How yoga and meditation are natural therapies for brain, heart, and gut health? Expert shares insights

By Dr Sanjay Mittal

In this fast-paced environment, lifestyle diseases - like heart ailments, mental health issues and gastrointestinal problems are gaining dominance in India. These diseases are Non-Communicable Diseases. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant health challenge, characterised by chronic conditions that are not transmissible from person to person. These diseases encompass a wide range of health conditions, including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. India marks a notable increase in the prevalence of NCDs, and as the world celebrates International Yoga Day, it's important to highlight the vital role yoga and meditation play in maintaining health.

This transition is fueled by factors, including rapid urbanisation, shifts in dietary habits, sedentary lifestyles, and the ageing of the population. But there’s scientific evidence and an increasing worldwide intangible that mind-body exercises such as yoga and meditation hold significant value for these conditions. The Ministry of Ayush is helping to promote yoga and naturopathy as cost-effective and viable treatment options for NCDs.

For the Brain: Calm the mind, heal the body

Meditation isn't just about quietness; it is about developing our brain via neuroplasticity. Research indicates that it reduces activity in the amygdala, our fear centre of the brain, while enhancing activity in the prefrontal cortex, an area involved in attention and emotional regulation to minimise stress, anxiety and even depression.

Research has shown that practising mindfulness daily (15 minutes a day) for 8 weeks had a beneficial impact on memory and even slowed age-related cognitive decline. This is a small commitment for lifetime clarity of the mind for students, busy professionals and the elderly.

For the heart: A natural way to lower risk

Heart disease continues to impose the greatest death toll in India. Yet, studies of Indian youth show that practising yoga for only 12 weeks can reduce blood pressure and increase heart rate variability, two of the strongest predictors of cardiovascular health.

In addition, yoga lowers inflammation, promotes better cholesterol levels, and even achieves heart-healthy benefits comparable to brisk walking. It is not just exercise: it is therapy.

For the Gut: Balancing Digestion Through Movement

The gut and brain have a tight relationship. When you're stressed, your stomach knows it--and when your stomach is upset, your mind knows it. Research scientists at King George's Medical University in Lucknow found the addition of yoga practices in conjunction with conventional practices for IBS treatment decreased abdominal pain, lowered bloating, and improved emotional functioning. Yoga also helps the gut microbiome; practices like cyclic meditation help modulate nerve activity and promote the growth of the "good" bacteria of the gut, which are vital for digestion and immune function.

Representative image of healthy person meditating Photograph: (Freepik)

India's Approach: Taking It Nationwide

The Indian government is stepping up in a big way.

• Over a hundred of lifestyle clinics are providing health care services with yoga and naturopathy in conjunction with regular medicine.

• Yoga is being used in NCD prevention programs such as diabetes, hypertension, and respiratory issues.

These programs attempt to reach both the rural and urban populations who are looking for health solutions that are accessible, low-cost, and easy to use.

Representative image of healthy person meditating Photograph: (Freepik)

Why It Matters

• Affordable and community-based.

• Builds mental resilience, benefiting the whole body.

• And research, not just tradition, is backing it up.

So, whether you are managing a health condition, or just want to prevent a health condition, start small. A couple of minutes of mindful breathing or even gentle movement could be the catalyst for your health. Because healing sometimes starts not with a pill, but with a pause.

Conclusion

Whether managing a health condition or preventing a health condition, starting small is crucial. A couple of minutes of mindful breathing or even gentle movements could be the catalyst for your health. Healing can start not with a pill- but with a pause.

(Dr. Sanjay Mittal is currently in charge of the Heart failure program, non-invasive and clinical cardiology, as well as the Clinical Research program at Medanta the Medicity, Gurugram, Haryana, India.)