What are the benefits of Yoga?


Yoga has numerous benefits however, the benefits of yoga depends on how regularly you are practicing and also how you are
practicing (example are you practicing only yogasana or also along from yogasana, you are combining it with pranayama,
Scientific Relaxation and meditation. The benefit increases when you combine yogasana (physical exercise) with meditation,
relaxation and Pranayama.


Laboratory studies show that Yogic meditation produces the 'relaxation response'. In physiological terms the Relaxation
Response shows as a marked decrease in the breathing rate and in oxygen consumption, a lowering of the heart rate ,a
decrease in blood pressure in meditators whose levels had been higher than normal, and the production during meditation of
Alpha waves in the brain which are associated with mental relaxation."



Following are the benefits of yoga when practices regularly:

Flexibility and strength
Yoga postures stretch and strengthen muscles and ligaments and put joints through their full range of movement.
Good posture and better look
You develop the postures which are beautiful to look at. Firm muscle tone, bright eyes and clear complexion contribute to the
radiant appearance of the person. This, combined with good posture and grace of movement, makes for a pleasing outward
appearance.

Breathe smoothly and efficiently
Yogic breathing strengthens the diaphragm and encourages deeper, freer breathing.
Sleep well
Scientific relaxation helps in sound sleep and refreshing the body and mind.

Concentrate well
Yoga Posture, yogic breathing, relaxation and meditation all help to calm and still the mind. When your mind is calm and still
you develop higher concentration for your work.

Cope well with stress
The improvements to your health and the ability to relax deeply that come with yoga make you more resilient. Even in times of
crisis you can learn to cope well without getting much stressed.
Massaging of all organs of the body – It massages all the internal glands and organs of the body in a thorough manner.


Benefits of yoga for sports professionals

• Gentle hatha yoga can be used to lubricate joints and relax muscle tensions.
• It can help in correcting muscle imbalances resulting from high impact training, strengthening the spine to prevent pain
and injury.
• Yoga can help to balance your lower body strength. Healthy movement requires less expenditure of energy, so you will
have greater reserves to take longer, faster strides.
• Standing yoga postures correctly align the knee.
• Dynamic yoga develops stamina and upper body strength without tightness in the shoulders also prepares the
cardiovascular system and muscles for peak performance.
• Yoga and breath work can benefit the mind in competition to improve confidence and concentration.


Yoga therapy is also used in treating following ailments in our body system.

Bronchial Asthma
Nasal Allergy
High and low BP and
Heart Diseases
Anxiety and Depressive Neurosis

Long and short sight, astigmatism, and squint, initial stages of cataract and glaucoma
Diabetes
Obesity
Migraine, Tension Headache
Rheumatism and Arthritis
Low Back pain. . Cancer and many more.
Yoga beneficial for breast cancer patients
july 2005

Yoga, the ancient Indian therapy for exercise and meditation of the mind and the body, has for long been known to help people
cope against ailments.And now, the age old therapy is providing healing touch to patients suffering from breast
cancer by reducing pain and trauma.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre and the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana, have
announced a research collaboration to scientifically validate the belief that mind-body interventions have a beneficial impact on
the health of cancer patients. The University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Centre is the world's largest cancer hospital and
Research Centre

Dr HR Nagendra, the President of "Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana SamsthanaSamsthana" has said that the research
on breast cancer patients through specially developed Yoga technique helped control their agony, adding that the MD
Anderson Centre has accepted the theory.

"Yoga is an effective agent and it can bring a lot of improvement for the patients. For the last 25 years we have been doing
extensive research, findings of which are published in nearly 75 research papers in the top reading journals. What we have been
able to show is that yoga is effective by systematic protocols, which are acceptable by international standards. The MD
Anderson Centre has also come forward and for the first time seen how yoga can be useful for cancer patients. They are very
much impressed," said Dr HR Nagendra, President, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana.

The ten-year research at Bangalore Institute of Oncology on Yoga therapy on more than 400 breast cancer patients has given a
positive output and it is based on this research, that the MD Anderson Centre has accepted Yoga as a therapy for relieving pain
in breast cancer patients.

Researchers from both institutions are currently studying the effects of yoga on breast cancer patients undergoing radiation
treatments.They are also exploring whether participating in a yoga programme diminishes patients' fatigue and sleep
disturbances, while improving the overall quality of life, mental health, stress hormone levels, and aspects
of immune function.

Presently, the randomised-controlled trial is aimed at monitoring the patients' physiological responses to yoga as determined
from blood and saliva samples, lung function tests and goniometric (joint motion) measurements.