Role of Yoga in Reducing Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review

Abstract

Yoga practices have made the remarkable changes in the life of people specially suffering with chronic illness. Yoga culture has originated from India with objective of spiritual enhancement but now it has been limited in form of physical exercise for psychological wellbeing. Cardiovascular diseases are more prevalent all over the world affecting developed and developing nations. There are many causative factors contributing in development of cardiovascular diseases including irregular food habits, addiction, sedentary life style and obviously stressful life. Besides the pharmacological management, non pharmacological measures carry equal importance in management of cardiovascular diseases. The Non-pharmacological measures include decreasing the diet high in fat & carbohydrate, weight loss, mild exercise, to withdraw from addiction and yoga/meditation. Several reports have mentioned the advantages of yoga by demonstrating its beneficial effects on various cardiovascular parameters in patients with cardiac diseases. Regular yoga practice among patients with cardiovascular problems not only improves the wellbeing of patient, but it also diminishes the various risk factors contributing in the illness.