Chennai: If you thought that yoga is all about practising one of the toughest physical postures which only a few healthy persons can take up, then think twice. The National Institute of Siddha (NIS) here, hopes to change people’s perception of yoga. Experts from the NIS will teach simple asanas to banish ailments, especially chronic diseases on this International Day for Yoga. Aiming to turn the spotlight on simple yoga asanas and pranayama to recover quickly from certain ailments, experts at the NIS and also post-graduate students will teach the general public and patients on overcoming various diseases like bronchial asthma, arthritis, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, gynaecological problems and stress related disorders through asanas and pranayama.
“There are certain asanas that can strengthen the respiratory tract and based on the patients’ condition we will help them conquer the disease,” says Dr. S. Pechiammal, yoga expert at NIS. On those afflicted by arthritis, she says that though this degenerative process owing to old age cannot be rectified, preventive measures can be taken and this is where breathing (pranayama) and yoga helps,” she adds.
An asthma patient need not be dependent on puff for life; some pranayama techniques and yoga can bring about an internal change, thereby strengthening the body besides improving immunity. “Even COPD can be effectively tackled through yoga supplemented by Siddha drugs,” claims Dr. N. J. Muthukumar, associate professor, NIS. For diabetics, dhanurasana is ideal. This stimulates the pancreas, enabling the body to generate the required insulin, adds Dr. Pechiammal.
Yoga education is part of the curriculum in the M.D (Siddha) course being conducted by the NIS and yoga and even varmamare employed as therapeutic supplementaries to Siddha, Dr. Muthukumar, said and added that psoriasis a skin infection with unknown etiology, and related to stress, can be effectively treated through Siddha and yoga. With yoga fever gripping the nation, it is time one bestowed attention to this ancient Indian traditional knowledge, say yoga gurus.
