Yoga shown to be an effective way to take control of your asthma

Monday, May 16, 2016 by: Sarah Landers
Tags: yoga, asthma symptoms, anxiety

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(NaturalNews) The overwhelming number of health benefits associated with the practice of yoga is widely documented and has been proven by a great many studies. Not only is yoga one of the most popular forms of exercise today, but it is also recommended by doctors and scientists across the world for its range of health benefits.

According to a study published in the journal Psycho-Oncology, yoga benefits woman suffering with breast cancer resulting in a 50% reduction in depression and 12% increase in feelings of peace. Specifically, yoga was found to improve areas of mental health involving depression, positive emotions and spirituality – making it perfect for use alongside other treatments for conditions that cause low mood and a feeling of being spiritually lost.

Yoga originated in India more than 5,000 years ago and has become a popular mind–body therapy in the West, with the breathing control and body postures believed to help nourish self-awareness, control stress and develop physical strength and balance, according to Newsmax.

And now it seems that yoga can also help those suffering with asthma to get their breath back, according to a recent report by the Daily Mail.

Yoga and asthma

Scientists believe that the way that yoga teaches people to breathe and the stretching exercises involved actually decrease the chances of having an asthma attack, by relaxing muscles in the airways and relieving the anxiety that can sometimes be the root cause, according to the Daily Mail.

Asthma affects around 17.7 million adults in the US – which is approximately 7.4% of the population, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But a recent study from the Chinese University of Hong Kong now suggests that this art could help alleviate asthma symptoms. The team looked at 15 different trials using yoga to treat men and women with mild and moderate asthma from around the world.

The research suggests that, not only does yoga ease symptoms, but it also improves quality of life for asthma-sufferers because of the way that the breathing exercises and postures relax the muscles in the airways and cause the chest to expand. This research is particularly important given that some of the existing treatments for asthma do not actually work.

Asthma sufferers are reported to also experience high levels of anxiety and depression associated with limited social activities and ongoing concerns about their condition, according to the Daily Mail. Scientists from the Chinese University of Hong Kong have stated that "yoga could represent an additional option for people with asthma to relieve both physical and psychological [symptoms]."

And these amazing benefits have been proven when sufferers participate in yoga just twice a week.

The other health benefits of yoga

As reported by Newsmax, yoga benefits the heart in the same way that aerobic exercises do – making it as good for your health as a brisk walk or a bicycle ride. 37 different clinical trials have found that yoga lowers blood pressure, cholesterol, heart rate and other cardiovascular risk factors in the same way that aerobic exercise does.

According to Dr. Larry Phillips, a cardiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, "what we've seen is with yoga and the relaxation and behavior modification that goes along with it, there is a benefit to all patients, but especially those with heart disease. Here we are able to see there are more measurable benefits than we've seen before."

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Sources include:

DailyMail.co.uk

Newsmax.com

CDC.gov

Science.NaturalNews.com