Yoga is one of the ancient science is primarily a system of philosophy centered around the practical approach to the mental and spiritual development of man, enabling him to realize the ultimate truth. But a critical analysis of the classical literature on yoga indicates that yoga is of great value as a method of preservation of health and treatment of various diseases so much so as to use yoga as a system of medicine.
Ayurveda and yoga are practical and applied science respectively. Vyadhi or disease, has been regarded in yoga sutras as one of the nine viksepas and Lord Patanjali advices
heyam duhkham anagatamâ.
The pain and misery which has not as yet come can be avoided.
The yoga chiefly deals with the removal of psychological vedanas(pains) and attainment of ultimate salvation, while ayurveda is more concerned with physical and mental ailments.
As the yamas and niyamas are totally ignored, diseases like insomnia, hypertension, Bronchial asthma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Diabetes and a host of other stress related disorder arise. If a person is under stress, the system directly effects. The immune system is often one of the first to be affected and this leads to an altered state of biological processes which could lead to diseases like cancer.
The practices of asanas and pranyamas is very helpful to preserve the health and longetivity of our body. Yoga is unique in that it recuperates the system. The practice of asana and pranayama, helps clean and massages the internal organ and also in the efficient removal of toxins from the body.
When practitioners performs yogangas(postures) like Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra, blood circulation improves to optimum level. It also improves the lung capacity and helps to eradicates all the diseases.
For the cells to grow and survive stretching is important. When the cells are stretched they are able to grow better, adapt and survive. Yogis are said to have had long lives. This was because of the kind of exercise they did on a longterm basis. Yogic practices improves the optimum growth of cells. The technique of stretching and contracting in yoga help in the precise positioning of the muscles. Hence the muscles do not get exhausted and are thus trained to remain healthy throughout the life.
