Exercise as it relates to Disease/Effects of yoga on cardiovascular health

Cardiovascular disease: definition and significance
Cardiovascular disease is defined by a physiological dysfunction in the heart and/or the blood vessels. The following is a list of common cardiovascular diseases:

•	coronary heart disease

•	cerebrovascular disease

•	peripheral arterial disease

•	rheumatic heart disease

•	congenital heart disease

•	deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the world, taking 17.5 million lives in 2012

Yoga: definition and benefits
The practice of yoga originated in India and is composed of balance and body weight movements and stretches paired with meditation. It has been used for mind-body engagement for thousands of years. It’s believed that yoga alters the hormonal and sympathetic neuronal pathways in the body to bring a sense of general wellbeing while improving metabolic status and reducing inflammatory action. It has also been suggested that yoga alters the body’s preference for using the parasympathetic nervous system in a way that cardiac vagal reactivity is improved, as well as energy levels and mood.

Yoga in cardiovascular disease: prevention and treatment
Due to the range of factors that can contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease, many studies have been conducted to determine whether yoga helps with different physiological functions. So far, research has found that it may protect against cardiovascular disease. Specific mechanisms include:

•	Improving serum lipid levels

•	Decreasing blood pressure,            including in type 2 diabetics

•	Controlling LDL cholesterol

•	Improving parasympathetic activity in heart failure patients

•	Regressing atherosclerosis

•	Reducing peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure-rise in response to stress

Recommendations
As the research on this topic is inconclusive and a dose-response relationship has not been established, at this point there is no prescription for improving cardiovascular health by practicing yoga. Most research settings have been loosely controlled, too small to infer the results or in some cases heavily biased. However, the positive effects that yoga may have on cardiovascular and general health far outweigh the risks of practicing yoga. Perhaps an ideal approach would be to incorporate yoga into a physical activity regime that includes aerobic and resistance training as well as flexibility and meditation.