How yoga can prevent and combat heart disease

If you suffer from heart disease, here are all your questions about yoga and heart disease answered by our expert Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra.

By: Smt Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra | | Updated: June 15, 2015 9:52 pm

Most of us don’t ever think we will ever face cardiac issues in our lives. And those of us who do fear the disease don’t know how to prevent it. What exactly are cardiac issues and why do they shake us up when we least expect such an event to occur? What can we do to prevent these ailments from playing havoc with our lives? If we do see the symptoms then what can we do to control the condition and reverse the damage? These are a few questions that can leave many individuals perplexed. Read on to find all the answers you need. Also Read - Suffering from Vertigo? Try these yoga asanas to treat this condition

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When we talk about heart diseases we must first understand that there are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Simply put, factors like the natural aging process and genetic make-up of an individual non-modifiable because, in these cases, the risk of the disease can only be reduced to a certain degree. One can greatly control these factors by living a good lifestyle. On the other hand, modifiable factors would be high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, obesity, lack of exercise, stress and such other agents. All these factors are completely under our control, and we can eliminate them from our lives thus preventing the disease.

How can yoga help?

To help our heart function better we don’t need to wait for a signal that our heart is unwell. Know that prevention is the best way to stay healthy and this is where yoga can help. Here’s how the practice can help:

Yoga helps an individual build notable qualities like a sense of duty, knowledge, detachment and self-confidence.
The philosophy, technique and teachings of yoga can help people separate wheat from the chaff to get rid of the undesirable.
People are taught to cultivate and nurture desirable and beneficial habits that help them live a good healthy life. So positive changes occur in an individual’s life in the form of a nutritious diet fixed routines, optimistic approach and good thoughts.
Yoga also teaches people to understand their body and mind to combat diseases, helping them combat and prevent cardiac issues by following a yogic lifestyle and by practicing asanas regularly.
Yoga also helps individuals psychologically; it helps reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, lifts up one’s spirit and promotes a sense of well-being.
Stress is known to increase coronary spasm. Yoga techniques can help prevent and control spasms in blood vessels, bring down blood pressure and normalize heart rate.
Yoga teaches us to become aware of ourselves, of our feelings, of our thought processes and our routine patterns. Awareness of ourselves and our environmental factors which influence our health combined with a philosophical approach, can help significantly reduce modifiable risk factors like stress etc. an aware person will understand his body better and is cautious about his lifestyle and hence tends to keep under control external circumstances that can cause trouble.
For those who already have been facing heart trouble, I would say that they should minimize stress, bring about conductive lifestyle changes and practice yoga techniques like meditation and asanas regularly to maintain their heart condition at the best possible level and to prevent further damage.

What yoga asanas can I do to prevent, control and reverse heart disease?

The most important thing people should remember is that these asanas must be performed regularly to see results. Most people will not see results if they are done once in a while.

Yogendra Nishpandabhava:

Lean against a wall, touching your head to the wall and sit in a relaxed manner with your legs stretched in front of you.
Keep a distance of 2-3 feet between your legs.
Place your hands gently on your upper thighs with palms facing upwards.
Listen to the sound of any vehicle passing by at a distance.
Sit in this posture for ten minutes and focus on any distant sound.

Anitya Bhavana:

The most important thing before retiring to bed is a calm and philosophical survey of life in general – acceptance of impermanence and lasting attitudes of awareness. The awareness and ability to look at life as a bystander are the best ways of enjoying life. If one gets too excited, involved or attached one is not maintaining the necessary objectivity required to make life a matter of joy. Anitya bhavana helps a practitioner develop a ‘bystander’ attitude towards life. One must learn to develop a certain level of detachment, be objective, know and understand that everything is impermanent and will pass. This attitude will help us face the challenges of life. But then at the same time detachment doesn’t that one can withdraw completely. Anitya bhava doesn’t imply inaction. Meditation can help people develop anitya bhavana. Take some time off your daily schedule for moments of quite and silence.

Sthitaprarthanasana or the standing prayer pose:

Steps to do this asana:

Stand erect with your feet together, both toes and heels touching
Join your hands together at chest level
Draw your abdomen slightly inwards, keep your back straight, elbows and shoulders relaxed
Close your eyes and observe your breath
Maintain the pose for 3-5 minutes

Dradhasana or the firm pose:

Steps to do this asana:

Lie down on your back and turn to your left side
Fold your left arm and cushion your head on it
Align your body in one straight line and keep your legs one on top of the other
Rest your right arm on your body
Close your eyes and relax in this pose for 5 minutes

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Published : September 16, 2014 2:51 pm | Updated:June 15, 2015 9:52 pm