Obesity, arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, skeletal, muscular, urinary, reproductive, skin disorders, even late stage cancers and more are responding amazingly to the Yogic and Ayurvedic (ancient Indian system of medicine) practices and the treatments.

Among the practitioners of yoga in general, and pranayama in particular, positive results have been reported within a period of time that varies from one disorder to another - for example, some obese patients have been reported to have lost weight at the rate of 250 gm to 1.5 kg a day (whereas the underweight have gained) and patients with high blood pressure and some with cardiac arrythmias have shown marked improvement after practising pranayama.

There are also many examples of patients with severe arthritis, rheumatism and even diabetes who have responded very favourably after practising Yoga for a period of time.

Work to document the curative aspects of Yoga throughout India is currently underway, which is increasing Yoga's popularity. The documentation work is being undertaken under the torch-bearer of the Yoga movement, Swami Ramdev.

Yoga is effective in reducing stress

Your stressful lifestyle predominantly is driving you towards the miseries known as lifestyle disorders. Be it cardiovascular or musculo-skelatal or even pulmonary, stress hormones are the major culprits. Adrenalin and noradrenaline, the stress hormones secreted by your brain flow into your blood stream when you are stressed or are in a crisis situation.

For a majority who are in the fast lane of life there are few moments to relax, that is for the happy hormones, the endorphins, to take over the blood stream. While stress hormones are known for their oxidative (read, destructive) metabolism, the happy hormones are preventive, constructive and regenerative in nature, it has been is established. Pranayama, the breathing exercises suppress the level of stress hormones and facilitate the release of endorphins.

Yoga and pranayama in particular, work at yet another level. The breathing exercises fully oxygenate the somatic (cellular) system to enable it to function properly. The first to respond to pranayama are lung and breathing disorders.

Combining nutritional care and exercise with the breathe control of pranayama can be hugely beneficial, as new practitioners of Yoga are discovering to their disbelief.

Ayurveda - a holistic approach to medicine >>