Yoga and the Quality of Life

The effects of yoga in prevention of pregnancy complications in high-risk pregnancies: A randomized controlled trial

“…Such interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing occurrences of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (Hofmeyr et al, 2010;Zhou and Lian, 1989), preventing preterm deliveries (Hochstrasser and Mattmann, 1994;Imdad et al, 2011;Sibai, 2011), improving fetal outcomes (Hochstrasser and Mattmann, 1994;Sabour et al, 2006), and enhance quality of life (Rakhshani, 2013;Rakhshani et al, 2010).…”

“…Therefore, the meditative and relaxing nature of the interventions in this study could be a possible explanation for the significant improvement in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and gestational diabetes that were observed in the yoga group. The reduction in the maternal stress could also have: 1) fostered multiple positive downstream effects on neuroendocrine pathway, metabolic function, and associated inflammatory responses (Innes et al, 2007); 2) activated the vagal nerve and thereby improved parasympathetic output leading to enhanced cardiac-vagal function, mood, energy state, and related neuroendocrine, metabolic, and inflammatory responses (Bowman et al, 1997;Taylor et al, 2010); and/or 3) promoted a feeling of well-being (Rakhshani, 2013), perhaps by reducing the activation and reactivity of the sympathoadrenal system and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis (Ross and Thomas, 2010). …”

A Holistic Antenatal Model Based on Yoga, Ayurveda, and Vedic Guidelines

“…In the pranamaya kosha, they move the prana, remove blockages in the nadis, and open the chakras. Finally, and most importantly, they gradually make the mind one-pointed in the manomaya kosha (Rakhshani, 2013).…”

“…The negative impact of the lifestyle stress has been illustrated in this figure by uneven arrows. called kośa ( ) or sheaths, that are more subtle than the physical body but play equally important roles in our emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing (Rakhshani, 2013). Including the physical body, there are a total of five kośas that are collectively referred to as pancha kośas ( ).…”

“…Including the physical body, there are a total of five kośas that are collectively referred to as pancha kośas ( ). Yoga seeks the root causes of illnesses within the four subtle bodies, believing that the diseases of the physical body are manifestations of disturbances in those metaphorical layers (Rakhshani, 2013). Table 1 outlines the different bodies and their primary functions.…”