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| LETTER TO EDITOR |
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| Year : 2013 | Volume
: 2
| Issue : 3 | Page : 301-302 |
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Yoga in promotion of health: Translating evidence into practice at primary healthcare level in India
S Ganesh Kumar
Faculty of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry - 605 006, India
| Date of Web Publication | 29-Oct-2013 |
Correspondence Address:
S Ganesh Kumar
Faculty of Preventive and Social Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry - 605 006
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/2249-4863.120768
How to cite this article:
Kumar S G. Yoga in promotion of health: Translating evidence into practice at primary healthcare level in India. J Family Med Prim Care 2013;2:301-2 |
How to cite this URL:
Kumar S G. Yoga in promotion of health: Translating evidence into practice at primary healthcare level in India. J Family Med Prim Care [serial online] 2013 [cited 2021 Feb 28];2:301-2. Available from: https://www.jfmpc.com/text.asp?2013/2/3/301/120768 |
Sir,
Research in the field of yoga has shown its positive effect in promotion of health and prevention of certain diseases. The present demographic and epidemiological transition of diseases at global level with increase in trend of noncommunicable diseases necessitates the need for strengthening practice of yoga at community level in developing countries including India. The benefit of yoga differs in different settings because of difference in contribution of various known and unknown risk factors in causation of disease.
Various studies have shown its effects in stress-related disorders, respiratory allergies, anxiety neurosis, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and rehabilitation of disabled. [1] With respect to primordial and primary prevention of chronic diseases, its contribution is well documented, [2] while at secondary level of prevention also, its contribution to limiting the progression of chronic disease or reversing the trend of outcome has got its own value. [3] At tertiary level, once the complications develop, its effect varies with or without beneficial effect depending on the condition. [4],[5] Also, studies have shown that yoga will help in improving the quality of well-being, disability limitation, and rehabilitation of the subjects with chronic diseases. [6]
So, it is imperative to initiate yoga as a health promotion measure at community level in India. District Yoga Wellness Center (DYWC) under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode under which at least one nongovernmental organization (NGO) will be financially as well as technically assisted in each district of the country in phases during the 11th Five Year Plan is a welcome step in this regard. [7] Besides, as a component of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) under National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), yoga and naturopathy doctors were recruited in some states at primary healthcare level. [8] School yoga program should be initiated and strengthened as conducted in Nagaon of northeast India. [9] Accredited social health activists (ASHA) under NRHM should be involved in awareness generation of the importance of yoga in health and disease.
Concerted efforts from the community, local leaders, NGOs, adequate financing, capacity building, political commitment, and intersectoral coordination are the prerequisites to strengthen the awareness and practice of yoga in the community. At the same time, there is a need for conduct of descriptive studies to understand the magnitude of yoga practice and its associated factors at country level, multicentric cohort, and interventional studies to elucidate and quantify the role of yoga in health and disease.
| References | |  |
| 1. | Nagarathna R, Nagendra HR, Telles S. Yoga in health and disease. Section 3, Medical applications of yoga. Vivekananda Kendra Yoga Research Foundation, Bangalore. Available from: http://www.libraryofyoga.com/bitstream/handle/123456789/903/MEDICAL%20APPLICATIONS%20OF%20YOGA.pdf?sequence=1 [Last accessed on 30 Mar 2013]. 
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| 2. | Bijlani RL, Vempati RP, Yadav RK, Ray RB, Gupta V, Sharma R, et al. A brief but comprehensive lifestyle education program based on yoga reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes mellitus. J Altern Compliment Med 2005;11:267-74.
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| 3. | Bhavanani AB, Sanjay Z, Madanmohan. Immediate effect of sukha pranayama on cardiovascular variables in patients of hypertension. Int J Yoga Therap 2011;21:73-6.
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| 4. | Michalsen A, Traitteur H, Lüdtke R, Brunnhuber S, Meier L, Jeitler M, et al. Yoga for chronic neck pain: A pilot randomized controlled clinical trial. J Pain 2012;13:1122-30.
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| 5. | Lau HL, Kwong JS, Yeung F, Chau PH, Woo J. Yoga for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012;12:CD009506.
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| 6. | Nesi E. Yoga and meditation: Helpful techniques to improve the life of cancer patients. G Ital Med Lav Ergon 2012;34(2 Suppl B):B7-11.
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| 7. | District wellness center scheme. Available from: http://kdham.com/district-wellness-centre-scheme/ [Last accessed on 2013 Apr 18].
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| 8. | National Rural Health Mission. List of AYUSH doctors under NRHM-2010. Available from: http://nrhmmanipur.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/AYUSH_Doctors_list.pdf [Last accessed on 2013 Mar 28].
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| 9. | School yoga programme: A new initiative of NRHM. Available from: http://www.saching.com/Articles/School-Yoga-Programme-A-New-Initiative-of-NRHM-7482.html [Last accessed on 2013 Apr 18].
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