1 1347 180 HYPOXIA IN CNS PATHOLOGIES: EMERGING ROLE OF MIRNA-BASED NEUROTHERAPEUTICS AND YOGA BASED ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES. CELLULAR RESPIRATION IS A VITAL PROCESS FOR THE EXISTENCE OF LIFE. ANY CONDITION THAT RESULTS IN DEPRIVATION OF OXYGEN (ALSO TERMED AS HYPOXIA) MAY EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DELETERIOUS EFFECTS ON THE FUNCTIONING OF TISSUES. BRAIN BEING THE HIGHEST CONSUMER OF OXYGEN IS PRONE TO INCREASED RISK OF HYPOXIA-INDUCED NEUROLOGICAL INSULTS. THIS IN TURN HAS BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MANY DISEASES OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) SUCH AS STROKE, ALZHEIMER'S, ENCEPHALOPATHY ETC. ALTHOUGH SEVERAL STUDIES HAVE INVESTIGATED THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MECHANISMS UNDERLYING ISCHEMIC/HYPOXIC CNS DISEASES, THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PROTECTIVE THERAPEUTIC STRATEGIES TO AMELIORATE THE AFFECTED NEURONAL CELLS IS MEAGER. THIS HAS AUGMENTED THE NEED TO IMPROVE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HYPOXIC AND ISCHEMIC EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE BRAIN AND IDENTIFY NOVEL AND ALTERNATE TREATMENT MODALITIES FOR SUCH INSULTS. MICRORNA (MIRNAS), SMALL NON-CODING RNA MOLECULES, HAVE RECENTLY EMERGED AS POTENTIAL NEUROPROTECTIVE AGENTS AS WELL AS TARGETS, UNDER HYPOXIC CONDITIONS. THESE 18-22 NUCLEOTIDE LONG RNA MOLECULES ARE PROFUSELY PRESENT IN BRAIN AND OTHER ORGANS AND FUNCTION AS GENE REGULATORS BY CLEAVING AND SILENCING THE GENE EXPRESSION. IN BRAIN, THESE ARE KNOWN TO BE INVOLVED IN NEURONAL DIFFERENTIATION AND PLASTICITY. THEREFORE, TARGETING MIRNA EXPRESSION REPRESENTS A NOVEL THERAPEUTIC APPROACH TO INTERCEDE AGAINST HYPOXIC AND ISCHEMIC BRAIN INJURY. IN THE FIRST PART OF THIS REVIEW, WE WILL DISCUSS THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES CAUSED AS A RESULT OF HYPOXIA, FOLLOWED BY THE CONTRIBUTION OF HYPOXIA IN THE NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. SECONDLY, WE WILL PROVIDE RECENT UPDATES AND INSIGHTS INTO THE ROLES OF MIRNA IN THE REGULATION OF GENES IN OXYGEN AND GLUCOSE DEPRIVED BRAIN IN ASSOCIATION WITH CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS AND HOW THESE CAN BE TARGETED AS NEUROPROTECTIVE AGENTS FOR CNS INJURIES. FINALLY, WE WILL EMPHASIZE ON ALTERNATE BREATHING OR YOGIC INTERVENTIONS TO OVERCOME THE HYPOXIA ASSOCIATED ANOMALIES THAT COULD ULTIMATELY LEAD TO IMPROVEMENT IN CEREBRAL PERFUSION. 2017 2 2275 47 THE ROLE OF YOGA IN WORKING FROM HOME DURING THE COVID-19 GLOBAL LOCKDOWN. BACKGROUND: THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BECOME A MAJOR CAUSE OF STRESS AND ANXIETY WORLDWIDE. DUE TO THE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN, WORK, EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESSES AND THE ECONOMIC CLIMATE HAVE BEEN SEVERELY AFFECTED. IT HAS GENERATED STRESS AMONG PEOPLE FROM ALL SECTIONS OF SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY TO WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO CATER TO HEALTHCARE SERVICE OR THOSE CONSTRAINED TO SECURE DAILY ESSENTIAL ITEMS. IT IS WIDELY PERCEIVED THAT ELDERLY OR THOSE AFFECTED BY DIABETES, HYPERTENSION AND OTHER CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES ARE PRONE TO COVID-19. AS PER AN ONGOING SURVEY, THE INITIAL DATA SHOWS THAT THE ABOVE-MENTIONED ANXIETY AND STRESS CAUSE INSOMNIA, AND HAS THE CONSIDERABLE POTENTIAL TO WEAKEN THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, THE SOLE PROTECTION AGAINST THE VIRUS. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON THE NEED OF YOGA PRACTICE AT WORK PLACES AND AT HOME DURING THE GLOBAL LOCKDOWN DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. METHODS: LITERATURE WAS SEARCHED USING PUBMED AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR FOR COVID-19-RELATED STRESS AND ANXIETY AT WORK AND SOCIETY DUE TO THE WORLDWIDE LOCKDOWN. THE PREDISPOSING COMORBIDITIES, VIRAL MECHANISM OF ACTION AND TREATMENT REGIMEN WERE ALSO SEARCHED. YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION STUDIES AND ONLINE PROGRAMS WERE ALSO SEARCHED. RESULTS: AS THE LOCKDOWN CANNOT LAST FOREVER AND WORKPLACES WILL HAVE TO BE FUNCTIONAL SOON, THERE IS AN INCREASED POSSIBILITY OF RECURRENT INFECTION. THEREFORE, YOGA CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY TOOL FOR RISK REDUCTION, AMELIORATION OF STRESS AND ANXIETY AND STRENGTHENING OF THE IMMUNE FUNCTION. THE ONLINE PLATFORMS PROVIDE A GOOD MEDIA FOR YOGA TRAINING AT WORK PLACES AND HOMES. CONCLUSION: DUE TO SOCIAL DISTANCING NORMS, THE AVAILABILITY OF YOGA TRAINERS HAS BECOME RESTRICTED. YOGA PRACTICE IS ACTIVELY SOUGHT TO ACHIEVE REDUCED ANXIETY AND STRESS SO THAT IMPROVED SLEEP MAY POSITIVELY IMPACT IMMUNITY. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THERE IS A SPURT IN SOCIAL MEDIA, CATERING TO DAILY ONLINE YOGA SESSIONS WHICH APPARENTLY PROVE USEFUL IN PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE MEANS TO ACHIEVE MENTAL AS WELL AS PHYSICAL WELL-BEING. 2020 3 296 40 ALIGNING YOGA WITH ITS EVOLVING ROLE IN HEALTH CARE: COMMENTS ON YOGA PRACTICE, POLICY, RESEARCH. EVIDENCE IS ACCUMULATING THAT SUGGESTS THAT YOGA HAS BENEFICIAL EFFECTS IN MITIGATING THE IMPACT OF CERTAIN DISEASES. AS A RESULT, EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO MEDICALIZE YOGA AND USE IT WITHIN INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE AS A THERAPY. HOWEVER, THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL SHORTCOMINGS IN THE PRACTICE, POLICY, AND RESEARCH OF YOGA THAT UNDERMINE ITS OPTIMAL USE. YOGA AS A MODALITY FUNCTIONS WITHIN A CONTEXT. THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO OCCASIONALLY STEP BACK AND EXAMINE THE ENTIRETY OF THE CONTEXT FROM A HIGH VANTAGE TO ASSESS WHETHER THE TACTICAL AND PROGRAMMATIC ENDEAVORS ARE ALIGNED WITH THE STRATEGIC INTENDED PURPOSE. THIS COMMENTARY DISCUSSES A FEW POLICY ISSUES RELEVANT TO SOME KEY STAKEHOLDERS. IT SUGGESTS THAT YOGA THERAPISTS NEED TO CALIBRATE THEIR MODEL OF YOGA BY REDUCING EMPHASIS ON POSTURES AND INCREASING IT ON MEDITATION AND BREATHING EXERCISES WHILE CATERING TO CLIENTS WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS. IT RECOMMENDS THAT YOGA RESEARCH SHOULD BE MORE CRITICAL IN EVALUATING YOGA'S FUNDAMENTAL TENETS AND USE REDUCTIONIST APPROACH TO DO SO. IT PROPOSES THAT AUTONOMOUS REGULATORS SHOULD EXTRICATE INJURY PRONE POSTURES FROM THE BODY OF YOGA PRACTICE FOR REGULATORY PURPOSES, RATHER THAN REGULATE YOGA SUMMARILY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT PAYERS SHOULD PAY FOR YOGA. HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD USE PAYMENT MODEL AS IT IS USED FOR VACCINATION, INSTEAD OF PAYING AS IT IS DONE FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY. IT CONCLUDES THAT YOGA CAN HELP, BUT BEFORE IT CAN HELP IT NEEDS HELP ITSELF, AND THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS NEED TO REFLECT ON THE BIG PICTURE SO THAT THEY CAN COLLABORATE ON THESE IMPROVEMENTS. 2017 4 603 22 DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE FOR OBESITY IN ADOLESCENTS. BACKGROUND: OBESITY IS A GROWING GLOBAL EPIDEMIC AND CAUSE OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES. YOGA IS ONE OF THE EFFECTIVE WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS WHICH IS ONE OF THE CAUSES OF OBESITY. NOWADAYS, CHILDREN IN ADOLESCENT AGE ARE MORE PRONE TO GET OBESE DUE TO LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MAKING THEM MORE SEDENTARY. AIM: TO IDENTIFY THE DESIGN AND VALIDATION OF INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY MODULE (IAYTM) FOR OBESITY IN ADOLESCENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FIRST PHASE - IAYTM FOR OBESITY WAS DESIGNED BASED ON THE LITERATURE REVIEW OF CLASSICAL TEXTS AND RECENTLY PUBLISHED RESEARCH ARTICLES. SECOND PHASE - DESIGNED IAYTM WAS VALIDATED BY 16 SUBJECT MATTER (YOGA) EXPERTS. CONTENT-VALIDITY RATIO (CVR) WAS ANALYZED USING LAWSHE'S FORMULA. RESULTS: YOGA PRACTICES WERE DESIGNED FOR INTEGRATED YOGA MODULE FOR OBESITY IN ADOLESCENTS. YOGA PRACTICES WITH CVR >/=0.5 AND WHICH WERE VALIDATED BY 16 YOGA EXPERTS AND APPROVED IN FACULTY GROUP DISCUSSION WERE INCLUDED IN FINAL INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY MODULE. CONCLUSION: THE YOGA PRACTICES WERE DESIGNED AND VALIDATED FOR IAYTM FOR OBESITY IN ADOLESCENTS. 2018 5 1531 31 IYENGAR YOGA THERAPY AS AN INTERVENTION FOR CRAMP MANAGEMENT IN INDIVIDUALS WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS: THREE CASE REPORTS. OBJECTIVES: PATIENTS WITH AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (ALS), A NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE OF MOTOR NEURONS, EXPERIENCE CRAMPS AT ALL STAGES OF THE ILLNESS. THERE IS, AT PRESENT, NO EFFECTIVE MEDICATION TO CONTROL THE CRAMPS AND NO AGREEMENT ON HOW TO TREAT THE SYMPTOM IN ALS PATIENTS. SUBJECTS: THREE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE DIAGNOSED WITH ALS AND REPORTED SUFFERING CRAMPS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE BODY, WHICH LIMITED THEIR ACTIVITIES OR AFFECTED THEIR SLEEP WERE INVITED TO TRY IYENGAR YOGA. INTERVENTION AND OUTCOME: YOGA THERAPY, COMPOSED OF STRETCHING, BREATHING, AND RELAXATION EXERCISES, WAS PRESCRIBED FOR EACH CASE, BASED ON THE SUBJECT'S PHYSICAL DISABILITY AND THE PRESENCE OF OTHER SYMPTOMS. ALTHOUGH TWO SUBJECTS EXPERIENCED CRAMPS DURING THE FIRST THERAPY SESSION, ALL THREE SUBJECTS REPORTED THE COMPLETE CESSATION OF CRAMPING WITHIN 3 WEEKS TO 8 WEEKS OF THERAPY. ONE OF THE SUBJECTS DEVELOPED CRAMPS IN THE HAND AFTER DISCONTINUING YOGA THERAPY FOR 7 MONTHS. HOWEVER, THE SYMPTOM STOPPED WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF RESUMING YOGA THERAPY. CONCLUSION: THE ALLEVIATION OF CRAMPS IN THESE THREE SUBJECTS INDICATES THE POSSIBILITY OF YOGIC INTERVENTION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF CRAMPS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH ALS, BUT FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF YOGA THERAPY AND TO DETERMINE THE EXERCISES THAT ARE MORE PRONE TO LEAD TO CRAMPING IN SOME ALS INDIVIDUALS. 2014 6 1669 41 NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND NEUROCOGNITIVE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED PRACTICES: TOWARDS A COMPREHENSIVE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK. DURING RECENT DECADES NUMEROUS YOGA-BASED PRACTICES (YBP) HAVE EMERGED IN THE WEST, WITH THEIR AIMS RANGING FROM FITNESS GAINS TO THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS AND SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT. YOGA IS ALSO BEGINNING TO SPARK GROWING INTEREST WITHIN THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY, AND YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS HAVE BEEN ASSOCIATED WITH MEASUREABLE CHANGES IN PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS, PERCEIVED EMOTIONAL STATES, AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING. YBP TYPICALLY INVOLVE A COMBINATION OF POSTURES OR MOVEMENT SEQUENCES, CONSCIOUS REGULATION OF THE BREATH, AND VARIOUS TECHNIQUES TO IMPROVE ATTENTIONAL FOCUS. HOWEVER, SO FAR LITTLE IF ANY RESEARCH HAS ATTEMPTED TO DECONSTRUCT THE ROLE OF THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENT PARTS IN ORDER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR RESPECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE EFFECTS OF YBP. A CLEAR OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF YOGA-BASED THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS FOR SCIENTIFIC PURPOSES, AS WELL AS A COMPREHENSIVE THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FROM WHICH TESTABLE HYPOTHESES CAN BE FORMULATED, IS THEREFORE NEEDED. HERE WE PROPOSE SUCH A FRAMEWORK, AND OUTLINE THE BOTTOM-UP NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL AND TOP-DOWN NEUROCOGNITIVE MECHANISMS HYPOTHESIZED TO BE AT PLAY IN YBP. 2015 7 2013 31 SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA: A BREATH OF HOPE DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. IMPORTANT COUNTER MEASURES TO COMBAT AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE PANDEMIC INCLUDE VACCINATION, ANTIVIRAL THERAPY, AND IMMUNOMODULATION THERAPY. VACCINATIONS ARE DISEASE SPECIFIC AND MOREOVER STRAIN SPECIFIC, SO THE PROTECTION PROVIDED IS ALSO SPECIFIC AND LIMITED. ANTIVIRAL THERAPIES ARE COSTLY AND REQUIRE BULK PRODUCTION OF DRUGS, HENCE GLOBALLY THERE IS AN INCREASED INTEREST TOWARD LOW-RISK, COST-EFFECTIVE COMPLEMENTARY ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES, SUCH AS YOGA AND AYURVEDA TO TACKLE THE INFECTIOUS PANDEMIC, CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19). THERE IS CLINICAL EVIDENCE AVAILABLE ON THE POTENTIAL COMPLEMENTARY ROLE OF YOGIC PRACTICES IN THE MANAGEMENT OF NONCOMMUNICABLE AND COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. VARIOUS ONLINE DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR ARTICLES PUBLISHED BETWEEN 2000 AND 2020. DATABASES EXPLORED WERE MEDLINE, EMBASE, INDIAN CITATION INDEX, PSYCINFO, INDEX MEDICUS FOR SOUTH-EAST ASIA REGION, AND GOOGLE SCHOLAR. ALL SEARCH RESULTS WERE SCREENED, AND ARTICLES RELATED TO KEYWORDS SUCH AS COVID-19, YOGA THERAPY, AND SUDARSHAN KRIYA YOGA (SKY) WERE SELECTED FOR DATA EXTRACTION. QUALITY OF THE STUDIES INCLUDED WAS EVALUATED ON THE BASIS OF THE CONSTRUCT VALIDITY, CONTENT VALIDITY, RELEVANCE, BIAS, CREDIBILITY RELATING TO INFORMATION, AND DATA SOURCES. SKY IS A UNIQUE YOGIC PRACTICE THAT INCLUDES SPECIFIC SEQUENTIAL BREATHING TECHNIQUES. IT BALANCES THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM AND THUS CAN ALLEVIATE ANXIETY, ROUTINE STRESS, DEPRESSION, STRESS-RELATED MEDICAL DISORDERS, AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS. IT POTENTIATES NATURAL HOST IMMUNE DEFENSES THAT ARE ESSENTIAL TO TACKLE A PLETHORA OF MICROBIAL INFECTIONS. THIS NARRATIVE REVIEW ARTICLE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF POTENTIAL THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS THAT SKY CAN OFFER TO THE POPULATION AT LARGE DURING THIS COVID-19 PANDEMIC. 2021 8 1911 25 ROLE OF AYURVEDA AND YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE IN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - A NARRATIVE REVIEW. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS POSED AN IMMENSE CHALLENGE TO HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS AROUND THE GLOBE IN TERMS OF LIMITED HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND PROVEN MEDICAL THERAPEUTICS TO ADDRESS THE SYMPTOMS OF THE INFECTION. THE CURRENT HEALTH CARE STRATEGIES ARE PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON EITHER THE PATHOGEN OR THE ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. HOWEVER, EFFORTS TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THE HOST IMMUNITY ARE IMPORTANT FROM PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE TO PREVENT THE SPREAD OF INFECTION AND DOWNREGULATE THE POTENCY OF THE INFECTIOUS AGENT. WHILE A VACCINE CAN INDUCE SPECIFIC IMMUNITY IN THE HOST, NON-SPECIFIC WAYS OF IMPROVING OVERALL HOST IMMUNITY ARE NEEDED AS WELL. THIS SCENARIO HAS PAVED THE WAY FOR THE USE OF TRADITIONAL INDIAN THERAPIES SUCH AS AYURVEDA AND YOGA. THIS REVIEW AIMS AT COLLATING AVAILABLE EVIDENCE ON AYURVEDA, YOGA, AND COVID-19. FURTHER, IT DRAWS INFERENCES FROM RECENT STUDIES ON YOGA AND AYURVEDA ON IMMUNITY, RESPIRATORY HEALTH, AND MENTAL HEALTH RESPECTIVELY TO APPROXIMATE ITS PROBABLE ROLE IN PROPHYLAXIS AND AS AN ADD-ON MANAGEMENT OPTION FOR THE CURRENT PANDEMIC. 2022 9 100 32 A PERSPECTIVE ON YOGA AS A PREVENTIVE STRATEGY FOR CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019. THE PANDEMIC OUTBREAK OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19) INFECTION CAUSED BY SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME-CORONAVIRUS 2 HAS LED TO PROFOUND PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS. IN PARTICULAR, INDIVIDUALS WITH PREEXISTING CONDITIONS OF HEART DISEASE, DIABETES, CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES AND THE ELDERLY ARE MOST VULNERABLE TO SUCCUMB TO THIS INFECTION. THE CURRENT COVID-19 EMERGENCY CALLS FOR RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF POTENTIAL PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AGAINST THIS VIRUS-MEDIATED DISEASE. THERE IS A PLETHORA OF EVIDENCE THAT SUPPORTS THE ADD-ON BENEFITS OF YOGA IN STRESS MANAGEMENT, AS WELL AS PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES. THERE ARE SOME STUDIES ON THE EFFECT OF YOGA IN COMMUNICABLE DISEASES AS WELL BUT VERY FEW FOR ACUTE CONDITIONS AND ALMOST NONE FOR THE RAPIDLY SPREADING INFECTIONS RESULTING IN PANDEMICS. BASED ON THE AVAILABLE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCES ON YOGA IN IMPROVING RESPIRATORY AND IMMUNE FUNCTIONS, WE HAVE FORMULATED VERY SIMPLE DOABLE INTEGRATED YOGA MODULES IN THE FORM OF VIDEOS TO BE PRACTICED FOR PREVENTION OF THE DISEASE BY CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND THE ELDERLY. 2020 10 601 47 DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF A NEED-BASED INTEGRATED YOGA PROGRAM FOR CANCER PATIENTS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY. CONTEXT AND AIM: COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES (CAM) ARE GAINING POPULARITY AMONGST PATIENTS AS ADD ON TO CONVENTIONAL MEDICINE. YOGA STANDS THIRD AMONGST ALL CAM THAT IS BEING USED BY CANCER PATIENTS TODAY. DIFFERENT SCHOOLS OF YOGA USE DIFFERENT SETS OF PRACTICES, WITH SOME USING A MORE PHYSICAL APPROACH AND MANY USING MEDITATION AND/OR BREATHING. ALL THESE MODULES ARE DEVELOPED BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE PATIENT. THIS PAPER IS AN ATTEMPT TO PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR A COMPREHENSIVE NEED BASED INTEGRATIVE YOGA MODULE FOR CANCER PATIENTS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF TREATMENT AND FOLLOW UP. IN THIS PAPER, THE HOLISTIC MODULES OF THE INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY FOR CANCER (IAYTC) HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BASED ON THE PATIENT NEEDS, AS PER THE OBSERVATIONS BY THE CLINICIANS AND THE CAREGIVERS. AUTHORS HAVE ATTEMPTED TO SYSTEMATICALLY CREATE HOLISTIC MODULES OF IAYTC FOR VARIOUS STAGES OF THE DISEASE AND TREATMENT. THESE MODULES HAVE BEEN USED IN RANDOMIZED TRIALS TO EVALUATE ITS EFFICACY AND HAVE SHOWN TO BE EFFECTIVE AS ADD-ON TO CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT OF CANCER. THUS, THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS EFFORT WAS TO PRESENT THE THEORETICAL BASIS AND VALIDATE THE NEED BASED HOLISTIC YOGA MODULES FOR CANCER PATIENTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: LITERATURE FROM TRADITIONAL TEXTS INCLUDING VEDAS, AYURVEDA, UPANISHADS, BHAGAVAT GITA, YOGA VASISHTHA ETC. AND THEIR COMMENTARIES WERE LOOKED INTO FOR REFERENCES OF CANCER AND THERAPEUTIC DIRECTIVES. PRESENT DAY SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE WAS ALSO EXPLORED WITH REGARDS TO DEFINING CANCER, ITS ETIOPATHOLOGY AND ITS MANAGEMENT. RESULTS OF STUDIES DONE USING CAM THERAPIES WERE ALSO LOOKED AT, FOR SALIENT FINDINGS. FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSIONS (FGD) AMONGST RESEARCHERS, EXPERIENCED GURUS, AND MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED IN RESEARCH AND CLINICAL CANCER PRACTICE WERE CARRIED OUT WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF DETERMINING NEEDS OF THE PATIENT AND YOGA PRACTICES THAT COULD PROVE EFFICIENT. A LIST OF NEEDS AT DIFFERENT STAGES OF CONVENTIONAL THERAPIES (SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION THERAPY) WAS LISTED AND YOGA MODULES WERE DEVELOPED ACCORDINGLY. CONSIDERING THE NEEDS, EXPECTED SIDE EFFECTS, THE ENERGY LEVELS AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES OF THE PARTICIPANTS, EIGHT MODULES EVOLVED. RESULTS: THE RESULTS OF THE SIX STEPS FOR DEVELOPING THE VALIDATED MODULE ARE REPORTED. STEP 1: LITERATURE REVIEW FROM TRADITIONAL YOGA AND AYURVEDA TEXTS ON ETIOPATHOGENESIS AND MANAGEMENT OF CANCER (ARBUDA), AND THE RECENT LITERATURE ON CANCER STEM CELLS AND IMMUNOLOGY OF CANCER. STEP 2: FOCUSED GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND DELIBERATIONS TO COMPILE THE NEEDS OF PATIENTS BASED ON THE EXPECTED SIDE EFFECTS, ENERGY LEVELS AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STATE OF THE PATIENT AS OBSERVED BY THE CAREGIVERS AND THE CLINICIANS. STEP 3: CONTENT VALIDATION THROUGH CONSENSUS BY THE EXPERTS FOR THE EIGHT MODULES OF IAYTC THAT COULD BE USED AS COMPLIMENTARY TO CONVENTIONAL MANAGEMENT OF CANCER AT DIFFERENT STAGES DURING AND AFTER THE DIAGNOSIS WAS CREATED. STEP 4: FIELD TESTING FOR SAFETY AND FEASIBILITY OF THE MODULES THROUGH PILOT STUDIES. STEP 5: COMPILATION OF THE RESULTS OF EFFICACY TRIALS THROUGH RCTS AND STEP 6: A REVIEW OF OUR STUDIES ON MECHANISMS TO OFFER EVIDENCE FOR ACTION OF IAYTC ON PSYCHO-NEURO-IMMUNOLOGICAL PATHWAYS IN CANCER. CONCLUSION: THE EVIDENCE FROM THE TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND RECENT SCIENTIFIC STUDIES VALIDATES EIGHT MODULES OF INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY FOR CANCER THAT CAN BE USED SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY AS COMPLIMENTARY DURING ALL CONVENTIONAL CANCER THERAPIES. 2012 11 1773 45 POTENTIAL YOGA MODULES FOR TREATMENT OF HEMATOPOIETIC INHIBITION IN HIV-1 INFECTION. THIS ARTICLE IS EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF SPECIFIC YOGA MODULES ON THE INHIBITION OF REPLICATION AND ENHANCEMENT TO NORMAL LEVELS OF HEMATOPOIESIS IN HIV-1 INFECTED SUBJECTS. MORE UNIQUE COULD BE THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON THE INDIRECT EFFECTS OF HIV-1 INDUCED HEMATOPOIETIC INHIBITION OF THE CD34+ PROGENITOR STEM CELLS, VIA THE CD4+ T LYMPHOCYTES. SUCH INDIRECT EFFECTS MAY BE CAUSED BY HOST CELLULAR FACTORS. YOGA PRACTICES MAY ALSO IMPROVE THE SELF RENEWAL CAPACITY (A STEP THAT PRECEDES COMMITMENT OF CD34+ PROGENITOR CELLS TO TERMINAL DIFFERENTIATION), VIA STAT5 GENE REGULATION. THIS MAY ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR CONSTITUTIVE STAT5 GENE EXPRESSION THROUGH GENE THERAPY. IN THIS ARTICLE RECENT RESEARCH AND ANCIENT INDIAN LITERATURE ARE REVIEWED TO DEVISE YOGA MODULES FOR THE POTENTIAL TREATMENT OF HEMATOPOIETIC INHIBITION IN HIV-1 INFECTION. THE POSSIBLE MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH HEMATOPOIETIC INHIBITION MAY OCCUR IN HIV-1 INFECTED PATIENTS ARE FIRST DESCRIBED FOLLOWED BY THE ROLE OF STRESS IN THE PROGRESSION OF HIV WHERE PROBABLE INVOLVEMENT OF PSYCHO-NEURO-IMMUNOLOGICAL AXIS (PNI) IS HIGHLIGHTED. YOGA THERAPY IS INTRODUCED AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN TERMS OF EVIDENCE IN RELEVANT AREA IS REVIEWED. FURTHER, THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF INTEGRATED APPROACH OF YOGA THERAPY [IAYT] ARE DESCRIBED AND DEPENDING ON THE POTENTIAL MECHANISMS THROUGH WHICH YOGA THERAPY MAY ACT, BOTH MODERN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND ANCIENT "SCRIPTURAL" EVIDENCE ARE PROVIDED AT ALL THE FIVE LEVELS OF EXISTENCE (BODY, LIFE FORCE, EMOTIONAL, INTELLECTUAL AND BLISS). THIS WILL ENABLE TO DESIGN COMPREHENSIVE YOGA MODULES THAT MAY INTERVENE IN THIS INDIRECT INHIBITION OF HAEMATOPOIESIS IN HIV-1 INFECTED INDIVIDUALS AND POTENTIALLY RESTORE NORMAL LEVELS OF HAEMATOPOIESIS. 2010 12 1951 23 SCIENCE OF THE MIND: ANCIENT YOGA TEXTS AND MODERN STUDIES. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IS GAINING IN POPULARITY WITH A WIDE RANGE OF PRACTICES. RECENT RESEARCH AND DESCRIPTIONS FROM THE ANCIENT TEXTS ARE OFTEN CONCURRENT WITH REGARD TO THE EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT EXPECTED DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MODERN SCIENTIFIC TERMS AND THOSE USED IN THE ORIGINAL TEXTS. VOLUNTARILY REGULATED YOGA BREATHING PRACTICES FORM A BRIDGE BETWEEN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHANGES. THE VOLUNTARILY REGULATED YOGA BREATHING HAS DISTINCT EFFECTS ON METABOLISM, THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM, HIGHER BRAIN FUNCTIONS, AND MENTAL STATE. THE EFFECTS OF MEDITATION ON THE NERVOUS SYSTEM AND MENTAL STATE ARE EVEN CLEARER. 2013 13 2807 26 YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH: A WHOLE-SYSTEMS PERSPECTIVE ON COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS AND PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES. FOR THE YOGA RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO CAPITALIZE ON ITS CURRENT MOMENTUM, IT IS CRITICAL TO CONSIDER CERTAIN DEVELOPMENTS IN RESEARCH THEORY AND INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGIES. THE CONCEPT OF MODEL VALIDITY MUST BE INCORPORATED IN YOGA THERAPY RESEARCH SO THAT EXPLANATORY CONSTRUCTS EMPLOYED AND OUTCOME MEASURES CHOSEN REFLECT THE PRINCIPLES OF TRADITIONAL YOGIC SCIENCE. FOCUSING ON EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH WILL ENSURE MAXIMUM GENERALIZABILITY OF STUDY RESULTS AND REFLECT REAL-WORLD THERAPY DELIVERY SETTINGS, THEREBY INCREASING THE RELEVANCE OF OUTCOMES. WHOLE SYSTEMS OF HEALING REQUIRE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES THAT ADDRESS COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MULTI-TARGET THERAPIES WITH MULTIPLE POTENTIAL TREATMENT RESULTS. COMPLEX, DYNAMIC SYSTEMS THEORY PROVIDES THE THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS NECESSARY TO DESIGN STUDIES, CHOOSE OUTCOMES, AND ANALYZE DATA IN A WAY THAT CAN ACCOUNT FOR CHARTING COMPLEX, CYCLICAL, THERAPEUTIC TRAJECTORIES ACROSS TIME. EMPHASIZING PATIENT-CENTERED OUTCOMES IS ALIGNED WITH THE PATENT-ORIENTED AND TAILORED NATURED OF YOGA THERAPY DELIVERY. INCREASING THE QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH TO ANALYZE THE HARMS AND BENEFITS OF CONTRASTING THERAPIES CAN PROVIDE AN INFRASTRUCTURE FOR DESIGNING STUDIES THAT CAN HAVE SIGNIFICANT PRACTICAL IMPACT. THE CREATION OF PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH NETWORKS WITHIN THE YOGA RESEARCH COMMUNITY WILL INCENTIVIZE LINKS BETWEEN MAINSTREAM CLINICAL RESEARCHERS AND YOGA THERAPY DELIVERY SETTINGS, ULTIMATELY DEVELOPING COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS. YOGA THERAPY CENTERS CAN FACILITATE PATIENT RECRUITMENT FOR STUDIES AND INFORM STANDARDS FOR YOGA RESEARCHERS. COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS BETWEEN THE YOGA AND AYURVEDIC RESEARCH COMMUNITIES WILL STREAMLINE EFFORTS, SOLIDIFY EXPERTISE, CROSS-POLLINATE THEORETICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL INNOVATION, AND CONSOLIDATE EFFORTS TO SECURE RESEARCH FUNDING AND INCREASE PUBLICATION AND DISSEMINATION OF STUDY FINDINGS. 2015 14 1280 29 GENERIC YOGA MODULES FOR CLINICAL AND RESEARCH SETTINGS-NEED OF THE HOUR. YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS OFFER SIGNIFICANT PROMISE IN HEALTHCARE. HOWEVER, META-ANALYSES OF VARIOUS YOGA TRIALS SUGGEST THAT COMPARISONS OF TRIALS ARE EITHER NOT POSSIBLE OR DIFFICULT DUE TO HETEROGENEITY IN THERAPEUTIC YOGA INTERVENTIONS. ALSO, IN VIEW OF EMERGING EVIDENCE FOR THE ROLE OF THERAPEUTIC YOGA, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIFICITY AND VALIDITY OF VARIOUS YOGA COMPONENTS BEING USED IN DIFFERENT TRIALS. EFFORTS IN THIS DIRECTION WILL BE FRUITFUL ONLY IF A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH IS ADOPTED TO DEVELOP YOGA PROGRAMS FOR VARIOUS AILMENTS. IN THIS ARTICLE, WE EMPHASIZE THE NEED FOR A "GENERIC YOGA" CONCEPT FOR DESIGNING A THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAM FOR PARTICULAR HEALTH ISSUES, WITH THE OBJECTIVES OF PROMOTING SCIENTIFIC GROWTH OF THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS OF YOGA AND WIDESPREAD APPLICATION OF STANDARDIZED THERAPEUTIC YOGA PROGRAMS WITHIN A BIOMEDICAL FRAMEWORK. THIS GENERIC THERAPEUTIC YOGA WILL ESSENTIALLY HIGHLIGHT THE DEVELOPMENT-VALIDATION PROCESS OF UNCOPYRIGHTED YOGA PROGRAMS; THEIR COMPONENTS, BENEFITS, AND POSSIBLE SIDE-EFFECTS; AND REQUIREMENT FOR NEED-BASED MODIFICATIONS. 2021 15 2297 31 THERAPEUTIC ROLE OF YOGA IN NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. YOGA IS CONSIDERED A WIDELY-USED APPROACH FOR HEALTH CONSERVATION AND CAN BE ADOPTED AS A TREATMENT MODALITY FOR A PLETHORA OF MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS. HENCE, WE REVIEWED RELEVANT ARTICLES ENTAILING VARIOUS NEUROLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS AND GATHERED DATA ON HOW YOGA EXERTS POSITIVE IMPACTS ON PATIENTS WITH A DIVERSE RANGE OF DISORDERS, INCLUDING ITS MODULATORY EFFECTS ON BRAIN BIOELECTRICAL ACTIVITIES, NEUROTRANSMITTERS, AND SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY. THE ROLE OF YOGA PRACTICE AS AN ELEMENT OF THE TREATMENT OF SEVERAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL DISEASES WAS EVALUATED BASED ON THESE FINDINGS. 2021 16 1590 24 MEDITATION AND YOGA CAN MODULATE BRAIN MECHANISMS THAT AFFECT BEHAVIOR AND ANXIETY-A MODERN SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE. MEDITATION AND YOGA TECHNIQUES ARE RECEIVING INCREASED ATTENTION THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF EVIDENCE BASED RESEARCH THAT PROVES THE DIRECT AND INDIRECT BENEFITS OF SUCH PRACTICES. BASED ON STUDIES CONDUCTED SO FAR, IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION TRIGGERS NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT MODULATE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS SUCH AS ANXIETY. THIS PAPER WILL REVIEW THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE PRACTICE OF MEDITATION, THE ROLE OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS, AND STUDIES USING EEG AND FMRI. 2015 17 2879 17 YOGA. YOGA IS AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT HAS BEEN WESTERNIZED AND OFTEN PRACTICED FOR ITS PROPOSED HEALTH BENEFITS. TRADITIONAL TEXTS DESCRIBE ITS BENEFITS FOR MANY TYPES OF ARTHRITIS. TWO LIMITED STUDIES OF YOGA IN OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE HANDS AND CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME SHOW GREATER IMPROVEMENT IN PAIN THAN IN CONTROL GROUPS. YOGA USES STRETCHING AND IMPROVES STRENGTH SO THAT IT THEORETICALLY SHOULD BE BENEFICIAL FOR SOME MUSCULOSKELETAL PROBLEMS. YOGA MERITS FURTHER STUDY INTO ITS CELLULAR AND PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS. 2000 18 2772 27 YOGA RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH: IS RESEARCH ALIGNED WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS' NEEDS? RESEARCH ON YOGA IS WITNESSING AN UNPRECEDENTED PROLIFERATION CURRENTLY, PARTLY BECAUSE OF GREAT INTEREST IN YOGA'S HEALTH UTILITY. HOWEVER, YOGA RESEARCH DOES NOT SEEM TO BE SUFFICIENTLY PUBLIC HEALTH ORIENTED, OR ITS QUALITY CORRESPONDING TO ITS QUANTITY. YOGA RESEARCH IS FALLING SHORT TO ENABLE KEY STAKEHOLDERS LIKE END USERS, PRESCRIBERS, AND PAYERS TO MEANINGFULLY, CONFIDENTLY, AND FRUITFULLY ANSWER THE QUESTIONS LIKE: IS IT GENERALIZABLE? IS IT STANDARDIZABLE? WHICH YOGA STYLE SHOULD BE USED/RECOMMENDED/PAID FOR? OR WILL IT BE WORTH THE MONEY? THEREFORE, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THE ALIGNMENT TO PURPOSE OR VALUE OF YOGA RESEARCH FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH POINT OF VIEW SO AS TO MAKE IT MORE PRACTICAL. THE ISSUES SUCH AS LACK OF CLEAR DEFINITION OF YOGA, WIDE VARIATION IN ITS DOSAGE, CACOPHONY OF LINEAGE-BASED STYLES, NO DATA ABOUT COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS BETWEEN THE YOGA COMPONENTS, CONFOUNDERS AND BIASES CLOUDING THE EVIDENCE REGARDING ITS BENEFITS, TOO LITTLE DATA ON LONG-TERM ADHERENCE, EQUIVOCAL RESULTS ABOUT ITS COST EFFECTIVENESS, DISCUSSIONS LACKING EMBRACE OF BETTER METHODS IN RESEARCH, AND ABSENCE OF A THEORY OF YOGA ARE EXAMINED. THIS IS NOT A DETAILED DISCUSSION OF EVERY ISSUE YOGA RESEARCH FACES, BUT A HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF THOSE THAT HAVE DIRECT PRACTICAL BEARING. IN THE END, A FEW PRAGMATIC APPROACHES ARE OFFERED. THE ARTICLE SUGGESTS THAT YOGA-COMPONENT ANALYSIS, DEVELOPMENT OF A THEORY OF YOGA, ADOPTION OF A HEALTH-ALIGNED FUNCTIONAL TYPOLOGY OF YOGA, DEVELOPMENT AND TESTING OF A SIMPLE UNIVERSAL BASIC PROTOTYPE OF YOGA INTERVENTION, EMPHASIS ON RESEARCH ABOUT LONG-TERM ADHERENCE, AND DISCOURAGEMENT FOR MERE PROOF OF CONCEPT RESEARCH MIGHT MAKE YOGA RESEARCH SERVE THE STAKEHOLDERS BETTER. IT URGES THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY TO PRACTICE "CONTEXT COGNIZANT SCHOLARSHIP" TO DISENTANGLE HEALTH COMPATIBLE YOGA FROM ITS HISTORICAL-CULTURAL-SOCIAL BODY BEFORE EXAMINING IT FOR HEALTH OR MEDICAL APPLICATION. 2017 19 2042 23 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 20 2224 35 THE IMPACT OF THE "YOGIC LIFESTYLE" ON CANCER PROGNOSIS AND SURVIVAL: CAN WE TARGET CANCER STEM CELLS WITH YOGA? CANCER HAS RECENTLY BEEN KNOWN TO ORIGINATE FROM STEM CELL-LIKE CELLS, CALLED CANCER STEM CELLS (CSCS). THEIR UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF SELF-DUPLICATION, MULTIPLICATION, AS WELL AS MIGRATION GIVE THE CSC RESISTANCE OVER CONVENTIONAL CANCER THERAPIES. NEWER THERAPIES ARE IN DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE TO TARGET THESE STEM CELL-LIKE POPULATIONS AND BECOME THE VANGUARD OF FUTURE TREATMENTS. SEVERAL COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE TREATMENTS HAVE BEEN USED IN CANCER MANAGEMENT AS AN ADJUNCT TO CONVENTIONAL THERAPY TO IMPROVE THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE AND REDUCE RECURRENCE. YOGA STANDS AS THE THIRD MOST POPULAR OF ALL COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE TREATMENTS CURRENTLY USED IN CANCER PATIENTS TODAY. PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW THAT YOGA MODULATES NEURAL, HORMONAL, AND IMMUNE FUNCTIONS AT A CELLULAR LEVEL. THE SCOPE OF THIS COMMENTARY IS TO DISCUSS THE CURRENT EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE ON YOGA AND ITS EFFECT ON CSCS. 2017