YOGA FOR HEALTH PROMOTION

3.1 Brief introduction to human body

3.2 Role of Yoga for health promotion
3.3 Yogic positive attitudes (Maitri, Karuṇā, Mudita, Upekṣa) and
concept of bhāvas (Dharma, Jñāna, Vairāgya, Aiśvarya) and their
relevance in well being
3.4 Yogic diet, its relevance and importance in Yoga sādhanā
3.5 Dinacarya and Ṛtucarya w.r.t Yogic life style
3.6 Holistic approach of Yoga towards health and disease
3.7 Introduction to First aid and Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR)
3.8 Yogic management of stress and its consequences
3.9 Yoga in prevention of common disorders
3.10 Yoga for personality development
3.1
 1. Respiratory System - Allows gas exchange between cells
and the environment. Includes trachea and lungs.
•The respiratory system takes oxygen from the environment and converts it
into a form that cells can use.
•In humans, that means that our lungs take in oxygen, and rapidly diffuse it
into the blood. The lungs accomplish this by passing large amounts of
blood over gas exchange membranes; the body‟s whole blood volume
passes over these membranes about once per minute!
•It could be argued that the respiratory system is one of the body‟s most
important. Without oxygen to fuel cellular respiration, cells begin to die
within minutes.
•This is the real reason why heart attacks are deadly; although the heart is
part of the circulatory system, not the respiratory system, it is responsible
for transporting oxygen from lungs to our cells. When the circulatory
system stops working, our tissues begin to die from lack of oxygen.
•The lungs also expel carbon dioxide – a waste product of cellular
respiration which could otherwise build up to toxic levels.
 2. Digestive System/Excretory System - Ingests food and breaks it
down into usable nutrients. Excretes solid waste products. Includes the
mouth, esophagus, stomach, and intestines.
•The digestive system takes in food and processes it to obtain useful nutrients.
•One of the most important purposes of food is to serve as cellular fuel; carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats can all be used by our cells to as sources of the energy.
•We get important nutrients from food, such as essential amino acids (amino acids our
bodies can‟t make themselves), good fats, and vitamins and minerals that our cells need
to keep their machinery in good working order.
•When food enters the body, it is first chewed by the mouth to break it down into a mush.
•In the stomach, it is treated with acids and special enzymes that break the food‟s
components down into more useful forms.
•Finally, it passes through the intestines: being squeezed through the huge surface area of
the intestinal tubes ensures that maximum useful nutrients are extracted from the food.
•The liver helps by releasing substances that assist the stomach and intestines in breaking
down food, and by breaking down toxic substances in the blood.
•Once these nutrients have been extracted from foods, they are distributed to the body‟s
cells by the circulatory system.
•The digestive/excretory system also expels solid waste components of our food that our
body can‟t use in the form of fecal matter.
 3. Cardiovascular/Circulatory System – Moves materials between
body systems, including oxygen, nutrients, hormones, and waste products.
Includes the heart, arteries, and veins.
•The cardiovascular system is a highly efficient system for moving
substances around the body. The body‟s entire blood volume takes about a
minute to circulate – making this a truly high-speed expressway for
distributing oxygen, nutrients, messages, and removing waste.
•The heart is the central pump of the circulatory system, sending blood to
throughout the body at very high speeds. To ensure that we get enough
oxygen, the heart even pumps blood through a special circuit to send large
amounts of blood through the lungs quickly.
•The arteries are the oxygen-delivery system that carry oxygenated blood
through the body at high speeds and pressures. Arteries don‟t merely contain
the blood; they have walls of smooth muscle which contract to help the
blood keep going, even far away from the heart. This is why injuries to
arteries are so dangerous; if an artery is injured, the body‟s whole blood
volume can drain out through it very fast!
•The veins return blood to the heart after its oxygen has been
removed. The blood in veins moves a bit slower and at lower
pressures.
•At the finest level of the circulatory system, tiny blood vessels called
capillaries carry blood all throughout the tissues. By passing blood
flow close to every cell, the capillaries ensure efficient delivery of
needed substances. Most bleeding from superficial cuts comes from
blood seeping from these tiny, often microscopic, blood vessels.
•In addition to oxygen and nutrients, the circulatory system also
transports chemical messages, such as hormones, around the body.
This allows the adrenal glands, for example, to send messages that
cause our whole body to prepare for fight or flight.
•Lastly, of course, the circulatory system performs the vital task of
carrying waste products away from our cells. It delivers carbon
dioxide to the lungs, and other toxins to the liver and kidneys to be
destroyed or excreted.
 4. Excretory system (Renal System/Urinary System
Function)
• Cleans dissolved waste products from the blood and excretes them.
Includes kidneys and bladder.
• Renal System/Urinary System Function
• The renal/urinary system keeps our body healthy by removing
dangerous waste products from our blood and expelling them from our
body in the form of urine.
• All blood is passed through the kidneys, where special filters allow
dangerous substances to pass out of the bloodstream while keeping
helpful substances in.
• The waste liquid that‟s filtered out by the kidneys is stored in the
bladder until the body expels it.
5. Endocrine System - Secrets chemical signals that allow body
systems to act cooperatively as needed. Includes hormone-producing
tissues of the pineal gland and pituitary gland in the brain; the thyroid
gland; the adrenal glands; the pancreas; and the ovaries and testes.
• The endocrine system consists of a number of tissues that send out chemical messages
called „hormones‟ to the rest of the body. Each of these messages has its own unique
purpose, to which the body‟s other systems respond accordingly.
• The endocrine system allows the body to respond to environmental changes, and to
other types of survival changes, such as the need to reproduce. Some examples of
messages sent by the endocrine system are:
• Fight or flight – When a threat appears in the environment, the adrenal glands secrete
adrenaline. In answer to this chemical message, the heart pumps blood faster, breathing
deepens to take in more oxygen, and the nervous system sharpens perception and
memory formation.
• Reproductive signals – When the body is ready to reproduce, the ovaries or testes send
chemical messages that affect other organs, including the brain. For the female
reproductive system, preparing the uterus for pregnancy involves a complex cascade of
chemical messages that repeat on a monthly cycle.
• Hungry or full – When the body is hungry, your stomach releases a hormone that tells
the brain and other organ systems to start seeking food. When the body is full, on the
other hand, another set of hormones go out telling the body it can stop eating.
6. Nervous System - Allows perception, emotion, thought, and rapid response
to the environment. Includes brain and nerves.
• Nervous system → help all the body parts to communicate with each other via
electrical and chemical impulses.
• Nervous system is involved in Nervous coordination. NS is divided into central nervous
system (CNS) & peripheral nervous system (PNS). CNS represents the largest part of
the nervous system, including the brain and the spinal cord, Together, with the PNS, it
has a fundamental role in the control of behaviour.
• The nervous system allows us to sense stimuli such as light, sound, smell, and touch
from our environment. It also allows rapid communication of stimuli within our body,
such as sensations of pain, illness, and wellness.
• It also gives us the brain – a huge central processing unit that combines these stimuli
into unified experiences and performs tasks such as recording memories, producing
emotional responses, and thinking.
• The last important function of the nervous system is to allow our brain to send signals
to back to our body, enabling us to respond to environmental stimuli.
• The brain can be thought of as the control center that receives data, analyzes it, and
then commands the body to respond.
• The nervous system accomplishes all of this using highly specialized cells called
neurons, which can transmit signals extremely fast by firing electrochemical potentials.
7. Musculoskeletal system – Allows the body to move on command.
• The system of muscles throughout an organism operates to move the organism and
stimulate the internal organs. There are several main types of muscles in a
mammal: smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle.
• Cardiac muscle is the muscle surrounding the heart and has the most important
function within the circulatory system. Cardiac muscle is different from both
smooth muscle and skeletal muscle and is adapted to make contractions
continuously. Smooth muscle is better at squeezing and holding, while the skeletal
muscle is best adapted to short bursts of strenuous exercise.
• A portion of smooth muscle covers many internal organs and is responsible for
holding certain passages shut, erecting hairs, and even moving food through the gut
in an action called peristalsis. Smooth muscle is generally controlled by the
subconscious or autonomous nervous system. In a few cases, these muscles can be
controlled voluntarily. In others, they are completely automatic.
• Skeletal muscles work by attaching to the skeleton and contracting or relaxing.
When you make a fist, the muscles on the insides of your fingers are contracting,
while the outside muscles relax and stretch out. When you fold your fingers out
flat, the backside muscles are contracting. These opposite groups of muscles rely
on the skeletal system to create forces. Thus, the systems are often combined and
called the musculoskeletal system.
8. Integumentary System/Exocrine System - Covers the body and
regulates its exchange with the outside world. Includes skin, hair, nails, sweat, and
other glands which secrete substances onto the skin.
• Like our bones and muscles, the job of our skin may seem mundane – but
it is very important! Skin keeps our other organs in, and everything else
out.
• Skin is our body‟s first line of defense against bacteria, viruses, injuries,
and more. It also controls how much heat and water our body loses to the
environment, allowing us to sweat. Even goosebumps are part of our
skin‟s regulation system; the tightening of the skin raises our fine hairs
upright, trapping warm air close to our skin.
• The skin is a surprisingly complex material, which scientists have not
been able to reproduce artificially. This is because it is a living tissue,
which is constantly maintained by the nourishing circulatory system
underneath; and by a number of glands on the outside of our skin, which
secrete oils and other substances that keep our skin from drying and
cracking.
• Fun fact: skin is also the largest organ in the body. Or perhaps we should
say, the largest organ on the body.
 9. Lymphatic System/Immune System - Fights infection. Includes
lymphatic vessels which permeate the body.
• Every living thing needs to be able to fight infection. This is because every organism that is
made of delicious carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids has another organism that wants to eat
it. Some of these organisms are big predators, but most are microscopic pathogens that can
easily fit inside us, instead of fitting us inside of them.
• In the case of animals, we have white blood cells that can specially target and destroy
invading pathogens. These white blood cells are made in our bone marrow and stored in
our blood and our lymphatic systems.
• The lymphatic system is a circulatory system separate from the cardiovascular system that
carries water, white blood cells, and other substances. It does not have red blood cells or
platelets. Because it is not the body‟s main carrier of oxygen, lymph can move more slowly
than the bloodstream – giving the white blood cells more time to find and attack invaders.
• “Lymph nodes” are nexuses in the lymphatic system where white blood cells can cluster
and attack invading pathogens. Sometimes when we‟re sick, our lymph nodes – such as
those behind the ears, under the jaw, and in the armpits and groin- can become painful and
swollen as our immune systems fight the infections in these nodes.
• Our immune systems are very good at their jobs. If you want to know how good, look at
patients with severely compromised immune systems. People without functioning immune
systems can contract fatal infections just from walking around in everyday environments
without protection; prolonged lack of an immune system is usually fatal.
 10. Reproductive System - Allows the production of offspring.
Includes ovaries, uterus, mammary glands (breasts), penis, and testes.

•The reproductive system is not essential to individual survival, but it is

essential for the survival of the species. After all, a species whose members
couldn‟t reproduce would not last very long!
•In humans, there are two very different reproductive systems: the male
system, which is concerned primarily with producing sperm and finding
mates; and the female system, which must prepare for pregnancy,
childbirth, and baby care for reproduction to be successful.
•The female reproductive system is a particularly fascinating study in the
way body systems work together to ensure our survival. Throughout the
course of a woman‟s monthly cycle, her body uses four different hormones
– most of which are produced by her ovaries – to decide when and whether
her body should prepare for pregnancy.
•The major effects of the reproductive hormones are on the reproductive
organs themselves, which must bring eggs for maturity and prepare uterine
lining, rich in blood vessels, to nurture a possible embryo.
•But other effects are also seen in other organ systems. As a woman‟s cycle
progresses, her hormones may affect her body temperature; blood flow; and
even her appetite and her attraction to the opposite sex, to ensure that all the
right resources are in place at the right time.
•Women in some parts of the world have been known to develop bizarre
eating habits due to the demands of their reproductive cycle. In areas with
poor nutrition, for example, the monthly shedding of the blood-rich uterine
lining can cause deficiencies of the minerals found in the blood. As a result,
women in these areas may actually eat clay from the ground to ensure these
minerals are replenished! Their bodies, through some set of chemical
signals, simply know what to do.
•We may not see such clear examples of our body systems interacting on a
daily basis; but the organs and tissues that make up our body systems are
always communicating, and working together, to keep us and our species
alive and healthy.
 3.2 Role of Yoga for health promotion
 Definition of Yoga as per different texts.

 What do you mean by health…

 What aspects of health should be taken into consideration

to promote health…

 Yoga practice set / module should be chosen according to

age, past and present medical history, time and money one

can afford to follow one‟s routine.

3.3 Concept of Bhāvas and Bhāvanās, their relevance in
well-being
1. Dharma Bhāva (Self-Direction):
Self–direction is an important requirement for developing awareness.
It leads us to right path. The self directed person does not require any
force or pressure. One can get appropriate self-direction by knowing
and following the components given below:
• Duty कर्तव्य
• Faith विश्वास
• Preparedness र्ैयारी
• Yama – Ahimsa Satya Asteya Brahmacarya Aparigraha
• Niyama – Śauca Santoṣa Tapas Svādhyāya Iśvara
praṇidhāna
 Dharma Bhāva धर्त भाि (Self direction)
Our duties कर्तव्य are:
• Towards our own self हमारी स्वयं की ओर
• Towards our family हमारे पररवार की ओर
• Towards our work हमारे काम की ओर
• Towards our society हमारे समाज की ओर
• Towards our world हमारी दु ननया की ओर
Faith विश्वास:
Faith means trust and confidence in oneself and in Supreme Power. It
makes the person confident and gives one the strength to go on in life.
Faith energizes one to keep going amidst grave sufferings and
difficulties. It keeps the person free from anxiety, strengthens one to
walk through adverse circumstances in life.
 Dharma Bhāva
Preparedness र्ैयारी:
Preparedness means readiness or willingness to start or do a task
which one is expected to do. Preparedness leads the person to do
things in better way. It leads to confidence and relaxes the mind.
E.g. Practicing sukṣma vyāyāma before performing proper
asanas.

Yama (rules of conduct)

Niyama (self-discipline (s))

 Dharma Bhāva
Discipline अनुशासन:
Discipline means controlling oneself. It includes controlling
one‟s ways, acts and behaviour as per our beliefs and duties. It
instills certainty and orderliness in the life of an individual.
Discipline can be imbibed in daily life by setting some rules and
a code of conduct in a realistic way and then truthfully observing
them. It is related to performing one‟s duties. E.g. Road
manners, table manners, āśram anuśāsan, etc…
 2. JÑĀNA Bhāva
Knowledge means acquisition of information and increasing one‟s awareness
about subject of interest. The acquisition of information makes one aware of
the surroundings and also leads to the viveka (discriminatory knowledge)
making one capable of deciding what is right and what is wrong. In the
context of Yoga, jñāna should be of the following:

Body awareness शरीर के प्रवर् Breathing and Mental State

जागरूकर्ा श्वास और र्ानवसक स्थिवर्

Concentration एकाग्रर्ा Training of the senses इं विय ं

Coordination सर्न्वय का प्रवशक्षण
Coordination सर्न्वय:
Coordination needs more concentration and alertness. For hitting a
nail with hammer, one needs to coordinate the act in such a way that
both (hammering and nail) are in place at the same time. In Yoga,
coordination skills are very important e.g. neuromuscular coordination
is required for performing asanas.
Breathing and mental state श्वास और र्ानवसक स्थिवर्:
Breathing and mental state are closely related. In the state of anger or
excitement, the rate of breathing increases up to 29 times a minute
while it remains 4 to 6 times a minute in relaxed or calm state.
In Yoga, breathing and thinking are closely related. Many try to tackle
breathing to overcome their anger.
Training the senses इं विय ं का प्रवशक्षण:
Pratyāhāra concept……
 3. Vairāgya Bhāva
„Vairāgya‟ is a compound word that may be split up as Vai meaning "to dry, be
dried” and Rāga meaning color, passion, feeling, emotion, interest etc. This implies
the complete cessation of desire, attachment and personal cravings in the process
of attaining a state wherein one is not influenced by Rāga or Dveṣa (Dvandvatīta).
Mahaṛṣi Patañjali defines Vairāgya as
दृष्टानुश्रनवकनवषयनवतृष्णस्य वशीकारसंज्णा वैराग्यम् ॥१५॥
dr̥ṣṭa-anuśravika-viṣaya-vitr̥ṣṇasya vaśīkāra-saṁjṇā vairāgyam //
Imperturbability results from a balance in the consciousness, and when the desire
for all things that we see or have heard of is extinguished.
Detachment means non-attachment with the worldly things. Non-attachment can
lead a person to a state of equanimity in all situations. A non-attached person
remains unaffected by failures and successes, joys and sorrows of life. It makes a
person selfless and humble. Important components of Vairāgya are:
Humility विनम्रर्ा
Humility frees a person from the state of „I‟ ness and leads to ego-
lessness. Humbleness is a virtue which makes a person polite and
social and brings harmony in one‟s social relations. Saying „please‟
„sorry‟; touching the feet of elders, greeting people coming to meet
and so on are a few examples of practicing humility.

Objectivity वनष्पक्षर्ा
sākśi bhāva’, impartially, without any bias. It makes a person
capable of looking at things in their real perspective. Detachment and
objectivity are closely connected.
Generally we are attached to the worldly things. Thus leads us
to subjectivity and we tend to judge things in our own
perspective. We become emotional and allow feelings to take
charge. We identify ourselves with those overwhelming
feelings which grip us. As a result person gets attached to the
worldly things more than what is essential.

Karma Yoga….niṣkāma karma

 4. Aiśwarya Bhāva
Attainment of goal or aiśwarya is very important in life. Following
components are important for it:
Self Reliance आत्म वनभतरर्ा
Training of mind र्न का प्रवशक्षण
Memory स्मृवर्
Dedication सर्र्त ण
Self esteem आत्म सम्मान
Confidence आत्मविश्वास
Will power इच्छाशस्ि
3.3 Changes we should adapt in our attitudes according to Ṛṣi
Patañjali:
Towards those who are happy or joyful (sukha)
We might feel: Resistance/distance, but instead develop:
Maitri (Friendliness/kindness): If you are mindful about this normal
tendency of the mind, then you can consciously cultivate an attitude
of friendliness and kindness when you are around these happy people,
or when you think about them.
Towards those who are in pain or suffering (duhkha)
We might feel: Imposition/frustration, but instead, develop:
Karuna (Compassion/support): It is good to observe that inclination
of the mind, however small. It just means to be mindful of it, while at
the same time consciously cultivating compassion and support for
others who are suffering.
Towards those who are virtuous or benevolent (punya)
We might feel: Better to cultivate ignorance/jealousy, but instead
develop:
Mudita (Happiness/goodwill): Better that we cultivate attitudes of
happiness and goodwill towards such people. It is not always easy to
cultivate positive attitudes when inside we are feeling negative.

Towards those who we see as bad or wicked (apunya)

We might feel: Anger/hatred, but instead develop:
Upeksha (Neutrality/acceptance): To counterbalance the negative
feelings toward someone you feel is bad, wicked, or lacking in virtue,
the antidote is to cultivate an attitude of neutrality, indifference,
acceptance, or equanimity. It can be difficult to cultivate this attitude,
since it might make us think we are approving of their bad behavior.
 3.4 Yogic Principles of Diet and its role in Healthy living.
PATHY (Conducive to health) APTHY (Non-conducive to health)

There should be a sense of discrimination and selection in what one eats in

terms of good health and the kinds of foods available. The same kind of diet
produces different reactions in different persons because of divergence in
their individual digestive and assimilative capacities.
In traditional Hatha Yoga books, two sanskrit words „Pathya’ (conducive
items) and „Apathya’ (non conducive items) are used regarding food and its
wise selection by a yogi.
Pathya: The āhār vihār which is suitable to the body and also gives
happiness to the mind is known as Pathya and opposite to that is
Apathya. (Caraka Sūtra)

Pathya: The diet and any prescribed course of treatment which is

suitable in health and disease

Apathya: The diet and any prescribed course of treatment which is

unsuitable in health and disease

According to Swami Svatmarama, he who begins the practice of yoga

without controlling his diet suffers from many diseases and does not
make progress in yoga sadhana.
Yogis believe that one needs food not for energy but for the building
materials it contains. As healthy diet will yield healthy building blocks
of body which ultimately means the body is fit as an instrument for
yoga sādhanā. Yogis believe that the energy does not come from food.
If food were energy, people would never sleep but would merely work
and eat whole day and night…..
Our energy is the essence of food which comes from all chemical
reactions the food undergoes from mastication in mouth uptil
assimilation in large intestines. Hence yogi should take moderate diet
and fill half of his stomach with pleasant food, a quarter with water
and the fourth quarter should be left free for the movement of the air.
Apathya वनविद्धाहारः in Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā
कट्वम्ले लवणं नतक्तं भृष्टं च दनधतक्रकम्। शाकोत्कटं तथामद्यं तालं च पनसंतथा।। 5/23 ।।
कुलत्थं मसूरं पाण्ुं कूष्माण्डं शाकदण्डकम्। तुम्बीकोल कनपत्थं च कण्नवल्वपलाशकम्।।
5/24 ।।
कदम्बं जम्बीरं निम्बं लकुचं लशुनं नवषम्। कामरङ्गं नपयालं च नहं गुशालम्लीकेमुकम्।। 5/25
।।
योगारम्भे वजजयेच्च पथस्त्रीवनिसेवनम्। नवनीतंघृतक्षीरं गुडशक्रानदचैक्षवम्।। 5/26 ।।
In the beginning of Yogic practices, one should avoid bitter, sour, salt,
pungent, scorched food, curds, butter-milk, heavy vegetables, liquor, palm-
nuts, Jack-fruit, Kulattha (horse gram), Masūra (lentil pulse), Pāṇḍu,
Kuṣmāṇḍa (pumpkin gourd), vegetable stems, gourds, berries, Kapittha
(wood apple), Kaṇṭa-bilva (dry Indian red berries), Palāśaka (Peepal leaves),
Kadamaba (tree), Jambīra (lemon), Biṁba (Kundru), Lakuca (Monkey
Jack), Laśuna (Garlic), Lotus stalk fibres, Kāmaranga (a plant), Piyāla
(leaves of Charoli / Chironji), Hiṅgu (Hing), Śālmali (Seemul or silk-cotton
tree), Kemuka (leaves of Kachaalu). Similarly he should avoid much
travelling, company of women and basking near fire.
Pathya in
Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā
शाल्यन्नं यवनपष्ठं वा गोधूमनपष्टकं तथा ।
मुद्गगंमाषचणकानद शुभ्रं च तुषवनजजतम् ।। 5/17 ।।
A Yogi should eat food prepared from rice, flour or barley and wheat, green
gram, black gram, horse gram, etc which should be clean and free from
husk.
पटोलं पनसं मानं कक्कोलं च शुकाशकम् ।
द्रानढकां ककजटीं रम्भां डु म्बरीं कण्कण्कम्।। 5/18 ।।
अमरम्भां भालरम्भां रम्भादण्डं च मूलकम् ।
वाताज कीं मूलकं ऋद्धं योगी भक्षणमाचरे त् ।। 5/19 ।।
A Yogi should eat Paṭola (snake gourd), Sūrana (yam), Māna, Kakkola
(berries of Coccolus indicus), Śukaśaka (leaves), Drāḍhikā (pomegranate),
Karkaṭi (cucumber), Rambhā (banana), Ḍuṁbari, Kanṭakaṇṭaka (leaves),
Āmarambhā (half ripened banana), Bālarambhā (tender banana),
Rambhādaṇḍa (stem of banana), Mūlaka (raddish), Vārtāki (brinjal) and
Ṛddhi.
Pathya in
Gheraṇḍa Saṁhitā
वालशाकं कालशाकं तथा पटोलपत्रकम्।
पंचशाकं प्रशंसीयात् वास्तुकं नहलमोनचकाम्।। 5/20 ।।
He may eat the five recommended leafy vegetables: Bālaśāka, Kālaśāka,
Paṭolapatraka, Vāstūka and Himalocika.

पक्वरम्भां नाररकेलं दानडम्बमनशवासवम्।

द्राक्षाङ् गुलवल धात्रीं रसमाम्लाववनजजतम् ।। 5/27 ।।
एलाजानतलवङ्गं च पौरुणं जम्बु जाम्बलम्।
हरीतकीं खजूजरं च योगी भक्षणमाचरे त्।। 5/28 ।।
A Yogi should eat fresh butter, ghee, milk, sugar, sugarcane, jaggery, ripe
plantain, cocoa-nut fruit, pomegranates, grapes, Lavali (guava), Dhātri
(Amla or myrobolan), juice which is not sour, cardamom, nutmeg
(jaiphal), cloves, rose apple, Jāmbala (a kind of plant), Harītaki (Harad),
dates.
The Yogi should take a nourishing diet which should be pleasing to the
senses and nutritive to the sapta dhatus (Rasa (fluid), Rakta (blood), Māmsa
(muscles), Medas (fat), Asthi (bones), Majja (bone marrow), Vīrya/Śukra
(semen)) of the body. Purity of food will reflect in the purity of mind. Diet
has an intimate connection with the mind. The nature of food is discussed in
the Bhagwadgīta, foods are distinguished by 3 grades of goodness or merits.
They are:
Satvik ahara: Pure, nourishing, easily digestible, mild in taste. It bestows
purity of mind and inner strength, keeps mind and body in harmony.
Rajasik ahara: Heavy proteins, fats, sour items, hard to digest and
assimilate. Excites emotions, causes disease, grief and pain.
Tamasik ahara: Stale, devitalising food, processed and canned / tinned
food, reheated food. It leads to inertia and dullness and poisons the system.
Because a person prefer foods according to their personal choice, the
qualities of a person depends on the grade of food he eats. Food exercises
tremendous influence over the mind, e.g. coffee (caffeine) and tea (nicotine)
is consumed for its central nervous system stimulant properties.
For the sake of good health and purification of nadis, yogi should eat only
satvik ahara. Hence satvik food is pathya for a yogi.
Taittiriya upanisad says: „food is called anna’ because it is eaten as well
as it eats (eater) and another sentence from vedas: „Food is health giving
as well as death promoting‟. These sentences warn us against the
disrespect or misuse of food. Food if disrespected, becomes toxic, provokes
diseases. But if rightly and selectively used, it is the means of healthy body,
mind and life longevity.
3.5 Dinacarya and Ṛtucarya w.r.t Yogic life style
 3.6 Holistic approach of Yoga towards health and diseases
“Health is a complete state of physical, mental, social and spiritual well-

being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO)

Suśruta Saṁhitā (15.38) explains Swastha or Health as state of:

Sama doṣa
Sama agni
Sama dhātu
Sama mala kriyā
Prasanna ātma
Prasanna indriya
Prasanna manas 3/4th century
One who is established in Self, who has balanced doshas, balanced agni,
properly formed dhatus, proper elimination of malas, well functioning
bodily processes, and whose mind, soul, and senses are full of bliss, is
called a healthy person.
Dimensions of Health
 HOLISTIC…
Pañca Kośa Viveka (Taittirīya upaniṣad)

Five layers of existence:

• Annamaya Kośa (Physical body)

• Prāṇamaya Kośa (Pranic body)

• Manomaya Kośa (Mental body / mind)

• Vijñānamaya Kośa (Intellectual body)

• Ānandamaya Kośa (Blissful body)

Based on Ṛṣi Patañjali's eight limbs, many different yogic disciplines have
been developed. Each has its own technique for preventing and treating the
disease. Haṭha yoga enhances the capacity of the physical body through the
use of a series of body postures, movements (āsanas), and breathing
techniques (prāṇayāma). The breathing techniques of Hatha yoga focus on
conscious prolongation of inhalation, breath retention, and exhalation. It is
through the unification of the physical body, breath, and concentration,
while performing the postures and movements that blockages in the energy
channels of the body are cleared and the energy system becomes more
efficient.

The Iyengar method of Hatha yoga emphasis on standing poses to develop

strength, stability, stamina, concentration and body alignment.
 Concept of Adhi and Vyadhi:

Samādhi = Sama + a + dhi

to integrate

Vyādhi = Vi + a + dhi
to disintegrate
Disease = dis + ‘ease’ - state of illness

Ādhi - amplified likes and dislikes at the Manomaya

kośa result in distressful emotional surges called ‘Ādhi’
 CONCEPT OF DISEASE IN YOGA in Yoga Vaśiṣṭha
(written b/w 11th-14th century, an important text of Yoga, regarded as one of the
longest texts in Sanskrit after the Mahabharata consisting about 32,000 ślokas)
‘Vyādhi’

Ādhijā Anādhijā
STRESS BORN NON STRESS BORN
(Psychosomatic (Sudden injury, accident,
Somatopsychic) Toxicity, Infection, etc)

Sāra Sāmānya
(ESSENTIAL) (ORDINARY)
Cycles of birth & death Psychosomatic
Congenital diseases, Somatopsychic
Remedy: Self Realization Neurosis, Hysteria
 Ādhija Vyādhi
PRĀṆA IMBALANCE SETTLES
DOWN IN ANNAMAYA KOŚA AS

Which organ is effected?

ORGAN DAMAGE

HEREDITY
WEAK ORGAN
INJURED ORGAN
Yogācārini Meenakshi Devi Bhavanani Director,
International Centre for Yoga Education & Research,Pondicherry.

The majority believe Yoga is valuable because it cures or

prevents diseases making it a superb keep fit exercise.
Others value its effectiveness in weight reduction.
Few believe Yoga practice bestows peace of mind and a feeling of well
being, increased energy levels.
These have not and never been goal of Yoga. All these results are merely
side benefits. The real purpose of Yoga is mokṣa, the highest achievement
of human life– oneness with Universal Self.
Yoga is the lifestyle of Ṛṣis of India who „Saw Reality‟ and who were
compassionate enough to return to lower levels of consciousness to show a
path to the less developed, ordinary minds, enabled them to achieve the
same pinnacle of unfolding the Self.
 Yoga is a lifestyle which evolved in the hermitages of the Ṛṣis. Yes, it is relevant
even today.

It‟s a lifestyle rooted in restraint of the animal impulses (Yama) and cultivation of
humane virtues (Niyama).

It is discipline of body (Āsana) and wise-use or control of breath, prānic

movement (Prāṇāyāma).

Yoga advocates conscious use (not misuse) of sensory organs (Jñānendriyas

driyas) i.e. Pratyāhāra.

It teaches the correct use of mind in a non-personal, objective, positive, directed

manner (Dhāraṇā).

All these aspects of living are woven into a natural, non-harmful, non-acquisitive,
sensitive, simple, regulated life style which is guided by the high ideas of Dharma
and Mokṣa.
Yoga and healthy lifestyle by Dr Pranav Pandya
Chancellor, Dev Sanskriti Vishwavidyala, Gayatrikunj-Shantikunj, Haridwar.

Eating right, getting physically fit, emotional

wellness, spiritual wellness and prevention are all part
of creating a healthy lifestyle. Since the entire YOU
must work in harmony to achieve wellness, you need
to put balanced energy into each aspect of yourself.
 The Physical You requires good nutrition, appropriate weight, beneficial exercise,
adequate rest and proper stress management.

 The Mind or Emotional You needs self-supportive attitudes, positive thoughts

and positive self-image. You also need to give and receive forgiveness, love and
compassion; you need to laugh and experience happiness; you need joyful
relationship with yourself and others.
 The Spiritual You requires inner calmness, openness to your creativity
and trust in your knowing. And for some it requires having a relationship
with a higher power.
 We all know when the physical self is out of balance, our body tells right
away. But how do we know when the Emotional self or Spiritual self is out
of balance?
 Sit calmly and make a list your negative habits, the ones that contribute to
your unhealthy lifestyle (waking up post-sunrise, excessive TV, smoking,
excessive alcohol consumption, abusive language, awake till late night, etc).
 Then take the time to list your current health conditions.
Achieving total health requires taking responsibility, making a
commitment to yourself, creating a plan and then taking action.
Scientific approach - Yoga is recognized as a form of mind-body medicine
that integrates an individual's physical, mental and spiritual components to
improve aspects of health, particularly stress related illnesses.

Evidence shows that stress contributes to the etiology of heart disease, cancer,
stroke, asthma and other chronic conditions. Due to the fact that stress is
implicated in numerous diseases, it is a priority to focus on reduction of
negative emotional states in order to reduce the burden of disease.

Viewed as a holistic stress management technique, yoga is a form of CAM

that produces a physiological sequence of events in the body reducing the
stress response. The scientific study of yoga has increased substantially in
recent years and many clinical trials have been designed to assess its
therapeutic effects and benefits.
 3.7 Introduction to First aid
First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person
suffering from either a minor or serious illness or injury, with care
provided to preserve life, prevent the condition from worsening, or
to promote recovery. It includes initial intervention in a serious
condition prior to professional medical help being available, such as
performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while waiting for
an ambulance, as well as the complete treatment of minor
conditions, such as applying a plaster to a cut. First aid is generally
performed by someone with basic medical training.
 The National Safety Council is at the leading edge for
providing training for first aid.

Consider these facts:

 25% of all emergency room visits can be avoided with basic
first aid and CPR certification
 Sudden cardiac arrest represents 13% of all workplace
deaths
 75% of all out-of-hospital heart attacks happen at home
FIRST AID KIT consists of:
1. Plasters in a variety of different sizes and
shapes
2. small, medium and large sterile gauze
dressings
3. crepe rolled bandages
4. safety pins
5. disposable sterile gloves
6. tweezers
7. scissors
8. alcohol-free cleansing wipes
9. medicated tape
10. thermometer (preferably digital)
11. cream or spray to relieve insect bites and
stings
12. antiseptic cream
 3.7 Introduction to Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

• When the heart stops beating blood stops flowing throughout the
body. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is when a person
performs chest compressions and breathing into a patient who
has no pulse or who isn‟t breathing. Chest compressions
combined with breathing into the patient will carry the
oxygenated blood throughout the body and into the brain. CPR
acts like an artificial heart moving the blood rich in oxygen to
the brain.
• The patient's survival rate increases as he/she receives CPR.
PURPOSE OF CPR: CPR is performed to restore and maintain breathing
and circulation and to provide oxygen and blood flow to the heart, brain
and other vital organs.
Who can perform CPR?
CPR can be performed by trained lay people or healthcare professionals
on infants, children, adolescents, and adults.
CPR is performed If:
 an infant, child, or adolescent is unconscious and not breathing.
 in cases like respiratory and cardiac arrest caused by allergic
reactions, asphyxiation, breathing passages that are blocked, choking,
drowning, drug reactions or overdoses, electric shock, exposure to
cold, severe shock or trauma.
 In newborns, the most common cause of CP arrest is respiratory
failure caused by sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), airway
obstruction (usually from inhalation of a foreign body), sepsis,
neurologic disease, or drowning.
Description
CPR is part of the emergency cardiac care system designed to save
lives. Many deaths can be prevented by prompt recognition of
cardiopulmonary arrest and notification of the emergency medical
system (EMS), followed by early CPR, defibrillation (which delivers
a brief electric shock to the heart in attempt to get the heart to beat
normally), and advanced cardiac life support measures. When
performed by a layperson, CPR is designed to support and maintain
breathing and circulation until emergency medical personnel arrive
and take over.
STEPS OF PERFORMING CPR
3.8 Yogic management of stress and its consequences
Definition of Stress - modern
Stress is a non specific, conventional and phylogenetic basic
response pattern
Dr. SELYE, Dr. LEVI
Ādhija Vyādhi

DEMANDING SITUATIONS

OUT SIDE िाहर की INTERNAL आं तररक

Office कायाजलय Targets लक्ष्य

Family पररवार Relationships ररश्ते

Financial Calamities Ambitions

नवत्तीय आपदाएं महत्वाकां क्षा
According to present medical texts, stress hazards decrease the quality of
life and could lead to many ailments. Four distinct stages recognized are:
नचनकत्सा ग्रंथों के अनुसार, तनाव के खतरों से जीवन की गुणवत्ता कम होती है और कई
िीमाररयों को जन्म दे सकता है । मान्यता प्राप्त चार अलग चरण रहे हैं :

1. Psychic phase माननसक चरण

2. Psychosomatic phase मनोदै नहक चरण
3. Somatic phase दै नहक चरण
4. Organic phase जैनवक चरण
Modern medical system offers many drugs to effectively reduce the
sufferings at the somatic and organic phases. Yoga tackles the problems
at Phases 1 & 2 itself.
आधुननक नचनकत्सा प्रणाली को प्रभावी ढं ग से दै नहक और जैनवक चरणों में कष्टों को
कम करने के नलए कई दवाएं प्रदान करता है । योग चरण 1 और
2 पर ही समस्याओं को संभालता है ।
 STRES RESPONSE
At the time of stress, physiologically the body undergoes following
changes:
• Increase in heart rate
• Increase in breathing (lungs dilate)
• Decrease in digestive activity (don‟t feel hungry)
• Liver released glucose for energy
Release of Adrenaline leads to the arousal of the sympathetic
nervous system and reduced activity in the parasympathetic nervous
system.
Once the „threat‟ is over the parasympathetic branch takes control
and brings the body back into a balanced state.
Disturbance of mind leads to:

Patañjalī Yoga Sūtra –

Duḥkha daurmanasya aṅgamejayatva śvāsapraśvāsa

vikṣepa sahabhuva // 1 – 32
Sorrow, distress, trembling of body parts, disturbed breathing pattern are the
symptoms of citta vikṣepa.

Bhagwadgītā-
Dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaha…….// 2 - 62, 63
 Bhagvadgītā:
Objects of senses इद्ियों की वस्तुएं

Attachment आसद्क्त

Desire इच्छा

Anger गुस्सा

Delusion माया

Confused memory उलझन स्मृनत

Inability to reason कारण की असमथजता

Perishes नमटना
 रोग की प्रगनत
Stages of Ādhija Vyādhi आनधजा के चरण – Stage 1

Manomaya Kośa Imbalance

Insomnia अननद्रा
Restlessness – िेचैनी
Irritability - नचड़नचड़ापन
Indecisiveness - अननणजय की द्थथनत
Emotional Outburst - भावनात्मक
नवस्फोट
Depression Etc...अवसाद आनद
 रोग की प्रगनत

Stages of Ādhija Vyādhi आनधजा के चरण –

Stage 2
Prāṇamaya Kośa Imbalance
- Breathing Irregularity सााँ स लेने
में अननयनमतता

- Body Aches - शरीर में ददज

- Fatigue, etc - थकान, आनद
 Ādhija Vyādhi आनधजा
PRĀṆA IMBALANCE SETTLES
DOWN IN ANNAMAYA KOŚA AS

Which organ is effected?

ORGAN DAMAGE
प्राण असंतुलन अंग क्षनत के रूप में अन्नमय
कोश में िैठ जाता हैं

HEREDITY आनुवंनशकता
WEAK ORGAN कमजोर अंग
INJURED ORGAN घायल अंग
 रोग की प्रगनत:

Stages of Ādhija Vyādhi आनधजा के चरण –

Stage 3
Annamaya Kośa Imbalance अन्नमय कोश असंतुलन
- Acute Gastritis तीव्र जठरशोथ
- Chronic Gastritis क्रोननक जठरशोथ
- Erosive Gastritis कटाव का जठरशोथ

Stage 4
- Peptic Ulcer पेनिक अल्सर
- Complications जनटलताओं
Reduce Speed गवर् कर् IAYT
The Integrated Approach of Yoga Therapy helps to
reduce the speed at all levels:
योग नचनकत्सा के एकीकृत दृनष्टकोण सभी स्तरों पर गनत को कम करने में
मदद करता है :
Manaḥ praśamana upāyaḥ yogaḥ ityabhidhīyate
SAGE VASIṢṬHA

Yoga is the skill to calm down the mind.

मन शां त करने के नलए योग एक कौशल है ।
Slowing down thoughts entering mind is
yoga
Yogaḥ cittavṛtti nirodhaḥ 1.2
SAGE PATAÑJALĪ

Yoga is to gain mastery over the

modifications of the mind
योग मन की संशोधनों पर महारत हानसल
करने के नलए है

Samatvam yoga ucyate
Yoga is a special skill in action
Equanimity, Stability,
Balance, Harmony,
Equipoise
धैयज, द्थथरता, शेष, सद्भाव,
संतुलन
Yogaḥ Karmasu Kauśalam
Action in Relaxation
नवश्राम में नक्रया
Duty Sense कतजव्य की भावना
Self-less Action स्व-कम नक्रया
Unattached Action स्वाधीन
नक्रया
No Anxiety For Results of
Action कारज वाई के पररणामों की
कोई नचंता नहीं
 SUMMARY
- Relax the Body - शरीर क आरार्
- Slow down the breath सांस धीरे
- Calm down the mind र्न शांर्
- Correct the notions विचार सही
- Work in relaxation विश्रार् र्ें कायत
 3.9 Yoga in prevention of common disorders
Respiratory disorders – Asthma, Chronic cold and cough,
Sinusitis, Bronchitis, nasal polyps…
Digestive disorders – Hyperacidity, Gastritis, Indigestion,
Constipation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)…
Endocrine disorders – Diabetes, Thyroid problems (Hyper
and Hypothyroidism).
Menstrual disorders – PCOD, PMS, irregular cycles…
Musculoskeletal disorders – Neck pain, backpain, Disc
herniation (slipped disc), sciatica pain, Osteoarthritis…
 3.10 Yoga for personality development
Personality development through following
techniques for
Annamaya kosa: Satkarma, Sukshma
vyayama, Sthula vyayama, Surya Namaskar,
Asana
Pranamaya Kosa: Satkarma, Asana,
Breathing techniques, Pranayama
Manomaya Kosa: Notional correction,
Sankirtanam, Dharana
Vijñānamaya Kosa: Dhyana – Om
meditation, Nadanusandhana, Preksha
dhyana…
 Practices catering each Kośa

Annamaya Kośa Diet

Kriyas
Asanas

Prāṇamaya Kośa Pranayama

Manomaya Kośa Pratyahara

Dharana
Dhyana
Emotion Culture
Vijñānamaya Kośa Notional Correction
Happiness Analysis

Ānandamaya Kośa Karma Yoga

(Action in Relaxation or
Bliss)
 Story of Yogi Bhuṣunḍa
Bhusunda is one of the „Chiranjivis‟ amongst the Yogins. He was the
master of the science of Pranayama. It said that a big nest, like that of
mountain, was built by him on the southern branch of the Kalpa
Vriksha, situated at the northern summit of the „Mahameru‟. In this
nest, there lived the crow, Bhusunda, by name. This crow is said to be
the longest lived Yogi. He was a „Trikala Jnani‟. He could cognise
all the three periods of time. He could sit in Yoga (Samadhi) for any
length of time. He was desireless. He had obtained supreme Santi and
Jnana. He was there, enjoying the bliss of his own Self and he is there
still, being a Chiranjivi. He was for a long time engaged in the
worship of Brahmasakti „Alambusa‟. At this spot of the Kalpa Vrksa,
Bhusunda lived for many Yugas, nay for many Kalpas. He would quit
his nest at the time of Pralaya.
He had the full knowledge of the five Dharanas. He had rendered
proof of himself against the five elements, by practising the five
methods of concentration. It is said that when all the twelve Adityas
scorch the world with their burning rays, he would through his Apas
Dharana reach up the Akasa. When the fierce gales arise splintering
up the rocks to pieces, he would be in the Akasa, through Agni
Dharana. When the world together with its Mahameru would be under
water, he would float on them without any fluctuation through Vayu
Dharana and when the time of universal destruction arrived, he would
be, as in Sushupti, in the Brahmic seat till the beginning of another
creation of Brahma. After this creation, he would again resort to the
said nest for his abode. The Kalpa Vriksha, at the summit of the
mountain, through his Sankalpa (will-power) would arise and grow
up in the similar way, at the beginning of the next Kalpa, every time.