Abstract

Dr. MD Abu Bashar*

ABSTRACT

Yoga and Modern medicine are not mutually exclusive to each other. While modern medicine has a definitive role in terms of its treatment and management of acute illnesses and emergency conditions, Yoga offers services in terms of preventive, promotive and rehabilitative methods in addition to many management methods to tackle modern illnesses. Several studies have shown that yoga and/or meditation can control risk factors for cardiovascular disease like hypertension, type II diabetes and insulin resistance, obesity, lipid profile, psychosocial stress and smoking. Some randomized studies suggest that yoga/meditation could retard or even regress early and advanced coronary atherosclerosis. However, there are many limitations with reported studies and large trials with improved and uniform methodologies and long term outcomes are required to confirm these findings. In view of the existing evidence, it appears appropriate to incorporate yoga/meditation for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.