| Titel: | Positive impact of yoga and pranayam on obesity, hypertension, blood sugar, and cholesterol: A pilot assessment |
|---|---|
| Autor: | Gokal, R Shillito, L Maharaj, SR |
| Mediengruppe: | journal article |
| Herausgeber: | --- |
| Zeitschrift: | The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine |
| Jahr: | 2007 |
| Band: | 13 |
| Heft: | 10 |
| Seiten: | 1056-1057 |
| Sprache: | englisch |
| Abstract: | Yoga is an integral part of Ayurveda and refers to the joining of the "lower human nature to the higher." Yoga has been used as a therapeutic intervention in Indian medicine for many centuries and is used to treat a wide range of medical conditions; however, its efficacy is being recognized in the West, and could have a major impact on the health profile of the nation. In 2006, Swami Ramdevji Maharaj, a proponent of this practice, visited England to conduct yoga and pranayam camps in four different locations. Initial assessments were done on 510 volunteers. Eighty-two did not return for follow-up, leaving 428 on whom both before and after data were collected. Analyses were done on these 428 (150 male; 278 female) volunteers with a mean age of 58 years (range 20-80), in whom paired data are available. Overall, 56% of subjects lost weight. In 38% of the hypertensive patients, normal blood pressure was recorded after 6-7 days (mean 163/98 to 135/80). Sixty-six percent (66%) of patients had decreased cholesterol after the study period. Although these results are promising in terms of the effect of yoga on disease markers, they are not conclusive. We recognize that the study has several drawbacks and shortcomings and was not controlled. A much larger randomized controlled trial over a much longer period is needed to confirm the positive effects found here, and this is planned. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) |