Search

Background: Seniors age 65 and older represent the fastest-growing sector of the population and, like many Americans, are increasingly drawn to yoga. This presents both an extraordinary opportunity and a serious challenge for yoga instructors who must be both a resource and guardians of safety for this uniquely vulnerable group. A typical class of seniors is likely to represent the most diverse mix of abilities of any age group. While some may be exceedingly healthy, most fit the profile of the average older adult in America, 80% of whom have at least one chronic health condition and 50% of whom have at least two. Objectives: This article discusses the Therapeutic Yoga for Seniors program, offered since 2007 at Duke Integrative Medicine to fill a critical need to help yoga instructors work safely and effectively with the increasing number of older adults coming to yoga classes, and explores three areas that pose the greatest risk of compromise to older adult students: sedentary lifestyle, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. To provide a skillful framework for teaching yoga to seniors, we have developed specific Principles of Practice that integrate the knowledge gained from Western medicine with yogic teachings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Breathing exercises practiced in various forms of meditations such as yoga may influence autonomic functions. This may be the basis of therapeutic benefit to hypertensive patients. Design: The study design was a randomized, prospective, controlled clinical study using three groups. Subjects: The subjects comprised 60 male and female patients aged 20–60 years with stage 1 essential hypertension. Intervention: Patients were randomly and equally divided into the control and other two intervention groups, who were advised to do 3 months of slow-breathing and fast-breathing exercises, respectively. Baseline and postintervention recording of blood pressure (BP), autonomic function tests such as standing-to-lying ratio (S/L ratio), immediate heart rate response to standing (30:15 ratio), Valsalva ratio, heart rate variation with respiration (E/I ratio), hand-grip test, and cold presser response were done in all subjects. Results: Slow breathing had a stronger effect than fast breathing. BP decreased longitudinally over a 3-month period with both interventions. S/L ratio, 30:15 ratio, E/I ratio, and BP response in the hand grip and cold pressor test showed significant change only in patients practicing the slow-breathing exercise. Conclusions: Both types of breathing exercises benefit patients with hypertension. However, improvement in both the sympathetic and parasympathetic reactivity may be the mechanism that is associated in those practicing the slow-breathing exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Chronic back pain affects a large proportion of both the general population and of military veterans. Although numerous therapies exist for treating chronic back pain, they can be costly and tend to have limited effectiveness. Thus, demonstrating the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of additional treatment alternatives is important. The purpose of our study was to examine the benefits of a yoga intervention for Veterans Administration (VA) patients. Subjects/intervention: VA patients with chronic back pain were referred by their primary care providers to a yoga program as part of clinical care. Before starting yoga, a VA physician trained in yoga evaluated each patient to ensure that they could participate safely. Design: The research study consisted of completing a short battery of questionnaires at baseline and again 10 weeks later. Outcome measures: Questionnaires included measures of pain, depression, energy/fatigue, health-related quality of life, and program satisfaction. Paired t-tests were used to compare baseline scores to those at the 10-week follow-up for the single group, pre–post design. Correlations were used to examine whether yoga attendance and home practice were associated with better outcomes. Results: Baseline and follow-up data were available for 33 participants. Participants were VA patients with a mean age of 55 years. They were 21% female, 70% white, 52% married, 68% college graduates, and 44% were retired. Significant improvements were found for pain, depression, energy/fatigue, and the Short Form-12 Mental Health Scale. The number of yoga sessions attended and the frequency of home practice were associated with improved outcomes. Participants appeared highly satisfied with the yoga instructor and moderately satisfied with the ease of participation and health benefits of the yoga program. Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest that a yoga intervention for VA patients with chronic back pain may improve the health of veterans. However, the limitations of a pre–post study design make conclusions tentative. A larger randomized, controlled trial of the yoga program is planned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to verify whether techniques of yoga with and without the addition of Tui Na might improve pain and the negative impact of fibromyalgia (FMS) on patients' daily life. DESIGN: Forty (40) FMS women were randomized into two groups, Relaxing Yoga (RY) and Relaxing Yoga plus Touch (RYT), for eight weekly sessions of stretching, breathing, and relaxing yogic techniques. RYT patients were further submitted to manipulative techniques of Tui Na. OUTCOME MEASURE: Outcome measures comprised the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), pain threshold at the 18 FMS tender points, and a verbal graduation of pain assessed before treatment and on the followup. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain was assessed before and after each session and on the follow-up. RESULTS: Seventeen (17) RYT and 16 RY patients completed the study. Both RY and RYT groups showed improvement in the FIQ and VAS scores, which decreased on all sessions. The RYT group showed lower VAS and verbal scores for pain on the eighth session, but this difference was not maintained on the follow-up. Conversely, RY VAS and verbal scores were significantly lower just on the follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: These study results showed that yogic techniques are valid therapeutic methods for FMS. Touch addition yielded greater improvement during the treatment. Over time, however, RY patients reported less pain than RYT. These results suggest that a passive therapy may possibly decrease control over FMS symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Several studies suggest that yoga can decrease oxidative stress. However reports are scanty regarding whether yoga training can improve the glutathione level of individual. This study is designed to appraise the role of yoga in maintaining glutathione (reduced and oxidized) levels and antioxidant status. STUDY DESIGN: This study was conducted on healthy male volunteers from the Indian Navy, who were divided into two groups--a yoga (n = 30) group and a control (n = 21) group. The yoga group was trained in yoga for 6 months. The yoga schedule consisted of prayers, asana, pranayama, and meditation. The control group practiced routine physical training exercise for 6 months. Blood samples were collected when the volunteers were in fasting condition before and after completion of 6-month training period. Reduced and oxidized glutathione, glutathione reductase activity and total antioxidant status (TAS) were estimated. RESULTS: Reduced glutathione level increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the yoga group after completion of training. Glutathione reductase activity increased significantly in the control group (p < 0.05). TAS increased significantly (p < 0.001) in the yoga group and decreased significantly (p < 0.001) in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Regular practice of yoga can maintain or improve antioxidant level of the body. The clinical relevance is that yoga practice can be used to maintain the antioxidant defense system under stressful conditions of training as observed in the case of soldiers and athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the recent systematic reviews on yoga meditation techniques used as treatments for medical illness. A systematic review of the efficacy of meditation techniques by Albert J. Arias and others is said to be timely, important systematic review since 2005 on yogic meditation techniques as therapies solely for specific disease states. Another review in 2005 by K. Pilkington and others has focused solely on yogic meditation techniques for depression.

Mind–body interventions are beneficial in stress-related mental and physical disorders. Current research is finding associations between emotional disorders and vagal tone as indicated by heart rate variability. A neurophysiologic model of yogic breathing proposes to integrate research on yoga with polyvagal theory, vagal stimulation, hyperventilation, and clinical observations. Yogic breathing is a unique method for balancing theautonomic nervous system and influencing psychologic and stress-related disorders. Many studies demonstrateeffects of yogic breathing on brain function and physiologic parameters, but the mechanisms have not beenclarified. Sudarshan Kriya yoga (SKY), a sequence of specific breathing techniques (ujjayi, bhastrika, andSudarshan Kriya) can alleviate anxiety, depression, everyday stress, post-traumatic stress, and stress-relatedmedical illnesses. Mechanisms contributing to a state of calm alertness include increased parasympathetic drive,calming of stress response systems, neuroendocrine release of hormones, and thalamic generators. This modelhas heuristic value, research implications, and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate effects of Hatha yoga and Omkar meditation on cardiorespiratory performance, psychologic profile, and melatonin secretion. These observations suggest that yogic practices can be used as psychophysiologic stimuli to increase endogenous secretion of melatonin, which, in turn, might be responsible for improved sense of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor providing an assessment on the positive affect of yoga and pranayam on obesity as well as study of hypertension, blood sugar and cholesterol is presented.

Focuses on the alternative approach to the management of diabetes mellitus. Basis for the ancient Indian medical system Ayurveda; Dietary factors that influenced Apathyanimittaja prameha or adult-onset diabetes mellitus; Benefit of yoga for diabetes mellitus management.