Western medicine has yet to fully incorporate alternative therapies like yoga, pilates, acupuncture, aromatherapy etc. and the belief in treating the symptom rather than the whole human being continues to prevail, for now.
Despite this, there are research studies that affirm the viability of yoga in particular as a healing mechanism that can assist with terminal diseases, psychological issues, reducing blood pressure, arthritis, cholesterol, maintaining blood sugar levels, insomnia, and the list goes on.
Here are just a few studies that were chronicled in a Time Magazine article I stumbled upon called “The Power of Yoga”:
2009 – A study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health studied a group of adolescent girls, some with bulimia and others with anorexia. Ane group had regular treatment and the other group had treatment and yoga. The findings showed that the girls not in the yoga group were more likely to have symptoms return at the end of the treatment period.
1998 – Dr. Ralph Schumacher at UPENN School of Medicine along with yoga instructor Marian Garfield published their findings on the study of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome in the Journal of American Medical Association basically summing up that “a yoga regimen is more effective than wrist splinting or no treatment in relieving signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.”
1990 – Patients with heart disease were prescribed a vegetarian low fat diet and yoga regimen. At the completion of the study it was found that their cholesterol levels were about the same as if they had taken cholesterol lowering drugs. A follow up report was published in 1998 in the American Journal of Cardiology showing that 80% of the patients were able to avoid bypass by maintaining their prescribed lifestyle changes.
As much as the Western medical world tends to avoid prescription of yoga, for now the testimonies of those practicing yoga regularly can’t be ignored. For more on the power of yoga, listen to season one, episode 13 of the Staying Ageless Podcast with special guest @spirituallyfly
P.S. Season 4 of the Staying Ageless Podcast returns this Saturday! Get ready 🙂 We have another long list of amazing guests! -XO