Volume 59, Issue 328, April 2023

An intervention study to assess the effect of Surya anuloma viloma pranayama on Body Mass Index (BMI)

Krishna Kumar V^1♦, Anoop AK², Nithya AK³, Visakh V⁴

¹Associate Professor, Dept. of Kriya Sarira, MVR Ayurveda Medical College, Parassinikkadav, Kerala, India
²Deputy Physician, Clinical research, Arya Vaidyasala Kottakkal, Kerala, India
³Assistant professor, Dept. Of Kaumarabhrithya, MVR Ayurveda Medical college, Parassinikkadav, Kerala, India
⁴Assistant Professor, Dept. of Samhita and Siddhanta, MVR Ayurveda Medical college, Parassinikkadav, Kerala, India

^♦Corresponding author
Associate Professor, Dept. of Kriya Sarira, MVR Ayurveda Medical College, Parassinikkadav, Kerala India

ABSTRACT

Ayurveda, the science of life is being practiced in India for thousands of years is the world’s first well organized health science that has sound scientific and philosophical basis. The scientific-spiritual discipline of yoga is an effective and time-tested method for improving our health as well as prevention and management of diseases. Obesity is a common but serious health problem in the present scenario. The prevalence of obesity is rising to epidemic proportions at an alarming rate in both developed and developing countries. In this intervention study it was observed that there was a strong effect of Surya anuloma viloma pranayama on body mass index. 2 groups A & B are randomly selected and group A practices both surya anuloma villoma pranayama and 2 yoga asanas (Vajrasana and pavanamuktasana). Group B practices only the mentioned yoga asanas. By doing surya anuloma viloma pranayama the breathing occurs only through the right nostril and only the pingala nadi is activated. The pingala nadi stimulation increases the sympathetic activity in the body which in turn increases the basal metabolic rate. On the basis of analysis, it was seen that the body mass index decreased in both the groups and the change in BMI is more significant in the group A; the group which was subjected to the surya anuloma viloma pranayama. The Change in respiratory rate was also significant and the respiratory rate increased in Group A and decreased in group B. In this study the added-on effect of surya anuloma villoma pranayama on BMI is compared with other conventional yoga asanas. The relevance of the study is that by this simple pranayama technique we can control our body weight even in the office room during the busy schedule.

Keywords: Surya anuloma-viloma pranayama, vajrasana, pavanamuktasana, pingala nadi

Discovery, 2023, 59, e49d1047

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Published: April 2023