Mental wellbeing and physical wellbeing are not mutually exclusive, say three Gisborne doctors who have set out to discover whether Sudarshan Kriya yoga can help people with chronic illnesses.
The new clinical trial will be the first of its kind for New Zealand and is designed for about 70 people with chronic conditions.
'If Sudarshan Kriya is practised daily and properly, it helps an individual to be mentally and physically healthy,' said Dr Patrick McHugh, who is running the trial along with Dr Craig Wilson and Dr Bruce Duncan.
'We hope to validate these benefits in a way that scientists and doctors will heed.'
The trial involves learning a set of exercises focused on breathing and simple physical exercise. Patients are expected to perform the routine themselves over a period of six months.
'It can be used as a general tonic to reduce the psychological stress and the result can be an improved state of wellbeing,' Dr McHugh said.
'I have had personal experience with Sudarshan Kriya yoga and found it was helpful for my own health'.
'If physical exercise is good for physical health, then emotional exercise is likely to be good for emotional health.
"You can make a good analogy by saying we wouldn't go two or three days without cleaning physically to dissolve the dirt so we should cleanse ourselves emotionally to dissolve some of the emotional stress and toxins.'
Sponsorship for the trial came through the Tairawhiti Traditional and Complementary Therapies Research Trust and it is hoped it will start in June.
Dr McHugh said anyone with a chronic health condition such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, neck or back pain, obesity or other chronic conditions could qualify for the trial.
'If there are clear positive effects we hope to explore it further and get our findings published in the New Zealand Medical Journal'.
'Chronic illnesses are increasing, we know this, and being able to manage and afford to manage people with chronic illnesses is getting harder. All the baby boomers are growing up and there is an increasing number of people over 65 to support, so if we look at other ways that may help people with chronic illness it can give people more choices.'
Dr McHugh said half of the group of 70 would be taught the yoga routine in June and the second group in September. After three months and six months, participants would be asked to fill in a questionnaire relating to their health and any improvements they experienced.
Anyone interested in taking part in the Sudarshan Kriya trial should contact Tracey on 869 0570.
By Jessica Wauchop
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