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Yoga in Medicine

While on the topic of exercise and health, one cannot ignore the growing popularity of yoga in medicine. Its health benefits have been touted in alternative medicine for many years, but yoga is finally being embraced by clinical western medicine. Consisting of a series of "asanas" or stretching exercises, deep breathing, and mental focus, yoga is known to release stress and relax the body and mind. Researchers have now found direct evidence that yoga can indeed have a quantifiable effect to treat a number of diseases.

The biggest benefit yoga has is on cardiovascular health. The ability of yoga to reduce stress has a direct correlation to heart health because stress releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which narrow the arteries and increase blood pressure. Yoga also increases blood circulation, which further helps cardiovascular health. And there is data to prove this. A 2014 controlled group study showed that the group practicing yoga had lower total cholesterol and triglycerides over the control group, and also lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, all of which are well-known cardiovascular risk factors. What is interesting is that yoga is the antithesis of aerobic exercise which has long been believed to be the remedy for cardiovascular health.

Besides the heart, yoga is also able to reduce chronic pain because it strengthens bone and muscle through weight-bearing postures. And of course, anyone who has tried yoga knows its benefit on providing balance and improving flexibility. With such a wide range of benefits, it's no wonder yoga is fast becoming a popular medical therapy around the world.


Sources:

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-yoga-heart-connection
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/how-yoga-can-support-heart-health
https://journals.lww.com/jcrjournal/fulltext/2019/05000/role_of_yoga_in_cardiac_disease_and_rehabilitation.3.aspx
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223195/
https://www.heart.org/en/news/2019/04/12/is-yoga-heart-healthy-its-no-stretch-to-see-benefits-science-suggests
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