Yoga to improve health and well-being!

Yoga to improve health and well-being:

Yoga originated thousands of years ago in India as a physical, mental and spiritual practice based on ancient Vedic philosophy, and is connected to Ayurveda, traditional Indian medicine. Throughout the 20th century, the recognition of yoga has grown beyond the borders of India, and it has become popular around the world as a system for improving well-being and health. While modern yoga often focuses on physical postures and is conceived as a type of exercise, its practice often incorporates one or more spiritual or mental elements that are traditionally part of yoga, such as relaxation, concentration, or meditation. For this reason, yoga is considered an exercise for body and mind.

Today there are many different types of yoga schools, each with a different emphasis and practical approach. Lately, the belief has spread that some of these yoga practices could help treat mental or physical illnesses, prevent them and improve the quality of life in general. That is why information is needed on the possible health benefits and harms of yoga.
Yoga therapy for nonspecific low back pain
Nonspecific low back pain is a common and potentially disabling condition often treated with self-care and non-prescription medication. Current guidelines state that exercise can be beneficial. This review assesses the effects of yoga for treating non-specific low back pain, compared with no specific treatment, minimal intervention (eg education) or other active treatment focused on pain, function and adverse events.

Health of the elderly and improvement of balance:

Exercise for reducing fear of falls in older patients residing in the community
Fear of falls is common in the elderly and is associated with serious physical and psychosocial consequences. Exercise (planned, structured, repetitive, and intentional physical activity aimed at improving fitness) can reduce fear of falls by improving strength, gait, balance, and mood and reducing the occurrence of falls. This review considers yoga, together with Tai Chi and the Feldenkrais Method, as a type of exercise intervention and assesses the effects of this and other exercise interventions in reducing fear of falls in non-institutionalized older people.

Yoga for asthma:

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder that affects nearly 300 million people worldwide. People with asthma sometimes use breathing exercises, body postures, and the mental or spiritual practices of yoga. This review assesses the effects of yoga in relieving distress and physical exhaustion for people with asthma.
Breathing exercises for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Breathing exercises, including those associated with yoga, aim to alter respiratory muscle recruitment, improve respiratory muscle performance, and reduce dyspnea in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This review assesses whether exercise is beneficial for people with COPD, comparing it to no exercise and also assessing other adverse effects.

Psychosocial interventions for recurrent abdominal pain in children:

Between 4% and 25% of school-age children complain of recurring abdominal pain severe enough to interfere with daily activities. No organic cause for this pain can be found on physical examination or examination for most children. A wide variety of psychosocial interventions, including cognitive and behavioral components, have been recommended to treat this condition. This review assesses the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions, including yoga, in reducing pain in school-aged children with recurrent abdominal pain.
Meditation therapies for attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common developmental disorders of childhood and can persist into adulthood. It can impair academic performance, vocational success, and social and emotional development. Meditation is increasingly used for psychological disorders and can serve as a tool for mindfulness training in the ADHD population. This review assesses the effectiveness of meditation therapies, including yoga, as a treatment for ADHD.

Yoga versus standard care for schizophrenia:

Schizophrenia is a relatively common, chronic, severe, and often disabling mental disorder. Many people with schizophrenia show an interest in practicing yoga as a substitute for or in addition to standard treatment. This review examines the effects of yoga versus standard care in people with schizophrenia.