Yoga postures (asana) and yoga breathing techniques (pranayama) could be an effective method of treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study investigates the importance of the style of yoga treatment (pranayama, asana, or both) and the frequency with which these interventions are conducted (two or five times per week). The participants in this study will be military personnel with diagnosed PTSD who are currently receiving CBT and pharmaceutical treatment. All participants will have their PTSD symptoms assessed before the study begins, and then once a week each of the 12 weeks of the study. Structured interviews will be administered to both participants and loved ones of participants before and after the study in order to verify construct validity. It is proposed that all groups will show improvement in all three styles (asana, pranayama, and both) over the span of 12 weeks and the groups that practice five times a week will improve more than groups that practice twice a week. Therefore, participants who practice both pranayama and asana twice a week will have the most decrease in PTSD symptoms.

BACKGROUND SUMMARY: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs are an important component of the multidisciplinary approach to minimizing the symptomatology of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Within the program, patients learn about how to live with their non-curable disease and how to minimize exacerbations. Although patients learn about their disease process, breathing techniques, and exercise, there are no specific components that bridge the mind and body gap to promote mindfulness through the patients’ efforts within the program. LITERATURE REVIEW FINDINGS: This thesis contains a comprehensive literature review composed largely of randomized trials. These trials and studies summarize the framework of pulmonary rehabilitation programs and how yoga is implemented within treatment options for chronic diseases. The literature review highlights that pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve the quality of life in patients with emphysema through patient education on breathing and exercise. However, there is a lack of literature on the use of yoga techniques of breathing and exercise within the framework of pulmonary rehabilitation programs to promote mindfulness when living with a chronic disease. PROPOSED PROJECT: This thesis proposes a randomized controlled study to identify a more mindful approach to a pulmonary rehabilitation program for emphysema patients through the use of timed ujjayi pranayama (mindful breathing) and yoga asanas (poses). CONCLUSIONS: The results will be analyzed to determine if yoga techniques lead to statistically significant improvement in patient outcomes in emphysema patients enrolled in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. SIGNIFICANCE: The compiled data will reveal how yoga breathwork and movement will be beneficial for emphysema patients enrolled within a pulmonary rehabilitation program.

The object of this dissertation is to illustrate the significance of Prana (life breath):- -As it obtains in the oral tradition -With reference to the Aramaic Rouhah -In Pranayama (breath control) -In Surya Namaskar (Obeisance to the sun) The role of Prana in man was recognised and venerated since time immemorial. In the introduction, Prana is perceived as a global, anthropological phenomenon. Chapter one provides a theoretical framework linking Pranato Oral Tradition by focusing on Marcel Jousse and his teachings; the Orality Perspective and the Orality - Literacy interface. Since the earliest record of the terms; yoga, Prana and Pranayama appear in the Vedas, the significance of the Vedas, especially as they exemplify oral expression, is mentioned. Chapter two focuses on: firstly, Prana within the context of yoga and secondly, Prana and its relation to the Aramaic Rouhah. The congruency of thought on the breath suffices to entrench Prana as a global entity. In chapter three, the enhancement of the quality and quantity of Prana via Pranayama (control of the breath) is discussed. Pranayama sets out with the purpose of achieving complete harmonisation of the body-mind axis, and thereby proceeding to the divinisatlon of energy. A cohesive whole is established by three essential and integrated elements; the breath (Prana), the physical gesture (asana) and the spoken gesture (mantra) in Surya Namaskar. Oral features in these elements are analysed in chapter four. The conclusion serves to emphasize that the wealth of oral tradition is amply evident in the concepts of Prana, Rouhah and Prananayama. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1998.

Submitted by JENIFFER ZANETTI BRANDANI (jeniffer_brandani@yahoo.com.br) on 2018-08-14T17:18:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação BRANDANI, JZ - pós defesa.pdf: 1246287 bytes, checksum: d40daa507b421c11f4b8f51974ebe3d7 (MD5) / Rejected by Minervina Teixeira Lopes null (vina_lopes@bauru.unesp.br), reason: Favor realizar nova submissão inserindo Ata de Defesa. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2018-08-14T17:31:03Z (GMT) / Submitted by JENIFFER ZANETTI BRANDANI (jeniffer_brandani@yahoo.com.br) on 2018-08-14T17:45:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação BRANDANI, JZ - pós defesa.pdf: 2736988 bytes, checksum: 982d6f9b350ab809c61d6dfe06216e07 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Minervina Teixeira Lopes null (vina_lopes@bauru.unesp.br) on 2018-08-15T13:19:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 brandani_jz_me_bauru.pdf: 2655449 bytes, checksum: 24c4ddd8276886ec98edee641eb34c0a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-15T13:19:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 brandani_jz_me_bauru.pdf: 2655449 bytes, checksum: 24c4ddd8276886ec98edee641eb34c0a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-06-15 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Introdução: O número de indivíduos acometidos pela hipertensão arterial é alarmante em todo o mundo, por isso, a busca por estratégias eficazes para a redução dos valores de pressão arterial e suas consequências, são objetos de inúmeros estudos. As práticas de ioga vêm sendo incentivadas por meio da Política Nacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares no SUS, por se mostrar eficaz na prevenção e tratamento de diversas patologias, entre elas a hipertensão arterial, apresentando efeito hipotensor significativo. Podendo ser utilizado com todas as técnicas (princípios éticos, asanas, pranayamas, relaxamento, meditação) em conjunto em uma mesma sessão ou de forma isolada, como muitos estudos investigando apenas relaxamentos e/ou pranayamas. Objetivos: a) Levantar os estudos que abordam os efeitos dos exercícios de controle respiratório (pranayamas) sobre a pressão arterial; b) Verificar o efeito de intervenção com pranayamas com ritmo lento na pressão arterial de hipertensos, sob tratamento em Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS). Métodos: Para isso, foram conduzidos dois estudos principais. a) Uma revisão sistemática de ensaios clínicos que buscaram verificar os efeitos dos pranayamas na pressão arterial. Foram pesquisadas três bases de dados eletrônicas PubMed/Medline, Scopus e Bireme, a análise de viés foi avaliada pela escala PEDro. b) Um ensaio clínico randomizado e controlado, composto por dois grupos (ioga - GI e exercício controle ativo - GCA). O programa foi composto de 16 sessões com duração de 30 minutos e as análises foram compostas por medidas de pressão arterial ao início e fim do programa. Resultados: a) Todos os estudos em que os participantes eram hipertensos apresentaram redução na pressão arterial sistólica (PAS) tanto nos estudos que avaliaram efeito agudo quanto nos que avaliaram o efeito crônico; na pressão arterial diastólica (PAD) apenas três estudos demonstraram redução significativa (dois investigando efeito crônico); já a frequência cardíaca apresentou diminuição em sete estudos (4 investigando efeito agudo). b) Os grupos apresentaram redução significativa na PAS nos momentos, porém não foi encontrada diferença entre os grupos; os pacientes eram em sua maioria mulheres, brancos, com IMC acima do valor recomendado e classe econômica B e C; apresentavam níveis de atividade física dentro das recomendações (>150min/semana). Conclusão: a) A revisão sistemática forneceu indícios de que a utilização de pranayamas lentos e/ou com narinas alternadas possa ser uma alternativa efetiva para reduzir a pressão arterial em pacientes normotensos e hipertensos. Porém, o alto número de viés nos estudos iseridos limitam estes resultados. Portanto, são necessários novos estudos com maior rigor metodológico na área de ioga, para que os benefícios desta prática seja fortalecido e ganhe espaço como complemento ao tratamento farmacológico. b) O ensaio clínico indicou que 16 sessões de pranayamas apresentam efeito hipotensor crônico para PAS em pacientes com hipertensão arterial, mas não foram encontradas diferenças entre o GI e GCA. Porém, o baixo número de pacientes incluídos, limita as análises e as possíveis respostas da pressão arterial aos pranayamas. / Introduction: The number of individuals affected by arterial hypertension is alarming worldwide, so the search for effective strategies to reduce blood pressure values and their consequences are the subject of numerous studies. The practices of yoga have been encouraged through the National Politics of Integrative and Complementary Practices in the SUS, for being effective in the prevention and treatment of several pathologies, including arterial hypertension, with a significant hypotensive effect. It can be used with all techniques (ethical principles, asanas, pranayamas, relaxation, meditation) together in the same session or in isolation, as many studies investigating only relaxation and / or pranayamas. Objectives: a) Raise studies that address the effects of respiratory control exercises (pranayamas) on blood pressure; b) To verify the effect of intervention with pranayamas with slow rhythm in the hypertensive blood pressure, under treatment in Basic Health Unit (UBS). Methods: Two main studies were conducted. a) A systematic review of clinical trials that sought to verify the effects of pranayamas on blood pressure. We searched three electronic databases PubMed / Medline, Scopus and Bireme, the bias analysis was evaluated by the PEDro scale. b) A randomized controlled trial, composed of two groups (yoga - GI and exercise control active - GCA). The program consisted of 16 sessions lasting 30 minutes and the analyzes were composed of blood pressure measurements at the beginning and end of the program. Results: a) All studies in which the participants were hypertensive had a reduction in systolic blood pressure (SBP), both in the studies that evaluated the acute effect and in those that evaluated the chronic effect; in diastolic blood pressure (DBP) only three studies showed significant reduction (two investigating chronic effect); already the heart rate presented decrease in seven studies (4 investigating acute effect). b) Groups showed a significant reduction in SBP at moments, but no difference was found between groups; the patients were mostly white women with BMI above the recommended value and economic class B and C; presented levels of physical activity within the recommendations (> 150min / week). Conclusion: a) The systematic review has provided indications that the use of slow pranayamas and / or alternate nostrils may be an effective alternative for reducing blood pressure in normotensive and hypertensive patients. However, the high number of bias in the iserid studies limits these results. Therefore, new studies with greater methodological rigor in the area of yoga are needed, so that the benefits of this practice are strengthened and gain space as a complement to pharmacological treatment. b) The clinical trial indicated that 16 sessions of pranayamas present a chronic hypotensive effect for SBP in patients with arterial hypertension, but no differences were found between GI and GCA. However, the low number of patients included limits the analyzes and possible responses of blood pressure to pranayamas.

Recently the magnitude of the mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic has been emerging. Reports of anxiety or depression related to COVID-19 have been on the rise globally. Individuals have been living in a perpetual state of the unknown for over two years. Fear of the virus, sickness of oneself or family/friends and social isolation have taken a toll. According to the WHO, anxiety and depression have gone up 25% in the last year (2022). The effects of a rising mental health crisis will be drastic on top of the deaths and sickness related to COVID-19. While governments have recognized the importance of funding mental health services, the follow through is often lacking or the potential solutions are heavily geared towards pharmaceutical medications. This thesis is two pronged, including a review of the relevant literature with regard to COVID-19, mental health and yoga, as well as the findings of a six-week Eco-Yoga Therapy Program for Mental Health related to COVID-19. case report argues for an integrative solution focused on promoting health and wellness including both yoga therapy and nature or eco therapy. A six week program was designed for those experiencing anxiety or depression related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The thesis reports on the findings of the case series of three post-Covid females of different nationalities living in Spain, Belize and New Zealand, with co-morbidities including high blood pressure (HBP), hypothyroidism and post-partum. The clients successfully completed an integrative program based on yoga and eco-therapy. It involved a series of pranayama (breathing), asana (physical postures), dinacharya (lifestyle choices) and dhyana (meditation) techniques, along with practices tailored to each client based on their specific needs. Clients reported improvements in anxiety levels and stress management due to the practices, in particular the asana (physical postures) and pranayama (breathing practices). They felt an increased ability to calm the mind while being in nature. The approach to wellness focuses on our bodies own innate capacity to heal, as opposed to focusing on medical solutions to the virus and treatment once sickness has already manifested. Again, the emphasis is on strengthening the bodies natural immunity through yoga and nature, which reduces inflammation and stimulates the vagus nerve, both of which have been found to improve mental health and decrease the chances of disease.

Bronchial asthma incidence constitutes a compelling health and socioeconomical problem. Patients of all ages suffer from asthma, and no methods of effective prevention or healing are currently available. Poorly controlled asthma causes increase of financial expenditure as well as remarkable restriction of activities of daily living; it might even lead to death. In Czech republic, the number of patients with asthma is estimated at 500 000. The aim of this study is to evaluate effects of yoga exercise as a potential effective adjunct treatment on bronchial asthma state in adults. Theoretic part of the thesis describes pathological changes present in respiratory system, breathing pattern disorders and postural functions characteristic for patients suffering asthma disease. It also represents a brief summary of up to date findings of possible mechanisms on which are Spiral yoga and pranayama based, especially on these which can have an influence on obstructive lung disorders. Experimental part deals with the methodology and it reveals the process of making randomized clinical pilot study. Between 11 adult participants were investigated at the start and at the end of a three-month- long therapy. Investigation included pulmonary function tests, thoracic perimeter measurement, spine mobility...

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-11-22T21:39:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 MorganaMenezesNovaes_TESE.pdf: 3404460 bytes, checksum: e41e953d2b132254d0aebf805cdcb0ae (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-11-24T23:44:29Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 MorganaMenezesNovaes_TESE.pdf: 3404460 bytes, checksum: e41e953d2b132254d0aebf805cdcb0ae (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-24T23:44:29Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 MorganaMenezesNovaes_TESE.pdf: 3404460 bytes, checksum: e41e953d2b132254d0aebf805cdcb0ae (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-25 / A sistematiza??o do yoga por Pata?jali divide o yoga em 8 conjuntos de pr?ticas, dentre elas os asanas, a medita??o e as pr?ticas respirat?rias, conhecidas como pranayama. Estudo recen-tes tem sugerido que a pr?tica de pranayama est? associada a efeitos positivos sobre quadros de estresse e ansiedade. Esta tese tem por objetivo avaliar o impacto da pr?tica do Bhastrika Pranayama sobre marcadores de ansiedade, afeto, discurso e imagem funcional por resson?n-cia magn?tica (fMRI, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) usando desenho controlado, randomizado de bra?os paralelos. Trinta adultos jovens saud?veis, e sem experi?ncia com o yoga, foram recrutados e avaliados por meio do invent?rio de ansiedade tra?o-estado (IDA-TE), da escala de afeto positivo e negativo (PANAS), da an?lise do discurso e da fMRI (tarefa de regula??o emocional, e resting state), antes e ap?s 4 semanas de pr?tica do Bhastrika Pra-nayama ou de atividades controle. Ap?s o treinamento observamos redu??o dos n?veis de an-siedade e de afeto negativo, e intera??o significativa no sinal da ?nsula anterior bilateral e c?n-gulo anterior direito. A an?lise de correla??o mostrou que ap?s a pr?tica do pranayama, os indiv?duos com maiores aumentos da atividade da am?gdala, e ?nsula bilateral foram os que menos reduziram o afeto negativo. Os dados de rs-fMRI revelaram redu??o significativa de conectividade funcional do c?rtex pr?-frontal ventrolateral (vlPFC) ? direita com c?rtex pr?-frontal dorsolateral (dlPFC) ? direita ap?s o treinamento. Correla??o entre dados de rs-fMRI e escala PANAS mostrou que entre os indiv?duos que fizeram o pranayama, os que mais reduzi-ram a conectividade entre ?nsula anterior ? direita com vlPFC bilateral foram os que mais re-duziram o afeto negativo. An?lise do discurso mostrou redu??o significativa na rela??o se-m?ntica entre os textos transcritos e a palavra ansiedade. N?o foram encontradas diferen?as nas estruturas do discurso. De forma geral, nossos resultados sugerem que a pr?tica do Bhas-trika Pranayama leva a mudan?as significativas de ansiedade e de afeto, que se mostraram acompanhadas por mudan?as na atividade e conectividade de estruturas cerebrais que partici-pam de processos de regula??o emocional. / The systematization of Yoga presented in the Yoga Sutras of Pata?jali, written around 400 CE, proposes an eight limb yoga system, also known as Ashtanga Yoga (ashta=eight, anga=limb), consisting of eight set of practices. Among them, the breathing practices, known as Pranayama, has been associated with positive effects on stress and anxiety. This thesis explores the impact of Bhastrika Pranayama training on markers of anxiety, affect, speech, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using a randomized controlled trial of two parallel arms. Thirty young healthy adults, na?ve to Yoga practices, were recruited and evalu-ated by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), Speech Analysis and fMRI (emotional regulation task, and resting state-fMRI), before and after 4 weeks of training Bhastrika Pranayama or control activities. Results after bhastrika pranayama suggest reduction in both anxiety and negative affect, increased activity in bilateral anterior insula and right anterior cingulate cortex. Correlation analysis between fMRI signal during the emotional regulation protocol and PANAS scale showed that among individuals in pranayama group, individuals who most increased the activity in amygdala, right and left insula were those that less decreased negative affect. rs-fMRI results suggest decreased functional connectivity in the right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) with right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) after pranayama. Correlation between rs-fMRI data and PANAS scale showed that among individuals in pranayama group, those who most decreased the connectivity between right anterior insula with right and left vlPFC were the individuals that most decreased negative affect. Speech analysis showed reduction in semantic properties when the word ?anxiety? was used as seed. No significant difference was found in speech structures after pranayama. In general, our results suggest that the practice of Bhastrika Pranayama leads to changes in anxiety and affect, which was accompanied by changes in the activity and connectivity of brain structures that participate in processes of emotional regulation.