According to yoga, diseases result from unhealthy living habits, poor diet, lack of knowledge, and improper functioning of the body. The yoga treatment process involves three steps - a proper diet, appropriate yoga practices, and gaining proper knowledge. Diet focuses on eating slowly, avoiding overeating and unhealthy foods. Gentle yoga asanas and pranayama techniques are prescribed based on each person's condition. For more complex cases, counseling provides scientific and philosophical knowledge. While yoga cannot treat acute illnesses, it can prevent diseases by boosting immunity and aid recovery when used as rehabilitation.

1. FUNDAMENTALS PRINCIPLES OF YOGA
FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
According to yogic view diseases and ailments are the result of faulty ways of living,
bad habits, lack of proper knowledge of things related to individual’s life and improper
food. The diseases are thus the resultant state of short as prolonged malfunctioning of
the body system. This malfunctioning is caused by an imbalanced internal condition,
created due to certain errors of the individuals.
The yogic process of treatment comprises three steps
1. Proper diet
2. Proper yoga practice
3. Proper knowledge of things.
PROPER DIET

2. FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
chart for breakfast, lunch, dinner is prepared for each patient according to his body
condition and the nature of his disease.
The most common items of diet for almost all yoga practitioners are:
Fruits, salad, leafy vegetables, green vegetables and pulses. Whatever be the variations
in diet – chart of patients, all of them are asked to follow some basic principles of
eating which means.
1. To eat slowly
2. To eat only 85% of the capacity.
3. To avoid drinking water while eating
4. Not to eat hot, spicy, fried and roasted food.
5. Not to take more than one or two cups of coffee or tea in a day and if possible to

3. FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
6. To avoid the use of alcohol.
PROPER YOGA PRACTICE
The patient is asked to practice yoga according to his disease and his bodily
conditions. In a majority of the cases a regular practice of only a few asanas is
enough for curing the diseases. In some of the diseases, the practice of pranayama
together with the asanas becomes essential for good results.
In certain cases. Specific kriyas, bandhas, mudras and yogic techniques are used for
the desired result.
A large number of diseases are cured within two months of yoga practice. In certain
cases, it takes about four months or even more. Diseases that take a longer time are
diabetes, obesity, ulcer, mental health cases etc.

4. FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
PROPER KNOWLEDGE:
Though most of the patients are cured with only proper diet and yoga practice.
There are some cases which are complicated. Some patients develop diseases and
disorders on account of their false assumptions, unhealthy habits, and lack of proper
knowledge about life, nature and society.
In such cases a lot of things need to be told to the patient which are informative
conceptual, theoretical and also philosophical, yogic literature is very rich in this
respect and is divided into two main categories.
• Spiritual interpretation of things
• Scientific interpretation of things.

5. FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
However, the literature is available in the second category is much less than in the
first one. Depending upon the nature of disease, a patient is counseled and informed
in detail about the various concerned aspects of life.
LIMITATIONS
• Yoga cannot be of much use in acute diseases and infective diseases. But it can
prevent such attacks by improving one’s general resistance and power of
immunity. It could also provide rehabilitatory treatment after the diseases have
been tackled successfully and help restoration of function which results in the real
cure of the diseases.
• Yoga seems to have only a few contra indications. But various practices of yoga
will have to be prescribed with due caution and care bearing in mind the

6. FUNDAMENTALS OF YOGA
• Yoga should not give in
• Below 5 Years of children
• During menstruation
• During pregnancy
• Weak Persons.
• Hernia – all yoga practices that are likely to increase the intra – abdominal
pressure have to be avoided.
• Spondylosis – Bending and stretching should be avoided.
• Hypertension – It should be only of sedative character.