Mumbai: Chronic diseases often arise from years of unhealthy habits and lifestyle choices. These conditions don’t develop overnight—they are the cumulative result of stress, poor diet, lack of physical activity, and other harmful behaviours. Accordingly, their management requires consistent, gradual, and mindful lifestyle transformations rather than quick fixes.
Yoga offers a comprehensive and sustainable approach to healing. Through the harmonious integration of asanas (physical postures), pranayama (breath control), and meditation techniques, yoga addresses not just the symptoms but the root causes of chronic health issues. While it may not deliver instant results, a dedicated daily yogic routine fosters long-lasting wellness, emotional balance, and inner resilience. The benefits build steadily, offering profound and sustainable health improvements over time.
Himalayan Siddhaa Akshar—renowned yoga master, spiritual guide, columnist, and founder of Akshar Yoga Kendraa suggests a daily yoga guide for chronic disease management.
Yoga for chronic diseases
Here are yoga asanas for chronic diseases;
1. Kapalabhati Shuddhikriya
Start in sukhasana (seated posture), stabilise the breath, and keep the spine straight. Start forcefully exhaling while pulling the stomach and abdomen inwards; the rest of the body should be relaxed. Continue for 50-60 strokes, active exhales, passive inhales. Take a break to normalise the breath, repeat 2-3 rounds.
Benefits: Cleanses the breath channels and boosts metabolic function, stimulates energy towards the skull, activates the nervous system, enhancing mental agility.
2. Vrikshasana
Stand with feet together. Place the left foot on the inside of the right thigh, ensuring the left knee is pointed sideways. Actively engage the right leg. Place the hands on the waist for balance. Once stable, both hands can be raised to hold pranam mudra above the head, providing full extension of the spine. Keep breathing steadily. Hold for 30 seconds to begin with, and increase the capacity as you grow. Repeat from the other side.
Benefits: Provides balance, stability, lower body strength, increases focus and lengthens the entire spine, enhancing pranic flow throughout the body.
3. Suryanamaskar
It is a dynamic Vinyasa flow that comprises 8 asana practices in a sequence, repeatedly. It energises the Sun energy in the body, activating the fire element, which is the source of energy and positivity. It is an integrated practice of movement and stability that builds the whole body.
Practising 5 sets of Surya-namaskars daily can help generate a huge amount of positive energy and activate the nervous system. It has a huge impact on improving metabolism for a healthy and active digestive system.
4. Anulom-Vilom
Sit in a comfortable posture with the spine straight. Place the left hand on the left knee, with the right hand blocking the right nostril and inhale from the left, then block the left nostril and exhale from the right. Now inhale from the right nostril while the left is still blocked, then block the right and exhale from the left. This completes one cycle. Practice 5-10 cycles, maintaining the breath as slow as possible.
Benefits: Balances both sides of the brain, the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and it immediately relaxes the mind and regulates blood flow in the heart.
In today’s fast-paced world, sedentary routines and chronic stress have taken a serious toll on both physical and mental well-being. Modern lifestyles—marked by long hours of sitting, irregular eating habits, and constant mental strain—have led to a rise in lifestyle-related disorders and overall health decline.
Yoga offers a time-tested, natural remedy to counter these challenges. With its simple yet powerful practices—including movement, breathwork, and mindfulness—yoga provides a practical path to restore balance, energy, and inner calm. However, the key to unlocking these benefits lies in regularity and commitment. Sporadic practice yields only limited effects; it is through disciplined, consistent effort that yoga truly transforms lives.
Adopting a proactive approach to health, rather than waiting for illness to strike, empowers individuals to build resilience, strengthen their bodies, and nurture a calm, focused mind. In this sense, yoga is not just a practice, but a lifestyle—a sustainable solution for achieving long-term, disease-free living.
Living with a chronic illness can be challenging, but incorporating daily yoga into your routine offers a path to greater comfort and resilience. This guide introduces simple breathing techniques, gentle stretches, and healing poses tailored to ease symptoms and enhance overall health. Embrace the power of mindful movement to regain balance and vitality one day at a time. Fitness Lifestyle News -Fashion Trends, Beauty Tips, Celebrity Party News, Relationship advice, Travel and Food Tips
