How can Yoga help our Heart, Dr. S. C. Manchanda (Senior Consultant – Cardiology Sir Gangaram Hospital, New Delhi) speaks about how despite medical advancements we have not been able to overcome diseases. He attributes this to stress which changes the way the body functions. He dispels the misconception that yoga is a set of exercises and replaces it with the understanding that yoga combines physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. He further adds that diet is a component of yoga. Yoga has been described as an eight-limb discipline that is yam-niyaam but three of its most important components are:-

• Stretching exercises or what is termed as the asanas
• Breathing exercises and
• Meditation

He states that while each of the three components is important for a healthy body, special attention needs to be given to meditation. Several pieces of research conducted by the American Heart Association prove that yoga can help treat ailments of the heart. Dr. S. C. Manchanda reveals a few amongst numerous benefits of yoga:-

• Risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, stress, high blood pressure, can be controlled by practicing yoga
• Yoga can help restore the body to its original healthy state
• Yoga has healed advanced heart ailments that need bypass surgery or an angioplasty including arrhythmia and heart failure
• Depression, anxiety, and anger can potentially cause heart diseases and can be treated with yoga
• Stress leads to hypertension and more than 100 studies show that yoga can help decreases blood pressure to a great extent

He believes that combining yoga with modern medicine paves way for a healthier life.