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Statistics show that people in the United States and abroad are practicing yoga in ever-increasing numbers. Some call it a fad that will eventually fade away. Yet the profound physical and psychological benefits that so many experience lead me to think otherwise. As medical and yoga research expand, empirical evidence places yoga therapy among the most effective complementary therapies for a variety of diseases and common ailments, including anxiety, heart disease, arthritis, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer.
More and more mainstream medical practices are adopting yoga therapeutics, as growing research shows its efficacy in aiding recovery, especially from stress-induced conditions, and improving overall health and vitality. Statistics show that 60 to 80 percent of the complaints that people bring to their doctors are stress-induced, and yoga can be an effective means to mitigate and even prevent stress-induced conditions, restoring a sense of balance and ease.
Hospitals are beginning to open integrative healthcare departments, adding yoga therapeutics as part of their complementary practices. Professional organizations, including the International Association of Yoga Therapists, are supporting and researching these efforts. Psychologists are incorporating specific breathing practices with anxious, stressed-out clients.
“Yoga means addition – addition of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul.”
–Amit Ray
The Healing Power of Yoga
Power of Yoga