Yoga Hebdomadal

Yoga Vs Asthma

2020-06-29T11:03:00.079+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018).

Almost 339 million people suffer from asthma worldwide. The respiration of these air hungry people becomes more laboured, with physical, mental and emotional exhaustion.

Asthmatic patients have hyper-sensitive airways. Basically, asthma is caused by mucus secretion in excessive amount. This distressing condition comes with sense of suffocation., coughing and wheezing. Starting from few minutes an asthma attack could last for hours. Eventually, an asthmatic is forced to live in an isolation, with decreased quality of life. It also affects normal personal and social relationship.

FACT: Asthma attack increases in winter and rainy seasons.

Procedure

FACT: '1' out of '250' death worldwide, is due to asthma.

Asthma is ac-complained by bouts of emotional and psychological tension. Nasal congestion and sneezing are the common symptoms of asthma. Sometimes, when enough oxygen do not enter body, the color of mucus becomes bluish.

Long term asthmatic patients develops permanently expanded rib - cage and hunching of shoulders (common in children and adolescents).

Psychological factors

Loss of parent, child or partner act like trigger for development of asthma
Thoughts of jealously, anger and hatred.

Hereditary

Passed from one generation to another.

Allergic factors

Pollen
Molds
Air pollution
Smoke

FACT : Obesity is one of the leading cause of asthma (Click here to know the yoga therapy for Obesity)

Mechanism - How your gut is related to Asthma?

Modern medical science do not provide a permanent solution for asthma. In fact, it makes the patient weaker and sicker. Following are some anti-inflammatory elements, which are beneficial for asthmatic patient:

Constipation is one of the biggest hurdle in tackling asthma. Thus, first and foremost thing one should do to treat asthma is to get relief from constipation. Constipation (which is both physical and mental condition) when cured successfully releases tremendous mental and emotional energy.

(Click here to know full yogic protocol for constipation.)

Note: Perform these practices, under competent yoga teacher or instructor.

Hi Readers! If you like this post then do comment and follow. What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle diabetes? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome.

Yoga Vs Arthritis

2020-06-22T00:30:00.005+05:30

I am Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018).

Life becomes no less than hell when simple daily activities like sleeping, eating food, changing clothes, and brushing becomes difficult. Such people fight with life daily; they lose every day and lose every day. This is an everyday fight for the patient of rheumatoid arthritis.

It is a common belief that arthritis manifests after the age of 40. Unfortunately, in today’s scenario, this age had come down to 20, due to a poor diet and an unhealthy lifestyle. Due to arthritis, people reduce their daily physical activities. This reduction makes their condition worse (Discussed in the latter part of this article).

Out of many types of arthritis, Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are most common. The difference between these two is as follow:

In simple language, osteoarthritis manifests due to the degradation of cartilage in the joint. Following factors play a pivotal role in the occurrence of osteoarthritis:

Genetic factors
Sports injuries
Bad postural habits (Most important and most common)

Due to the drying of synovial fluid, bones of the joint start rubbing each other. That is why patients of osteoarthritis experience unbearable pain in the joint. Generally, it starts from a particular joint, and thereafter, it affects most of the joints in the body and could even paralyze the individual.

The symptoms mentioned above become worse, when a patient of arthritis, also deals with stress and inactivity. Let us see HOW? Often, the patient of arthritis decreases his physical activity.76% of the people with arthritis are inadequately active, which results in weak muscles and ligaments. Conversely, regular light physical activity decreases inflammation and pain. Thus, light physical activity should be part of the treatment of almost all arthritis patients. Exercise reduces pain and fatigue, maintain range of motion, and improves joint stability and muscle mass.

Let us see these two simple flow charts for better understanding: (the choice is yours)

If you choose the second flow chart. Then the movement of the body simply distributes synovial fluid on the surface of cartilage, which in turn lubricates joint surface and thus reduces wear and tear.

3 methods for management of arthritis:

Drugs
Surgical intervention
Non-pharmacological intervention

Out of these 3 options to treat arthritis, 3rd one is most appropriate (which includes yoga). Because it is adaptable, affordable, and free from side effects. Thus, Non-pharmacological intervention is considered as the best mode of treatment for arthritis.

Yoga always promotes holistic life, which is free from drugs and unites the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of human beings. Ideally, yoga with its components like asana (strength and balance), pranayama (decreases muscle tension), and meditation (relaxation and mindfulness) are best suited for osteoarthritis (OA) and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

One major advantage of yoga is that it could be modified individually and is gentle on joints. Yoga reduces the level of cortisol. Subsequently, it reduces stress levels.

Yoga protocol for arthritis

These practices should be done under expert yoga instructor!

Hi Readers! If you like this post then do comment and follow. What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle arthritis? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome.

Yoga Vs PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome)

2020-06-15T00:30:00.065+05:30

Hi Readers! I am Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

Women are a symbol of beauty who are naturally blessed with the precious gift of God called motherhood. Right from the age of puberty, females start to feel this sense of motherhood. However, due to poor habits, diet, and lifestyle, some women themselves destroy this gift of the divine.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a psychosomatic disorder that ultimately leads to distorting the mental and physical health of women. Approximately, 10% of the women of the world are affected by PCOS. In short, PCOS is a complex ailment of women's reproductive system, when levels of androgen increases with menstrual irregularities and small cysts are formed in one or both ovaries.

It is a misconception, that cysts are harmful. Cysts are not harmful in themselves but they are the major cause of hormonal imbalances. This endocrine disorder is very common in women worldwide and in severe cases leads to infertility.

To know the scientific basics of PCOS - CLICK HERE

Obesity and stress are the major causes of PCOS. The flow-chart given below shows the relation between Obesity, stress, and PCOS symptoms.

Thus, the first step to manage PCOS is to lose extra Kg's from the body and remove the extra burden from the mind and soul. Sleeping in the day time, lack of exercise, and no proper routine leads to fat accumulation in the body.

Click on the links given below to know the full yoga protocol to deal with Obesity and stress.

These causes definitely put a question mark on fertility potential and feminine looks of a woman (because of hair on face and acne developed by PCOS).

Certainly, these risk factors make patient futile in his life. Yoga is very safe as well as an effective treatment for sufferers of PCOS. PCOS is basically a hormonal disorder. Yoga balances hormones and encourages egg production in females. Diabetes mellitus is very commonly found in the patient on PCOS.

Click the button given below to know about diabetes mellitus and its full yogic protocol.

Yoga Protocol for PCOS

Note: Perform these practices, under competent yoga teacher or instructor.

Hi Readers! If you like this post then do comment and follow. What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle PCOS? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome

Yoga Vs Migraine

2020-06-08T00:30:00.121+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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You will never understand, what is going in my head? It's like someone is playing drums rigorously.

This was said to me, by one of my close friends. He was dealing with a noisy monster, who is having an unstoppable party in his cranium. He cried in front of me and asked if yoga could help to deal with this disgusting pain. He felt like putting his head aside (Just kidding).

This throbbing pain shares a very close relationship with nausea and vomiting. This maddening headache makes a person photophobic (intolerant to light) and phonophobic (intolerant to sound).

13% of the world's population is paying a heavy price in terms of money, time, energy, and quality of life. To cut the long thing short, vasodilation of the artery located outside the skull cause Migraine.

How to find whether pain in the head is a simple tension headache/sinuses headache or migraine?

Unfortunately, there is no scientific laboratory test to diagnose migraine. This is the reason, that migraine had become one of the most misdiagnosed ailments. As a result, tension-type headache and sinuses headache falsely considered as migraine.

If you have migraine then following signs will appear:-

Nausea and vomiting
A headache will last up to 72 hours
A patient will become photophobic and phonophobic
Physical activity will enhance the headache
Pulsating type of headache
The pain will be severe and not mild.

Some general facts about migraine:-

Obesity is one of the main factors, responsible for migraines (You may see obesity and its cure with yoga here).
The most affected age group is 15 to 55.
Migraine is more common in females than in males.

It is advisable to prepare a log of time, duration of pain, and diet taken to find out the trigger of migraines which could vary in different individuals. Avoiding triggers could help to prevent migraines.Long time management is very crucial for migraines.There are various types of migraines with their specific characteristics but I don't want to go further in much technical information as it will make your reading bland.

How yoga help in tackling migraines?

The approach of yoga towards migraine is different from conventional medicine. Yoga talks about a holistic approach. It reduces the intensity and frequency of migraines. Yoga (Especially meditation) help the patient of migraine in the following manner:-

Getting enough sleep (Yoga for insomnia)
Reducing stress
Drinking plenty of water
Avoiding certain foods
Regular physical exercise

In short, Asana, pranayama, and dhyana together make the mind and body relaxed and calm, providing total psycho-physical relief to the patient.

Yoga protocol for Migraine

These practices of yoga should be done, under expert guidance.

What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle Migraine? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome.

Understanding PCOS in scientific way!

2020-06-06T12:46:00.003+05:30

Hi readers! I am Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

Following abbreviation will help you to read this article smoothly.

This is a monthly series of events occurring regularly in a woman’s body, throughout the childbearing age of about 50 years. Generally, the duration of this cycle varies from 28 to 35 days depends on the body to the body of a female. To understand the whole procedure 28 days cycle considered as a standard cycle. Mainly three fluctuation (going on) inside the body.

Simultaneously, leading menstrual cycle (3 steps):-

Hormonal secretion and their changes

Changes in ovary
Endometrium thickening of uterus.

Menstrual cycle can easily understood by dividing it into four stages:-

In the first stage, considered as menses phase or periods. It starts from 1st day and lasts up to the 4th or 5th day of the cycle. If pregnancy not occurs, the endometrium rupturing the blood vessels of the uterus along with unfertilized egg i.e. periods. During this stage level of hormones i.e., estrogen and progesterone are low, that’s why women feel low energy and irritation.

· In the second stage, also known as the proliferative or follicular phase. It starts after the menses phase and lasts up to the 14th day of the cycle. During this period FSH release from the anterior pituitary and promotes the development of primary follicle in one of the two ovaries. During development, ovary follicle secretes estrogen at a higher level. Maximum estrogen secretes on the 12th day of the cycle and this response makes the lining of the uterus grow and thicken i.e. endometrium thickening takes place. This thickening rich in blood and nutrient so that it nourishes an embryo after fertilization if pregnancy occurs.

· Third and most important event “ovulation” i.e. releasing of a mature egg from the ovary into a Fallopian tube. This is the 14th day of the cycle. A high level of LH sparks ovulation and promotes the development of corpus luteum which secretes progesterone. During the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th days of the cycle, there is a maximum chance to get fertilizing an egg by the sperm.

Note: In PCOS, the ovulation doesn’t occur on the 14th day means the proliferative phase ends after a long time. So, the menstrual cycle becomes irregular.

· The fourth and last stage is also known as the secretory phase. It starts from the 15th day and lasts up to the 28th day of the cycle. During this phase level of progesterone high and uterine endometrium layer fully developed and ready for implantation. If pregnancy occurs level of progesterone remains high and the endometrium layer doesn’t rupture, while it supports developing embryo. If egg not fertilized the endometrium sheds off due to low levels of hormones and females get periods.

Normal cycle Vs PCOS cycle

Treat PCOS with yoga. How? - CLICK HERE

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Yoga Vs Constipation

2020-06-01T00:30:00.004+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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Constipation often leads to obesity, if you want to learn about how yoga defeat obesity click here.

27% of the world's population is affected by chronic constipation

Western countries - 30%
Eastern countries - 11%

Constipation is a usual disorder and challenge for adults who are above 65 years of age. However, it could affect any age group, irrelevant of their origin, profession, and gender.

The reduction of bowel movement (less than 4 times per week) is constipation. This GI tract issue is very common all over the globe, which notably affects the standard of living, community behavior, and daily activities. People suffering from this common GI problem, try to pass stool but could not get success even after trying very hard.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the main causes of constipation. This IBS could be classified into two types:-

Diarrhoea predominant
Constipation predominant.

People suffering from constipation falls under the category of constipation-predominant. IBS (constipation-predominant) could be triggered by the following factors:

Thus, we could say that food, stress, hormonal imbalance, and emotional heaviness are the main causes of constipation. Researches show that women suffer more than men from this GI disorder.

Role of Yoga in Constipation

Researches had proven that doing yoga daily for 1 hour, is significantly helpful in providing relief in GI tract disorders.

Yoga could be used complementary therapy as well as an alternative therapy in GI tract disorder (like constipation), depending upon the level of kriya, you are performing.

Yoga protocol for Constipation

NOTE: Do these practices of yoga, only under expert guidance.

Laghu sankhapraschalana (Do this practice once in 2 weeks, under expert guidance)

What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle constipation? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome.

Yoga Vs Obesity

2020-05-25T06:46:00.004+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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Obesity often leads to constipation. If you want to learn about how yoga defeat constipation click here.

Out of 7 billion homo-sapiens, 2 billion are overweight. This epidemic snatches 8 years of precious life span (on average) of an obese person. Obesity simply means fat accumulation, which is unnecessary and undesirable. Food is simply energy. More energy intake and less expenditure lead to obesity. Obesity is a modern life cancer. This unwanted guest is complementary with the so-called modern-day lifestyle, which is more or less a compound of 2 major components viz, physical inactivity, and unhealthy diet.

Modern man had pushed physical fitness in the back seat and made a money driver, with an unhealthy lifestyle as co-passenger. All general procedures, to reduce obesity involve dietary restrictions but yoga (without diet restrictions) could largely benefit a person with obesity.

Males are more affected by obesity than females.

This global troublemaker has many friends, in fact, a full-fledged friend circle:

Obesity invites all his friends to enjoy the party inside the host's body.

This multi-factorial disorder is measured by BMI (Body Mass Index). Different countries and organizations have different charts to determine the ideal weight of a person with a particular height and age. These charts decide whether a person is overweight or not.

The eight limbs of yoga incorporate dhyana, which tackles psycho-social changes during weight-loss.

Due to poor lifestyle, not only adults but children also, are paying a handsome amount. 90% of adolescents will carry this extra kg's into there thirties. Obese children are at great risk of developing these two major ailments viz, Osteoarthritis, and musculoskeletal pain.

Conclusion

A practitioner of yoga could not only reduce kg but could also, maintain the lightness of the body through the gift of God called yoga. various expensive surgeries and medication have harmful side-effects on the body. But inexpensive and non-invasive yoga, prevent obesity and boost metabolism.

Yoga Protocol for Obesity

What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle obesity? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section. If you find this blog post helpful, then share it with your friends and family! Any suggestion for the betterment of this blog is always welcome.

Yoga Vs Anxiety Disorders

2020-05-18T22:09:00.002+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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Oxford dictionary defines anxiety as a feeling of panic, tension, or distress about something whose consequences are undetermined. Anxiety is normal for a human being unless and until its levels are not disproportionate. Anxiety becomes a mental disorder only when its level soars high. Anxiety is the most common disorder found in today’s era.

The American Psychological Association (APA) describes anxiety as a feeling of worry, an expectation of the worst and somatic alterations like increased heartbeat, sweating, and increased sensitivity are ordinary symptoms of anxiety.

According to Merriam-webster, an unusual and immense fear frequently seen along with physical signs namely stress, sweating, and increased heartbeat. In simple words, it could be said a condition of being anxious is anxiety.

According to some estimations 284 million people are affected in the world. Nearly 709 billion dollars are spent to deal with such cases. It had also been found that women are affected more than men within the age gap of 18 to 24 years.

Anxiety influences many aspects of life like awareness, skill development, intelligence, and data processing. It also highly influences our decisional process. Following are the health hazards associated with anxiety.

Following are the most common anxiety disorders:

Let us discuss about each one of these:

1.Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Also known as chronic anxiety neurosis, it is an uncontrolled worry of ordinary events and situations. GAD is not fear but to think about something uncontrollably even when there is no reason to worry about it. Patients often complain about bad intuition. In simple language, unrealistic worry about daily life is GAD.

Patient find hard to concentrate on one topic. Muscle tension, shaky moments and rapid heartbeat are common symptoms that gradually increase if left unattended. GAD is neither depression nor phobia but people suffering from GAD overthink about a variety of issues for more than six months. Sometimes, they even can’t identify the source of their worry.

Causes include excessive use of caffeine, childhood abuse, and genetics. Long exposure to stress may also be the reason behind GAD. Women are more likely to get diagnosed as compared to men. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and various anti-anxiety drugs are used to tackle this disorder.

2. Panic disorder

An unexpected panic attack that peaks in minutes that have no clear reasons. According to the American Psychological Association, 1 out of 75 people encounter panic disorder. Usually, the attack continues from 10 to 20 minutes.

The most common symptoms include palpitation, vertigo, nausea, trembling, and fear of death. There is no clear reason for panic attack but a major change in life may trigger it like getting married or having a first child. According to the national institute of mental health, women are twice as likely as men to grow this disorder.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication such as fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline which belong to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), class of antidepressant. Apart from these medications exercising on a regular basis, getting enough sleep and avoiding caffeine may help in speedy recovery.

3. Social anxiety disorder

Also known by the name of social phobia. Talking to new people especially in a group setting is a herculean task for people suffering from such disorder. Judged and scrutinized by others is their major fear. This unreasonable fear makes them powerless and extremely shy. 15 million people suffer from a social anxiety disorder in America [According to Anxiety and depression association of America (ADAA)].

Difficulty in speaking, excessive sweating, and blushing are some common symptoms. These people worry extremely about upcoming events. These people often need alcohol to face social events. They often avoid job interviews, talking on a cell phone, and eating in public. Physical and mental abnormalities, family disputes, and physical and mental abuse could be some of the reasons behind social anxiety disorder.

There are various therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy, exposure therapy, group therapy, etc, which are being used to treat people with such disorder. Apart from these therapies’ patients should avoid caffeine and get plenty of sleep.

4. Phobias and Agoraphobia

Extreme panic while encountering a source of fear is Phobia. This fear could be an object or situation. Such excessive fear affects their personal and social life. 19 million Americans face such phobias. Causes can be genetic and environmental. Agoraphobia is the fear of places or situations that a person wants to escape from. People with Agoraphobia fears a large crowd or a situation from where they can’t escape.

Here is the list of some phobias:

People who already have anxiety are at high risk of developing a phobia. Gender and economic status also play a role. For example, a person with low economic status will soon develop social phobia. Shortness of breath, dry mouth, sweating, and upset stomach are some common symptoms of phobias. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs are used for treatment.

5. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

People affected with such disorder check the same thing again and again and they are unable to break routine. Repeating the same word or phrase or action for no reason is very common. Intense anxiety occurs when things are not orderly or symmetric. There is a constant need for reassurance.

Excessive hand washing and checking over the same thing repeatedly, collecting old newspapers and wrapping paper unnecessarily. They spend much time on unwanted thoughts. Psychotherapy and behavioral modification therapy are used for treatment.

6. Skin-picking

Also known as excoriation. It is a chronic picking condition. Depending upon the degree, picking may vary from several minutes to hours. It is often accompanied by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In advance, stages sufferer pick pimples and blackheads.

Spending hours for picking is the primary symptom. As a result, they develop scars and infections from frequent picking. The cause of this disorder is uncertain. Skin picking behavior relieves stress among individuals. Women are more prone to it than men.

Playing with a stress ball and Rubik’s cube helps to stop skin picking. Several anti-depressants are also used to treat skin picking disorder.

7. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)

Assuming that there is a flaw in appearance although actual facts are different is called body dysmorphic disorder. This disorder is generally found in young adults. Low self-esteem, a problem in concentrating, excessive grooming are some common symptoms.

The cause of BDD is unknown, however many doctors believe that Environmental factors, Genetics, and Brain structure could some of the reasons. Cognitive-behavioral therapy and various anti-depressants like fluoxetine and escitalopram are recommended by doctors for the treatment of BDD.

Role of Yoga in Anxiety

Sage Patanjali defined yoga as a ‘cessation of mental process’ and the ultimate aim of yoga or meditation, as particular, is to attain salvation. But nowadays, yoga is taken as therapy and not as a tool to attain liberation. Therapeutic effects of yoga are very much observable and effective. Many researchers in this context had being published and reviewed. These researches had showed the following results.

Brahma Kumari's Raja yoga meditation for 30 minutes daily improves happiness and quality of life.
Traditional Raja yoga meditation for 20 minutes daily reduces anxiety and have positive effect on stress anxiety and symptoms of depression
Mindful meditation gives relief in anxiety disorders and enhances job performance, job satisfaction and work engagement.

Thus we could see that in combating anxiety disorders asanas have very minimal role. Pranayama (breathing exercises) and meditation are main lead in this film.

Yoga protocol for Anxiety Disorders

Note: Do these practices of yoga under expert guidance.

What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle anxiety disorders? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section or you may write to us on this link: https://yogahebdomadal.blogspot.com/p/contact-us.html.

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Yoga Vs Diabetes Mellitus

2020-05-11T22:37:00.000+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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Diabetes Mellitus, also known as Type-2 diabetes is a slow murderer. It does not kill the patient directly but invites many other diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, eye ailments, cardiovascular diseases, kidney damage, etc. China (116.4 million) and India (77 million) are the top two countries in terms of people affected by Type-2 diabetes. The global tally of Diabetes Mellitus stands at 425 million, which is expected to climb up to 629 million by 2045.

There is a long list of factors that are responsible for this disorder but I am listing most important ones below:

We could summarize the above factors in two broad categories - Genetics and urbanization. The risk of diabetes and coronary artery disease becomes three times, due to lack of activity.

In simple words, diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body's processing of blood sugar is influenced.

Role of Yoga in Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetes Mellitus is the cause of many fatal diseases that subsequently invade the patient's body. For example, yoga helps to decrease the weight of diabetic patients which results in positive manner viz, increased mobility, decreased stress level, and ultimately control over diabetes. A very common attaching disorder that taunts a diabetic patient is high blood pressure. This high blood pressure was found to be reduced in researches by the intervention of yoga.

Researches had also shown fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C) isolated themselves in an appropriate range by doing yoga daily. Thus, yoga enhances the overall quality of life (QoL). Vaman dhauti (Cleansing technique of yoga) helps to regulate postprandial blood sugar levels. Kapalbhati (frontal brain purification practice), increased efficiency of β cells, when yoga is given as intervention. Shankhaprakshalana (intestine cleaning practice) reduces blood glucose levels significantly.

Agnisar kriya (digestive fire stimulation) boosts the metabolism of a person having diabetes Mellitus. At last but not the least, Surya Namaskar is very beneficial for the diabetic patient for the regulation of blood glucose levels.

Conclusion

Whether yoga could completely cure diabetes mellitus or not? This question is still debatable. But there are certain factors which point out the certain benefits of yoga in the diabetic patient:

Regulation of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1C), and postprandial blood sugar level.
Increased efficiency of β cells.
Increasing metabolism and overall quality of life.

Yoga protocol for Diabetes Mellitus

What do you think about yoga's capability to tackle diabetes? Do share your experience and thoughts in the comment section.

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Delete your fear and enjoy this sketch of Lord Shiva with Lord Ganesha!

2020-05-10T18:10:00.000+05:30

Vishal Kumar (M.Sc. Yoga Therapist and QCI Yoga Instructor since 2018)

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I love meditation and this sketch is devoted to Lord Shiva (Adiyogi). Out of my devotion, I made this sketch, two years back.

What is the first thought, which strikes in your mind after seeing this sketch? Write in the comment box.

Yoga Vs low back pain

2020-05-05T00:23:00.001+05:30

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Stats of low back pain worldwide

Reference [9]

This data is in percentage of people suffering from low back pain.

3 different perspectives about risk factors of low back pain

What is low back pain? (In simple words)

In simple words, Pain in lumbo-sacral region of spine is called low back pain i.e. L1 – S5. It is estimated that 70% of people will experience low back pain at some point in their lives, and recurrence rates can be as high as 85% [4,5].

Discussion (How yoga treats low back pain?) [6,8]

Yoga is 7th most commonly used CAM therapy. Meta-analysis had showed positive effects of yoga on CLBP (chronic low back pain). Yoga reduces pain medicine usage.
In many research, it had been found that yoga therapy have greater impact as compared to conventional exercise therapy [1].
Same as in case of cancer, yoga reduces depression and quality of life in patients having back pain [2]. It had been scientifically proven that yoga is effective and safe intervention in chronic low back pain [3].
TRUTH: It is very unfortunate, that still many noted western philosophers think that yoga is an exercise program where as it is way of life. From thinking to living, from inner to outer, it conglomerates everything, which you could see in this universe.
FACT: CLBP is more common in females as compared to males.
Iyengar yoga is commonly used in yoga therapy because it uses props like rope, benches, weights, straps and blocks which helps in individualizing yoga asanas.
Low back pain leads to missed work, less productive workers, and rising healthcare costs. Thus it becomes crucial to eliminate, this prevalent musculo-skeletal disorder.
Yoga therapy in low back pain avoids unnecessary back surgery.
Psychological problems are directly related to back pain in the manner given below:

'S' shape spine is a shock absorber because of bad posture this 'S' shape of spine gets distorted. Yoga realigns this 'S' shape of spine.

'6' things to be avoided by patient of low back pain:

Conclusion of discussion

Yoga can definitely cure low back pain depending upon the cause of pain. In cases of low back pain, yoga could act as both alternative and complementary therapy.

Yoga therapy for low back pain [7]

Videos of all these asanas and meditation could be found on youtube.

References

1. Nambi GS, Inbasekaran D, Khuman R, Devi S, Shanmugananth, et al. Changes in pain intensity and health related quality of life with Iyengar yoga in nonspecific chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled study. Int J Yoga. 2014; 7:48–53. [PubMed: 25035607]

2. Groessl EJ, Weingart KR, Aschbacher K, Pada L, Baxi S. Yoga for veterans with chronic low-back pain. J Altern Complement Med. 2008; 14:1123–1129. [PubMed: 18991515]

3. Chang, D.G., Holt, J.A., Sklar, M. and E.J. Groessl (2016). Yoga as a treatment for chronic low back pain: A systematic review of the literature. J Orthop Rheumatol. Vol. 3(1); pp: 1 – 8.

4. Lawrence RC, Helmick CG, Arnett FC, Deyo RA, Felson DT, et al. (1998) Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorder in the United States. Arthritis Rheum 41: 778-799.

5. Hides JA, Jull GA, Richardson CA (2001) Long-term effects of specific stabilizing exercises for first-episode low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 26: 243-248.

6. Rozenberg, S., Foltz, V., & Fautrel, B. (2012). Treatment strategy for chronic low back pain. Joint Bone Spine, 79(6), 555-559. Retrieved October 25, 2014, from Science Direct.

7. DuCharme, Alexa, "Yoga’s Effect on Pain and Functional Disability in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: a Literature Review" (2015). Senior Honors Theses. 106.

8. Images: Bali, Y., Ebnezar, J. and R. John (2016). EFFECT OF YOGA THERAPY ON SPINAL FLEXIBILITY IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK ACHE: AN RCT. Journal of Biological & Scientific Opinion. Vol. 4(4); pp: 118 – 128.

9. Bener, Abdulbari & Dafeeah, Elnour & Alnaqbi, Khalid. (2014). Prevalence and Correlates of Low Back Pain in Primary Care: What Are the Contributing Factors in a Rapidly Developing Country. Asian spine journal. 8. 227-36. 10.4184/asj.2014.8.3.227.

Yoga vs insomnia

2020-04-28T17:59:00.001+05:30

Stats of insomnia worldwide

Reference [1].

Reference [6].

Main factors responsible for insomnia worldwide are:

What is Insomnia? (In simple words)

In simple words, insomnia is difficulty in falling asleep and maintaining sleep. Insomnia is both – a symptom and disorder. Insomnia have effects on day activities, performance, attention levels and overall quality of life (QoL). Stressful personal circumstances is one of the main cause of insomnia.

Reference [4].

Types of insomnia based on night-time symptoms are

Reference [4].

Discussion (How yoga treats Insomnia?)

Insomnia is a psychological disorder and yoga is known, to treat psychological and psychosomatic disorders, through its various techniques of postures, breathing exercises and meditation.
Sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), total wake time (TWT), sleep onset latency (SOL), wake time after sleep onset (WASO) are the parameters which are used to find the Sleep quality [1].
It had been observed that sleeping disorders was mostly found in older people as compared to young ones. A study was done on older women with average age 65.2 (having osteoarthritis). They were given simple yoga treatment. Result showed enhancement in sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency and number of nights with insomnia were remarkably improved [2].
Yoga Nidra could be used as critically important therapy for chronic insomnia patients [3].
Insomnia is associated with many diseases like arthritis, cancer, hypertension, stroke, asthmatic. Insomniacs tends to over-react in simple situations.
Caffeine, which is found in coffee, cold drinks, chocolate, and various pain relievers contribute to sleep disorders. One could not get sleep but putting pressure on body or mind.
Hormone Melatonin helps to regulate sleep, which is being secreted by Pineal gland. Its secretion is high at night and low in daytime (Because secretion is inhibited in daylight).

Conclusion of discussion

There are scientific proof that say that yoga could cure insomnia. One could use the practices and methods given below to get benefited.

Following things should be kept in mind to avoid insomnia:

Some facts, tips and advice for Insomnia

Fact: Elderly females (post-menopausal age) are more vulnerable to sleep disturbances than elderly males.
Fact: Chronic pain make insomnia worse.
Fact: According to Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicinal system), insomnia is nothing but excess of vata dosha in the body.
Tip: One should stop doing anything that stimulate nervous system, at least one hour before going to bed. Listening to soothing music and reading books is advisable.
Fact: 20% of the world’s population is sleep deprived.
Advice: Maintaining of record of your sleep time, help to tackle insomnia.

Yoga Therapy for Insomnia [7]

Protocol 1 (To promote better sleep)

Exercise 1: Supported downward-facing dog Pose (Adho Muhka Svanasana) for two minutes.

Exercise 2: Headstand (Sirsasana), three to five minutes.

Exercise 3: Supported Shoulderstand (Salamba Sarvangasana), five to eight minutets.

Exercise 4: Supported legs up the wall pose (viparita Karani), then minutes or longer.

Protocol 2 (When you can't sleep)

Exercise 1: Breath counting in Ujjayi pranayama. (Till 100)

Exercise 2: Normal inhalation with prolonged ujjayi exhalation.

1. Mickey Mouse did yoga.
In Shanghai Disney Land Mickey is doing yoga, to get ready for reopening after lockdown. Lockdown was put into place in January in China. WATCH

2. Yoga and Ayurveda are boosting immunity around the globe.
Indian PM Narendra Modi said that world is acknowledging the power of yoga and in the near future, world will also know about miracles of Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicinal system).

3. Harvard medical school recommends yoga and meditation to boost immunity against Covid 19 and to achieve calm state of mind.

References

1. Khalsa, S.B.S. (2004). Treatment of Chronic Insomnia with Yoga: A Preliminary Study with Sleep–Wake Diaries. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. Vol. 29; pp: 269 – 278.

2. Taibi, D.M. and M.V. Vitiello (2011). A pilot study of gentle yoga for sleep disturbance in women with osteoarthritis. Sleep Medicine. Vol. 12; pp: 512 – 517.

3. Datta, K., Tripathi, M. and H.N. Mallick (2017). Yoga Nidra: An innovative approach for management of chronic insomnia- A case report. Sleep Science and Practice. Vol. 1:7. pp: 1 – 11.

4. NIH (2005). NIH State-of-the-Science Conference Statement on manifestations and management of chronic insomnia in adults. Consens State Sci Statements, 22(2), 1- 30.

5. Zhang, Y. et. al. (2019). Worldwide and regional prevalence rates of co-occurrence of insomnia and insomnia symptoms with obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. Vol. 45; pp: 1 – 17.

6. Horan, L. Retrieved from https://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/data-shows-a-shocking-worldwide-lack-of-sleep/.

7. McCall, T. (2007). YOGA AS MEDICINE. Random House Publishing Group. pp: 409 – 425.

Yoga Vs Cancer

2020-04-25T02:19:00.004+05:30

Stats of cancer worldwide

According to world health organisation's website, nearly 9.8 million people lost their lives due to cancer in 2018. It is world second most fatal disease. One out of six death in world is due to cancer.(1)
In 2010, 1.16 trillion US dollars were spend to tackle cancer worldwide. There is high impact on low income countries.

Age-Standardized Rate (per 100,000) of top 5 countries affected by Cancer (2)

Figures given above are in 'million' (2)

Major factors responsible of Cancer worldwide are:

What is Cancer? (In simple words)

Cancer is abnormal growth of cells in the body. There are more than 100 types of cancers in the world. Early detection is very beneficial for its cure.

Discussion (How yoga treats cancer?)

Abnormal levels of stress is dangerous for patient who is dealing with cancer. Also, high levels of stress is one of the major factor that contribute to cancer in healthy human.

Stress increases the susceptibility of the person towards cancer in the manner stated below:

Stress could reduce the effect of Chemotherapy.
Stress is not related to cancer directly but through the endocrine pathways [4,5,6]. Yoga decreases stress by various asanas, pranayamas and meditation. Thus, yoga could help in prevention and cure of cancer. However, researches remained inconclusive about the exact effects of yoga on cancer [7].
Enhanced energy levels and mood, sleep, decreased nausea events and reduced pain are some general positive effects of yoga during the treatment of cancer.
Researches had not been focused on state IV cancer patients. Because of varied interventions in studies which includes a set of asanas, pranayamas and meditation, the exact protocol for the treatment had not been established.
Evidences recommend that adults (especially with breast cancer) should do yoga daily to diminish various negative psychological effects like stress and depression and also to boost immunity [8].

Note: Cancer survivors lead to healthy and long life is they follow some of these common points:

Some people experience pre-radiotherapy sleep disorder and symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression [9]. Yoga proved beneficial in these cases. This is important as 20% to 40% patients of cancer who are going through treatment experience anxiety, stress and depression [10,11].
Yoga had found to be very effective in post-traumatic stress. Thus, yoga have good applications in cancer survivors, who generally feel stress and exhausted after long chemotherapy or radio-therapy.

Conclusion of discussion

There is no scientific proof to say that yoga can prevent or cure cancer of any type. But there are evidences that yoga can definitely help, to tackle side-effects and symptoms of cancer. Thus, Yoga could not be used as alternative therapy but surely as complementary therapy.

Yoga Therapy for Cancer (Protocol):

Note: "Any type of cancer, may be affected through diet and lifestyle alone." - Dr. Dean Ornish

There are set of 11 exercises in protocol for cancer [12]

Tuning in: Sit on a chair and relax, with your spine, neck and head in a straight line. Check your energy, thinking and emotional levels. Remove all tensions, from head to toe of you body.
Vertical head movements: 3 times
Horizontal head movements: 3 times.
Head tilting: 3 times.

(For exercise 2,3 and 4)

5. Shoulder Shrugs: 5 times. ↓

6. Full circular rotation of shoulder: Both clockwise and anti-clockwise.

7. Cat pose:

8. Modified Shoulderstand:

9. Extended exhalation breath: Keep ratio of inhalation and exhalation as 1:2.

10. Meditation: Do it for few minutes (minimum 5 minutes).

11. Yoga nidra: For relaxation (minimum 5 minutes)

References

1. Stewart BW, Wild CP, editors. World cancer report 2014

Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 2014.

2. Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I, Siegel RL, Torre LA, Jemal A. Global Cancer Statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin, in press. The online GLOBOCAN 2018 database is accessible at http://gco.iarc.fr/, as part of IARC’s Global Cancer Observatory.

3. Cancer (2018, September 12), Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer.

4. Lutgendorf SK, Sood AK. Biobehavioral factors and cancer progression: Physiological pathways and mechanisms. Psychosom Med. 2011; 73:724–730. doi: PSY.0b013e318235be76 [pii];10.1097/PSY.0b013e318235be76. [PubMed: 22021459]

5. Armaiz-Pena GN, Cole SW, et al. Neuroendocrine influences on cancer progression. Brain Behav Immun. 2013; 30:S19–S25. doi: S0889-1591(12)00147-X [pii];10.1016/j.bbi.2012.06.005. [PubMed: 22728325]

6. Satin JR, Linden W, et al. Depression as a predictor of disease progression and mortality in cancer patients: A meta-analysis. Cancer. 2009; 115:5349–5361. DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24561 [PubMed: 19753617]

7. Cramer H, Lange S, et al. Yoga for breast cancer patients and survivors: A systematic review and metaanalysis. BMC Cancer. 2012; 12:412. doi: 1471-2407-12-412 [pii];10.1186/1471-2407-12-412. [PubMed: 22988934]

8. Greenlee H, Balneaves LG, et al. Clinical practice guidelines on the use of integrative therapies as supportive care in patients treated for breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2014; 50:346–358. DOI: 10.1093/jncimonographs/lgu041

9. Ratchiff, C.G. (2016). Examining Mediators and Moderators of Yoga for Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy. Integrative Cancer Therapies. Vol. 15(3); pp: 250 – 262.

10. Coyne JC, Lepore SJ, Palmer SC. Efficacy of psychosocial interventions in cancer care: evidence is weaker than it first looks. Ann Behav Med. 2006;32:104-110.

11. Massie MJ. Prevalence of depression in patients with cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr. 2004;(32):57-71.

12. McCall, T. (2007). YOGA AS MEDICINE. Random House Publishing Group. pp: 213 – 219.