While yoga promotes lifestyle changes that can help treat diseases, the document examines whether specific yoga poses (asanas) alone can cure or treat medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, indigestion, migraines, and depression. It analyzes each asana listed and finds the medical logic for some but not others, cautioning that yoga should be practiced under medical guidance and not replace actual treatment for serious conditions.

1. Does yoga really work?
We look at 5 asanas and see if their method makes any medical logic.
With the hype generated over the International Yoga day, I am sure
many of us have been tempted to try out some Asanas. So after my usual
Sunday long run I decided to do one or 2 Asanas. However, tiredness got
the better of me and I spent a good 2 hours in the sleeping Asana.
But Monday morning and a freshly brewed coffee got me thinking does
Yoga really work? A quick search over the Internet showed Yoga cures
at least 10 diseases. This seems very interesting and I decided to delve
deeper and uncover how contorting your body can cure disease.

2. Here are 5 Asanas I attempt to demystify:
a) Pranayama - Asthma
b) Triangle pose Asana - Diabetes
c) Child pose Asana - Indigestion
d) Sirasana - Migraine headaches
e) Uttanasana – Depression
At first look, I am ambivalent on the efficacy of yoga on these illnesses.
Looking from a medical point of view, all the diseases above can be
considered life style diseases. And modifying your life style with some
changes can help you treat them. Yoga does recommend life style
changes but the question is if the asanas alone help. All asanas do
promote and change blood flow but I want to go in-depth and review all
the asanas and see exactly what happens when an Asana is done.
a) Pranayama-
Pranayama is the art and science of yogic breathing techniques.
Practitioners of Yoga claim that it helps fight off diseases such as weight
gain and also asthma.

3. Asthma is basically an increased hypersensitivity or responsiveness of
the wind pipe to any allergen. So we need to see if Pranayama can help
reduce this sensitivity. Pranayama claims to improve the amount of air
getting to all parts of the lung. Theoretically, even though your lungs can
expand to more maximum than they are in normal breathing, the amount
of extra oxygen coming in would be minimal.
The second logic given is that the increased respiration causes
movement of lymph that boosts the immune system. This logic does has
some merit.
But, Prayanama is not completely safe. Exhaling is done against a closed
glottis and this can increase lung pressure leading to hematomas or
pneumothorax.
I would say a medical exam would be necessary to see if you can
perform the exercise. Alternatively, you can consult an Online Doctor
to help clear you for this Asana.
b) Triangle pose Asana-
Also known as the Trikona-asana. This is an asana where the legs are
spread to the shape of a triangle and person bends sideways in such a
way to face the sky. And the opposite hand is pointed to the sky.
Trikona-asana claims to cure type 2 diabetes. The treatment of type 2

4. Diabetes is by diet and exercise(1st line treatment). Assuming you do
yoga but keep consuming lots of sugary foods, it is unlikely to help.
However, supposing you restricted your diet, you can lose some weight
with repetition of this asana as it is relatively an aerobic activity. So, you
do burn calories naturally by this method and help fight diabetes. But, I
would not recommend that you stop medication and hope that yoga
alone will help.
c) Child pose Asana-
Also known as the Shishuasana. This asana claims to help with
indigestion. The logic is that the intestine is put under pressure and also
the sphincters of the gastrointestinal tract are relaxed. And their is then
smooth passage of stools. This seems logical as the increased pressure
with the relaxed sphincters will logically help with bowel movement.

5. But, I would recommend you take a Doctor’s advice if the
Indigestion/Constipation do not stop. Also, you can talk to our Doctors
online to get a good diet plan to stop indigestion and constipation.
d) Sirasana-
This is a supported headstand and is also nicknamed the king of all
asanas. This asana claims to increase the blood flow to the brain which
is not exactly correct as the body regulates the blood pressure and will
not allow a big change in the blood to the brain. Also, assuming that it
does in fact increase blood flow to the head, it actually increases the
chance of a person getting a migraine.

6. A migraine or headache occurs due to dilatation of the blood vessels in
the head. So increasing blood flow to the head would actually make
things worse. I also think doing this asana while having a headache will
make things worse.
If you are not recovering from your headache, I would recommend you
ask our Doctors for a few things you can try at askthedoctor.com

7. e) Uttanasana-
This is a very physical type of stretch and I do not understand how this
would help with depression. One logic may be that this allows stretching
of certain muscles and increasing the pain which in turn releases
epinephrine which can fight off depression.
The effects are not going to be astronomical however and I would
recommend people to exercise caution if they are diagnosed and not to
stop medications if they are on any.
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