yoga for hypertension, osteoarthiritis

[anirudh]

Do anulom vilom and kapalbhatti really reduce hypertension.any other pranayam/asanas which also help.what about surya namaskar.does yoga restore synovial fluid in knees for ostoarthiritis patients.comments please

[anirudh]

do ayurvedic medicenes which lower bp offer side effects or are they safe in conjunction with pranayama

[InnerAthlete]

You do realize how loaded these questions are in the bareness in which you present them, right?

[mahasiddha]

I've read that Ujjayi pranayama can lower blood pressure. Not sure if this is true though. I'd like it to be.

Also, I read that you shouldn't do Kapalbhati if you have high blood pressure.

[siva]

OM

It is difficult to summarize everything one with hpb should NOT do in yoga. I only offer here what we can say for sure, and those are inversions, i.e., shoulderstand, headstand, handstand, in some cases even plough. There are others that if NOT performed correctly, particularly with regard to breathing (holding your breath, for example), can also cause a spike in pressure and potential problems. Other factors involved which we do not know here, such as the severity of the hpb, weight, diet, activity level, etc., also contribute to this complicated question.

The pranayama mentioned here in general should not be practiced independently of hatha, and so the issues again lie with the hatha practice as stated above.

i would encourage anyone seeking to reduce their bp with yoga practice to first consult your physician, and then if yoga is the way to go, you most definitely want to do it with an experienced teacher. Continue to educate yourself further about the contributing health and lifestyle factors so YOU know what you in particular should not be doing. Don't do it by trial and error. Also, hpb doesn't develop overnight, adjusting it through any means is a long-term proposition. Be vigilant, but be gentle.

Peace and best of luck,

Siva

[Pandara]

Namaste Anirudh,

HBP or hypertension is such a complex issue and there are so many factors which plays a role that I think it would be presumptious of me to give any advice or guidance here.

I would like to recommend an excellent book by Swami Shankardevananda called: The Effects of Yoga on Hypertension. (ISBN: 8185787271)

This book has helped me tremendously in understanding Hypertension and giving guidance to yogis who has hypertension, as it is quite a problem for many South Africans.

Please also always consult your doctor before making any changes through yoga. Your doctor needs to work on this with you as well.

Good luck.

[anirudh]

Hi.are ayurvedic medicenes alongwith yoga beneficial in hypertension or will yoga alone suffice

[anirudh]

HI.what should be the duration for anulom vilom for every sitting to be effective to reduce high blood pressure.i have high blood pressure which is presently under control by ayurvedic medicenes.i am male 44 years

[siva]

anirudh,

Do as many rounds as are comfortable for you up to 10 daily. If you reach 10 easily, then increase the length of your inhalation/exhalation, for example, 2:4, 3:6, 4:8. If you're practicing with retention, then increase the the count in the same way 2:8:4, 3:12:6, 4:16:8 and so on.

Om,
siva

[anirudh]

dear siva ,i am told retention is not recommended for hypertension patients.also what do the figures 2:4, 3:6, 4:8 etc signify

[siva]

anirudh???

...they are the ratio of inhalation to exhalation. The point is, rather than increasing the number of rounds beyond 10, you slow it down, thereby making it longer, deeper.

You say your HPB is under control? Retention should not be a problem, within reason, but you can practice without for many months before considering it.

siva

[kulai]

Doing yoga and drinking lots of green tea might help in reducing hypertension.