Western Doctors Now Turning to Yoga

There are more than 500 research papers published on yoga, explaining its enormous healing benefits for a range of health conditions.

With the recognition of yoga as a clinically viable treatment, various yoga programs are established at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, and many other health care centers.

Now, doctors with traditional Western training, have started prescribing yoga to their patients. Yoga has helped several patients relieve their stress. It has allowed them to get rid of their smoking habits as well. It has helped people in overweight, high blood pressure, and pre-diabetic conditions. A daily yoga practice has helped them gain flexibility and restore their health.

Yoga – More Relevant Than Ever

People are suffering from various health issues due to the unhealthy changes in their lifestyles. Yoga can help them get out of these health issues.

Yoga has also relieved the side effects of cancer treatment. With a regular practice of yoga, breast-cancer patients have reported less fatigue while undergoing radiation therapy. That is why almost all the major US cancer centers include a yoga program as well.

Popularity of Yoga

In 2003, there were just five yoga training programs in the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). Now, there are over 130 worldwide programs accredited by IAYT.

According to the National Health Interview Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just 5 percent of the US population practiced yoga in 2002. By 2012, this number reached to 9.5 percent, almost double of the previous value.

The Future of Yoga

The health care has become challenging & very expensive, whereas yoga is safe & very affordable.

Researchers are currently using brain imaging and genomic expression to interpret the effects of yoga on the cellular and molecular level. This research will help take yoga into the realm of real science.

As the health care system starts moving away from a limiting illness model to a more enlightened wellness model, yoga has got more acceptance in the standard medical care. However, the most powerful shift is the one that needs to happen within us. Let’s take responsibility for our health, then only we will allow our bodies to heal from within.

Practicing yoga has set many people free from pain and suffering. It’s time that all of us experience peace, joy, and wellbeing in our lives.