Yoga Sagar

SR No.: 014011
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Paramhamsa Satyananda
Publisher: Bihar School of Yoga Munger
Publication Year: 1994
Total Pages: 436
Language: English
Classification: Seminar & Articles
File Size: 24 MB

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state is higher than that of the ground staff. There are other studies also showing how the environment can effect the blood pressure,
Kids in some parts of America have to go to school in a bulletproof jacket, due to some environmental problem. What will be the state of affairs, not of these children only, but of the parents who are sending them? So, this is just one example of how stressful situations are affecting our bodies. Let us not look into the textbook of the medical journals for the answers to why there are more heart attacks, why the blood pressures are high. These problems are all around us and we have to understand that. In order to take care of them other than by medicines, we must use helpful procedures or modalities like yoga.
Why yoga in hypertension? This is an accepted method of relaxation. It is simple, inexpensive, and has no side effects. The last commission, the Grant National Commission on Hypertension from America, which gives its reports once in five years, has mentioned this as one of the modalities of non-pharmacological treatments of mild and moderate types of hypertension, because there are convincing reports that the practice of yoga does help in bringing down blood pressure. With meditation and yoga, what happens? The heart rate comes down. The sympathetic activity comes down. The catheostomine levels in the blood come down and all these effects are achieved by many of the drugs which we use. So if we can achieve this by the modality of yoga, why not use it?
The trials with shavasana, starting with Dr. Datey's work in 1969, were some of the first, and subsequently a lot of work has been done in England. Dr. Patel and our colleagues have shown us the role of shavasana in the reduction of blood pressure. I will sum up the various studies for you. There are 23 studies on the effects of yoga on hypertension and the metaanalysis of these shows that the effects of yoga come just next to the effects of various anti-hypertensive medicines. Hence it is now established that yoga has a role in the treatment of hypertension. I accept some of the studies which show no effect and I compare those to the effects of some of the medicines. One single medicine is never effective for all the patients you treat. So, why not look from that angle, instead of saying yoga is ineffective? I look from that angle. If yoga is helpful in seven
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