1 93 148 A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR ADDICTION. THIS PAPER REVIEWS THE PHILOSOPHICAL ORIGINS, CURRENT SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE, AND CLINICAL PROMISE OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR ADDICTION. HISTORICALLY, THERE ARE EIGHT ELEMENTS OF YOGA THAT, TOGETHER, COMPRISE ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES FOR LIVING A MEANINGFUL, PURPOSEFUL, MORAL AND SELF-DISCIPLINED LIFE. TRADITIONAL YOGA PRACTICES, INCLUDING POSTURES AND MEDITATION, DIRECT ATTENTION TOWARD ONE'S HEALTH, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF ONE'S NATURE. MINDFULNESS DERIVES FROM ANCIENT BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY, AND MINDFULNESS MEDITATION PRACTICES, SUCH AS GENTLE HATHA YOGA AND MINDFUL BREATHING, ARE INCREASINGLY INTEGRATED INTO SECULAR HEALTH CARE SETTINGS. CURRENT THEORETICAL MODELS SUGGEST THAT THE SKILLS, INSIGHTS, AND SELF-AWARENESS LEARNED THROUGH YOGA AND MINDFULNESS PRACTICE CAN TARGET MULTIPLE PSYCHOLOGICAL, NEURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND BEHAVIORAL PROCESSES IMPLICATED IN ADDICTION AND RELAPSE. A SMALL BUT GROWING NUMBER OF WELL-DESIGNED CLINICAL TRIALS AND EXPERIMENTAL LABORATORY STUDIES ON SMOKING, ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE, AND ILLICIT SUBSTANCE USE SUPPORT THE CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS AND HYPOTHESIZED MECHANISMS OF ACTION UNDERLYING MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR TREATING ADDICTION. BECAUSE VERY FEW STUDIES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE SPECIFIC ROLE OF YOGA IN TREATING OR PREVENTING ADDICTION, WE PROPOSE A CONCEPTUAL MODEL TO INFORM FUTURE STUDIES ON OUTCOMES AND POSSIBLE MECHANISMS. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH IS ALSO NEEDED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT TYPES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS WORK BEST FOR WHAT TYPES OF ADDICTION, WHAT TYPES OF PATIENTS, AND UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS. OVERALL, CURRENT FINDINGS INCREASINGLY SUPPORT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS AS PROMISING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES FOR TREATING AND PREVENTING ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS. 2013 2 2888 21 YOGA: INTUITION, PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, AND TREATMENT. MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS USE A COMBINATION OF MUSCULAR ACTIVITY AND MINDFUL FOCUS ON AWARENESS OF THE SELF, BREATH, AND ENERGY TO PROMOTE HEALTH. THE ANCIENT DISCIPLINE OF YOGA INCLUDES PHYSICAL POSTURES AND BREATHING AND MEDITATION TECHNIQUES. SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE EXISTS ABOUT THE PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF YOGA. MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS MAY OFFER THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS DIFFERENT FROM THOSE OFFERED BY TRADITIONAL BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS. 1998 3 588 45 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 4 1575 38 MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS RESULTING FROM TRAUMA THROUGH YOGA: A REVIEW. THERE ARE MANY AND VARIED TYPES OF TRAUMA. THE EXTENT TO WHICH TRAUMA INFLUENCES THE MENTAL HEALTH OF AN INDIVIDUAL DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF TRAUMA, AS WELL AS ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S COPING CAPABILITIES. OFTEN TRAUMA IS FOLLOWED BY DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND PTSD. AS THE PHARMACOLOGICAL REMEDIES FOR THESE CONDITIONS OFTEN HAVE UNDESIRABLE SIDE-EFFECTS, NONPHARMACOLOGICAL REMEDIES ARE THOUGHT OF AS A POSSIBLE ADD-ON TREATMENT. YOGA IS ONE SUCH MIND-BODY INTERVENTION. THIS PAPER COVERS ELEVEN STUDIES INDEXED IN PUBMED, IN WHICH MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS RESULTING FROM TRAUMA WERE MANAGED THROUGH YOGA INCLUDING MEDITATION. THE AIM WAS TO EVALUATE THE USE OF YOGA IN MANAGING TRAUMA-RELATED DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, PTSD AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS FOLLOWING EXPOSURE TO NATURAL CALAMITIES, WAR, INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE, AND INCARCERATION IN A CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. AN ATTEMPT HAS ALSO BEEN MADE TO EXPLORE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING BENEFITS SEEN. AS MOST OF THESE STUDIES WERE NOT DONE ON PERSONS EXPOSED TO TRAUMA THAT HAD PRACTICED YOGA, THIS IS A DEFINITE AREA FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. 2012 5 2438 28 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 6 2632 36 YOGA FOR TRAUMA AND RELATED MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS: A META-REVIEW WITH CLINICAL AND SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE EXPRESSED GROWING INTEREST IN THE BENEFITS OF YOGA TO HELP INDIVIDUALS COPE WITH THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA, INCLUDING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD). DESPITE THE GROWING POPULARITY AND STRONG APPEAL OF YOGA, PROVIDERS MUST BE MINDFUL OF THE EVIDENCE REGARDING THE EFFICACY OF YOGA IN TREATING TRAUMA EFFECTS AS WELL AS TRAUMA-RELATED MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND ILLNESSES. THEREFORE, OUR RESEARCH TEAM SOUGHT TO ANSWER TWO QUESTIONS: (A) WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE REGARDING YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR TRAUMA EFFECTS, INCLUDING ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND PTSD AND (B) WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL AND SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USING YOGA WITH TRAUMA-EXPOSED INDIVIDUALS? OUR INITIAL SCANS IDENTIFIED A SUBSTANTIAL BODY OF RESEARCH, INCLUDING REVIEWS. RATHER THAN REPLICATE EARLIER EFFORTS, WE UNDERTOOK A SYSTEMATIC META-REVIEW OF 13 LITERATURE REVIEWS, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED A META-ANALYSIS. WE DETERMINED THE 13 REVIEWS EXAMINED 185 DISTINCT STUDIES. FINDINGS SHOW THAT THE EVIDENCE REGARDING YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR THE EFFECTS OF TRAUMA AS WELL AS THE MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS AND ILLNESSES OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH TRAUMA IS ENCOURAGING BUT PRELIMINARY. OVERALL, THE BODY OF RESEARCH IS LACKING IN RIGOR AS WELL AS SPECIFICITY REGARDING TRAUMA. REVIEW RESULTS ALSO ONLY ALLOW FOR THE RECOMMENDATION OF YOGA AS AN ANCILLARY TREATMENT. FURTHER, THE REVIEWS HAD CONSIDERABLE DIFFERENCES IN THEIR METHODS AND LIMITATIONS. NONETHELESS, THE RESULTS YIELDED FINDINGS CONCERNING HOW CLINICIANS AND SERVICE PROVIDERS CAN USE YOGA IN THEIR OWN PRACTICES, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR BUILDING AN EVIDENCE BASE IN THIS AREA. 2018 7 129 39 A POPULATION-PRACTICE-BASED MODEL TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOGA IMPACTS ON HUMAN GLOBAL FUNCTIONING: A QUALITATIVE STUDY. INTRODUCTION:RESEARCH IS INCREASINGLY DEMONSTRATING A RANGE OF BENEFITS OF PRACTICING YOGA, SUCH AS IMPROVED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH, SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS, AND SELF-CARE. MECHANISMS OF ACTION ARE LESS WELL UNDERSTOOD, BUT MAY INCLUDE BOTH PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES. THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT BENEFITS AND MECHANISMS OF YOGA PRACTICE, USING QUALITATIVE DATA COLLECTED FROM A LARGE-SCALE SURVEY OF YOGA USE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM. METHODS: THE MIXED METHODS, CROSS-SECTIONAL ONLINE SURVEY COLLECTED DATA ON YOGA USE AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS FROM 2434 U.K. YOGA PRACTITIONERS. THE QUALITATIVE SURVEY ELEMENT USED OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS TO GAIN "REAL LIFE" DATA REGARDING PRACTICE AND PERCEIVED BENEFITS. DATA WERE ANALYZED THEMATICALLY AND DEDUCTIVELY. A PRACTICE-BASED MODEL DESCRIBING YOGA PRACTICE, MECHANISMS, AND BENEFITS, BASED ON THE KHALSA LOGIC MODEL OF YOGA, WAS DEVELOPED TO EXPLAIN THE DATA. FINDINGS: FINDINGS HIGHLIGHTED THAT A DIVERSE RANGE OF YOGA PRACTICES AND NONSPECIFIC CONTEXTUAL FACTORS RELATED TO PRACTICING YOGA, NEEDED TO BE CONSIDERED TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOGA WAS BENEFITTING PEOPLE. THESE PRACTICES ENCOMPASSED BOTH MODERN AND TRADITIONAL CONCEPTIONS OF YOGA AS A DEEPER LIFESTYLE PRACTICE. KEY MECHANISMS FOR CHANGE INCLUDED IMPROVEMENTS IN PHYSICAL STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY, STRESS REGULATION, RESILIENCE, EQUANIMITY, MIND-BODY AWARENESS, AND SPIRITUAL/PERSONAL GROWTH. THESE MECHANISMS RESULTED IN DIVERSE IMPROVEMENTS IN GLOBAL HEALTH FUNCTIONING, PARTICULARLY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. CONCLUSIONS: THE KHALSA MODEL PROVIDED A USEFUL BASE UPON WHICH TO GUIDE THE NEW POPULATION-PRACTICE-BASED MODEL, TO UNDERSTAND PARTICIPANTS' "REAL LIFE" EXPERIENCES OF YOGA, HOW YOGA IS HELPING PEOPLE AND WHY. IT PROVIDES IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR PRACTITIONERS, TEACHERS, AND THOSE DELIVERING YOGA INTERVENTIONS AS TO THE RANGE OF SKILLS AND POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE. IN ADDITION, FINDINGS INDICATE DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH, BY HIGHLIGHTING KEY YOGA MECHANISMS THAT RESEARCHERS MAY CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON IN FUTURE STUDIES. 2021 8 2800 31 YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE: PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCES. MINDFULNESS-BASED THERAPIES ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY COMMON IN THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. WHILE THE POPULARITY OF YOGA CONTINUES TO RISE IN WESTERN CULTURE, LITTLE HAS BEEN DONE TO EXPLORE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FROM A QUALITATIVE, CLINICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS STUDY EXPLORES PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCES OF THE "YOGA THERAPY FOR THE MIND EIGHT-WEEK COURSE" (YTFTM), AN INTERNATIONAL, MANUALIZED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTION FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY. EIGHT FEMALE PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS, AND TRANSCRIPTS WERE ANALYZED USING AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS, WITH FOUR MASTER THEMES EMERGING: "PERSONAL JOURNEY OF CHANGE," "AMBIVALENCE," "MIND/BODY CONNECTION," AND "GROUP EXPERIENCE." THE FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT POTENTIAL CHALLENGES OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPORT IN OVERCOMING THESE. FINDINGS ALSO REVEAL THAT PARTICIPANTS EXPERIENCE PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS FROM THE PRACTICE OF YOGA ASANA IN ADDITION TO MINDFULNESS, SUCH AS A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS, ADAPTIVE COPING STRATEGIES, AND ENHANCED WELL-BEING. 2017 9 2300 29 THERAPEUTIC YOGA: SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (MS) IS THE MOST COMMON AUTOIMMUNE INFLAMMATORY DEMYELINATING DISEASE OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM, AFFECTING OVER 2.3 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE, THE AGE OF DISEASE ONSET IS TYPICALLY BETWEEN 20 AND 40 YEARS, WITH A HIGHER INCIDENCE IN WOMEN. INDIVIDUALS WITH MS EXPERIENCE A WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING DECLINING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS (E.G., FATIGUE, IMBALANCE, SPASTICITY, CHRONIC PAIN, COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, BLADDER AND BOWEL DYSFUNCTION, VISUAL AND SPEECH IMPAIRMENTS, DEPRESSION, SENSORY DISTURBANCE, AND MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT). TO DATE, BOTH THE CAUSE OF AND CURE FOR MS REMAIN UNKNOWN. IN RECENT YEARS, MORE INDIVIDUALS WITH MS HAVE BEEN PURSUING ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF TREATMENT TO MANAGE SYMPTOMS OF THE DISEASE, INCLUDING MIND-BODY THERAPIES SUCH AS YOGA, MEDITATION, BREATHING, AND RELAXATION TECHNIQUES. IT HAS BEEN SUGGESTED THAT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA MAY BE A SAFE AND EFFECTIVE WAY OF MANAGING SYMPTOMS OF MS. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO SUMMARIZE THE MOST RELEVANT LITERATURE ON EXERCISE AND MIND-BODY MODALITIES TO TREAT MS SYMPTOMS AND, MORE SPECIFICALLY, THE BENEFITS AND POTENTIAL ROLE OF YOGA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT OF SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH MS. THE ARTICLE ALSO DISCUSSES FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR RESEARCH. 2015 10 2445 29 YOGA AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. YOGA HAS BEEN UTILIZED FOR PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND ALLEVIATING DISTRESS. IT HAS ALSO BEEN USED AS A THERAPEUTIC MEASURE IN THE FIELD OF MENTAL HEALTH, INCLUDING SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW DISCUSSES THE LITERATURE PERTAINING TO USE OF YOGA IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS. THE EVIDENCE BASE ESPECIALLY WITH REGARDS TO RANDOMIZED TRIALS IS PRESENTED. THE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS HOW YOGA MIGHT BE HELPFUL IN THE TREATMENT OF SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS ARE EXPLORED. SUBSEQUENTLY, IMPLICATIONS OF YOGA IN CLINICAL PRACTICE ARE ELABORATED, FOLLOWED BY EXAMINATION OF THE ISSUES IN INTERPRETATION OF THE LITERATURE OF PUBLISHED YOGA RELATED STUDIES. 2017 11 1294 30 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 12 1890 37 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 13 2531 36 YOGA EFFECTS ON BRAIN HEALTH: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE CURRENT LITERATURE. YOGA IS THE MOST POPULAR COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACH PRACTICED BY ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS AN ANCIENT MIND AND BODY PRACTICE WITH ORIGINS IN INDIAN PHILOSOPHY. YOGA COMBINES PHYSICAL POSTURES, RHYTHMIC BREATHING AND MEDITATIVE EXERCISE TO OFFER THE PRACTITIONERS A UNIQUE HOLISTIC MIND-BODY EXPERIENCE. WHILE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL EXERCISE ARE WELL ESTABLISHED, IN RECENT YEARS, THE ACTIVE ATTENTIONAL COMPONENT OF BREATHING AND MEDITATION PRACTICE HAS GARNERED INTEREST AMONG EXERCISE NEUROSCIENTISTS. AS THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA CONTINUES TO GROW, THIS ARTICLE AIMS TO SUMMARIZE THE CURRENT KNOWLEDGE OF YOGA PRACTICE AND ITS DOCUMENTED POSITIVE EFFECTS FOR BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION, AS ASSESSED WITH MRI, FMRI, AND SPECT. WE REVIEWED 11 STUDIES EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE ON THE BRAIN STRUCTURES, FUNCTION AND CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW. COLLECTIVELY, THE STUDIES DEMONSTRATE A POSITIVE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICE ON THE STRUCTURE AND/OR FUNCTION OF THE HIPPOCAMPUS, AMYGDALA, PREFRONTAL CORTEX, CINGULATE CORTEX AND BRAIN NETWORKS INCLUDING THE DEFAULT MODE NETWORK (DMN). THE STUDIES OFFER PROMISING EARLY EVIDENCE THAT BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTIONS LIKE YOGA MAY HOLD PROMISE TO MITIGATE AGE-RELATED AND NEURODEGENERATIVE DECLINES AS MANY OF THE REGIONS IDENTIFIED ARE KNOWN TO DEMONSTRATE SIGNIFICANT AGE-RELATED ATROPHY. 2019 14 539 33 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 15 421 25 BRIDGING BODY AND MIND: CONSIDERATIONS FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA. INDIVIDUALS WHO SUFFER FROM TRAUMA-RELATED SYMPTOMS ARE A UNIQUE POPULATION THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THE MIND-BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA-OR HAVE THEIR SYMPTOMS REACTIVATED BY IT, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF YOGA. TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA (TIY), THAT IS, YOGA ADAPTED TO THE UNIQUE NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS WORKING TO OVERCOME TRAUMA, MAY AMELIORATE SYMPTOMS BY CREATING A SAFE, TAILORED PRACTICE FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN HOW TO RESPOND, RATHER THAN REACT, TO SYMPTOMS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. YOGA NOT THUS ADAPTED, ON THE OTHER HAND, MAY INCREASE REACTIVITY AND ACTIVATE SYMPTOMS SUCH AS HYPERAROUSAL OR DISSOCIATION. THIS ARTICLE REPORTS ON EXPERT INPUT ABOUT ADAPTING YOGA FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH TRAUMA, WITH SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR MILITARY POPULATIONS. ELEVEN EXPERTS, RECRUITED BASED ON LITERATURE REVIEW AND REFERRALS, WERE INTERVIEWED IN PERSON OR VIA TELEPHONE AND ASKED SEVEN QUESTIONS ABOUT TRAUMA-INFORMED YOGA. VERBATIM TRANSCRIPTS WERE SUBJECTED TO OPEN-CODING THEMATIC ANALYSIS AND A PRIORI THEMES. FINDINGS REVEALED THAT TIY NEEDS TO EMPHASIZE BENEFICIAL PRACTICES (E.G., DIAPHRAGMATIC BREATH AND RESTORATIVE POSTURES), CONSIDER CONTRAINDICATIONS (E.G., AVOIDING SEQUENCES THAT OVERLY ENGAGE THE SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM), ADAPT TO LIMITATIONS AND CHALLENGES FOR TEACHING IN UNCONVENTIONAL SETTINGS (E.G., PRISONS, VA HOSPITALS), AND PROVIDE SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND PREPARATION (E.G., SPECIALIZED TIY CERTIFICATIONS, SELF-CARE OF INSTRUCTORS/THERAPISTS, ADAPTIONS FOR STUDENT NEEDS). TIY FOR VETERANS MUST ADDITIONALLY CONSIDER GENDER- AND CULTURE-RELATED BARRIERS, DIFFERING RELATIONSHIPS TO PAIN AND INJURY, AND MEDICATION AS A BARRIER TO PRACTICE. 2018 16 1481 35 INTEGRATING YOGA INTO PSYCHOTHERAPY: THE ETHICS OF MOVING FROM THE MIND TO THE MAT. GIVEN THE RISE IN ATTENTION TO CLIENT PREFERENCES IN MEDICAL TREATMENT AND THE SHIFT IN FOCUS TOWARD HEALTH PROMOTION, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT THE USE OF COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACHES HAVE INCREASED IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS. YOGA IS AMONG THE MOST PROMINENT COMPLEMENTARY HEALTH APPROACHES. RECENTLY, BOTH QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE WORK HAS EMERGED SUPPORTING ITS USE FOR A VARIETY OF MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. HOWEVER, THERE IS A CRITICAL GAP IN KNOWLEDGE REGARDING HOW TO MOST OPTIMALLY AND ETHICALLY INTEGRATE COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES (I.E., YOGA) INTO CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY PRACTICES. MOREOVER, IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHICH CLIENTS ARE THE BEST CANDIDATES FOR RECEIVING SUCH COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENTS AND WHICH THERAPISTS SHOULD PROVIDE THEM. THE PURPOSE OF THIS PAPER IS TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF YOGA, THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF ITS USE FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, AND AN ETHICAL FRAMEWORK TO GUIDE PSYCHOLOGISTS INTERESTED IN INTEGRATING YOGA INTO PSYCHOTHERAPY. 2017 17 2126 32 THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR DEPRESSION: A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION IS QUITE HIGH-9% IN THE GENERAL POPULATION-WITH WOMEN, YOUNG ADULTS, AND SENIORS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE. IN RECENT YEARS, INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ARE TURNING TO COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE (CAM) FOR RELIEF FROM DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. ONE FORM OF CAM, YOGA, HAS BEEN GROWING IN POPULARITY; THIS RISE IN POPULARITY HAS, IN PART, BEEN DRIVEN BY INTEREST IN HOW THIS PRACTICE, WITH ITS MINDFULNESS AND MEDITATION ASPECTS, MAY DECREASE DEPRESSION. THIS CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW EXAMINES SIX RECENT STUDIES ON YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION; SPECIFICALLY, THIS REVIEW FOCUSES ON YOGA STYLES IN WHICH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA POSES, CALLED ASANAS, IS THE CORE COMPONENT. ALTHOUGH THE SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE FINDINGS ARE PROMISING, THE STUDIES HAD METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS; IDENTIFICATION OF THESE LIMITATIONS CAN INFORM FUTURE STUDIES. 2014 18 2466 30 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 19 2795 36 YOGA THERAPY FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS: QUALITATIVE PERSPECTIVES OF YOGA STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS. OBJECTIVE: MILLIONS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS LIVE WITH CHRONIC MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS THAT OFTEN DO NOT RESPOND WELL TO PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS. SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS AND LACK OF TREATMENT RESPONSE HAVE LED TO WIDESPREAD EFFORTS TO STUDY AND PROMOTE NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENTS FOR MANY CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS. YOGA IS AN INCREASINGLY POPULAR MIND-BODY INTERVENTION THAT HAS GROWING RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR ITS EFFICACY AND SAFETY. OUR OBJECTIVE WAS TO EXPLORE THE ATTITUDES, PERSPECTIVES, AND PREFERENCES OF MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS TOWARD YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC MODALITY, THUS PROVIDING NEEDED INFORMATION FOR DESIGNING AND PROMOTING YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR THIS POPULATION. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED 24 INDIVIDUALS WITH YOGA EXPERIENCE AND CURRENT OR PAST MILITARY SERVICE AND 12 INSTRUCTORS WHO HAVE TAUGHT YOGA FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL AND/OR VETERANS. A SEMI-STRUCTURED SET OF QUESTIONS GUIDED INTERVIEWS WITH EACH PARTICIPANT. RESULTS: FIVE THEMES EMERGED FROM THE INTERVIEWS: (1) MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS EXPERIENCED FROM YOGA PRACTICE; (2) PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS EXPERIENCED FROM YOGA PRACTICE; (3) IMPORTANT YOGA ELEMENTS AND CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT EFFECTIVE PRACTICE; (4) FACILITATORS FOR ENGAGING MILITARY IN YOGA PRACTICE; AND (5) CHALLENGES AND BARRIERS TO YOGA PRACTICE FOR MILITARY. CONCLUSIONS: THE STUDY HIGHLIGHTS CONSISTENT REPORTS OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE, ONGOING STIGMA RESULTING IN THE NEED FOR COMBATTING AND DEMYSTIFYING YOGA AND OTHER COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH (CIH) PRACTICES, THE IMPORTANCE OF DESIGNING INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND PERSPECTIVES OF THIS POPULATION, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF EFFORTS BY MILITARY LEADERSHIP TO BRING CIH TO MILITARY PERSONNEL AND VETERANS. RIGOROUS RESEARCH ADDRESSING THESE FINDINGS, ALONG WITH FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA INTERVENTIONS FOR TREATING VARIOUS CONDITIONS ARE NEEDED. 2018 20 1640 35 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