1 1552 129 LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY II (LIMBS): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL ASSESSING THE EFFICACY OF A 24 WEEK STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM VERSUS LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. HYPERTENSION IS A MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE AFFECTING 68 MILLION ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS INCLUDING COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES SUCH AS THE MOVEMENT BASED MIND BODY PRACTICE OF YOGA HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY POPULAR IN THE UNITED STATES AND HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED AS A POTENTIAL ALTERNATIVE TO MEDICATION IN BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION. WE COMPLETED A PILOT STUDY IN 2009 WHICH SHOWED MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS AFTER A 12 WEEK PERIOD OF YOGA PARTICIPATION. BASED ON DATA FROM OUR PILOT STUDY WE ARE NOW COMPLETING THE LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY (LIMBS II) WHICH IS A PHASE 2 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY AND ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE IN PRE-HYPERTENSIVE AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS. USING 24-HOUR AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE MONITORING, LIMBS II AIMS TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION IN SUBJECTS RANDOMIZED FOR 24 WEEKS TO ONE OF THE THREE FOLLOWING GROUPS: YOGA THERAPY VERSUS BLOOD PRESSURE EDUCATION PROGRAM (SODIUM RESTRICTION AND WALKING PROGRAM) VERSUS A COMBINATION PROGRAM THAT INVOLVES COMPONENTS OF BOTH GROUPS. LIMBS II WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE IMPACT THAT CHANGES IN BLOOD PRESSURE HAVE ON CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW. IF SUCCESSFUL, THE LIMBS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF YOGA THERAPY COMBINED WITH ENHANCED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION WILL RESULT IN CLINICALLY MEANINGFUL DECREASES IN BLOOD PRESSURE AND THUS CAN BE IMPLEMENTED AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DRUG THERAPY FOR PATIENTS WITH PREHYPERTENSION AND STAGE 1 HYPERTENSION. 2013 2 921 34 EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS THE PUBLIC HEALTH INTERVENTION MODULE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES AND DIABETES ASSOCIATED DEMENTIA IN SOUTH EAST ASIA: A NARRATIVE REVIEW. BACKGROUND: DIABETES MELLITUS (DM) IS WIDELY SPREAD IN SOUTH ASIAN (ASEAN) AND INDIAN SUB-CONTINENT. THE INCREASING HEALTHCARE COSTS OF DM CAN BE PREVENTED IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD BY IMPROVED PUBLIC HEALTHCARE INTERVENTIONS. MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS OF DM LIKE SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE, OBESITY, AND STRESSFUL CONDITIONS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH ITS PROGRESSION; HOWEVER, THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA COLLECTED BY PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS ARE LIMITED. SUMMARY: A REVIEW OF PUBLISHED LITERATURE DESCRIBING GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF DM AND ASSOCIATED DEMENTIA IN SOUTH ASIAN REGION, PARTICULARLY INDIA, WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE PURPOSE OF ASSESSING THE FEASIBILITY AND CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THE YOGA-BASED RISK REDUCTION. PUBMED AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR DM AND DEMENTIA-RELATED ARTICLES BY USING A COMBINATION OF KEYWORDS: DIABETES, DIABETES RELATED DEMENTIA SOUTHEAST ASIA, PRE-DIABETES, YOGA, LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION, DEMENTIA AND EXERCISE. THE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA GENERATED FROM THESE DISEASES HAVE NOT PROMPTED TO ANY MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES. YOGA CAN BE A COST-EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR THE PREVENTION OF TYPE 2 DM (T2DM) AND ITS ASSOCIATED COGNITIVE DECLINE WHEN DETECTED EARLY. IF NATIONWIDE INTERVENTION OF YOGA IS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE STATE, ITS INTEGRATION IN HEALTH CARE WILL BECOME MORE MEANINGFUL AND ACCEPTABLE. KEY MESSAGE: STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE CAN MODIFY THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH T2DM AND ASSOCIATED DEMENTIA IF IT IS MAINSTREAMED WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH INITIATIVE OF AYUSHMAN BHARAT SCHEME. 2020 3 39 38 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 4 1675 26 OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION & CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE: EFFICACY OF A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION. OBESITY IS A GLOBAL HEALTH BURDEN AND ITS PREVALENCE IS INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY DUE TO CHANGING LIFESTYLE. CHRONIC ADIPOSITY IS ASSOCIATED WITH METABOLIC IMBALANCE LEADING TO DYSLIPIDAEMIA, DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES (CVD). ADIPOSE TISSUE ACTS AS AN ENDOCRINE ORGAN RELEASING SEVERAL ADIPOCYTOKINES, AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED LEVELS OF TISSUE AND CIRCULATING INFLAMMATORY BIOMOLECULES CAUSING VASCULAR INFLAMMATION AND ATHEROGENESIS. FURTHER, INFLAMMATION IS ALSO ASSOCIATED INDEPENDENTLY WITH OBESITY AS WELL AS CVD. KEEPING THIS IN VIEW, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A REDUCTION IN WEIGHT MAY LEAD TO A DECREASE IN INFLAMMATION, RESULTING IN CVD RISK REDUCTION, AND BETTER MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD. LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY SEVERAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION APPEARS TO BE A PROMISING OPTION IN REDUCING THE RISK FOR CVD AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH CVD AS IT IS SIMPLE TO FOLLOW AND COST-EFFECTIVE WITH HIGH COMPLIANCE. THE EFFICACY OF SUCH LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES IS MULTIFACETED, AND IS ACHIEVED VIA REDUCTION IN WEIGHT, OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND STRESS, THEREBY CULMINATING INTO RISK REDUCTION TOWARDS SEVERAL CHRONIC DISEASES INCLUDING CVD. IN THIS REVIEW, THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN OBESITY-RELATED INFLAMMATION AND CVD, AND THE ROLE OF YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CVD ARE DISCUSSED. 2014 5 613 36 DEVELOPMENT OF A YOGA PROGRAM FOR TYPE-2 DIABETES PREVENTION (YOGA-DP) AMONG HIGH-RISK PEOPLE IN INDIA. INTRODUCTION: MANY INDIANS ARE AT HIGH-RISK OF TYPE-2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). YOGA IS AN ANCIENT INDIAN MIND-BODY DISCIPLINE, THAT HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED GLUCOSE LEVELS AND CAN HELP TO PREVENT T2DM. THE STUDY AIMED TO SYSTEMATICALLY DEVELOP A YOGA PROGRAM FOR T2DM PREVENTION (YOGA-DP) AMONG HIGH-RISK PEOPLE IN INDIA USING A COMPLEX INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT APPROACH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AS PART OF THE INTERVENTION, WE DEVELOPED A BOOKLET AND A HIGH-DEFINITION VIDEO FOR PARTICIPANTS AND A MANUAL FOR YOGA-DP INSTRUCTORS. A SYSTEMATIC ITERATIVE PROCESS WAS FOLLOWED TO DEVELOP THE INTERVENTION AND INCLUDED FIVE STEPS: (I) A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE TO GENERATE A LIST OF YOGIC PRACTICES THAT IMPROVES BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AMONG ADULTS AT HIGH-RISK OF OR WITH T2DM, (II) VALIDATION OF IDENTIFIED YOGIC PRACTICES BY YOGA EXPERTS, (III) DEVELOPMENT OF THE INTERVENTION, (IV) CONSULTATION WITH YOGA, EXERCISE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, DIET, BEHAVIOR CHANGE, AND/OR DIABETES EXPERTS ABOUT THE INTERVENTION, AND (V) PRETEST THE INTERVENTION AMONG YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND LAY PEOPLE (THOSE AT RISK OF T2DM AND HAD NOT PRACTICED YOGA BEFORE) IN INDIA. RESULTS: YOGA-DP IS A STRUCTURED LIFESTYLE EDUCATION AND EXERCISE PROGRAM, PROVIDED OVER A PERIOD OF 24 WEEKS. THE EXERCISE PART IS BASED ON YOGA AND INCLUDES SHITHILIKARANA VYAYAMA (LOOSENING EXERCISES), SURYA NAMASKAR (SUN SALUTATION EXERCISES), ASANA (YOGIC POSES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING PRACTICES), AND DHYANA (MEDITATION) AND RELAXATION PRACTICES. ONCE PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE THE PROGRAM, THEY ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN THE LONG-TERM. CONCLUSIONS: WE SYSTEMATICALLY DEVELOPED A NOVEL YOGA PROGRAM FOR T2DM PREVENTION (YOGA-DP) AMONG HIGH-RISK PEOPLE IN INDIA. A MULTI-CENTER FEASIBILITY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IS IN PROGRESS IN INDIA. 2020 6 1661 42 NARRATIVE REVIEW OF YOGA INTERVENTION CLINICAL TRIALS INCLUDING WEIGHT-RELATED OUTCOMES. CONTEXT: MEDICAL AUTHORITIES HAVE IDENTIFIED OBESITY AS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIABETES, HYPERTENSION, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD), AND MORE BROADLY, OF METABOLIC SYNDROME/INSULIN RESISTANCE SYNDROME. TO PROVIDE SOLUTIONS THAT CAN MODIFY THIS RISK FACTOR, RESEARCHERS NEED TO IDENTIFY METHODS OF EFFECTIVE RISK REDUCTION AND PRIMARY PREVENTION OF OBESITY. RESEARCH ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA AS A TREATMENT FOR OBESITY IS LIMITED, AND STUDIES VARY IN OVERALL QUALITY AND METHODOLOGICAL RIGOR. OBJECTIVE: THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW ASSESSED THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF CLINICAL TRIALS OF YOGA AS AN INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT LOSS OR AS A MEANS OF RISK REDUCTION OR TREATMENT FOR OBESITY AND DISEASES IN WHICH OBESITY IS A CAUSAL FACTOR. THIS REVIEW SUMMARIZED THE STUDIES' RESEARCH DESIGNS AND EVALUATED THE EFFICACY OF YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS VIA THE CURRENT EVIDENCE BASE. DESIGN: THE RESEARCH TEAM EVALUATED PUBLISHED STUDIES TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATENESS OF RESEARCH DESIGNS, COMPARABILITY OF PROGRAMS' INTERVENTION ELEMENTS, AND STANDARDIZATION OF OUTCOME MEASURES. THE RESEARCH TEAM'S LITERATURE SEARCH USED THE KEY TERMS YOGA AND OBESITY OR YOGA AND WEIGHT LOSS IN THREE PRIMARY MEDICAL-LITERATURE DATABASES (PUBMED, PSYCHINFO, AND WEB OF SCIENCE). THE STUDY EXCLUDED CLINICAL TRIALS WITH NO QUANTITATIVE OBESITY RELATED MEASURE. EXTRACTED DATA INCLUDED EACH STUDY'S (1) DESIGN; (2) SETTING AND POPULATION; (3) NATURE, DURATION, AND FREQUENCY OF INTERVENTIONS; (4) COMPARISON GROUPS; (5) RECRUITMENT STRATEGIES; (6) OUTCOME MEASURES; (7) DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION; AND (8) RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS. THE RESEARCH TEAM DEVELOPED AN OVERALL EVALUATION PARAMETER TO COMPARE DISPARATE TRIALS. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE RESEARCH TEAM REVIEWED EACH STUDY TO DETERMINE ITS KEY FEATURES, EACH WORTH A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF POINTS, WITH A MAXIMUM TOTAL OF 20 POINTS. THE FEATURES INCLUDED A STUDY'S (1) DURATION, (2) FREQUENCY OF YOGA PRACTICE, (3) INTENSITY OF (LENGTH OF) EACH PRACTICE, (4) NUMBER OF YOGIC ELEMENTS, (5) INCLUSION OF DIETARY MODIFICATION, (6) INCLUSION OF A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, (7) THE NUMBER OF WEIGHT-RELATED OUTCOME MEASURES, AND (8) A DISCUSSION OF THE DETAILS OF THE YOGIC ELEMENTS. RESULTS: OVERALL, THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMS ARE FREQUENTLY EFFECTIVE IN PROMOTING WEIGHT LOSS AND/OR IMPROVEMENTS IN BODY COMPOSITION. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA FOR WEIGHT LOSS IS RELATED TO THE FOLLOWING KEY FEATURES: (1) AN INCREASED FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE; (2) A LONGER INTERVENTION DURATION (3) A YOGIC DIETARY COMPONENT; (4) A RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT; (5) THE COMPREHENSIVE INCLUSION OF YOGIC COMPONENTS; (5) AND A HOME-PRACTICE COMPONENT. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA APPEARS TO BE AN APPROPRIATE AND POTENTIALLY SUCCESSFUL INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE, PREVENTION OF OBESITY, AND RISK REDUCTION FOR DISEASES IN WHICH OBESITY PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT CAUSAL ROLE. 2013 7 582 31 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 8 2245 31 THE INFLUENCE OF YOGA-BASED PROGRAMS ON RISK PROFILES IN ADULTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE THAT YOGA MAY OFFER A SAFE AND COST-EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (DM 2). HOWEVER, SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS ARE LACKING. THIS ARTICLE CRITICALLY REVIEWS THE PUBLISHED LITERATURE REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED PROGRAMS ON PHYSIOLOGIC AND ANTHROPOMETRIC RISK PROFILES AND RELATED CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN ADULTS WITH DM 2. WE PERFORMED A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE SEARCH USING FOUR COMPUTERIZED ENGLISH AND INDIAN SCIENTIFIC DATABASES. THE SEARCH WAS RESTRICTED TO ORIGINAL STUDIES (1970-2006) THAT EVALUATED THE METABOLIC AND CLINICAL EFFECTS OF YOGA IN ADULTS WITH DM 2. STUDIES TARGETING CLINICAL POPULATIONS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR DISORDERS THAT INCLUDED ADULTS WITH COMORBID DM WERE ALSO EVALUATED. DATA WERE EXTRACTED REGARDING STUDY DESIGN, SETTING, TARGET POPULATION, INTERVENTION, COMPARISON GROUP OR CONDITION, OUTCOME ASSESSMENT, DATA ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION, FOLLOW-UP, AND KEY RESULTS, AND THE QUALITY OF EACH STUDY WAS EVALUATED ACCORDING TO SPECIFIC PREDETERMINED CRITERIA. WE IDENTIFIED 25 ELIGIBLE STUDIES, INCLUDING 15 UNCONTROLLED TRIALS, 6 NON-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AND 4 RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS (RCTS). OVERALL, THESE STUDIES SUGGEST BENEFICIAL CHANGES IN SEVERAL RISK INDICES, INCLUDING GLUCOSE TOLERANCE AND INSULIN SENSITIVITY, LIPID PROFILES, ANTHROPOMETRIC CHARACTERISTICS, BLOOD PRESSURE, OXIDATIVE STRESS, COAGULATION PROFILES, SYMPATHETIC ACTIVATION AND PULMONARY FUNCTION, AS WELL AS IMPROVEMENT IN SPECIFIC CLINICAL OUTCOMES. YOGA MAY IMPROVE RISK PROFILES IN ADULTS WITH DM 2, AND MAY HAVE PROMISE FOR THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN THIS POPULATION. HOWEVER, THE LIMITATIONS CHARACTERIZING MOST STUDIES PRECLUDE DRAWING FIRM CONCLUSIONS. ADDITIONAL HIGH-QUALITY RCTS ARE NEEDED TO CONFIRM AND FURTHER ELUCIDATE THE EFFECTS OF STANDARDIZED YOGA PROGRAMS IN POPULATIONS WITH DM 2. 2007 9 783 34 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY. CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE EXISTS FOR THE PLACE OF MIND BODY MEDICINE IN THE TREATMENT OF ANXIETY DISORDERS. EXCESSIVE ANXIETY IS MALADAPTIVE. IT IS OFTEN CONSIDERED TO BE THE MAJOR COMPONENT OF UNHEALTHY LIFESTYLE THAT CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE PATHOGENESIS OF NOT ONLY PSYCHIATRIC BUT ALSO MANY OTHER SYSTEMIC DISORDERS. AMONG THE APPROACHES TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF ANXIETY HAS BEEN THE SEARCH FOR HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. THE AIM OF THE STUDY WAS TO STUDY THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON ANXIETY LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. THE STUDY WAS THE RESULT OF OPERATIONAL RESEARCH CARRIED OUT IN THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC) AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PHYSIOLOGY OF ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES. THE SUBJECTS HAD HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS, OBESITY, PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS (DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, 'STRESS'), GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS (NON ULCER DYSPEPSIA, DUODENAL ULCERS, IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE, CROHN'S DISEASE, CHRONIC CONSTIPATION) AND THYROID DISORDERS (HYPERTHYROIDISM AND HYPOTHYROIDISM). THE INTERVENTION CONSISTED OF ASANAS, PRANAYAMA, RELAXATION TECHNIQUES, GROUP SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE, AND LECTURES AND FILMS ON PHILOSOPHY OF YOGA, THE PLACE OF YOGA IN DAILY LIFE, MEDITATION, STRESS MANAGEMENT, NUTRITION, AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE ILLNESS. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE ANXIETY SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. ANXIETY SCORES, BOTH STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY WERE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED. AMONG THE DISEASED SUBJECTS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT WAS SEEN IN THE ANXIETY LEVELS OF PATIENTS OF HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, OBESITY, CERVICAL SPONDYLITIS AND THOSE WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT LEADS TO REMARKABLE REDUCTION IN THE ANXIETY SCORES WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS. 2006 10 1370 48 IMPACT OF A STRUCTURED YOGA PROGRAM ON BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION AMONG HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS: STUDY PROTOCOL FOR A PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED MULTICENTER TRIAL IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE SETTINGS IN NEPAL. BACKGROUND: HYPERTENSION CONTROL REMAINS A MAJOR GLOBAL CHALLENGE. THE BEHAVIORAL APPROACHES RECOMMENDED FOR BLOOD PRESSURE REDUCTION ARE STRESS REDUCTION, INCREASED EXERCISE AND HEALTHY DIETARY HABITS. SOME STUDY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA HAS A BENEFICIAL EFFECT IN REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE. HOWEVER, THE ROLE OF YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE HAS RECEIVED LITTLE ATTENTION IN EXISTING HEALTH CARE PRACTICES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THIS STUDY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN NEPAL TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A PRAGMATIC YOGA INTERVENTION TO COMPLEMENT STANDARD PRACTICE IN FURTHER REDUCING BLOOD PRESSURE. METHODS: THIS WILL BE MULTICENTRIC, TWO ARMS, RANDOMIZED, NONBLINDED, PRAGMATIC TRIAL. IT WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEVEN DISTRICT AYURVEDA HEALTH CENTERS (DAHCS) IN NEPAL BETWEEN JULY 2017 AND JUNE 2018. THE STUDY PARTICIPANTS WILL CONSIST OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH OR WITHOUT ANTIHYPERTENSIVE MEDICATION ATTENDING TO THE OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT (OPD). ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY PARTICIPANTS WILL BE RANDOMIZED TO TREATMENT OR CONTROL GROUPS BY USING A STRATIFIED BLOCK RANDOMIZATION. AT THE STUDY SITE, THE TREATMENT ARM PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE AN INTERVENTION CONSISTING OF FIVE DAYS OF STRUCTURED YOGA TRAINING AND PRACTICE OF THE SAME PACKAGE AT HOME WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF FIVE DAYS A WEEK FOR THE FOLLOWING 90 DAYS. BOTH THE INTERVENTION AND CONTROL GROUPS WILL RECEIVE TWO HOURS OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME OF THIS TRIAL WILL BE THE CHANGE IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE AND IT WILL BE ASSESSED AFTER 90 DAYS OF THE INTERVENTION. DISCUSSION: THIS STUDY WILL ESTABLISH THE EXTENT TO WHICH A YOGA INTERVENTION PACKAGE CAN HELP REDUCE BLOOD PRESSURE IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS. IF PROVEN EFFECTIVE, STUDY FINDINGS MAY BE USED TO RECOMMEND THE GOVERNING BODIES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR THE INTEGRATION OF YOGA IN THE NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM FOR THE TREATMENT AND CONTROL OF HYPERTENSION. TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY- INDIA (CTRI); CTRI REG. NO- CTRI/2017/02/007822 . REGISTERED ON 10/02/2017. 2018 11 2416 20 YOGA AND MEDITATION IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. YOGA IS A HOLISTIC MIND-BODY INTERVENTION AIMED AT PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL BEING. SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT YOGA AND/OR MEDITATION CAN CONTROL RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE LIKE HYPERTENSION, TYPE II DIABETES AND INSULIN RESISTANCE, OBESITY, LIPID PROFILE, PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AND SMOKING. SOME RANDOMIZED STUDIES SUGGEST THAT YOGA/MEDITATION COULD RETARD OR EVEN REGRESS EARLY AND ADVANCED CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS. A RECENT STUDY SUGGESTS THAT TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION MAY BE EXTREMELY USEFUL IN SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CORONARY HEART DISEASE AND MAY REDUCE CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS BY 48% OVER A 5-YEAR PERIOD. ANOTHER SMALL STUDY SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE HELPFUL IN PREVENTION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION. HOWEVER, MOST STUDIES HAVE SEVERAL LIMITATIONS LIKE LACK OF ADEQUATE CONTROLS, SMALL SAMPLE SIZE, INCONSISTENCIES IN BASELINE AND DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES, ETC. AND THEREFORE LARGE TRIALS WITH IMPROVED METHODOLOGIES ARE REQUIRED TO CONFIRM THESE FINDINGS. HOWEVER, IN VIEW OF THE EXISTING KNOWLEDGE AND YOGA BEING A COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUE WITHOUT SIDE EFFECTS, IT APPEARS APPROPRIATE TO INCORPORATE YOGA/MEDITATION FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY PREVENTION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. 2014 12 2858 27 YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION: CURRENT PERSPECTIVES FROM RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE CARRIES A HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY WORLDWIDE, AND EXERCISE-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES PLAY A LARGE ROLE IN SECONDARY PREVENTION. EXERCISE-BASED REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES ARE EXPENSIVE, AND IN CERTAIN SUBGROUPS UPTAKE IS POOR. YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO SHOW IMPROVEMENTS IN CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH WHICH WOULD SUPPORT ITS USE IN CARDIAC REHABILITATION PROGRAMMES. WE CARRIED OUT A REVIEW OF CURRENT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS TO DETERMINE IF YOGA-BASED CARDIAC REHABILITATION LEADS TO REDUCED CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, AND IMPROVED PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE COMPARED TO STANDARD CARE. SIX RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES WERE IDENTIFIED AFTER A MEDICAL DATABASE SEARCH, AND META-ANALYSIS WAS CARRIED OUT FOR THE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES. OVERALL, THE ADDITION OF YOGA TO STANDARD CARE RESULTED IN IMPROVED SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF CARDIAC HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE. THERE WAS ALSO A TREND TOWARDS IMPROVEMENT IN LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION. IMPROVEMENT IN CARDIAC RISK FACTORS, MACE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH IN THIS COHORT HAS STILL TO BE PROVEN, BUT WAS NOT INFERIOR TO STANDARD OR ENHANCED CARE, AND THE BENEFITS BECAME MORE PRONOUNCED AT LONGER FOLLOW-UP. FUTURE STUDIES WITH LONGER FOLLOW-UP AND LARGER PATIENT NUMBERS WOULD AID IN ACCURATELY ASSESSING THE LONG-TERM BENEFIT OF YOGA-BASED REHABILITATION. 2021 13 1345 52 HYPERTENSION ANALYSIS OF STRESS REDUCTION USING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION AND YOGA (THE HARMONY STUDY): STUDY PROTOCOL OF A RANDOMISED CONTROL TRIAL. INTRODUCTION: HYPERTENSION (HTN) IS A LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR PREVENTABLE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, WITH OVER ONE IN FIVE ADULTS AFFECTED WORLDWIDE. LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION IS A KEY STRATEGY FOR THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HTN. STRESS HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH GREATER CARDIOVASCULAR RISK, AND STRESS MANAGEMENT IS A RECOMMENDED INTERVENTION FOR HYPERTENSIVES. STRESS REDUCTION THROUGH RELAXATION THERAPIES HAS BEEN SHOWN TO HAVE AN EFFECT ON HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY, INCLUDING LOWERING BLOOD PRESSURE (BP). HOWEVER, INDIVIDUALISED BEHAVIOURAL INTERVENTIONS ARE RESOURCE INTENSIVE, AND GROUP STRESS MANAGEMENT APPROACHES HAVE NOT BEEN VALIDATED FOR REDUCING HTN. THE HARMONY STUDY IS A PILOT RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL DESIGNED TO DETERMINE IF MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION (MBSR), A STANDARDISED GROUP THERAPY, IS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR LOWERING BP IN STAGE 1 UNMEDICATED HYPERTENSIVES. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: MEN AND WOMEN UNMEDICATED FOR HTN WITH MEAN DAYTIME AMBULATORY BLOOD PRESSURE (ABP) >/=135/85 MM HG OR 24 H ABP >/=130/80 MM HG ARE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. SUBJECTS ARE RANDOMISED TO RECEIVE MBSR IMMEDIATELY OR AFTER A WAIT-LIST CONTROL PERIOD. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE IS MEAN AWAKE AND 24 H ABP. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THE HARMONY STUDY IS TO COMPARE ABP BETWEEN THE TREATMENT AND WAIT-LIST CONTROL ARM AT THE 12-WEEK PRIMARY ASSESSMENT PERIOD. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY WILL DETERMINE IF MBSR IS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR LOWERING BP IN EARLY UNMEDICATED HYPERTENSIVES. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS APPROVED BY THE SUNNYBROOK RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD AND THE UNIVERSITY HEALTH NETWORK RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD (TORONTO, CANADA). PLANNED ANALYSES ARE IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE DECLARATION OF HELSINKI. DATA COLLECTION WILL BE COMPLETED BY EARLY SPRING 2012. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ANALYSIS WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY AFTER DATA MONITORING IS COMPLETED; DISSEMINATION PLANS INCLUDE PREPARING PUBLICATIONS FOR SUBMISSION DURING THE SUMMER OF 2012. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: THIS STUDY IS REGISTERED WITH HTTP://CLINICALTRIALS.GOV (NCT00825526). 2012 14 2283 44 THE USE OF INTEGRATIVE THERAPY BASED ON YOGA AND AYURVEDA IN THE TREATMENT OF A HIGH-RISK CASE OF COVID-19/SARS-COV-2 WITH MULTIPLE COMORBIDITIES: A CASE REPORT. BACKGROUND: WE REPORT A HIGH-RISK CASE OF A CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 19 (COVID-19)-POSITIVE PATIENT WITH COMORBIDITIES INCLUDING DIABETES MELLITUS (DM), HYPERTENSION (HTN), HYPOTHYROIDISM AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE (CKD), TREATED SUCCESSFULLY USING AN INTEGRATIVE THERAPY PLAN BASED ON AYURVEDA AND YOGA, ALONG WITH GOVERNMENT-MANDATED COMPULSORY MODERN WESTERN MEDICINE (MWM) TREATMENT. RECENTLY, SOME EVIDENCE HAS BEEN EMERGING ON THE USE OF AYURVEDA FOR TREATMENT OF COVID-19. THE CLASSICAL TEXTS OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE SUCH AS CHARAKA SAMHITA AND SUSHRUTA SAMHITA CONTAIN DESCRIPTIONS OF PANDEMICS OF SIMILAR PROPORTIONS AND DESCRIBE THEM AS JANAPADODDHVANSA, MEANING THE DESTRUCTION OF COMMUNITIES, ALONG WITH THEIR CAUSES AND TREATMENT. CASE PRESENTATION: THE CASE REPORTED HEREIN IS A 55-YEAR-OLD MAN FROM DELHI, INDIA, WITH CONFIRMED (TESTED) COVID-19, WHO FIRST TOOK MWM FOR 7 DAYS BEFORE SEEKING INTEGRATIVE THERAPY. THE PATIENT HAS COMORBIDITIES INCLUDING DM, HTN, HYPOTHYROIDISM AND CKD AND HAD DEVELOPED SYMPTOMS INCLUDING FEVER (WHICH WAS RESOLVED BY THE TIME INTEGRATIVE THERAPY WAS STARTED), SORE THROAT, DRY COUGH, BODY ACHES, WEAKNESS, BAD TASTE AND SMELL, AND HEAVINESS IN THE ABDOMEN. BASED ON THE PATIENT'S SYMPTOMS AND COMORBIDITIES, A TREATMENT PLAN INCLUDING AYURVEDIC MEDICINES, YOGA PROTOCOL, DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS WAS PRESCRIBED BY A REGISTERED AYURVEDA DOCTOR AND A YOGA CONSULTANT. THE PATIENT STARTED EXPERIENCING IMPROVEMENT IN ALL THE SYMPTOMS WITHIN 2 DAYS AFTER STARTING THE TREATMENT; HE REPORTED APPROXIMATELY [FORMULA: SEE TEXT] RELIEF FROM THE SYMPTOMS AFTER 5 DAYS, AND ALMOST COMPLETE RELIEF WITHIN 9 DAYS. ALSO, THE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS (BOTH FASTING BLOOD SUGAR [FBS] AND POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD SUGAR [PPBS]) EXHIBITED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AFTER 5 DAYS, AND DECREASED TO WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE WITHIN 12 DAYS. BESIDES RELIEF IN SYMPTOMS, THE PATIENT'S REAL-TIME REVERSE TRANSCRIPTION POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION (RT-PCR) TEST DONE ON THE 19TH DAY RETURNED NEGATIVE RESULTS. CONCLUSIONS: INTEGRATIVE THERAPY WAS FOUND TO BE EFFECTIVE IN MITIGATING THE SYMPTOMS OF COVID-19 IN THIS PATIENT WITH MULTIPLE COMORBIDITIES. MOREOVER, A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS (NOT UNDER CONTROL WITH MODERN MEDICINE) WAS ALSO ACHIEVED. INTEGRATIVE THERAPY BASED ON THE CLASSICAL TEXTS OF AYURVEDA AND YOGA MAY OFFER A PROMISING AND SCALABLE TREATMENT OPTION FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS. A CASE SERIES OR A SUITABLY DESIGNED RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL IS NEEDED TO ASSESS ITS EFFICACY. 2021 15 1927 27 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 16 2454 29 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 17 105 34 A PILOT FEASIBILITY STUDY OF WHOLE-SYSTEMS AYURVEDIC MEDICINE AND YOGA THERAPY FOR WEIGHT LOSS. OBJECTIVE: TO DEVELOP AND TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF A WHOLE-SYSTEMS LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR OBESITY TREATMENT BASED ON THE PRACTICES OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE/ YOGA THERAPY. DESIGN: A PRE-POST WEIGHT LOSS INTERVENTION PILOT STUDY USING CONVENTIONAL AND AYURVEDIC DIAGNOSIS INCLUSION CRITERIA, TAILORED TREATMENT WITHIN A STANDARDIZED TREATMENT ALGORITHM, AND STANDARDIZED DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS FOR COLLECTING AYURVEDIC OUTCOMES. PARTICIPANTS: A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF OVERWEIGHT/OBESE ADULT COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM TUCSON, ARIZONA INTERESTED IN A "HOLISTIC WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM" AND MEETING PREDETERMINED INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA. INTERVENTION: A COMPREHENSIVE DIET, ACTIVITY, AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAM BASED ON PRINCIPLES OF AYURVEDIC MEDICINE/YOGA THERAPY WITH SIGNIFICANT SELF-MONITORING OF LIFESTYLE BEHAVIORS. THE 3-MONTH PROGRAM WAS DESIGNED TO CHANGE EATING AND ACTIVITY PATTERNS AND TO IMPROVE SELF-EFFICACY, QUALITY OF LIFE, WELL-BEING, VITALITY, AND SELF-AWARENESS AROUND FOOD CHOICES, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND BARRIERS TO WEIGHT LOSS. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: CHANGES IN BODY WEIGHT, BODY MASS INDEX; BODY FAT PERCENTAGE, FAT/LEAN MASS, WAIST/HIP CIRCUMFERENCE AND RATIO, AND BLOOD PRESSURE. SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: DIET AND EXERCISE SELF-EFFICACY SCALES; PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE; VISUAL ANALOG SCALES (VAS) OF ENERGY, APPETITE, STRESS, QUALITY OF LIFE, WELL-BEING, AND PROGRAM SATISFACTION AT ALL TIME POINTS. RESULTS: TWENTY-TWO ADULTS ATTENDED AN IN-PERSON AYURVEDIC SCREENING; 17 INITIATED THE INTERVENTION, AND 12 COMPLETED THE 3-MONTH INTERVENTION. TWELVE COMPLETED FOLLOW-UP AT 6 MONTHS AND 11 COMPLETED FOLLOW-UP AT 9 MONTHS. MEAN WEIGHT LOSS AT 3 MONTHS WAS 3.54 KG (SD 4.76); 6 MONTHS: 4.63 KG, (SD 6.23) AND 9 MONTHS: 5.9 KG (SD 8.52). SELF-REPORT OF PROGRAM SATISFACTION WAS MORE THAN 90% AT ALL TIME POINTS. CONCLUSIONS: AN AYURVEDA-/YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAM IS AN ACCEPTABLE AND FEASIBLE APPROACH TO WEIGHT MANAGEMENT. DATA COLLECTION, INCLUDING SELF-MONITORING AND CONVENTIONAL AND AYURVEDIC OUTCOMES, DID NOT UNDULY BURDEN PARTICIPANTS, WITH ATTRITION SIMILAR TO THAT OF OTHER WEIGHT LOSS STUDIES. 2014 18 1688 41 OUTCOMES FROM A WHOLE-SYSTEMS AYURVEDIC MEDICINE AND YOGA THERAPY TREATMENT FOR OBESITY PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVES: TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY AND ACCEPTABILITY OF AN AYURVEDA/YOGA INTERVENTION FOR WEIGHT LOSS, USING DUAL-DIAGNOSIS INCLUSION CRITERIA, DUAL-PARADIGM OUTCOMES, AND A SEMISTANDARDIZED PROTOCOL WITH TAILORING ACCORDING TO THE AYURVEDIC CONSTITUTION/IMBALANCE PROFILE OF EACH PARTICIPANT. DESIGN: SEVENTEEN PARTICIPANTS ENROLLED IN A WEEKLY INTERVENTION FOR 3 MONTHS. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS WERE PERFORMED AT BASELINE, POSTINTERVENTION, AND 3 AND 6 MONTHS FOLLOW-UP. SETTING: THE INTERVENTION WAS CONDUCTED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA, DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY MEDICINE FROM APRIL THROUGH DECEMBER 2012. SUBJECTS: PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED 2 MEN AND 15 WOMEN RECRUITED FROM THE COMMUNITY OF TUCSON, AZ USING FLYERS AND HOSPITAL MESSAGE BOARDS. SEVENTEEN ENROLLED AND 12 PARTICIPANTS PROVIDED COMPLETE FOLLOW-UP DATA. INTERVENTION: PARTICIPANTS MET WITH AN AYURVEDIC PRACTITIONER TWICE MONTHLY (SIX TIMES) AND FOLLOWED SEMISTANDARDIZED DIETARY GUIDELINES WITH INDIVIDUAL TAILORING TO ADDRESS RELEVANT PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL IMBALANCES OBSTRUCTING WEIGHT LOSS AND A STANDARDIZED PROTOCOL OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA CLASSES THREE TIMES WEEKLY WITH RECOMMENDED HOME PRACTICE OF TWO TO FOUR ADDITIONAL SESSIONS. OUTCOME MEASURES: PRIMARY OUTCOME WAS WEIGHT LOSS. OTHER BIOMEDICAL OUTCOMES INCLUDED BODY MASS INDEX, BODY FAT PERCENTAGE, WAIST AND HIP CIRCUMFERENCE, WAIST TO HIP RATIO, AND BLOOD PRESSURE. UNIQUE INSTRUMENTS WERE DESIGNED TO COLLECT DATA ON OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE AYURVEDIC MEDICAL PARADIGM, INCLUDING DIETARY CHANGES BY FOOD QUALITIES, MOOD/AFFECT, RELATIONSHIPS, AND CHANGES IN AYURVEDIC IMBALANCE PROFILES. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS LOST AN AVERAGE OF 3.5 KG DURING THE 3-MONTH INTERVENTION. WEIGHT LOSS AT 3 AND 6 MONTHS POSTINTERVENTION INCREASED TO AN AVERAGE OF 5.6 KG AND 5.9 KG, RESPECTIVELY. PARTICIPANTS WHO LOST 3% OF THEIR BODY WEIGHT DURING THE 12 WEEK INTERVENTION, LOST ON AVERAGE AN ADDITIONAL 3% DURING THE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOMES ALSO IMPROVED. NO ADDITIONAL SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO PARTICIPANTS DURING THE FOLLOW-UP PERIOD. CONCLUSIONS: A WHOLE-SYSTEMS AYURVEDIC MEDICINE AND YOGA THERAPY APPROACH PROVIDES A FEASIBLE PROMISING NONINVASIVE LOW-COST ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL WEIGHT LOSS INTERVENTIONS WITH POTENTIAL ADDED BENEFITS ASSOCIATED WITH SUSTAINABLE HOLISTIC LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND POSITIVE PSYCHOSOCIAL CHANGES. 2019 19 544 33 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 20 581 26 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