Revision as of 23:05, 24 May 2017

Depression

Pulkit Sharma, A Yogic Approach To Overcome Depression, April 7, 2017: The Times of India 

The present-day mental health specialist strengthens the individual's existing identity by changing his neurotransmitters, thinking patterns, emotional reactions and behaviour.Although this seems to help the person in dealing with depression in the short-run, it falls short of offering a permanent solution. Many people who get cured either experience a relapse, develop another mental disorder or continue to have poor quality of life. The need of the hour is to develop alternative approaches to combat this prevalent disorder.

In my experience, psychotherapy based on Indian yogic tradition can offer a far more effective and enduring solution to depression. Patanjali, author of Yoga Sutras, gives in-depth analysis that helps us comprehend the root cause and cure of depression. Our flawed psychological make-up is the main culprit behind depression and other psychological disorders. He eluci dates five main components or klesas that constitute this grossly mistaken view of the self ­ avidya, ignorance; asmita, sense of isolated self; raga, attachment; dvesha, repulsion; and abhinivesa, clinging to life.

Due to ignorance we often consider the outward changing world and shifting inner temperament to be reality rather than seeing the eternal presence that lies beneath these fluctuations. While identifying with these fluctuations, we grieve over the aspect that was there, but is now no more and become depressed.

Once the veil of ignorance is lifted you experience the eternal presence and all grief vanishes. We realise that what is changing is of little consequence because we always have had that which does not change. Under the influence of asmita, we confuse our Self with our body and mind and become egoistic.

Consequently , we consider ourselves to be separate from the cosmos. This feeling of isolation makes us lose faith in the Divine leading to hopelessness and helplessness. When we rise above egoism we realise that our Self is limitless, pervasive and a part of the Divine. As a result, we become fearless and ecstatic even in the face of adversities.

Raga is a fixation on pleasant involvements while dvesha is an obsession around negative experiences. We erroneously believe that in order to be happy we need to chase and dwell upon pleasant experiences and avoid negative experiences.

The more we try to do this, the further we are caught up in the cycle of pleasure and pain leading to depression.Bliss happens when we break our attachment to both pain and pleasure.Abhinivesa is our wish to cling to our physical body and live because we fear the unknown. Although the survival instinct is important, fear of the unknown makes us cling to a baser level of existence. We forget that we are basically a soul that has taken up a body to continue our evolution.

Rather than strengthening the person's existing identity , the yogic approach elucidates its limited and false nature. Consequently , the person suffering from depression feels motivated to find a method that enables him to develop contact with the Divine and wake-up to a higher individuality within him. Once the Divine being takes charge of the consciousness, the person dwells in his true nature which is bliss and there is complete freedom from depression.

Type 2 diabetes

The Times of India, Jun 01 2016

Sushmi Dey

Yoga can be helpful in prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults, scientific reviews of over 25 trials conducted globally shows. Systematic reviews of trials conducted on Indians as well as Americans show yoga can help control blood sugar levels, improve the lipid profile and manage body weight, all of which can be very effective in preventing type 2 diabetes. The reviews were recently published in two international medical journals ­ Elsevier and the Journal of Diabetes Research. “Findings suggest yogic practices may promote significant improvements in several indices of importance in DM2 (type 2 diabetes) management, including glycemic control, lipid levels and body composition,“ said a review published in Journal of Diabetes Research.

Analysis of data from these trials suggest that yoga may also lower oxidative stress and blood pressure, enhance pulmonary and autonomic function, mood, sleep and quality of life. With regular practice, yoga can also reduce medication use in adults with type 2 diabetes.

However, the reviews suggested because of the methodological limitations of existing studies, additional highquality investigations are required to confirm and furt her elucidate the potential benefits of yoga in diabetics.

Doctors say yoga can be considered as an add-on intervention for management of diabetes. However, currently it cannot replace moderate intensity aerobic exercises prescribed to diabetic patients as more scientific evidence is required.

“If ancient yogic practices (diet, yogic asanas, simple way of life) are performed, it will benefit any lifestyle disease. However, currently yoga has to pass through more rigorous scientific scrutiny before any definitive recommendations can be made regarding adding to mainline therapy ,“ said Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes. The health ministry has also commissioned similar large-scale studies in India through S-VYASA, an Indian university for Yoga.

Yoga is a cardio if done fast enough

Gretchen Reynolds, Is yoga cardio? Yes, if you do it fast enough, Feb 10, 2017: The Times of India

Yoga offers some obvious benefits: stress reduction, muscular flexibility, an enhanced sense of well-being. But does it qualify as an aerobic workout?

Aerobic activity, characterised by an elevated heart rate and increase in the body's use of oxygen, is closely linked to improved health and prolonged life spans; current guidelines suggest that people get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week. Scant research has examined whether yoga is exercise under those guidelines, though. Now two new studies in Complementary Therapies in Medicine indicate that it can be, at least if done rapidly. The practice of yoga in the US typically consists of bodily poses interspersed with or followed by breathing exercises and meditation.The most famous movements are incorporated into the sun salutation (surya namaskar).

These can be among the most physically demanding segments. Yet according to a 2016 review of yoga research, the energy expended by those who move slowly during sun salutations generally compares to the demands of a stroll at approx 5kmph. Exercise scientists at the University of Miami wondered whether lesslanguid yoga would be more aerobically beneficial. They outfitted 22 healthy adult volunteers with masks and sensors that measured energy expenditure and muscular activity and had them complete as many sun salutations as possible in eight minutes.

Not surprisingly , about 48 calories on average were burnt during the eight-minute sessions, compared with 29 while doing the standard salutations. The salutations, particularly when done three times as fast, functioned as in tense interval training, says Joseph Signorile, a professor at the University of Miami and the senior author of the studies. Signorile acknowledges yoga's nonaerobic virtues. “We're not saying that you should ignore the meditative side,“ he says.

The guided contemplation of body provides significant psychological benefits. But the energy expended is about the same that you would spend taking a nap.