Therapeutic potential of yoga 2016for mbbs

1. Yogacharya
Dr. ANANDA BALAYOGI BHAVANANI
MBBS, ADY, DSM, DPC, PGDFH, PGDY, MD (Alt Med), FIAY
Deputy Director
Centre for Yoga Education, Therapy and Research
(CYTER), MGMC & RI, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry.

2. Learning objectivesLearning objectives
Students should:
1.Become aware of the concept of Yoga therapy.
2.Understand importance of integrative approach to
promoting health and preventing disease.
3.Understand scientific basis in applying Yoga as a
therapy through recent research studies.
4.Understand conditions where Yoga may have a
preventive, curative and rehabilitative role.
5.Understand limitations of Yoga as a therapy.
6.Become aware of SBV AIMHIGH -CYTER

3. SBV AIM HIGH’sSBV AIM HIGH’s
CENTRE FOR YOGA THERAPY,CENTRE FOR YOGA THERAPY,
EDUCATION AND RESEARCHEDUCATION AND RESEARCH ((CYTERCYTER))

4. Salutogenesis, our Focus
• Moving from pathogenesis, the focus on disease
towards salutogenesis, the focus on health!
• Under SBV AIM HIGHSBV AIM HIGH (Academy of Integrative
Medicine for Holistic Intervention towards
General Health), CYTER is striding forward on an
innovative path of promoting holistic health for
one and all.
• Bringing together the ancient experiential
wisdom of Yoga with the evidence based
approach of modern medical science.

5. What is Yoga Therapy?
• Not merely exercise!
• Focuses on health promotion,
management of specific
conditions and general disease
prevention.
• Incorporates holistic amalgam:
– Yogic counseling,
– dietary advice,
– lifestyle modifications,
– breath-body work,
– relaxation,
– meditation,
– chanting and mindfulness.
• Change in attitude.
• Inherent healing facilitated
• Self empowerment.

6. YOGA & MODERN MEDICINE: MEETING POINTSYOGA & MODERN MEDICINE: MEETING POINTS
• Modern medical advancements provide the
rationale for the integration of various traditional
healing techniques including Yoga to promote
healing, health, and longevity
• Potential to provide us with a holistic health
science - a boon for psychosomatic health
• WHO : spiritual health in the “state of health’
• Modern medicine : accidents, acute illness,
emergencies and communicable diseases
• Yoga: preventive, promotive and rehabilitative
methods in addition to many management
methods to tackle modern illnesses

7. RELEVANCE TO MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
• Yoga is an experiential science and a dynamic state
of health is a by-product of Yoga
• “Re-orients the functional hierarchy of the entire
nervous system” - Dr B Ramamurthy
• Effective in preventing and combating the modern
pandemic of stress borne disorders.
• Scientific evidence indicates that Yoga has
– promotive, preventive and curative potential,
– is a safe, non-pharmacological therapy and is
– an effective lifestyle adjunct to reduce drug
dosage and improve QOL of patients

8. • Psychosomatic and stress related disorders
– DM, hypertension, bronchial asthma, IBS, epilepsy, back
pain and functional disorders
• Reduce / eliminate drug dosage / dependence in
– DM, hypertension, epilepsy, anxiety, bronchial asthma,
constipation, dyspepsia, insomnia, arthritis, sinusitis
and dermatological disorders
• Yoga therapists must work in tandem with medical doctors
when treating patients on allopathic treatment
• “The treatment of the part shouldn’t be attempted without
a treatment of the entirety” - the treatment of the body
without treating the mind and soul is a useless waste of
time”- Plato

9. • LIFE STYLE MODIFICATIONS: “LIFE STYLE MODIFICATIONS: “Yoga is a system ofYoga is a system of
perfect tools for achieving union as well as healingperfect tools for achieving union as well as healing”-”-
Dr Dean OrnishDr Dean Ornish
• REHABILITATION: “REHABILITATION: “Modern medicine kept me alive,Modern medicine kept me alive,
Yoga gave me back my lifeYoga gave me back my life”- Dr Swami Gitananda Giri”- Dr Swami Gitananda Giri
• COPING SKILLS: “COPING SKILLS: “Yoga may not be able to always cureYoga may not be able to always cure
but it can surely help us to endurebut it can surely help us to endure”- Sri BKS Iyengar”- Sri BKS Iyengar
• HEALTHY DIET : biogenic,HEALTHY DIET : biogenic, gunaguna based dietsbased diets
• RELAXATION:RELAXATION: spanda -nishpandaspanda -nishpanda conceptsconcepts
• EXPENDITURE: cost effective, cost loweringEXPENDITURE: cost effective, cost lowering
• AGING : anti-aging, regenerating, “young at heart”AGING : anti-aging, regenerating, “young at heart”
• PSYCHOTHERAPY: the mind and beyondPSYCHOTHERAPY: the mind and beyond
• WOMEN’S HEALTH: puberty, pregnancy, menopauseWOMEN’S HEALTH: puberty, pregnancy, menopause
• RESEARCH: Basic and applied scientific & literaryRESEARCH: Basic and applied scientific & literary

10. • Yoga modifies coronary artery disease risk factors
and helps reverse heart disease
• Patients of respiratory disorders have shown
improvement with Yoga therapy
• Therapeutic tool for MR children -improvement in
IQ and social adaptation
• Has shown great potential in metabolic conditions-
diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome etc
• Psychiatry: OCD–improvement in Yale/Brown &
perceived stress scales , anxiety, depression

11. • Comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Yoga therapyComprehensive bibliometric analysis of Yoga therapy
research between 1967 & 2013 by Jeter PE, Slutsky J,research between 1967 & 2013 by Jeter PE, Slutsky J,
Singh N & Khalsa SB.Singh N & Khalsa SB. (J Altern Complement Med(J Altern Complement Med
2015)2015)
• Three-fold increase in number of publications seen inThree-fold increase in number of publications seen in
the last 10 years, inclusive of all study designs.the last 10 years, inclusive of all study designs.
• 45% RCTs, 18% controlled, and 37% uncontrolled.45% RCTs, 18% controlled, and 37% uncontrolled.
• Most publications originated from India (n=258),Most publications originated from India (n=258),
followed by USA (n=122) and Canada (n=13).followed by USA (n=122) and Canada (n=13).
• Top three disorders addressed by Yoga interventionsTop three disorders addressed by Yoga interventions
were mental health, cardiovascular disease, andwere mental health, cardiovascular disease, and
respiratory disease.respiratory disease.
Other recent reviews by Kim Innes (2005, 2007 & 2012),Other recent reviews by Kim Innes (2005, 2007 & 2012),
Yang (2007) and Sengupta (2012) have alsoYang (2007) and Sengupta (2012) have also
highlighted the role of Yoga therapy.highlighted the role of Yoga therapy.

12. PSYCHO-NEURO-IMMUNO-ENDOCRINOLOGICAL
CORRELATES OF STRESS, ILLNESS & HEALTH
NERVOUS
SYSTEM
ENDOCRINE
SYSTEM
IMMUNE
SYSTEM
MENTAL & PHYSICAL ILLNESS
+ve
YOGA
-ve
STRESS
HEALTH

13. Overexposure to stress
DDISEASEISEASE

14. Streeter CC et al. Med Hypotheses 2012; 78: 571-9
• Stress induces autonomic imbalance
• Decreased para-sympathetic & increased
sympathetic activity, under activity of GABA
system, the primary inhibitory neuro-
transmitter, and increased allostatic load.
• Yoga helps correct the underactivity of para-
sympathetic nervous system and GABA
systems in part through stimulation of vagus
nerves with reduction in the allostatic load.

15. Postulated mechanisms by which Yoga
reduces cardiovascular risk
Innes KE, Bourguignon C, Taylor AG. Risk indices associated with the insulin resistance syndrome, cardiovascular disease,
and possible protection with yoga: a systematic review. J Am Board Fam Pract 2005;18:491-519.

16. Impact of stress on hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal
(HPA) axis and sympathetic NS.
* Yoga has been shown to have significant beneficial effects in these
Sengupta P. Health Impacts of Yoga and Pranayama: A State-of-the-Art Review. Int J Prev Med 2012; 3:444–58.

17. Yoga in cancer related fatigue
Bower JE, Garet D, Sternlieb B. Yoga for persistent fatigue in breast cancer survivors: results of a pilot study. Evid Based
Complement Alternat Med 2011; 2011:623168.

18. Interconnections between Inner Correspondence / PeacefulInterconnections between Inner Correspondence / Peaceful
Harmony (ICPH), mindful acceptance & mental /emotionalHarmony (ICPH), mindful acceptance & mental /emotional
stabilization in response to mind-body interventions such as Yoga.stabilization in response to mind-body interventions such as Yoga.
Arndt B¨ussing et al. Inner Correspondence and peacefulness with practices among participants in Eurythmy Therapy &
Yoga: A Validation Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2011; 2011: 329023.

19. Bhavanani AB et al. IJPP 2003: 47:297-300 and IJPP 2012; 56 : 174–180.

20. Bhavanani AB et al. Int J Yoga Ther 2011; 21: 73-76 & Yoga Mimamsa 2012; 44: 101-112. Indian J
Physiol Pharmacol 2012; 56: 273–78 & Biomed Human Kin 2012: 4: 66 – 69. Int J Yoga 2012; 5: 108-11

21. • C.V.S : Essential HT, CAD
• Respiratory : Asthma, COAD
• Stress : Tension headache
• M.S : Backache, RA, spondilitis
• Metabolic : DM, thyroid disorders, obesity
• G.I.T : IBS, dyspepsia, ulcerative colitis
• Psychiatric : Anxiety, depression, phobias
• C.N.S : Mental retardation, epilepsy, migraine

22. LIMITATIONS OF YOGA THERAPY
• Not a miracle cure for all problems
• Not for emergencies
• Needs self-effort on part of patient
• Slow and steady effects-takes time
• Needs wholesome lifestyle & attitude change
• Different approaches of different traditions
• Each patient is different!
• Are some pts resistant to Yoga Therapy?

23. AN INTEGRATED APPROACH
• The need of the modern age is an integrated
approach towards therapy
• Utilize Yoga therapy along with other systems of
medicine including Allopathy, Ayurveda, Siddha,
Homeopathy and Naturopathy
• Physiotherapy, osteopathy and chiropractic practices
may be used with Yoga therapy too
• Advise on diet and life style is very important
• Adoption of right attitudes through Yogic counseling

24. IN CONCLUSION
• Ancient art and science of Yoga offers possibilities to
tackle health related issues of modern humankind.
• We however want it to be a miracle pill, that we take
only once - immediate solution to all problems!
• Yoga is a wholesome science and must be learnt and
practiced with a holistic view.
• The dedicated practice of Yoga as a way of life is no
doubt a panacea for psychosomatic, stress related
disorders helping us to regain our birthright of
natural health and universal happiness.
• The cost effective integration of Yoga and modern
medicine helps create a healthier and happier world.

25. Accredited with ‘A’A’ Grade by NAAC