Although yoga has been practiced in Eastern culture for thousands of years as part of life philosophy, classes in the United States only recently have been offered to people with cancer. The word yoga is derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning to bind, join, and yoke. This reflection of the union of the body, mind, and spirit is what differentiates yoga from general exercise programs. Yoga ...

Yoga has been known to have stimulatory or inhibitory effects on the metabolic parameters and to be uncomplicated therapy for obesity. The purpose of the present study was to test the effect of an 8-week of yoga-asana training on body composition, lipid profile, and insulin resistance (IR) in obese adolescent boys. Twenty volunteers with body mass index (BMI) greater than the 95th percentile we...

While yoga is gaining increased popularity in North America and Europe, its safety has been questioned in the lay press. The aim of this systematic review was to assess published case reports and case series on adverse events associated with yoga. Medline/Pubmed, Scopus, CAMBase, IndMed and the Cases Database were screened through February 2013; and 35 case reports and 2 case series reporting a...

OBJECTIVES Recent research has indicated concern for the degree of stress and emotional well-being among university staff. This study examined the effectiveness of yoga in enhancing emotional well-being and resilience to stress among university employees. METHODS In a randomized controlled trial at a British university, we recruited 48 employees and randomized them into either a yoga or a wai...

Regulating the breath is an important part of yoga practice. Descriptions in traditional yoga texts mention breath regulation as a way of getting spiritual realization. In yoga, there are several ways to modify breathing, such as changing the rate and depth, holding the breath, breathing through the mouth, or breathing alternately through one or both nostrils. These voluntarily regulated yoga b...

Yoga is a centuries-old tradition with origins in ancient India. Blending physical, mental, and spiritual practice, it seeks to bring about a state of harmony between mind and body through concentration, physical practice, and mental discipline. For many practitioners, yoga is seen as a path to spiritual enlightenment. “What is yoga?” (see page 36) provides more information on the background an...

BACKGROUND Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often complain of persistent fatigue even after conventional therapies such as pharmacotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, or graded exercise therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate in a randomized, controlled trial the feasibility and efficacy of isometric yoga in patients with CFS who are resistant to conventional treatments...

The purpose of this review of literature was to describe yoga and its possible effects on the engagement of students during literacy lessons. The literature reviewed included studies utilizing students in elementary, middle, and high school. The methods used included yoga poses, breathing, relaxation, and positive thoughts. Results and conclusions from the studies indicated that although many o...

Yoga is a centuries-old tradition with origins in ancient India. Blending physical, mental, and spiritual practice, it seeks to bring about a state of harmony between mind and body through concentration, physical practice, and mental discipline. For many practitioners, yoga is seen as a path to spiritual enlightenment. “What is yoga?” (see page 36) provides more information on the background an...

Lymphedema affects 3-58% of survivors of breast cancer and can result in upper extremity impairments. Exercise can be beneficial in managing lymphedema. Yoga practice has been minimally studied for its effects on breast cancer related lymphedema (BCRL). The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of yoga on arm volume, quality of life (QOL), self-reported arm function, and hand grip s...