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Yoga arose in India and its practice was depicted around 3000 B.C. Yoga is not only an ancestral discipline but this is one of the six pillars of the Hindu philosophical schools. Yoga school is tightly associated with Sankhya school. While Sankhya school defines the universe as a combination of mind and matter, Yoga emphasizes the meditation to assess the nature of Sankhya, by using mental and physical disciplines

Yoga can be divided into different branches such as Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bahkti Yoga and Hatha Yoga. While all branches use a mental discipline, only Hatha Yoga reach the meditative state by associating both mental and physical constraints. The ultimate goal of Hatha Yoga is to separate the mind from the body in order to feel the strength of their relationship and to reunite them harmoniously.

Although Hatha Yoga is a philosophical and multidisciplinary approach to understand the life and the surrounding world, in western countries, Hatha Yoga, simply called Yoga, has lost its spirituality to focus only on the use of postures, or asanas, and breathing techniques as a form of exercise and relaxation, respectively. 

The use of physical constraints during the practice of Yoga is based on the idea of the existence of an coiled energy at the base of the spine, which needs to be awakened. Ultimately, the energy can flow up towards the head to reach illumination.

More concretely, yoga postures focus on body alignment to redesign it. While holding postures, the body is confronted to unaccustomed constraints and responds by improving or developing capacities which can compensate its weakness area.

The natural rhythm of a deep breath is used to control the sequences of the postures. Thus, focusing on the breath allows to calm the consciousness and to fully engage the body into the postures, therefore relaxation can be reached.

However, it is important to remind to beginners that slow motion and relaxation are not synonymous of simplicity and passivity, fully engaging muscles and bending the body require effort and the practice of Yoga has to be done wisely

(1). Even if Yoga can done at home and remains one of the safest activity, it is better to start under the supervision of an experienced teacher

 

While Yoga is an ancestral practice, its benefits on health are intensively examined. The scientific literature provides numerous studies about Yoga.

Before stating the scientific facts, it is important to realize that Yoga belongs to the category of the alternative therapies, can be associated to conventional medical cares and should not substitute them. Indeed, if evidences support the benefits of Yoga practice in various pathologies, it is used as a complementary therapy.

(1). Since Yoga associates a dual approach, mental and physical, Yoga can improve the health in a wide range of pathologies. Data might support the benefit of Yoga for the breast cancer survivors, improving their emotional outcome, fatigue and acceptance

(2, 3). due to the anxiolytic effects.

(4). Similarly, Yoga might support positive outcomes in eating disorders.

(5, 6). and to release the stress associated with the  onset of the rheumatoid arthritis.

(7). Whether the positive impact is due to Yoga or to the involvement in social activities remains unknown, however changes in the brain activity during Yoga meditative state support the improvement of psychological alterations.

(8).  Similarly, by unknown mechanisms, studies support the benefits of Yoga on type 2 diabetes, by reducing blood pressure and lipids levels.

(9). and amelioration of bronchial asthma.

(10). By the use of postures and by the slow rhythm that the breath imposes, Yoga can be practiced by elder people and physically injured people. It has been shown to decrease the back deformation.

(11). but also to ameliorate chronic low back pain.

(12). It is however important to re-emphasize the importance of a professional environment while using Yoga as complementary treatment, some medical conditions might required specific adaptations to prevent further injuries or to facilitate the postures.

(13, 14).Together, without being able to really pinpoint the mechanisms by which Yoga works, nowadays studies are reporting the benefits of an ancient knowledge and can only encourage its use to improve the physical and emotional harmony.

1. Paul P 2007 When yoga hurts. Practicing it is supposed to make you feel better, but doing it wrong is dangerous. Time 170:71

2. Fishman ML 2007 Response to “When Yoga Hurts”. LAYOGA November:14

3. Bertisch SM, Wee CC, Phillips RS, McCarthy EP 2009 Alternative mind-body therapies used by adults with medical conditions. J Psychosom Res 66:511-519

4. Carson JW, Carson KM, Porter LS, Keefe FJ, Seewaldt VL 2009 Yoga of Awareness program for menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors: results from a randomized trial. Support Care Cancer

5. Danhauer SC, Mihalko SL, Russell GB, Campbell CR, Felder L, Daley K, Levine EA 2009 Restorative yoga for women with breast cancer: findings from a randomized pilot study. Psychooncology 18:360-368

6. Rao MR, Raghuram N, Nagendra HR, Gopinath KS, Srinath BS, Diwakar RB, Patil S, Bilimagga SR, Rao N, Varambally S 2009 Anxiolytic effects of a yoga program in early breast cancer patients undergoing conventional treatment: a randomized controlled trial. Complement Ther Med 17:1-8

7. McIver S, McGartland M, O'Halloran P 2009 "Overeating is Not About the Food": Women Describe Their Experience of a Yoga Treatment Program for Binge Eating. Qual Health Res 19:1234-1245

8. McIver S, O'Halloran P, McGartland M 2009 Yoga as a treatment for binge eating disorder: a preliminary study. Complement Ther Med 17:196-202

9. Bosch PR, Traustadottir T, Howard P, Matt KS 2009 Functional and physiological effects of yoga in women with rheumatoid arthritis: a pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med 15:24-31

10. Baijal S, Srinivasan N 2009 Theta activity and meditative states: spectral changes during concentrative meditation. Cogn Process

11. Yang K, Bernardo LM, Sereika SM, Conroy MB, Balk J, Burke LE 2009 Utilization of 3-month Yoga Program for Adults at High Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med

12. Vempati R, Bijlani RL, Deepak KK 2009 The efficacy of a comprehensive lifestyle modification programme based on yoga in the management of bronchial asthma: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Pulm Med 9:37

13. Greendale GA, Huang MH, Karlamangla AS, Seeger L, Crawford S 2009 Yoga Decreases Kyphosis in Senior Women and Men with Adult-Onset Hyperkyphosis: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial. J Am Geriatr Soc

14. Tekur P, Singphow C, Nagendra HR, Raghuram N 2008 Effect of short-term intensive yoga program on pain, functional disability and spinal flexibility in chronic low back pain: a randomized control study. J Altern Complement Med 14:637-644

15. Galantino ML, Bzdewka TM, Eissler-Russo JL, Holbrook ML, Mogck EP, Geigle P, Farrar JT 2004 The impact of modified Hatha yoga on chronic low back pain: a pilot study. Altern Ther Health Med 10:56-59

16. Williams K, Abildso C, Steinberg L, Doyle E, Epstein B, Smith D, Hobbs G, Gross R, Kelley G, Cooper L 2009 Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Efficacy of Iyengar Yoga Therapy on Chronic Low Back Pain. Spine (Phila Pa 19s76)