Yoga transforms your heart health

Posted on Sun, 18 Jan 15

A new review of 32 scientific found that yoga could significantly reduce several important cardiovascular risk factors, adding strength to the benefits of this popular mind-body exercise.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death yet is largely preventable with diet and lifestyle changes. Some of the most important are stress reduction and exercise, both of which are encompassed by the practice of yoga.

Reviewing the state-of-the-science on yoga for cardiovascular disease it was found that yoga practice was able to significantly improve body mass index, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, body weight, diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and heart rate.

‘Our review finds emerging evidence to support a role for yoga in improving common modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome” concluded the collaborative research team from Harvard, USA and Erasmus MC, the Netherlands. “This review demonstrates the potential of yoga to have an impact on concrete, physiological outcomes that represent some of the greatest health burdens today.”

Reference:

Chu P, Gotink RA, Yeh GY, Goldie SJ, Hunink MM. The effectiveness of yoga in modifying risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Prev Cardiol. 2014 Dec 15. pii: 2047487314562741. [Epub ahead of print]