New Study Finds New Connection Between Yoga and Mood

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have found that yoga may be superior to other forms of exercise in its positive effect on mood and anxiety. The findings, which currently appear on-line at Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, is the first to demonstrate an association between yoga postures, increased GABA levels and decreased anxiety.

The researchers set out to contrast the brain gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) levels of yoga subjects with those of participants who spent time walking. Low GABA levels are associated with depression and other widespread anxiety disorders.

The researchers followed two randomized groups of healthy individuals over a 12-week long period. One group practiced yoga three times a week for one hour, while the remaining subjects walked for the same period of time. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopic (MRS) imaging, the participants' brains were scanned before the study began. At week 12, the researchers compared the GABA levels of both groups before and after their final 60-minute session.

Each subject was also asked to assess his or her psychological state at several points throughout the study, and those who practiced yoga reported a more significant decrease in anxiety and greater improvements in mood than those who walked. "Over time, positive changes in these reports were associated with climbing GABA levels," said lead author Chris Streeter, MD, an associate professor of psychiatry and neurology at BUSM.

According to Streeter, this promising research warrants further study of the relationship between yoga and mood, and suggests that the practice of yoga be considered as a potential therapy for certain mental disorders.

Diabetes & Yoga Make Good Dialectics!

Yoga is an ancient Vedic practice of various physical postures and breathing techniques to reduce stress and improve health. Yoga has been derived from a Sanskrit word ‘yoke’ which means union.

Yoga is the age old science, art and philosophy of uniting the human mind, body and soul in a single chord. This union is for creating a balance between these three prime elements. There are various yoga forms including Hatha yoga, Raja yoga, Kundalini yoga, Ashtanga yoga, Jnana yoga, Vinyasa yoga, and Bikram Yoga  to mention a few.

All these yoga forms aim to reach a higher level of awareness by overcoming the limitations of the mind, body and soul. Apart from spiritual upliftment, yoga also promises a better life and sound physical and mental health.

Practicing yoga on a daily basis ensures myriad health benefits. Many yoga practitioners have found that their yoga practice is deepened and improved by incorporating soothing yoga music into their practice.

Soothing spiritual music or meditation music helps to create a strong sacred vibration and sets up the proper state of mind required for yoga or meditation by relaxing the mind and the body. When the mind and body are relaxed,  it helps support the  immune system and automatically lessens the chance of illness.

Yoga has even been known to cure various serious ailments and diseases including heart disease, muscle and joint debilitation, depression and many, many more ailments. Diabetes is another disease which has been seen to resolve with a regular yoga practice.

Diabetes or Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic polygenic disease where the glucose level in the blood is abnormally high. It is a type of metabolic disorder characterized by the body’s inability regulate and produce insulin.

The main function of insulin is converting sugar, starches or other food items into energy. When the body stops producing insulin, the sugar circulation in blood increases unchecked, which leads to serious disorders of the nervous system, the  vascular system, the circulatory system,  obesity, even loss of limbs.

Diabetes is a growing world-wide epidemic that even the most advanced medical doctors are continuously losing the battle against.  An increasing number of people in their middle age are facing the stark reality of diabetes due to unbalanced diet and insufficient activity levels.

Yoga and a balanced diet paired together have been seen to show marked steps towards curing diabetes and balancing blood sugar. Regular practice of yoga also reduces the chances of the onset of diabetes and keeps it in control by changing lifestyle patterns.

If you are interested in trying out yoga as a beginner, you can use a good yoga DVD in the privacy of your own home and receive proper guidance in yoga practicing from an excellent yoga teacher.

There are various yoga poses which can be effective in warding off diabetes. Sun salutation or Surya Namaskar is a very powerful and helpful yoga exercise for people suffering from diabetes. This exercise tends to improve the blood circulation throughout the body and hence a better level of insulin administration throughout the body.

After becoming more familiar with Sun Salutations, one can practice other yoga asanas including Paschimottanasana, Dhanurasana, Ardhamatsyendrasana, Kapalbhati, Anuloma-Viloma, Vajrasana, Shankha Prakshalana and Savasana.

Pranayama or the breathing techniques are also very good for controlling and purifying the blood. In addition, practicing meditation can also be helpful in the treatment of diabetes.

Regular meditation has actually been known to have a regulative effect on sugar levels. Gentle meditation music can be of great while practicing pranayama as it helps one to concentrate more on the breathing.

Thank you Raj Malhotra