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अर्चनार्चन
Jain Education International
पंचम खण्ड २७२
results of short term yogic training on mental health through the influence of autonomic nervous system and endoctrine system. The study of Gharote (1971) on school children evaluating the phycho-physiological effects of short term yogic training on the working of autonomic nervous system using a sophisticated and elaborate battery of Wenger's Autonomic Balance, brought evidence about the utility of yogic exercises towards improved emotional stability.
On the basis of some of the scientific investigations with yogic training programme mentioned above, it would be clear that yogic exercises can play important role in promoting health and fitness.
Cure of Disease
The curative aspect deals with the treatment of diseases through yogic procedures. Today Yoga has become more popular because of its therapeutical effects. There is a growing tendency among the masses to take the help of yogic exercises for overcoming certain disorders. Although therapeutically yoga has not reached a stage to throw light in the psycho-physiological mechanisms involved in the treatment and to cover within its compass a long list of disorders, it would be interesting to consider the available evidence in this area.
Circulatory Disorders
One of the accepted claims of yogic type of relaxation is for the reduction of hypertension. Benson and his co-workers have shown from a number of controlled studies lowering effect of Transcendental Meditation on Hypertension (Benson et al. 1973, 1974, Benson H. 1977). In 1969 Datey et al. after investigating the effects of Shavasana for six months on the hypertensive patients reported decrease in blood pressure levels to normal values in one group; another group showed lower blood pressure and a decreased need for medication while the third group who had already normal blood pressure level because of medication decreased their need of medication significantly from 33% to 100%. The patients also reported overcoming usual symptoms of headache, giddiness, irritability and insomnia and decreased chest pain and breathlessness on exertion (Datey et al. 1969). Another investigator who dealt with meditation therapy on hypertensives is Chandra Patel. She conducted series of investigations and got amazing results. (Patel 1973). Stone and de Leo (1976) used a technique involving breath awareness and examined the effects not only on lowering of blood preassure but also suggested biochemical aspects responsible for the enhanced blood pressure in the form of increase in dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and that breath awareness reduces the quantity of dopamine-beta-hydroxylase in the blood which accompanied lowering of the blood pressure.
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