After 10 weeks of practicing yoga, adults with asthma reported increased quality of life and reduced asthma symptoms, according to research presented at the [removed]56th Annual Meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine[/removed] (ACSM) in Seattle.
Twenty participants were included in the study. All were “beginners” at yoga and participated in 1-hour yoga classes twice a week in addition to practicing half an hour weekly at home. After initial warm-ups, deep breathing, and stretching, the participants practiced yoga positions with the goal of holding the poses during deep breathing. This replicates the stress of an oncoming asthma attack, according to lead researcher Amy Bidwell, MS.
All participants completed the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire before and after the 10-week yoga regimen. Participants’ scores on the questionnaire improved by an average of 42.5% after the 10-weeks of yoga.
“Modern medicine carries many side effects,” said Bidwell in a press release from the ACSM. “This is especially true with corticosteroids, which many asthmatics take for quick relief. Yoga is an excellent alterative because there are no side effects. It’s a natural, holistic discipline that can benefit a person’s body in many ways.”
