International Day of Yoga 2021: From mental health to weight loss, Yoga Shri HR Nagendra explains benefits of Yoga

Yoga has solely grow to be extra essential within the mild of the coronavirus pandemic, throughout which the observe has not solely helped bodily, however has additionally supplied assist in coping with psychological well being points.

Worldwide Yoga Day 2021: Yoga is a observe that has been adopted in India for hundreds of years. It’s meant for bodily, psychological in addition to non secular well-being, and this has precipitated it to grow to be very fashionable amongst many different nations as effectively. The recognition and significance of Yoga was demonstrated again in 2014, when PM Narendra Modi’s proposal within the UN Normal Meeting to mark a World Yoga Day was endorsed by 175 member nations. Since then, the UN has been marking June 21 because the Worldwide Day of Yoga, and 2021 marks the seventh 12 months that the occasion is being celebrated in India. Yoga has solely grow to be extra essential within the mild of the coronavirus pandemic, throughout which the observe has not solely helped bodily, however has additionally supplied assist in coping with psychological well being points.

To grasp extra in regards to the significance of Yoga and the way it may also help, Monetary Specific On-line’s Bulbul Dhawan interacted with Yoga Shri Dr HR Nagendra, who’s the Yoga Guru to PM Narendra Modi and to many different ministers within the Union Authorities. Other than that, he’s additionally the Chairmanship of Worldwide Day of Yoga Activity Pressure, and is the Chancellor of S-VYASA (Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana).

On the event of Worldwide Yoga Day 2021, Yoga Guru HR Nagendra stated, “It must be our ethical responsibility to construct an immune, more healthy and stronger India by adopting yoga as an efficient adjunct to stop such pandemics. I urge everybody to undertake Yoga as a life-style that’s primarily based on the science of holistic dwelling.”

Catch live updates on International Day of Yoga 2021 here

Edited excerpts:

With the coronavirus pandemic nonetheless ongoing, how can Yoga assist folks in combating the an infection?

We all know that within the fashionable medical system, stronger and environment friendly vaccines have been developed, and the analysis is ongoing to ship the best vaccines. Equally, there may be quite a lot of analysis occurring to result in pharmacological and Ayurvedic interventions to take care of COVID- 19. Together with that, Yoga may also assist in stopping the coronavirus an infection. The precept is that we have now to spice up our immune system and construct a robust military with billions of white blood cells inside us. In comparison with the coronavirus, our WBC is 100 occasions stronger. Therefore, there’s a good risk that we don’t get contaminated if our immune system is robust, wholesome and filled with vitality. That is the place yoga may also help us obtain this.

If the immune system will get weakened on account of dangerous way of life decisions or stress, that might lead to a problem. It’s well-known that stress has an immuno-suppression issue which doesn’t have an effect on us solely on the bodily stage. Whereas bodily trauma or problem can undoubtedly trigger stress, psychological restlessness, emotional disappointment or deep-rooted psychological battle have the potential to have an effect on us much more. Stress is a multi-dimensional problem and subsequently, when it hits the immune system, it weakens it.

Yoga helps in assuaging these emotions whereas working in any respect ranges. By varied yoga postures, Pranayama, meditation, and Bhakti yoga may also help us perceive the varied dimensions of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology of the infectious illness and the way the immune system can fight it. Thus, yoga can contribute tremendously as an efficient approach to take care of these illnesses ensuing because of the coronavirus an infection. Due to this fact, the Ministry of AYUSH has additionally authorized the yoga protocol and has urged folks to observe it every single day.

S-VYASA has additionally developed specialised programmes for each age group which works on all ranges of well being and wellness. Bhramari Aasan has been confirmed to extend 15 occasions extra nitric oxide than easy respiratory, which might finally assist clear up the virus from our nasal passage. Due to this fact, it’s a fantastic software that can be utilized successfully as an adjunct to the allopathic system. Yoga by no means is a substitute for Western allopathic medicines however works collaboratively with it.

Our printed paper within the British Medical Journal titled “Yoga for bronchitis” in 1986 outlines some modules and methods which are related within the present context. These have helped individuals who have examined optimistic for Coronavirus and needed to quarantine themselves, and even acquired admitted within the hospital in extreme circumstances. We hope everybody adopts the ability of yoga and prepares their immune system for any additional wave or assault from the virus.

Dr HR Nagendra

The pandemic and the lockdown, each have had a extreme influence on the psychological well being of individuals. What position can Yoga play in tackling points like melancholy and nervousness, be it short-term or power?

The present pandemic has given us the chance to remain house, work on household relations and spend extra time with them. Nonetheless, this quarantine or isolation has additionally impacted the thoughts negatively. Therefore, it’s crucial for us to observe and introduce yoga at house to assist deal with psychological points akin to melancholy and nervousness. Yoga is well-known to be of nice worth on this space as it’s the management of the thoughts and feelings that’s most essential in these circumstances, and that’s the place Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga may also help.

Most individuals imagine that Yoga is for non secular functions and never for functions like weight reduction. What’s your opinion on this perception? Might you additionally inform us one thing about Energy Yoga?

This level has been highlighted by our Honorable Prime Minister, who has made it clear that Yoga isn’t just for individuals who go to the Himalayas to hunt non secular salvation. It’s for everybody within the society. Virtually a century again, Swami Vivekananda shared this message that yoga is a socially related science and this has been the target behind launching VYASA and S-VYASA College. Vivekananda preached that yoga is useful in all facets of life. Now we have a particular weight reduction Pranayama referred to as the Surya Anulom Vilom Pranayama, which if practiced 4 occasions earlier than breakfast, lunch, dinner and sleep can work wonders. It could actually assist cut back shut to 2 kilograms a month, and we have now seen hundreds of thousands of individuals profit from it within the final 4 a long time.

Equally, current additions like Energy Yoga and Scorching Yoga may also help cut back weight by burning energy fairly swiftly. Nonetheless, these must be practiced underneath professional supervision. Due to this fact, it’s important to know that yoga may also help in weight reduction however have to be adopted with nice precision underneath in a position steering.

There are quite a lot of ladies’s well being points, like PCOS. How can Yoga be used to battle them?

Our years of research have been in a position to show that yoga leisure by Asanas, sluggish respiratory practices, calming of the thoughts and observe of successfully built-in yoga modules that we have now developed for PCOS have labored wonders for a lot of ladies. Our college has additionally been in a position to publish a number of analysis papers.

Thyroid and resultant weight achieve can also be changing into a serious concern. How can one preserve this in examine with the assistance of Yoga?

Once more, bringing stability is the important thing essence to take care of all these important and critical non-communicable illnesses. For weight reduction, Surya Anulom Vilom Pranayama is the answer. It’s also essential to undertake leisure methods with the intention to handle circumstances akin to thyroid.

There are additionally a number of way of life points like diabetes, and even stress and fatigue which are being reported in a a lot bigger variety of folks. What can folks do to care for these points?

In relation to diabetes, our college undertook a giant undertaking on Niyantran Bharat the place we studied over 250 thousand folks from varied elements of the nation and printed 35 analysis papers, whereas 10 extra are within the offing. Due to this, the American Diabetic Affiliation in San Francisco final 12 months, awarded us for endeavor the biggest and simplest analysis that has been performed in India until date. Now we have sufficient experience to assist management points akin to diabetes and different NCDs with the assistance of particular yoga modules that are primarily based on the integrative method of yoga remedy that we have now mastered over time.