1 207 109 A SHORT-TERM, COMPREHENSIVE, YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IS EFFICACIOUS IN REDUCING ANXIETY, IMPROVING SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND PERSONALITY. OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS THE EFFICACY OF A SHORT-TERM COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN REDUCING ANXIETY, IMPROVING SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND PERSONALITY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THE STUDY IS A PART OF AN ONGOING LARGER STUDY AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL. PARTICIPANTS (N=90) INCLUDED PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES ATTENDING A 10-DAY, YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES, AND HEALTHY CONTROLS (N=45) NOT ATTENDING ANY SUCH INTERVENTION. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURES: CHANGE IN STATE AND TRAIT ANXIETY QUESTIONNAIRE (STAI-Y; 40 ITEMS), SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING INVENTORY (SUBI; 40 ITEMS), AND NEUROTICISM EXTRAVERSION OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE FIVE FACTOR PERSONALITY INVENTORY REVISED (NEO-FF PI-R; 60 ITEMS) AT THE END OF INTERVENTION. RESULTS: FOLLOWING INTERVENTION, THE STAI-Y SCORES REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY (P<0.001) AT DAY 10 (66.7 +/- 13.0) VERSUS DAY 1 (72.5 +/- 14.7). ALSO, POSITIVE SUBI SCORES (F1- F6) IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY (P<0.01) AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 1. SIMILARLY NEO-FF PI-R SCORES IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY (P<0.001) AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 1. CONTROL GROUP SHOWED AN INCREASE IN STAI-Y WHILE SUBI AND NEO-FF PI-R SCORES REMAINED COMPARABLE AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 1. CONCLUSIONS: THE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT-TERM, YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION MAY SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE ANXIETY AND IMPROVE SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND PERSONALITY IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASES. 2012 2 784 38 EFFECT OF YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING. YOGA IS ASSUMING IMPORTANCE IN IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE TREATMENT OF A NUMBER OF PSYCHIATRIC AND PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS. THE PRESENT STUDY WAS A PROSPECTIVE CONTROLLED STUDY TO EXPLORE THE SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMPREHENSIVE BUT BRIEF LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION, BASED ON YOGA, ON SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING LEVELS IN NORMAL AND DISEASED SUBJECTS. NORMAL HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND SUBJECTS HAVING HYPERTENSION, CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE, DIABETES MELLITUS OR A VARIETY OF OTHER ILLNESSES WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THE OUTCOME MEASURES WERE 'SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING INVENTORY' (SUBI) SCORES, TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE INVENTORY CONSISTS OF QUESTIONS RELATED TO ONE'S FEELINGS AND ATTITUDE ABOUT VARIOUS AREAS OF LIFE, SUCH AS HAPPINESS, ACHIEVEMENT AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP. THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE 77 SUBJECTS WITHIN A PERIOD OF 10 DAYS AS COMPARED TO CONTROLS. THESE OBSERVATIONS SUGGEST THAT A SHORT LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM LEADS TO REMARKABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE SUBJECTIVE WELL BEING SCORES OF THE SUBJECTS AND CAN THEREFORE MAKE AN APPRECIABLE CONTRIBUTION TO PRIMARY PREVENTION AS WELL AS MANAGEMENT OF LIFESTYLE DISEASES. 2008 3 783 39 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 4 670 26 EFFECT OF A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAM ON LIPID PEROXIDATION. OXIDATIVE STRESS CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROCESS OF AGING AS WELL AS A VARIETY OF CHRONIC DEGENERATIVE DISEASES. THERE ARE INDICATIONS THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS INCREASES OXIDATIVE STRESS WHEREAS RELAXATION DECREASES IT. WE HAVE MEASURED THE CONCENTRATION OF THIOBARBITURIC ACID REACTIVE SUBSTANCES (TBARS) IN BLOOD AS AN INDICATOR OF OXIDATIVE STRESS AT THE BEGINNING AND AT THE END OF A COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION PROGRAM (YLMP). THE DATA WAS COLLECTED FROM 104 SUBJECTS (59 MALE, 45 FEMALE), 19-71 YEARS OF AGE (MEAN +/- SD, 41.2 +/- 14.6 YEARS). THE YLMP CONSISTED OF A NINE-DAY EDUCATIONAL OUT-PATIENT COURSE ON THE THEORY AND PRACTICE OF YOGA AND INCLUDED, BESIDES A DAILY ONE-HOUR PRACTICE OF PHYSICAL POSTURES (ASANAS) AND BREATHING EXERCISES (PRANAYAMA), LECTURE AND FILMS ON YOGA, STRESS MANAGEMENT AND NUTRITION, PRACTICE OF MEDITATION AND SHAVASANA (A RELAXATION TECHNIQUE), AND INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING. VENOUS BLOOD SAMPLES WERE COLLECTED ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE COURSE. THE SERUM CONCENTRATION OF TBARS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM 1.72 +/- 0.72 NMOLES/ML ON DAY 1 TO 1.57 +/- 0.72 NMOLES/ML ON DAY 10 (P<0.05). THE STUDY SUGGESTS THAT A BRIEF LOW COST LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION BASED ON YOGA REDUCES OXIDATIVE STRESS. 2005 5 1855 17 RANDOMISED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF YOGA AND BIO-FEEDBACK IN MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION. 34 HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WERE ASSIGNED AT RANDOM EITHER TO SIX WEEKS' TREATMENT BY YOGA RELAXATION METHODS WITH BIO-FEEDBACK OR TO PLACEBO THERAPY (GENERAL RELAXATION). BOTH GROUPS SHOWED A REDUCTION IN BLOOD-PRESSURE (FROM 168/100 TO 141/84 MM. HG IN THE TREATED GROUP AND FROM 169/101 TO 160/96 MM HG IN THE CONTROL GROUP). THE DIFFERENCE WAS HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT. THE CONTROL GROUP WAS THEN TRAINED IN YOGA RELAXATION, AND THEIR BLOOD-PRESSURE FELL TO THAT OF THE OTHER GROUP (NOW USED AS CONTROLS). 1975 6 384 29 BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF YOGA LIFESTYLE ON REVERSIBILITY OF ISCHAEMIC HEART DISEASE: CARING HEART PROJECT OF INTERNATIONAL BOARD OF YOGA. OBJECTIVES: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS HAVE BEEN EARLIER SHOWN TO BE BENEFICIAL IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN A SMALL NUMBER OF PATIENTS. WE EVALUATED THE ROLE OF LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION BASED ON YOGA TECHNIQUES, STRESS MANAGEMENT AND DIETARY MODIFICATIONS IN RETARDATION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. METHODS: THIS PROSPECTIVE, CONTROLLED, OPEN TRIAL INCLUDED ANGIOGRAPHICALLY PROVEN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS (71 PATIENTS IN STUDY GROUP AND 42 PATIENTS IN CONTROL GROUP). THEY WERE ASSESSED CLINICALLY, BY BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS, STRESS MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION AND FUNCTION STUDIES AND CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY AND ON PSYCHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS. THE STUDY GROUP PATIENTS WERE GIVEN A FAMILY BASED YOGA PROGRAMME WHICH INCLUDED, CONTROL OF RISK FACTORS, DIETARY MODIFICATIONS AND STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR A PERIOD OF ONE YEAR. THE PATIENTS WERE ASSESSED AT BASELINE, AT FREQUENT INTERVALS AND AT THE END OF ONE YEAR. RESULTS: AT THE END OF ONE YEAR OF YOGA TRAINING, STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANT CHANGES (P<0.05) WERE FOUND IN SERUM TOTAL CHOLESTEROL (REDUCTION BY 23.3% IN STUDY GROUP PATIENTS AS COMPARED TO 4.4% IN CONTROLS); SERUM LDL CHOLESTEROL (REDUCTION OF 26% IN STUDY GROUP PATIENTS AS COMPARED TO 2.6% IN THE CONTROL GROUP), REGRESSION OF DISEASE (43.7% OF STUDY GROUP PATIENTS V/S 31% CONTROL GROUP ON MPI AND 70.4% OF STUDY GROUP V/S 28% OF CONTROL GROUP ON ANGIOGRAPHY) ARREST OF PROGRESSION (46.5% STUDY GROUP V/S 33.3% CONTROL GROUP ON MPI) AND PROGRESSION (9.9% OF STUDY GROUP VS 35.7% OF CONTROLS ON MPI, 29.6% OF STUDY GROUP V/S 60.0% OF CONTROLS ON ANGIOGRAPHY). AT THE END OF THE STUDY IMPROVEMENT IN ANXIETY SCORES WAS CONCORDANT WITH THE IMPROVEMENT SEEN IN THE MPI. NO UNTOWARD EFFECTS OF THE THERAPY WERE OBSERVED. CONCLUSION: YOGA BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS HELP IN REGRESSION OF CORONARY LESIONS AND IN IMPROVING MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION. THIS IS TRANSLATED INTO CLINICAL BENEFITS AND SYMPTOMATIC IMPROVEMENT. 2004 7 754 26 EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON PLASMA GLUCOSE LEVELS IN INDIVIDUALS WITH DIABETES AND PRE-DIABETES IN THE COMMUNITY. AIM: TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF SHORT TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES AND PRE-DIABETES, THROUGH A 'PILOT' COMMUNITY-BASED STUDY. METHODS: A TOTAL OF 1292 SUBJECTS WITH DIAGNOSED TYPE 2 DIABETES AND PRE-DIABETES WERE RECRUITED FROM DIFFERENT STATES OF INDIA VIZ., KARNATAKA, MAHARASHTRA, GUJARAT, RAJASTHAN, AND TAMILNADU PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION WAS INTRODUCED THROUGH 10-DAY NON-RESIDENTIAL CAMPS. BASELINE AND POST INTERVENTION ASSESSMENTS OF FASTING PLASMA GLUCOSE (FPG) WERE MEASURED ON THE FIRST DAY AND TENTH DAY RESPECTIVELY. OF 1292 SUBJECTS, 896 BOTH PRE- AND POST- FPG READINGS WERE AVAILABLE. DATA ANALYSIS WAS DONE USING STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (SPSS), VERSION 16. RESULTS: MEAN BASELINE FPG LEVEL WAS 133.1 (+/-47.98) AND THE MEAN POST INTERVENTION FPG REDUCED TO 121.19 (+/-40.56). THERE WAS A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN FPG, P VALUE (<0.0001). CONCLUSION: THE RESULT SUGGESTS THAT A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION EFFECTIVELY REDUCES FPG LEVELS IN TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS AND PRE-DIABETES. 2017 8 284 38 ADIPONECTIN, INTERLEUKIN-6, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK FACTORS ARE MODIFIED BY A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE MEN. OBJECTIVE: TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON RISK FACTORS FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE (CVD) AND MARKERS OF INFLAMMATION AND ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE MEN. DESIGN: NONRANDOMIZED PROSPECTIVE LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION STUDY WITH PRE-POST DESIGN. SETTING AND LOCATION: INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC, AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY PROVIDING YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMS FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. SUBJECTS: OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE MEN (N=51) WERE ENROLLED IN THE STUDY. SUBJECTS WHO WERE PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND THOSE PARTICIPATING IN OTHER INTERVENTIONS WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY. INTERVENTION: A PRETESTED INTERVENTION PROGRAM INCLUDING ASANAS (PHYSICAL POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), GROUP DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES, AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE. OUTCOME MEASURES: THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS WEIGHT LOSS, AND THE SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES WERE CLINICAL AND LABORATORY CORRELATES OF CVD RISK, LEVELS OF INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6), ADIPONECTIN, AND ENDOTHELIN-1 (ET-1). RESULTS: MEN (N=51, BODY MASS INDEX [BMI] 26.26+/-2.42 KG/M(2)) WERE ENROLLED AND UNDERWENT A YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION FOR 10 DAYS. OF 51 SUBJECTS, 30 COMPLETED THE STUDY. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN WEIGHT FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (74.60+/-7.98, 72.69+/-8.37 KG, P<0.001, RESPECTIVELY), BMI (26.26+/-2.42, 25.69+/-2.47 KG/M(2), P<0.001, RESPECTIVELY), AND SYSTOLIC BP (121.73+/-11.58, 116.73+/-9.00, P=0.042, RESPECTIVELY). THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN PLASMA IL-6 FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (MEDIAN 2.24 VS. 1.26 PG/ML, RESPECTIVELY, P=0.012). THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE PLASMA ADIPONECTIN FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (MEDIAN 4.95 VS. 6.26 MUG/ML, RESPECTIVELY, P=0.014). PLASMA ET-1 LEVEL REMAINED UNCHANGED. CONCLUSION: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT EVEN A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION MAY BE AN IMPORTANT MODALITY TO REDUCE THE RISK FOR CVD AS INDICATED BY WEIGHT LOSS, REDUCTION IN SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE, AN INCREASE IN ADIPONECTIN, AND DECREASE IN IL-6 IN OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE MEN. 2013 9 755 30 EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED-BREATHING ON PERI-OPERATIVE ANXIETY IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CARDIAC SURGERY. BACKGROUND: PERI-OPERATIVE ANXIETY IN PATIENTS SCHEDULED FOR CARDIAC SURGERY IS DETRIMENTAL. THIS STUDY EVALUATED THE EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM YOGA BASED-BREATHING WITH DIFFERENT VARIATIONS ON PERI-OPERATIVE ANXIETY. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN PATIENTS AGED 20-60 YEARS SCHEDULED FOR MAJOR CARDIAC SURGERY. PATIENTS IN YOGA GROUP WERE TRAINED FOR YOGA BASED-BREATHING WITH DIFFERENT VARIATIONS FOR 5 DAYS; NO INTERVENTION WAS DONE IN CONTROLS. RESULTS: WE ANALYZED TWENTY PATIENTS IN EACH GROUP. ANXIETY SCORES MEASURED AT BASELINE, PRESURGERY, AND POSTSURGERY WERE ENTERED AS THE WITHIN-SUBJECTS FACTOR; GROUP STATUS WAS ENTERED AS THE BETWEEN-SUBJECTS FACTOR IN THE RMANOVA. BASELINE DEMOGRAPHICS AND ANXIETY SCORES WERE COMPARABLE. THE SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED BREATHING EXERCISE-TRAINING PROGRAM HAD A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT EFFECT ON STATE (F = 13.45, P < 0.0001), TRAIT (F = 13.29, P < 0.0001) AND TOTAL ANXIETY SCORES (F = 29.44, P < 0.0001) AT DIFFERENT TIME POINTS FOR YOGA OVER CONTROL GROUP. CONCLUSION: SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED BREATHING FOR 5 DAYS LOWERS PRESURGERY AND POSTSURGERY ANXIETY IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CARDIAC SURGERY. 2021 10 2747 24 YOGA PRACTICE IN DIABETES IMPROVES PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES. BACKGROUND: THE AIM OF THIS STUDY WAS TO EXAMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA PRACTICE ON CLINICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL OUTCOMES IN SUBJECTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS (T2DM). METHODS: IN A 40-DAY YOGA CAMP AT THE INSTITUTE OF YOGA AND CONSCIOUSNESS, AMBULATORY SUBJECTS WITH T2DM NOT HAVING SIGNIFICANT COMPLICATIONS (N = 35) PARTICIPATED IN A 40-DAY YOGA CAMP, WHERE YOGIC PRACTICES WERE OVERSEEN BY TRAINED YOGA TEACHERS. CLINICAL, BIOCHEMICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING WERE STUDIED AT BASELINE AND AT THE END OF THE CAMP. RESULTS: AT THE END OF THE STUDY, THERE WAS A REDUCTION OF BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) (26.514 +/- 3.355 TO 25.771 +/- 3.40; P < 0.001) AND ANXIETY (6.20 +/- 3.72 TO 4.29 +/- 4.46; P < 0.05) AND AN IMPROVEMENT IN TOTAL GENERAL WELL-BEING (48.6 +/- 11.13 TO 52.66 +/- 52.66 +/- 12.87; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: PARTICIPATION OF SUBJECTS WITH T2DM IN YOGA PRACTICE FOR 40 DAYS RESULTED IN REDUCED BMI, IMPROVED WELL-BEING, AND REDUCED ANXIETY. 2009 11 39 37 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 12 31 14 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP OF YOGA AND BIO-FEEDBACK IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HYPERTENSION. TWENTY HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS TREATED BY PSYCHOPHYSICAL RELAXATION EXERCISES WERE FOLLOWED UP MONTHLY FOR 12 MONTHS. AGE AND SEX MATCHED HYPERTENSIVE CONTROLS WERE SIMILARLY FOLLOWED UP FOR 9 MONTHS. STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN BLOOD-PRESSURE (BP) AND ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUG REQUIREMENTS WERE SATISFACTORILY MAINTAINED IN THE TREATMENT GROUP. MERE REPETITION OF B.P. MEASUREMENTS AND INCREASED MEDICAL ATTENTION DID NOT IN THEMSELVES REDUCE B.P. SIGNIFICANTLY IN CONTROL PATIENTS. 1975 13 2056 24 THE BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF YOGA IN DIABETES. TWENTY NIDDM SUBJECTS (MILD TO MODERATE DIABETICS) IN THE AGE GROUP OF 30-60 YEARS WERE SELECTED FROM THE OUT PATIENT CLINIC OF G.T.B. HOSPITAL. THEY WERE ON A 40 DAYS YOGA ASANA REGIME UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A YOGA EXPERT. 13 SPECIFIC YOGA ASANAS < OR = DONE BY TYPE 2 DIABETES PATIENTS INCLUDED. SURYA NAMASKAR, TRIKONASANA, TADASANA, SUKHASANA, PADMASANA, BHASTRIKA PRANAYAMA, PASHIMOTTANASANA, ARDHMATSYENDRASANA, PAWANMUKTASANA, BHUJANGASANA, VAJRASANA, DHANURASANA AND SHAVASANA ARE BENEFICIAL FOR DIABETES MELLITUS. SERUM INSULIN, PLASMA FASTING AND ONE HOUR POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND ANTHROPOMETRIC PARAMETERS WERE MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER YOGA ASANAS. THE RESULTS INDICATE THAT THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN FASTING GLUCOSE LEVELS FROM BASAL 208.3 +/- 20.0 TO 171.7 +/- 19.5 MG/DL AND ONE HOUR POSTPRANDIAL BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS DECREASED FROM 295.3 +/- 22.0 TO 269.7 +/- 19.9 MG/DL. THE EXACT MECHANISM AS TO HOW THESE POSTURES AND CONTROLLED BREATHING INTERACT WITH SOMATOENDOCRINE MECHANISM AFFECTING INSULIN KINETICS WAS WORKED OUT. A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN WAIST-HIP RATIO AND CHANGES IN INSULIN LEVELS WERE ALSO OBSERVED, SUGGESTING A POSITIVE EFFECT OF YOGA ASANAS ON GLUCOSE UTILISATION AND FAT REDISTRIBUTION IN NIDDM. YOGA ASANAS MAY BE USED AS AN ADJUNCT WITH DIET AND DRUGS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES. 2005 14 1328 44 HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL INCREASES FOLLOWING A SHORT-TERM YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION: A NON-PHARMACOLOGICAL MODULATION. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY WAS TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF A BRIEF BUT COMPREHENSIVE YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION ON HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL (HDL-C). METHODS: THIS PROSPECTIVE INTERVENTIONAL STUDY WAS PERFORMED AT THE INTEGRAL HEALTH CLINIC (IHC), AN OUTPATIENT FACILITY AT ALL INDIA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, NEW DELHI, A TERTIARY HEALTH CARE CENTRE, CONDUCTING YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION PROGRAMMES FOR PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC DISEASES. THE STUDY INCLUDED APPARENTLY HEALTHY NORMAL WEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE SUBJECTS WHO UNDERWENT A PRETESTED 10-DAY YOGA-BASED PROGRAMME INCLUDING ASANAS (POSTURES), PRANAYAMA (BREATHING EXERCISES), MEDITATION, GROUP DISCUSSIONS, LECTURES AND INDIVIDUALIZED ADVICE ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND HEALTHY DIET. THE PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE WAS CHANGE IN SERUM HDL-C AT DAY 10 VERSUS DAY 0. RESULTS: 238 PARTICIPANTS (147 WOMEN, 91 MEN, 38.81+/-11.40 YEARS) WERE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HDL-C LEVELS FROM BASELINE TO DAY 10 (42.93+/-5.00 VS 43.52+/-5.07 MG/DL, P = 0.043). NOTABLY, HDL-C WAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED IN THOSE FOR WHOM THE BASELINE HDL-C LEVELS WERE LOWER THAN THE RECOMMENDED VALUES. ALSO, THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN BLOOD PRESSURE, FASTING BLOOD GLUCOSE, AND IMPROVEMENT IN OTHER LIPID PROFILE VARIABLES. CONCLUSION: THIS YOGA-BASED LIFESTYLE INTERVENTION SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED HDL-C LEVELS IN A SHORT DURATION OF 10 DAYS. THIS HAS ADDITIONAL CLINICAL RELEVANCE AS HDL-C IS SUGGESTED TO BE ONE OF THE STRONGEST STATISTICALLY INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS. 2014 15 624 24 DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 AND YOGA: ELECTRO PHOTONIC IMAGING PERSPECTIVE. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS THE MOST POPULAR FORM OF ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2. THE ELECTRO-PHOTONIC IMAGING (EPI) IS ANOTHER CONTRIBUTION FROM ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN HEALTH MONITORING. AIM: TO EVALUATE DIABETES FROM EPI PERSPECTIVE. OBJECTIVES: (1) COMPARE VARIOUS EPI PARAMETERS IN NORMAL, PREDIABETIC AND DIABETIC PATIENTS. (2) FIND DIFFERENCE IN CONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLED DIABETES. (3) STUDY THE EFFECT OF 7 DAYS DIABETES-SPECIFIC YOGA PROGRAM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: FOR THE FIRST OBJECTIVE, THERE WERE 102 PATIENTS (NORMAL 29, PREDIABETIC 13, DIABETIC 60). IN THE SECOND STUDY, THERE WERE 60 PATIENTS (CONTROLLED DIABETES 27, UNCONTROLLED DIABETES 33). THE THIRD STUDY COMPRISED 37 PATIENTS. EPI PARAMETERS WERE RELATED TO GENERAL HEALTH AS WELL TO SPECIFIC ORGANS. RESULTS: IN THE FIRST STUDY, SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED BETWEEN (1) DIABETICS AND NORMAL: AVERAGE INTENSITY 5.978, FORM COEFFICIENT 3.590, IMMUNE ORGANS 0.281 ALL P < 0.001; (2) DIABETICS AND PREDIABETICS: AVERAGE INTENSITY 6.676, FORM COEFFICIENT 4.158, IMMUNE ORGANS 5.890 P < 0.032; (3) NORMAL AND PREDIABETES: IMMUNE ORGANS (-6.171 P = 000). IN THE SECOND STUDY, REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE WAS IN THE IMMUNE ORGANS (0.201, P = 0.031). IN THE PRE- AND POST-STUDY, THE MEAN DIFFERENCE WAS: AREA 630.37, FORM COEFFICIENT 1.78, ENTROPY 0.03, LIVER 0.24, PANCREAS 0.17, CORONARY VESSELS 0.11, AND LEFT KIDNEY 29, WITH ALL P < 0.02. CONCLUSION: THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN EPI PARAMETERS BETWEEN NORMAL, PREDIABETICS AND DIABETICS, THE PROMINENT BEING AVERAGE INTENSITY, FORM COEFFICIENT, AND IMMUNE ORGANS. BETWEEN CONTROLLED AND UNCONTROLLED DIABETES, IMMUNE ORGANS SHOW SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. INTERVENTION OF YOGA RESULTS IN CHANGE IN MOST PARAMETERS. 2017 16 739 22 EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION ON THE LIPID PROFILE OF POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. BACKGROUND: CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF DEATH AND DISABILITY AMONG OLDER WOMEN. MODIFICATION IN LIPID PROFILE LOWERS THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE. IT IS CLAIMED THAT YOGA AND TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION HAVE A CHOLESTEROL LOWERING EFFECT. THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE EFFECT OF RAJA YOGA MEDITATION OF BRAHMAKUMARIS WHICH IS VERY SIMPLE TO PRACTICE, ON SERUM LIPIDS IN NORMAL INDIAN WOMEN. METHODS AND RESULTS: 49 NORMAL FEMALE VOLUNTEERS WERE THE SUBJECTS. THEY WERE DIVIDED INTO PRE-MENOPAUSAL (N=23) AND POST-MENOPAUSAL (N=26) GROUPS. THEY WERE FURTHER DIVIDED INTO NON-MEDITATORS (WHO HAD NEVER DONE ANY KIND OF MEDITATION), SHORT-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR 6 MONTHS TO 5 YEARS) AND LONG-TERM MEDITATORS (MEDITATING FOR MORE THAN 5 YEARS). LIPID PROFILE WAS ASSESSED USING THEIR RESPECTIVE REAGENT SETS. SERUM CHOLESTEROL, TRIGLYCERIDE AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN NONMEDITATORS WERE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN AS COMPARED TO PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL WERE SIGNIFICANTLY LOWERED IN BOTH SHORT AND LONG TERM MEDITATORS AS COMPARED TO NON-MEDITATORS IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS OBSERVED IN LIPID PROFILE IN PRE-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN. CONCLUSION: RAJA YOGA MEDITATION LOWERED SERUM CHOLESTEROL AND LOW-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN-CHOLESTEROL IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN THUS REDUCING THE RISK OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE IN THEM. 2008 17 839 21 EFFECT OF YOGA ON PLASMA GLUCOSE, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN REQUIREMENT IN A PATIENT WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS. OBJECTIVES: THE OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY IS TO EVALUATE THE SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF YOGA ON PLASMA GLUCOSE, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN REQUIREMENT IN A PATIENT WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES MELLITUS (T1DM). CASE PRESENTATION: A 28-YEARS OLD FEMALE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH T1DM AT THE AGE OF SEVEN. SHE WAS UNDER HUMAN MIXTARD INSULIN 30-70, THRICE/DAY FOR 15-15-15 UNITS. SHE HAD A HISTORY OF POOR GLYCEMIC CONTROL, DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS AND HYPOGLYCEMIC SHOCK. AT THE AGE OF 27, SHE GOT ADMITTED WITH COMPLAINTS OF GENERAL WEAKNESS, JOINTS STIFFNESS AND WEIGHT LOSS IN OUR HOLISTIC HEALTH CENTRE AND UNDERWENT TWO WEEKS OF YOGA. RESULTS SHOWED A BETTER REDUCTION IN THE PLASMA GLUCOSE LEVELS, LIPID PROFILE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND INSULIN DOSE AND AN INCREASE IN HEMOGLOBIN LEVELS WITH NO EPISODES OF HYPOGLYCEMIA AFTER YOGA. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AS A SAFER AND EFFECTIVE ADJUVANT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF T1DM. 2021 18 776 21 EFFECT OF YOGA AND NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION ON LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION IN A PATIENT WITH SEVERE TRIPLE VESSEL DISEASE: A CASE REPORT. A 75-YEAR-OLD, MARRIED MAN WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE (CAD) [SEVERE TRIPLE VESSEL DISEASE (TVD)] IN THE 2(ND) WEEK, JUNE-2018. THE PHYSICIAN ADVISED HIM TO UNDERGO CONVENTIONAL MEDICATION AND CORONARY ARTERY BYPASS GRAFT. SINCE THE PATIENT REFUSED TO UNDERGO SURGERY HE WAS ADMITTED IN OUR HOSPITAL AND UNDERWENT YOGA AND NATUROPATHY-BASED LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION (YNLM) ALONG WITH CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES FOR 16 WEEKS [12 WEEKS OF INTENSIVE CARE AT INPATIENT DEPARTMENT AND 4 WEEKS AT OUTPATIENT DEPARTMENT (OPD)]. AFTER 16 WEEKS, THE PATIENT VISITED OUR OPD ONCE/TWICE A MONTH FOR 6 MONTHS. AN INCREASE IN LEFT VENTRICULAR EJECTION FRACTION FROM 35 TO 48%; AND A REDUCTION IN WEIGHT FROM 77.5 TO 71-KG, AND BMI FROM 26.60 TO 24-KG/M(2) WERE OBSERVED AFTER 6 MONTHS OF FOLLOW-UP COMPARED WITH BASELINE. THUS, YNLM MIGHT BE CONSIDERED AS AN ADJUVANT IN REDUCING RISK FACTOR AND IN IMPROVING LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CAD (SEVERE-TVD). HOWEVER, FURTHER STUDIES ARE REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH THE EFFICACY OF YNLM FOR CAD. 2020 19 1478 30 INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY FOR IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH IN MANAGERS. BACKGROUND: MANAGERS' LIVES HAVE BECOME A NEVER-ENDING RACE AGAINST TIME, TECHNOLOGY, AND TARGETS. THIS RACE CREATES TENSION, WHICH LEADS TO DISSATISFACTION AND FRUSTRATION AND EVENTUALLY MANIFESTS ITSELF AS PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS WITH MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL DRAIN. THIS MODERN LIFESTYLE INTENSIFIES THE STRESS LEADING TO "EXCESSIVE TENSION" AND CONSEQUENT DETERIORATION IN "EXECUTIVE EFFICIENCY." OBJECTIVE: TO ASSESS MENTAL HEALTH IN MANAGERS UNDERGOING YOGA-BASED SELF-MANAGEMENT OF EXCESSIVE TENSION (SMET) PROGRAM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 72 MANAGERS WITH 48.75+/-3.86 YEARS OF MEAN AGE WERE PARTICIPATED IN THIS STUDY OF SINGLE GROUP PRE-POST DESIGN. THE GENERAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE DATA WERE TAKEN ON THE FIRST AND SIXTH DAY OF 5 DAYS SMET PROGRAM. RESULTS: THE DATA ANALYSIS SHOWED 68.25% DECREASE (P<0.001) IN SOMATIC SYMPTOMS, 66.29% DECREASE (P<0.001) IN ANXIETY AND INSOMNIA, 65.00% DECREASE (P<0.001) IN SOCIAL DYSFUNCTION, 87.08% DECREASE (P<0.001) IN SEVERE DEPRESSION, AND 71.47% DECREASE (P<0.001) IN ALL MEDICAL COMPLAINTS. CONCLUSION: THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT PARTICIPATION IN A SMET PROGRAM WAS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVEMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH AND MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR "EXECUTIVE EFFICIENCY." 2011 20 412 24 BLOOD PRESSURE EFFECTS OF YOGA, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH LIFESTYLE MEASURES: RESULTS OF THE LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION AND BLOOD PRESSURE STUDY (LIMBS). THE AUTHORS CONDUCTED A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF YOGA ON BLOOD PRESSURE (BP). PATIENTS WERE RANDOMIZED TO YOGA (BLOOD PRESSURE EDUCATION PROGRAM [BPEP]), OR A COMBINED PROGRAM (COMBO). AMBULATORY BP WAS MEASURED AT BASELINE AND AT 12 AND 24 WEEKS. DATA ARE PRESENTED FOR ALL ENROLLED PATIENTS (N=137) AND FOR COMPLETERS ONLY (N=90). SYSTOLIC BP (SBP) AND DIASTOLIC BP (DBP) WERE SIGNIFICANTLY DECREASED WITHIN ALL GROUPS AT 12 AND 24 WEEKS (P<.001) FOR ENROLLED PATIENTS AND COMPLETERS. SBP WAS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED IN THE YOGA AND COMBO GROUPS AS COMPARED WITH THE BPEP GROUP AT 12 WEEKS IN ALL ENROLLED AND COMPLETERS. SBP DIFFERENCES WERE NO LONGER SIGNIFICANT AT 24 WEEKS BETWEEN GROUPS IN ALL ENROLLED PATIENTS; HOWEVER, THERE WAS A GREATER REDUCTION IN SBP AT 24 WEEKS IN COMPLETERS FAVORING BPEP OVER YOGA. NO DIFFERENCES IN DBP BETWEEN GROUPS OR IN BP BETWEEN THE YOGA AND COMBO GROUPS WERE PRESENT. THE AUTHORS DID NOT OBSERVE AN ADDITIVE BENEFIT FROM COMBINING YOGA WITH BPEP MEASURES. REASONS FOR THIS ARE UNCLEAR AT THIS TIME. BP LOWERING WITH YOGA, HOWEVER, WAS SIMILAR TO THAT ACHIEVED WITH LIFESTYLE MEASURES. 2016