Yogic Conduct
Yogic philosophy includes a code of moral conduct, which is to aid in the spiritual path and help the yogi to be healthy and peaceful. Yogic rules of conduct require a person to avoid the following: injuring, lying, stealing, attachment to sensual desires, attachment to grievances, immersion in inertia, attachment to self interests, attachment to consumption, and gluttony. Hygiene and moderation in lifestyle are a focus. Traditionally, the practitioner of yoga is encouraged to eat simple unprocessed vegetarian food and to avoid intoxicants of any kind.
It is believed that if a person follows the above guidelines, they will be free from worry and stress. This allows the yogi to cultivate the positive qualities of purity, contentment, austerity, self-study, and dedication to unselfish motives.
Health Benefits
Whether or not a person suffers from disease or sickness, regular yoga practice has shown to be beneficial for health. Yogic postures (asanas) fall into different categories, including inversions, balance poses, relaxation poses, and standing poses. Some are for the purpose of developing strength, some for balance, some for flexibility. Many asanas develop all of these properties but in different proportions. Most asanas are meant to be held for 30 seconds to 5 minutes, depending on a person’s stamina and abilities. Pranayama exercises can involve short rapid breaths or long deep breaths. These exercises can involve holding in the breath between inhalation and exhalation, and alternating breath through different nostrils. Asanas and pranayama exercises can be invigorating or relaxing, depending on the specific exercises practiced.
Yoga can increase flexibility of musculoskeletal system, improve circulation, and tone muscles and organs. It also can result in greater strength, as well as improved balance and motor coordination. Breathing exercises increase oxygen supply in blood system and clear passages. Different postures direct blood to certain parts of the body. From the yogic point of view blood is seen as the carrier of vital fluids that cleanses and revives. After sustained practice, most people feel a greater sense of energy and physical vitality.
Asanas that are specified for certain maladies have been known to decrease physical discomfort and sometimes eliminate physical problems (e.g., back pain and muscle cramping).
Patients with serious conditions should consult an experienced yoga teacher to design a regime that will be beneficial. Some yoga books list which asanas can be used for different illnesses.
Medical research has confirmed that the practice of yoga can affect and in some cases alleviate a variety of health problems, including carpal tunnel syndrome, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, chronic fatigue, back pain, diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, varicose veins, mental health problems, respiratory disorders, and heart conditions.
Yoga practice was shown to retard coronary atherosclerosis and cause lesion regression, and decrease need for angioplasty and bypass surgery.1 A study conducted of generally healthy participants of a residential a 3-month yoga and meditation training program looked at effects on cardiovascular risk factors and hormones. Substantial risk factor reduction was found with the use of yoga and a vegetarian diet. Body mass index, total serum and LDL cholesterol, fibrinogen, and blood pressure were significantly reduced, especially in those with elevated levels. Urinary excretion of adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, aldosterone, as well as serum testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels, were reduced, while cortisol excretion increased significantly.3
The applications of yoga to endocrinology has been confirmed by recent research. Serum cortisol levels decreased in participants of a study after they had practiced yoga, indicating its positive effects in stress.4 Yogic meditation was shown to create an acute increase in night-time plasma melatonin levels, indicating its positive effects in the treatment of insomnia.5
Yoga and Diabetes
Yoga has been proven to be effective as an adjunctive treatment in controlling diabetes. Changes in blood glucose and glucose tolerance of non-insulin-dependent diabetics (NIDDM) were investigated in another study: 104 out of 149 patients showed a fair to good response to the yoga therapy, with a significant decrease in hyperglycemia.6 In another study of Type II diabetics, nerve conduction velocity increased in subjects who participated in yoga for 30-40 minutes a day daily for 40 days as opposed to the control group, who experienced decreased nerve function parameters.7
Conclusion
Yoga practice offers a holistic method for a patient to contribute to their overall health and quality of life. Yoga instruction is available in most communities, often adapted for Western students. It is rare for beginning students to learn in-depth information about the rules or traditions of yoga. As with any treatment or discipline, the benefits can only be obtained if the person practices regularly and follows instructions properly. Yoga works in the long term and often in subtle ways. It is not a panacea for all problems, but a strategy from which people can approach life in a healthy and more whole way. It is important to note that certain asanas and pranayama techniques are contraindicated with some illnesses and conditions. If you are to recommend that a patient begins to practice yoga, it is important that they find a properly trained teacher.
As we realize the profound connection between thoughts, emotions, body chemistry –and, therefore, disease — it becomes clear that people need a holistic system of health maintenance that not only provides the proper corrective and restorative medicines, but also addresses the mental and emotional stress that underlies and precipitates weakness in the body. Yoga is an effective tool because it addresses the various aspects of a person, not just their body, but their mind, emotions, and spirit.
