POSTURAL YOGA. THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE CAPACITY OF YOGA NARRATIVES AND PRACTICES TO CONTRIBUTE TO AND RELATE IDEAS ABOUT HEALTH. IT ADDS THEORETICALLY TO EXISTING LITERATURE ON YOGA BY INTRODUCING THE CONCEPT OF THE 'HEALTH IMAGINARY' AS AN ANALYTIC LENS FOR CONSIDERING YOGA DISCOURSES IN LATE MODERN TIMES, WHERE PERSONAL HEALTH CARE AND SPIRITUAL AMBITIONS ARE ONCE AGAIN BECOMING BLURRED. WITH THIS PERSPECTIVE, THE PAPER PROVIDES A THOROUGH ANALYSIS OF HOW YOGA POSTURES (ASANAS) ARE CONCEIVED TO WORK THERAPEUTICALLY, IN YOGA'S RECENT HISTORY AND IN PRESENT-DAY YOGA THERAPY. TAKING CASE STUDIES FROM INDIA AND GERMANY, IT IS SHOWN EMPIRICALLY HOW THE APPLICATION OF ASANAS IS RATIONALIZED DIFFERENTLY IN SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AND THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENTS - PARTICULARLY REGARDING THE PRESUMED THEORY OF THE BODY. THUS, THE CONCEPT OF THE HEALTH IMAGINARY NOT ONLY PROVIDES ANALYTIC SPACE TO EXPLORE THE IMPLICIT LOGICS AND GOALS OF HEALING IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, BUT ALSO OFFERS CLUES ABOUT THE DISTINCT SOCIAL, CULTURAL/RELIGIOUS, AND LOCAL INFLUENCES THAT DRAW PEOPLE INTO YOGA AND CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SELECTIVE APPROPRIATION ACROSS THE GLOBE. 2021 6 2042 25 THE 'WORLD OF YOGA': THE PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION OF THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES. YOGA IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE FASHIONABLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD. THIS ACTIVITY, PARTLY CONSIDERED AS THERAPEUTIC, REVEALS CONTEMPORARY WAYS OF PRODUCING GLOBAL PRACTICES. VIA A QUESTIONNAIRE COMPLETED BY INDIVIDUALS AT YOGA CENTRES IN INDIA AND FRANCE, THE PAPER ANALYSES THIS PHENOMENON USING THE CONCEPT OF THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES. FURTHERMORE, IT EXAMINES HOW THESE THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES ARE INFLUENCED BY GLOBALISATION. BRINGING TOGETHER THE CONCEPTS OF THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES, GLOBALISATION AND THE PRACTICE OF YOGA, THE PAPER ANALYSES THE PRODUCTION AND REPRODUCTION OF YOGIC THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES IN THE WORLD'S SPACE. CONSTITUTED OF NATURAL PHYSICAL ELEMENTS AND BUILT STRUCTURES, THESE THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES ARE ALSO STRONGLY LINKED TO EMOTIONAL QUALITIES AND INTIMATE FEELINGS EVOKED BY THE PLACE AND RELATED TO HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THE PAPER ALSO UNDERLINES THAT THE EMERGENCE OF INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES DEMANDS A CULTURAL AND SOCIAL GEOGRAPHICAL APPROACH THAT COULD HELP TO EXAMINE THE REPERCUSSIONS OF LOCAL AND GLOBAL PHENOMENA ON THERAPEUTIC LANDSCAPES. INDEED, VERY OFTEN, YOGIS, ALL AROUND THE WORLD, REFER TO IDEAL PLACES WHERE THEY RARELY GO. CONSEQUENTLY, THEY CREATE AN IMAGINED THERAPEUTIC ENVIRONMENT THAT THE PAPER DESCRIBES. 2007 7 1878 25 REALIZING YOGA'S ALL-ACCESS PASS: A SOCIAL JUSTICE CRITIQUE OF WESTERNIZED YOGA AND INCLUSIVE EMBODIMENT. IN THE 21(ST) CENTURY, THE ANCIENT MIND-BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAS SURGED IN POPULARITY AMONG WESTERN ENTHUSIASTS FOR ITS NUMEROUS HEALTH BENEFITS. PARTICULARLY, A GROWING EVIDENCE BASE SUPPORTS YOGA FOR CULTIVATING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT AND REDUCING RISK FOR DISORDERED EATING. NEVERTHELESS, AMIDST ITS RISE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT YOGA'S DEPARTURE FROM ITS SPIRITUAL FOUNDATIONS AND INCREASING ASSIMILATION INTO THE APPEARANCE- AND COMMERCIAL-DRIVEN EXERCISE AND FITNESS CULTURE. CONSEQUENTLY, AN EXCLUSIONARY IDENTITY HAS BEEN PERPETUATED IN SHAPING NORMS SURROUNDING WHO CAN AND DOES PRACTICE YOGA, WHICH CONTRADICTS EARLIER EGALITARIAN VISIONS OF A YOGA FOR ALL. THEREFORE, WE ADOPT A SOCIAL JUSTICE LENS IN OFFERING A FOCUSED ANALYSIS OF THE INTERSECTION OF YOGA, EMBODIMENT, AND INCLUSION FOR SELECT MARGINALIZED SOCIAL IDENTITIES TYPICALLY UNDERREPRESENTED AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND IN YOGA SCHOLARSHIP. DATA ARE SYNTHESIZED FROM BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE SOURCES AND INTEGRATE AN UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CONFINED MEDIA REPRESENTATIONS OF "THE YOGA BODY" AND OTHER PRACTICAL CONSTRAINTS MAY UNDERMINE THE PERCEIVED ACCESS TO THE PRACTICE FOR MEMBERS OF DIVERSE GROUPS. WE CONCLUDE WITH INVITING FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS TOWARDS FOSTERING MORE INTERDISCIPLINARY COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS AMONG THE VARIETY OF STAKEHOLDERS INVESTED IN ADVANCING THE ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION OF YOGA AND POSITIVE EMBODIMENT FOR ALL BODIES. 2020 8 538 20 COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT FOR NECK PAIN: CHIROPRACTIC, ACUPUNCTURE, TENS, MASSAGE, YOGA, TAI CHI, AND FELDENKRAIS. OF THE MULTITUDE OF TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF NECK PAIN, NO OBVIOUS SINGLE TREATMENT MODALITY HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE MOST EFFICACIOUS. AS SUCH, THE CLINICIAN SHOULD CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT MODALITIES IF A MODALITY IS ENGAGING, AVAILABLE, FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE, POTENTIALLY EFFICACIOUS, AND IS LOW RISK FOR THE PATIENT. AS EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE FOR NECK PAIN DEVELOPS, THE CLINICIAN IS FACED WITH THE CHALLENGE OF WHICH TREATMENTS TO ENCOURAGE PATIENTS TO PURSUE. TREATMENT MODALITIES EXPLORED IN THIS ARTICLE, INCLUDING CHIROPRACTIC, ACUPUNCTURE, TENS, MASSAGE, YOGA, TAI CHI, AND FELDENKRAIS, REPRESENT REASONABLE COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE METHODS FOR PATIENTS WITH NECK PAIN. 2011 9 1772 37 POTENTIAL SELF-REGULATORY MECHANISMS OF YOGA FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. RESEARCH SUGGESTING THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA ON MYRIAD ASPECTS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH HAS PROLIFERATED IN RECENT YEARS, YET THERE IS CURRENTLY NO OVERARCHING FRAMEWORK BY WHICH TO UNDERSTAND YOGA'S POTENTIAL BENEFICIAL EFFECTS. HERE WE PROVIDE A THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND SYSTEMS-BASED NETWORK MODEL OF YOGA THAT FOCUSES ON INTEGRATION OF TOP-DOWN AND BOTTOM-UP FORMS OF SELF-REGULATION. WE BEGIN BY CONTEXTUALIZING YOGA IN HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY SETTINGS, AND THEN DETAIL HOW SPECIFIC COMPONENTS OF YOGA PRACTICE MAY AFFECT COGNITIVE, EMOTIONAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND AUTONOMIC OUTPUT UNDER STRESS THROUGH AN EMPHASIS ON INTEROCEPTION AND BOTTOM-UP INPUT, RESULTING IN PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH. THE MODEL DESCRIBES YOGA PRACTICE AS A COMPREHENSIVE SKILLSET OF SYNERGISTIC PROCESS TOOLS THAT FACILITATE BIDIRECTIONAL FEEDBACK AND INTEGRATION BETWEEN HIGH- AND LOW-LEVEL BRAIN NETWORKS, AND AFFERENT AND RE-AFFERENT INPUT FROM INTEROCEPTIVE PROCESSES (SOMATOSENSORY, VISCEROSENSORY, CHEMOSENSORY). FROM A PREDICTIVE CODING PERSPECTIVE WE PROPOSE A SHIFT TO PERCEPTUAL INFERENCE FOR STRESS MODULATION AND OPTIMAL SELF-REGULATION. WE DESCRIBE HOW THE PROCESSES THAT SUB-SERVE SELF-REGULATION BECOME MORE AUTOMATIZED AND EFFICIENT OVER TIME AND PRACTICE, REQUIRING LESS EFFORT TO INITIATE WHEN NECESSARY AND TERMINATE MORE RAPIDLY WHEN NO LONGER NEEDED. TO SUPPORT OUR PROPOSED MODEL, WE PRESENT THE AVAILABLE EVIDENCE FOR YOGA AFFECTING SELF-REGULATORY PATHWAYS, INTEGRATING EXISTING CONSTRUCTS FROM BEHAVIOR THEORY AND COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE WITH EMERGING YOGA AND MEDITATION RESEARCH. THIS PAPER IS INTENDED TO GUIDE FUTURE BASIC AND CLINICAL RESEARCH, SPECIFICALLY TARGETING AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE TREATMENT OF STRESS-MEDIATED PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. 2014 10 381 23 BEING ALONE TOGETHER: YOGA, BODYWORK, AND INTIMATE SOCIALITY IN AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS. USING ETHNOGRAPHIC DATA FROM PROVIDENCE COUNTY, RHODE ISLAND, THIS PAPER EXPLORES YOGA AS A BODYWORK PRACTICE THAT IS PART OF EVERYDAY HEALTH AND WELLBEING ROUTINES IN MIDDLE CLASS HOUSEHOLDS. IN THIS CONTEXT, PARTICIPANTS DEFINE THEIR BODYWORK PRACTICES AS INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITIES THAT ANSWER HEALTH AND WELLBEING NEEDS, BUT NOTABLY DISCUSS BODYWORK IN TERMS OF THEIR EVERYDAY SOCIAL EXPERIENCE. ALONG WITH OTHER BODYWORK ACTIVITIES, YOGA EMERGES AS A SHARED SOCIAL PRACTICE THAT LINKS PARTICIPANTS TO THEIR PARTNERS, CHILDREN, AND OTHER INTIMATES, FACILITATING A SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS BY ALLOWING TIME AND SPACE FOR AUTONOMY. BY GIVING ATMOSPHERIC AND SENSORY ATTENTION TO THE ETHNOGRAPHIC DATA, THE PAPER FURTHER REVEALS HOW DOMESTIC INTIMACY IS CULTIVATED VIA THE GENERATION OF BODILY HEAT AND POSITIVE ENERGIES AND THAT YOGA MAY TACITLY FACILITATE SUCH ATMOSPHERES. IN THIS WAY, YOGA CAN HELP HOUSEHOLDS MEET AN AMERICAN NEED FOR SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND AUTONOMY WHILE STILL FACILITATING A FAR MORE ENDURING HUMAN NEED FOR INTIMATE CONNECTION. ULTIMATELY YOGA IS CHARACTERIZED AS A PRAGMATIC BODYWORK PRACTICE THAT BLENDS SELF-DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL INTIMACY THROUGH SHARED ENERGETIC ENCOUNTERS. 2021 11 2373 30 WHAT IS OUR "EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY"? REFLECTIONS ON SOCIAL WORK'S ORIENTATION IN YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH. THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO EXPLORE HOW THE SOCIAL WORK DISCIPLINE COULD PROVIDE A COMPLEMENTARY LENS THROUGH WHICH YOGA THERAPY CAN BE ANALYZED AND EVALUATED BY ENGAGING IN KNOWLEDGE-CREATION PRACTICES AND PROCEDURES THAT PRIORITIZE THE "EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY" DESCRIBED BY PHILOSOPHER LORRAINE CODE. MORE SPECIFICALLY, BY SEEKING TO STRATEGICALLY INCLUDE OFTEN-SUBJUGATED TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE AND BY FOCUSING ON REDISTRIBUTING EPISTEMIC POWER TO AGENTS THAT TYPICALLY HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED FROM EPISTEMIC PARTICIPATION IN CONTEMPORARY YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH, THE SOCIAL WORK DISCIPLINE, WITH ITS STRONG COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO FILLING AN IMPORTANT GAP IN SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE. WE BEGIN BY PRESENTING THE RELEVANCE OF THE SOCIAL WORK PERSPECTIVE IN RELATION TO THE FIELD OF YOGA THERAPY. WE NEXT OFFER A RESERVED CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE DOMINANT TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT CURRENTLY INFORMS YOGA THERAPY PRACTICE. THIS ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTS THE SOCIAL PARAMETERS THAT MAY BE RENDERED INVISIBLE OR LEFT ASIDE WHEN ADOPTING A POSITIVIST EPISTEMOLOGICAL LENS AND JUSTIFIES HOW THE CONCEPTUAL APPARATUS OF EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY SERVES AS A POTENTIAL PLATFORM FOR RETHINKING SOCIAL WORK'S POSITION AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE FIELD OF YOGA THERAPY. FINALLY, WE MOBILIZE THE CONCEPT OF CULTURAL APPROPRIATION TO ILLUSTRATE HOW STRIVING FOR EPISTEMIC RESPONSIBILITY PROVIDES AN ENTRY POINT FOR ADDRESSING THE MULTILEVEL, COMPLEX SOCIAL PROCESSES EMBEDDED IN YOGA THERAPY PRACTICE AND RESEARCH WHILE AIMING TO CAPTURE THE MANY VOICES-AND HENCE THE VARIOUS TRUTHS-IMPLICATED IN A DEMOCRATIC, REFLEXIVE, AND INCLUSIVE RESEARCH PROCESS. 2020 12 1309 17 HEALING AND THE MIND/BODY ARTS: MASSAGE, ACUPUNCTURE, YOGA, T'AI CHI, AND FELDENKRAIS. 1. THE HEALTH PRACTITIONER MAY ENCOUNTER CLIENTS WHO ARE FACED WITH PROBLEMS THAT DO NOT SEEM TO RESPOND TO TRADITIONAL HEALTH CARE. 2. ONE WAY THAT SOME CHOOSE TO CONFRONT THESE SYSTEMIC COMPLAINTS IS TO EMPLOY SOME OF THE HEALTH TRADITIONS OF OTHER CULTURES AND TO VIEW THE BODY AND MIND AS A BALANCED WHOLE. 3. MASSAGE, ACUPUNCTURE AND ACUPRESSURE, T'AI CHI, AND FELDENKRAIS FOCUS ON THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION TO FACILITATE HEALING THROUGH RELAXATION, PRESSURE POINTS, AND MOVEMENT. 1993 13 2438 23 YOGA AND QIGONG IN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PREVENTION OF MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS: A CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS. THE STUDY PROPOSES TO EXPLORE TWO ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE THERAPIES-QIGONG AND YOGA FOR BALANCING THE ESSENTIAL DUO OF HOLISTIC MIND-BODY AND CONSEQUENTLY OFFER A SOLUTION FOR STRESS, UNCERTAINTY, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS HAVE BEEN USED TO CREATE A CONCEPTUAL SYNTHESIS OF YOGA AND QIGONG. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT AN INCREASED SENSE OF CONTROL IS THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THESE TWO MODALITIES. THIS CONCEPTUAL CONGRUENCE OF QIGONG AND YOGA IS THOUGHT TO BE A SELECTIVE, CURATIVE METHOD, A PRESCRIPTION FOR IDEAL LIVING AND A GROUND OF HUMAN ESSENCE EXISTENCE. FURTHERMORE, THIS ESSENCE IS THOUGHT TO ENHANCE THE MIND'S SELF-REGULATORY PROCESSES AND PREVENT MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. THE TWO ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES CAN PREVENT MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION AND, MINIMIZE MENTAL HEALTH DISRUPTIONS SUCH AS STRESS AND POOR QUALITY OF LIFE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PATIENTS AND/OR CLIENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM THIS FUSION. 2010 14 653 24 EATING DISORDERS, EMBODIMENT, AND YOGA: A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW. YOGA AND ITS RELATION TO EMBODIMENT AND DISORDERED EATING HAS ONLY RECENTLY RECEIVED RESEARCH ATTENTION. NEVERTHELESS, EARLY RESEARCH INDICATES THAT YOGA IS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS. IT IS ASSUMED THAT YOGA AMELIORATES EATING DISORDER SYMPTOMS AND FACILITATES A SHIFT FROM NEGATIVE TOWARDS POSITIVE BODY IMAGE AND WELL-BEING BY CULTIVATING POSITIVE EMBODIMENT (I.E., THE ABILITY TO FEEL A SENSE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN MIND AND BODY). IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THE CONTEXT OF THE CONSTRUCTS OF DISORDERED EATING, EMBODIMENT, AND YOGA, THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THESE CONSTRUCTS. THE THREE MAJOR EATING DISORDERS AND CURRENT TREATMENT METHODS ARE DESCRIBED. FURTHER, THE PHILOSOPHICAL ROOTS AND THEORETICAL MODELS OF EMBODIMENT ARE DELINEATED AND THEIR COMMUNAL CORE FEATURES ARE OUTLINED. LASTLY, THE ORIGIN, BASIC PRINCIPLES, AND MODERN INTERPRETATIONS OF YOGA ARE DISCUSSED. 2020 15 2781 36 YOGA THERAPY AND POLYVAGAL THEORY: THE CONVERGENCE OF TRADITIONAL WISDOM AND CONTEMPORARY NEUROSCIENCE FOR SELF-REGULATION AND RESILIENCE. YOGA THERAPY IS A NEWLY EMERGING, SELF-REGULATING COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTHCARE (CIH) PRACTICE. IT IS GROWING IN ITS PROFESSIONALIZATION, RECOGNITION AND UTILIZATION WITH A DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO SETTING PRACTICE STANDARDS, EDUCATIONAL AND ACCREDITATION STANDARDS, AND PROMOTING RESEARCH TO SUPPORT ITS EFFICACY FOR VARIOUS POPULATIONS AND CONDITIONS. HOWEVER, HETEROGENEITY OF PRACTICE, POOR REPORTING STANDARDS, AND LACK OF A BROADLY ACCEPTED UNDERSTANDING OF THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS INVOLVED IN YOGA THERAPY LIMITS THE STRUCTURING OF TESTABLE HYPOTHESES AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS. CURRENT PROPOSED FRAMEWORKS OF YOGA-BASED PRACTICES FOCUS ON THE INTEGRATION OF BOTTOM-UP NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND TOP-DOWN NEUROCOGNITIVE MECHANISMS. IN ADDITION, IT HAS BEEN PROPOSED THAT PHENOMENOLOGY AND FIRST PERSON ETHICAL INQUIRY CAN PROVIDE A LENS THROUGH WHICH YOGA THERAPY IS VIEWED AS A PROCESS THAT CONTRIBUTES TOWARDS EUDAIMONIC WELL-BEING IN THE EXPERIENCE OF PAIN, ILLNESS OR DISABILITY. IN THIS ARTICLE WE BUILD ON THESE FRAMEWORKS, AND PROPOSE A MODEL OF YOGA THERAPY THAT CONVERGES WITH POLYVAGAL THEORY (PVT). PVT LINKS THE EVOLUTION OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM TO THE EMERGENCE OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS AND POSITS THAT THE NEURAL PLATFORMS SUPPORTING SOCIAL BEHAVIOR ARE INVOLVED IN MAINTAINING HEALTH, GROWTH AND RESTORATION. THIS EXPLANATORY MODEL WHICH CONNECTS NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL PATTERNS OF AUTONOMIC REGULATION AND EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, IS INCREASINGLY UTILIZED AS A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR, STRESS AND ILLNESS. SPECIFICALLY, WE DESCRIBE HOW PVT CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED AS A NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL COUNTERPART TO THE YOGIC CONCEPT OF THE GUNAS, OR QUALITIES OF NATURE. SIMILAR TO THE NEURAL PLATFORMS DESCRIBED IN PVT, THE GUNAS PROVIDE THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH BEHAVIORAL, EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES EMERGE. WE DESCRIBE HOW THESE TWO DIFFERENT YET ANALOGOUS FRAMEWORKS-ONE BASED IN NEUROPHYSIOLOGY AND THE OTHER IN AN ANCIENT WISDOM TRADITION-HIGHLIGHT YOGA THERAPY'S PROMOTION OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND SOCIAL WELLBEING FOR SELF-REGULATION AND RESILIENCE. THIS PARALLEL BETWEEN THE NEURAL PLATFORMS OF PVT AND THE GUNAS OF YOGA IS INSTRUMENTAL IN CREATING A TRANSLATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR YOGA THERAPY TO ALIGN WITH ITS PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS. CONSEQUENTLY, YOGA THERAPY CAN OPERATE AS A DISTINCT PRACTICE RATHER THAN FITTING INTO AN OUTSIDE MODEL FOR ITS UTILIZATION IN RESEARCH AND CLINICAL CONTEXTS. 2018 16 539 38 COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN PARKINSON DISEASE: A REVIEW OF ACUPUNCTURE, TAI CHI, QI GONG, YOGA, AND CANNABIS. PARKINSON DISEASE (PD) IS A PROGRESSIVE NEURODEGENERATIVE CONDITION CHARACTERIZED BY BRADYKINESIA, RIGIDITY, RESTING TREMOR, AND POSTURAL INSTABILITY. NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING PAIN, FATIGUE, INSOMNIA, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION TO NAME A FEW, ARE INCREASINGLY RECOGNIZED AND OFTEN JUST AS DISABLING AT MOTOR SYMPTOMS. THE MAINSTAY OF TREATMENT IS DOPAMINE REPLACEMENT; HOWEVER, THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS TEND TO WANE OVER TIME WITH DISEASE PROGRESSION, AND PATIENTS OFTEN EXPERIENCE MOTOR FLUCTUATIONS AND MEDICATION SIDE EFFECTS. THE LACK OF A DISEASE-MODIFYING INTERVENTION AND THE SHORTCOMINGS OF TRADITIONAL SYMPTOMATIC MEDICATIONS HAVE LED MANY PATIENTS TO PURSUE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES TO ALLEVIATE MOTOR AND NON-MOTOR SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH PD. THE TERM COMPLEMENTARY IMPLIES THAT THE THERAPY IS USED ALONG WITH CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE AND MAY INCLUDE SUPPLEMENTS, MANIPULATIVE TREATMENTS (CHIROPRACTIC, MASSAGE), EXERCISE-BASED PROGRAMS, AND MIND-BODY PRACTICES. AS THESE PRACTICES BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD IN WESTERN MEDICINE, THERE IS A GROWING INTEREST IN EVALUATING THEIR EFFECTS ON A NUMBER OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS, PD INCLUDED. IN THIS REVIEW, WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE ON CLINICAL TRIALS THAT HAVE EVALUATED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS FOR PATIENTS WITH PD, SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON ACUPUNCTURE, TAI CHI, QI GONG, YOGA, AND CANNABIS. 2020 17 1502 21 INVEST IN YOURSELF. YOGA AS A SELF-CARE STRATEGY. A WIDENING RECOGNITION OF THE MIND-BODY-SPIRIT CONNECTION IN WESTERN MEDICINE HAS RESULTED IN A GROWING INTEREST IN ANCIENT HEALTH PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA. AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES ENTER MAINSTREAM MEDICAL SETTINGS, NURSES AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS NEED A FUNDAMENTAL UNDERSTANDING OF THESE MODALITIES TO BE ABLE TO ADVISE PATIENTS EFFECTIVELY. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND DETAILS THE BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE. 2000 18 1306 28 HATHA YOGA THERAPY MANAGEMENT OF UROLOGIC DISORDERS. HATHA YOGA (OFTEN REFERRED TO AS "YOGA") IS AN ANCIENT TYPE OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL EXERCISE THAT HAS BEEN USED AS A THERAPEUTIC MODALITY IN TRADITIONAL INDIAN MEDICINE FOR CENTURIES. YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY MODALITY IN WESTERN MEDICINE IS MORE RECENT AND CONTINUES TO GROW. CHRONIC UROLOGIC DISORDERS ARE OFTEN DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE BECAUSE THEIR PRESENTATION MIMIC OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND ARE OFTEN A DIAGNOSIS OF EXCLUSION. TREATMENT IS ALSO FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE MORE TRADITIONAL TREATMENTS ARE OFTEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN MANAGING CHRONIC DISORDERS. HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS ARE OFTEN FORCED TO LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR OTHER MODALITIES TO PROVIDE PAIN RELIEF AND IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE. HATHA YOGA IS ONE OF THESE MODALITIES WHICH HAS BEEN EXTREMELY USEFUL TO MANY PATIENTS IN REDUCING THE SUFFERING SEEN WITH CHRONIC UROLOGIC CONDITIONS SUCH AS: PROSTATODYNIA, CHRONIC ORCHITIS, CHRONIC EPIDIDYMITIS, VULVODYNIA, INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS, ETC. 2002 19 1890 31 REGULATION OF GENE EXPRESSION BY YOGA, MEDITATION AND RELATED PRACTICES: A REVIEW OF RECENT STUDIES. INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE (IM) APPROACHES HAVE GAINED SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN RECENT YEARS TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION FOR THE HEALTH CARE CHALLENGES WE FACE TODAY. YOGIC COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL PRACTICES ARE AMONG THE MOST WIDELY USED IM APPROACHES AND INCLUDE DIVERSE PRACTICES SUCH AS YOGA ASANAS, MEDITATION, BREATHING EXERCISES, QI GONG, TAI CHI CHIH, AND VARIOUS OTHERS. STUDIES TO DATE SUGGEST THAT THESE YOGIC/MEDITATIVE PRACTICES HAVE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECTS ON THE MIND-BODY SYSTEM AND THEREBY CAN INCREASE WELLNESS AND SUPPORT THE HEALING PROCESS FROM DISEASE. PREVIOUS WORK HAS PROVIDED EVIDENCE FOR BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THESE PRACTICES; HOWEVER, THE MECHANISMS OF THESE EFFECTS, ESPECIALLY AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL, HAVE LARGELY BEEN MISSING. THREE RECENT STUDIES STARTED TO PROVIDE SOME OF THIS INFORMATION THROUGH GENE EXPRESSION PROFILING IN CIRCULATING IMMUNE CELLS, WHICH SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS THAT YOGIC/MEDITATIVE PRACTICES HAVE A MEASURABLE EFFECT AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL. THESE STUDIES ARE REVIEWED HEREIN AND SOME FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ARE CONSIDERED. 2013 20 402 29 BEYOND TURMERIC AND YOGA: ADVANCE CARE PLANNING AND END-OF-LIFE CONSIDERATIONS AMONG ASIAN INDIAN AMERICAN HINDUS. HINDUISM IS THE FOURTH LARGEST RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES; AN UNDERSTANDING OF HINDU BELIEFS AND PRACTICES WILL HELP HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS DELIVER CULTURALLY SENSITIVE CARE WHILE DISCUSSING ADVANCE CARE PLANNING AND END-OF-LIFE CARE FOR ADULT PATIENTS. FOR MANY WESTERNERS, THE PRACTICE OF YOGA, AYURVEDA, AND VEGETARIANISM IS USED BY PEOPLE STRIVING TO LIVE HEALTHFULLY. HOWEVER, WHAT MIGHT BE UNFAMILIAR TO WESTERNERS IS HOW FOR HINDUS, THESE PRACTICES REFLECT THEIR MILLENNIA-OLD SPIRITUALITY AND RELIGIOSITY. KNOWING THE HINDU BELIEFS OF ATMAN, BRAHMAN, KARMA, AND MOKSHA WILL HELP NURSES CONNECT TO HINDUS' VARIOUS END-OF-LIFE WISHES. IN ADDITION, GETTING FAMILIAR WITH INTERRELATING FACTORS SUCH AS LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ON PALLIATIVE CARE AND ADVANCE CARE PLANNING, FAMILY DYNAMICS, ACCULTURATION, AND PERSONAL PREFERENCES WILL ALLOW NURSES TO PROVIDE CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE. BY FACILITATING END-OF-LIFE CONVERSATIONS AT AN EARLY STAGE, NURSES CAN PROMOTE CONFIDENCE AND SELF-EFFICACY FOR PATIENTS WHO MAY FEAR THAT THEIR RELIGIOSITY AND PERSONAL PRIORITIES ARE TRIVIALIZED BY ACCULTURATED FAMILY MEMBERS OR DISREGARDED BY THEIR ADOPTED HOMELAND. THIS CLINICAL ARTICLE PROVIDES NURSES WITH INFORMATION ABOUT ASIAN INDIAN AMERICAN HINDUS' BELIEFS AND PRACTICES, CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS FOR ASSESSMENT, AND SUGGESTIONS TO SUPPORT PATIENTS' AND FAMILIES' END-OF-LIFE WISHES. 2022