YOGA & HEART

Yoga is an alternative system of healing, widely employed to prevent and treat various diseases of the heart. Yoga enhances heart health, lowers blood pressure, reduces chronic stress, boosts immune system and enhances cognitive ability. Yoga has an important role in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases as well as recurrence of heart attacks, hypertension and coronary heart diseases. Yoga affects the hypothalamus directly the area of the brain, controlling the endocrine activity and it helps to prevent heart attacks.

Disease is a manifestation of some disharmony in the mind-body complex. Yogic way of life helps to enhance health of body, mind and soul. It is a way to holistic health. Positive effects of yoga help to cure not only heart diseases, but also many others like Diabetes, obesity and psychiatric illness.

Cardiologists recommend yoga for cardiac and general health, as its focus is on:

Exercises, Breath Control, Sleep Control and Mind Control

Exercises - Asanas
Breath control - Pranayama
Sleep control- Yoga Nidra Or Deep Relaxation
Mind control- Visualization Or Meditation

Heart disease is a problem of modern civilization. It is psychosomatic in nature Improper lifestyle, faulty diet and negative thinking play an important part in triggering heart disease. Our thoughts, feelings and emotions affect our body and mind. Negative Emotions spark chemical processes throughout the entire body. Any irritation to the lining of arterial walls cause heart diseases. This injury may also be caused due to high levels of fat in the blood, smoking and high blood pressure.

Vedic wisdom in yoga lays emphasis on four aspects that effect a proper and Positive lifestyle. They are:

Achaar - Character And Conduct
Vichaar - Perception Or The Way We Think
Vyayahaar - The Way We Behave
Ahaar - Diet Or The Food We Eat

Achaar - It stands for moral virtues like non-harming others, truthfulness, abstention from theft, chastity, compassion and kindness.

Vichaar - The way we think highly affects our way of life. Practice keeping a positive outlook in life and remove negative thoughts from the mind.

Vyayahaar - It calls to replace undesirable habits to positive thought patterns. If we fear change and cling to old negative ones, we cannot succeed in yoga.

Ahaar – Food sustains our body. What we eat affects our mind directly. Intake of proper and healthy food nourishes body and mind. Avoid over eating and eat in moderation.

Any imbalance in the above, paves way to disease or disharmony of body, mind and soul. Mental relaxation through meditation and yoga contribute heavily to the prevention of arterosclerosis (coronary artery blocked due to the deposition of fats on the inner walls of the heart). Owing to its much positive effects direct and indirect on the cardiovascular system, yoga assumes a pivotal role in heart care.

Heart - What Is It

Many cultures have their own beliefs about the heart and the circulatory system. Greeks believed that the heart was the seat of the spirit, the Chinese believed the heart to be the center of happiness and the Egyptians believed the heart to be the center of emotions and Intellect.

Heart is a muscle, hollow and is the size of your fist. The heart is protected by the breastbone in the front and is located to the left of the centre of the chest
.
Structure: It has two lower ventricles, two upper auricles, the aorta and the pulmonary artery. There are also pulmonary veins and coronary arteries that carry oxygenated and deoxygenated blood to all parts of the body. The Aorta is the largest artery in the human body. It originates from the left ventricle of the heart and brings oxygenated blood to all parts of the body.

Function: The function of the heart is to circulate blood throughout the body. It pumps about 4.7 litres of blood every minute and 6768 litres of blood every day. The heart pumps blood through the lungs, which removes carbon-di-oxide and purifies the blood with oxygen. This oxygenated blood is pumped to the body to provide oxygen and nutrients and to remove waste products.

As the heart beats, it pumps blood through a system of blood vessels called the circulatory system. The heart pumps oxygen and nutrient- rich blood throughout the body to sustain life. When you run, the heart pumps more quickly. When you sleep, the heart pumps more slowly.

Blood circulates through organs such as the liver and kidneys, where wastes are removed and flows back to the lungs for oxygen. This process repeats itself. This process of circulation is necessary for continued life of the cells, tissues in the body.

The Flow Of Blood:

The blood starts in its arterial journey, bright red and rich- laden with life- giving qualities and properties. It returns by the venous route, poor, blue-laden with the waste matter of the system. Arteries are tubes that carry pure oxygenated blood from the heart towards the different parts of the body. Veins are vessels that carry back impure blood from the different parts of the body. The right Side of the heart contains impure venous blood. From the right side of the heart the impure blood goes to the lungs for purification. Oxygen in the lungs comes in contact with the impure blood through the thin walls of the hair - like blood - vessels of the lungs called pulmonary capillaries. A form of combustion takes place.

The blood takes up oxygen and releases carbonic acid gas generated from the waste products and poisonous matter, which has been gathered up by the blood from all parts of the system. The purified blood is carried by the four pulmonary veins to the left auricle and then to the left ventricle. From the ventricle it is pumped into the biggest artery, aorta. From aorta, it passes into the different arteries of the body.

From the arteries the pure blood goes into the thin capillaries. From the capillaries the lymph of the blood nourishes the tissues of the body. Tissue respiration takes place in the tissues. Tissues take up the oxygen and leave the carbon dioxide. The veins take the impurities to the right side of the heart.

Heart Diseases

Heart diseases are common killers in most developed countries. It is a chronic disease with no cure. When one has coronary artery disease, it is important to take good care of your heart for the rest of your life.

Yoga can help in preventing and curing cardiovascular heart diseases. Proper life-style and diet are the keys in managing and avoiding heart disease. Yoga has a role to play in both of these. Yoga can definitely help in hindering the progress of heart diseases. The physical activity in yoga enhances cardiac efficiency, soon after a person starts practicing yoga.

Yoga may be the easiest introduction to healthy living. Heart like any other muscle in our bodies, needs to be used and then rested. The heart must be used, to let the blood flow through it, air, energy and the emotion of love and compassion must be let to pass into it. Otherwise, one tends to become hard hearted and mean.

Recent studies say that diseases of the heart are preventable and reversible. They say that by changing one’s lifestyle, one can create a healthier heart. In the deeper level, surgery and drugs do not offer the ultimate solution to the diseases of the heart. People with heart disease should not suppress their feelings. Rather they should seek support groups or friends to vent out their emotions. Many people manifest their repressed feelings through the physical body, as disease.

Cardiologists say that, a low- fat diet, preferably vegetarian foods, moderate exercise, a positive frame of mind and practice of yoga, will help in the cure of the disease. The path of yoga helps in the prevention and stress in healthy people, aids in the recovery of diseases and other illnesses, gives strength to the physical body and helps in weight loss, induces deep relaxation, and wellness of body, mind and soul is gained.

The five essential parts of yoga practice involve:

Yoga postures or Asanas
Pranayama or Breathing Exercises
Yoganidra or Deep Relaxation
Visualization or Imagery
Meditation

Yoga Postures Or Asanas

Yoga sutras say, that a posture that is comfortable and stable is an asana. Stability and feeling of well-being are the results of asana. The practice of asana teaches us to sit erect, keep ourselves healthy and the mind is let free.

The health of the human body depends on the health of the tissues. The organs of the human body are made up of tissues. Practice of asana replenishes the tissues with a fresh supply of oxygen. Elements necessary for nourishment of tissues are carried to them by blood. The circulatory system plays a vital role in the nourishment of tissues. The heart is the strongest muscle in the body. It can be made healthier by means of proper yogic exercises. The contraction and relaxation of the heart cause the circulation of blood to all parts of the body.

The yogic exercises give a good massage to the perpetually working heart. Asanas involve very little muscular activity. In such a condition, the heart has a tendency to slow down its speed and the heart beats in a controlled manner. When the muscular activity is less, there is minimum production of carbon dioxide. This reduces the levels of stress to the heart.

Asanas improve cardiovascular efficiency even in a diseased person. Asanas are an essential component of yoga that brings steadiness and stability to the body. Hence it implies, if we want to stay healthy then asanas are necessary.

Effects Of Stress On Heart

The involuntary function of the body like circulation is controlled by the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. The autonomic nervous system is divided into two: The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic

When sympathetic nervous system is stimulated, a person’s stress level increases. Stress increases our heart rate. Again, when this system is stimulated beyond a point, it results in decrease in HDC level, rise in oxidized LDL level, and increase in vascular spasm. These changes in the body cause atherosclerosis, plaque formation, plaque rupture and increase in platelet stickiness. Prolonged stress causes psychosomatic diseases like hypertension, diabetes etc.

The parasympathetic nervous system works against sympathetic system, to balance the stress level. Practice of yoga stimulates the parasympathetic system and
Combats stress.

Care should be taken to avoid negative emotions to dominate the mind (emotions like anger, hostility, resentment, jealousy, fear, vanity, egoism and criticism). These negative emotions induce secretion of hormones, that increase the irritability of the myocardium (the muscle of the heart). Negative emotions also bring down the immunity level of a person, causing an overall deterioration of health.

Guidelines For Asana Practice

In asana practice, one can stretch the muscles more, if relaxation is practiced along with the efforts. This relaxation helps to improve the function and efficiency of internal organs. Blood supply to these internal organs is improved.

A few thoughts to bear in mind…
Yoga exercises are not about accomplishment.
Yoga is turning inward, focusing the mind and relaxing into the asana.
The desire to, “do it right” attitude should be set aside.
The tendency to emulate another person with exceptional flexibility, should be
Done away with.
Go easy, Go slowly. Pain should never be a part of yoga.

Select Asanas For The Heart

Anjali Mudra

This mudra ( this means “ gesture” ) is also known as Hrdayanjali Mudra, which means, Reverence to the Self or the Heart. This mudra is an excellent way to induce a peaceful state of mind. This mudra is a gesture of reverence to the divine in us.

Benefits

It opens the heart.
It calms the brain and reduces stress and anxiety.
It creates flexibility in the hands, fingers, wrists and arms.

Steps To Follow:

Sit comfortably in siddhasana or in a cross- legged position. Inhale and bring your palms together.
Press the hands firmly and evenly against each other.
Bow your head slightly.
Do this mudra for 5 minutes till a feeling of peace takes over you.

Swastikasana

In ancient times, swastika is considered an auspicious symbol and when this asana is practiced, the body assumes the shape of swastika with legs placed on each other.

Benefits

It helps in stabilizing pulse beats.
It reduces the strain on muscles of the heart.

Steps To Follow:

Take a sitting position.
Spread both legs apart at a distance of 1-1.5 ft.
Bend the left leg at the knee and place it in such a way that the feet touches the inner side of the right thigh.
Then bend the right leg at the knee and place the feet touching the inner side of the left thigh.
Place your hands on the respective knees.
Keep the spine erect and close your eyes.

Bhujangasana (cobra pose)

This posture promotes the flexibility in the spine and encourages the chest to open.

Benefits

It strengthens the spine.
It helps relieve stress and fatigue.
It opens the heart and lungs.

Steps To Follow:

Lie on your abdomen, placing your forehead on the floor with arms at your sides.
Take in 3-4 deep breaths and slowly raise your head off the floor.
Then raise shoulders slowly and hold this position for several deep breaths.
Bend your elbows, placing your hands besides your chest.
Without raising your stomach off the floor, raise your chest with the arms balancing the body.
Breathing evenly, maintain this position for several deep breaths.
Exhale. Slowly lower the body and place your forehead on the floor.
Do this 3-4 times and bring your arms against the body and relax.

Viparitakarani

This traditional pose is the further stage of uttanapadasana.

Benefits:

The practice of this asana helps to clear obstructions in blood circulation caused by varicose veins.
It maintains health of thyroid glands.
It helps in effective blood circulation in the head.

Steps To Follow:

Lie on your back with hands straight by the side of thighs and palms resting on the ground.
Slowly raise your legs from the floor without bending the knees.
Raise the legs till they are perpendicular to the floor.
Bring the legs slightly towards the head, so that the buttocks also will be raised up.
Support your buttocks with your hands. Keep your legs straight with elbows placed on the floor.
Straighten your legs parallel to the elbows, while giving support to the buttocks.
Come back to the original position, by slowly bringing the legs towards the ground and placing the hands on the ground.
Then bring the buttocks to the ground, with legs kept straight.
Bring the legs to the ground and relax.

Limitation:

People suffering from hypertension, cervical spondylitis and operative stage of hernia should not practice it.

Sarvangasana (shoulder stand)

Sarvangasana means the asana, which influences the whole body. It is a further improvement of uttanapadasana and viparitakarani. They stimulate the endocrine, nervous and circulatory system.

Benefits:

It encourages circulation.
It prevents stagnation of blood.
It massages the heart.
It relieves lethargy and mental sluggishness.

Steps To Follow:

Lie on your back with arms at your sides.
Inhale and then exhale by raising your legs slowly to a vertical position.
Continue to raise your legs and hips putting your legs directly over your head.
Place your palms against the back, close to the shoulders.
The elbows are on the floor supporting the trunk.
Press the breastbone against your chin.
Keep your legs straight, relaxed and perpendicular to the floor.
Breathe evenly and hold for several deep breaths.
Exhale and slowly lower your legs and hips to the starting position.

Limitation:

Those suffering from high blood pressure should not practice it.

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