Yoga – The Non-Pharmaceutical Approach For Lifestyle Disorders

The word ‘Yoga’ is derived from the verbal root word “Yuj” in Sanskrit it means joining act of union, uniting etc. Usually the human soul attaining complete union with the ultimate devine power or the supreme sprit is considered as the Yoga. The Yoga sutras in ancient India were reassigned orally by erudite sages to their disciples and the tradition continued for the ages so on. Patanjali, further organized these sutras which are available now days [1].


Introduction
The word 'Yoga' is derived from the verbal root word "Yuj" in Sanskrit it means joining act of union, uniting etc. Usually the human soul attaining complete union with the ultimate devine power or the supreme sprit is considered as the Yoga. The Yoga sutras in ancient India were reassigned orally by erudite sages to their disciples and the tradition continued for the ages so on. Patanjali, further organized these sutras which are available now days [1].
Yoga considers that when the whole body has lowered life force, the result is a lowered vitality level, poor health and susceptibility to various diseases. No disease would occur if the body's life force were high enough to fight against it.
Yoga is the union of mind and body with spirit. During practice of Yoga, one can deeply connect to its innermost self through mindful exercise, involving Asanas, controlled breathing i.e. Pranayama and meditation.These postures strengthen the body, the meditation sharpens one's focus, and the breath calms the mind and heals the body. When the three are in harmony, the result is improved fitness, flexibility, stress management, relaxation skills, mental clarity, and overall well-being.

There are many techniques of yoga
Types of The Yoga-Yoga mainly classified as Jnana Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Raja Yoga. According to Yoga Sutra there are Ashtanga Yogas.
Ashtanga Yoga -Yoga Sutra of Patanjali Maharshi is the earliest book, which is available on Yoga. The eight limbs of Yoga are Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana and Samadhi [2]. The first four are considered as Bahiranga (external) Yoga, whereas the later are consider as the Antaranga (internal) Yoga.

Yama: -
The principles and ethical rules followed in personal and social behaviors are Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, and Aparigraha. First two part mentions about avoiding mental transgression.

Benefits of Yoga and Asana
In the past few years, Yoga has remained a centre of attraction for research & therapeutic purpose for modern epidemic diseases as nonpharmaceutical measure. Life style disorders like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, mental stress, coronary heart disease, and COPD are the prime areas where yoga is being indicated now a day as complement to drug therapy. Studies report beneficial effect of yoga in these conditions.

General benefits
Yoga helps to attain the steadiness of the body. Regularity of the Asanas can helps one to have a strong, body with increased capacity to withstand the any sort of the illness. It helps to improve the inner consciousness. It also helps to boost up self-confidence improves concentration, creativity, and coordination.

Systemic Benefits
Effects on endocrine: The regular practice increases the blood circulation towards the endocrine glands and there by normalizes their secretions. Some stress related hormones, which may do the hyper activity of the sympathetic nervous system and there by causes the hyperglycemia. Asana gives the maximum relaxation to body and mind. And also balances the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity. It also decreased the cholesterol, Serum LDL, VLDL, and triglycerides level [3][4][5]. Yoga also found to be helpful in control of type II diabetes mellitus and can act as an add-on conventional medical therapy [6]. Study also shows that Yoga helps to lower fasting as well as postprandial blood glucose levels and acetylated hemoglobin [7] and also tend to reduce the dose of anti-diabetic drugs [3].
down progression of atherosclerosis in subjects with severe coronary artery disease [8]. It improves the blood circulation to the involved part [9].
Respiratory system: Yoga significantly improves lung functions and strength of respiratory muscles [10,11]. Studies also indicated that reduction in the dose of medicines in patients suffering from COPD can also be achieved by regular Yoga, and Pranayama practice [12,13].
Obesity and hypertension: Meditation techniques may modify the deregulated processes associated with Binge Eating disorder in several ways. As a relaxation technique, meditation may decrease both emotional and physiological reactivity in obesity as essential hypertension. As a way of improving self-acceptance, it may decrease the relative appeal of binge eating as an escape mechanism and facilitate general therapeutic change. Studies have shown that regular Yoga exercise resulted in decrease in body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio and ultimately body weight of individuals [7]. Yoga has been found to have a persuasive antihypertensive effect when tried along with meditation [14][15][16].
Regular practice of yoga helps in controlling an individual's mind, body and soul. It unites physical and mental authorities and also helps to supervise stress and anxiety. Flexibility, muscle strength and body tone is improved by Yoga. Results confirmed that yoga exhibits positive effects for treatment of various systemic ailments and lifestyle disorders. Practice of yoga is beneficial for all the dimensions of health. Physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of the person can be improved and well maintained with the regular Yoga and at the same time it also promotes harmony with nature. The eventualaim of Yoga is to transform the individual and attain ultimate salvation.