Impact of Anulom Vilom on heart diseases
Anulom vilom, an ancient breathing technique from India is gift to the world. Impact of Anulom Vilom on heart diseases is very positive and patient can reap the benefit of doing the same. Anulom vilom is considered as Nadi sodhan Pranayam as per yogic text. Doctors, medical researchers and yogis around the world has put trusts on the Anulom Vilom after carefully research on the patients.
Understand HRV ( Heart Rate Variability)- The Indicator of heart health
Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the period between heartbeats. It is a measure of how well your body responds to stress and can suggest your general health and fitness.
A greater HRV typically indicates better health and fitness, whereas a lower HRV may signal heart problems or that your body is in fight-or-flight mode.
Stress, poor sleep, food, and physical strain can all impair HRV.
HRV can be an effective method for identifying people who are at risk of cardiovascular mortality.
HRV is measured in milliseconds using the R-R interval, which is the period between two consecutive R wave peaks on an electrocardiogram (ECG).
Healthy adults have a normal HRV of 19-75 milliseconds.
Important indicators of heart health
There are various indicators you require to check with doctors on a regular basis, like blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, body mass index, blood sugar and many others. Check the important indicator of health here with its value in the image below, you can download it and frame it in your home.
Symptoms of BAD Heart Health
Shortness of breath: Difficulty breathing while performing routine activities or at rest may indicate heart failure or other heart disorders.
Exhaustion: Unusual and persistent exhaustion, even with moderate exertion, can be an early indicator of heart disease, particularly in women.
Chest pain or discomfort: A common symptom of heart disease, particularly if it is accompanied by pressure, tightness, or squeezing sensations. It could happen while you’re exercising or under stress.
Fainting, dizziness, or feeling lightheaded can occur when the heart isn’t pumping blood properly.
Pain in the arms, back, neck, or jaw: Discomfort in these locations, particularly the left arm, can be linked to cardiac difficulties, particularly in heart attacks.
Irregular heartbeat: Palpitations or the sensation of a fast, sluggish, or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) may indicate cardiac problems.
Edema in the legs, ankles, or feet: Poor circulation due to cardiac problems can cause fluid buildup in the body, resulting in edema.
Persistent coughing or wheezing: This is a sign of fluid buildup in the lungs as a result of heart failure.
Nausea, indigestion, or stomach pain: These symptoms can occasionally accompany cardiac problems, particularly in women who have had a heart attack.
Cold sweats: Unexplained sweating, especially when accompanied with other symptoms, can be a warning sign.
What is exactly the blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the body’s arteries. It is measured by two numbers: diastolic and systolic
Systolic
The pressure created as your heart beats and pumps blood into your arteries. This is the peak of your blood pressure.
Diastolic
The pressure created when your heart rests between beats. This is the lowest level of your blood pressure.
Blood pressure readings are typically expressed as two numbers, with the systolic number first. For example, a reading of 120/80 indicates a systolic pressure of 120 and a diastolic pressure of 80.
High blood pressure
When the blood pressure reading goes higher than 130-139/ 80-89 then it is considered stage 1 high blood pressure and when it goes higher than 140/90 then it is considered as a stage 2 high blood pressure.
The cause of high blood pressure may be many but if you take high sodium and potassium in food then it causes high blood pressure, Smoking, alcoholism, eating very high carb and fat foods, less sleep, lack of physical activities etc can cause high blood pressure.
Low blood pressure
Low blood pressure is considered when the reading is below 90/60 mm HG. Low blood pressure can be caused by dehydration, hormonal problems, blood loss, anaemia and many.
Blood Pressure Reading and its meaning
Statistics on heart health ( Must to know)
- According to the World Health Organization ( WHO), Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year.
- In year 2022, about 702,880 people died from heart disease in the United States (US) , which is one in every five deaths!
- Between 2018 and 2019, the direct and indirect expenses of CVD were $407.3 billion.
- In 2020, coronary heart disease (CHD) was the major cause (41.2%) of death in the United States, followed by stroke (17.3%), other CVD (16.8%), high blood pressure (12.9%), heart failure (9.2%), and vascular disorders (2.6%).
- Coronary heart disease is the most prevalent form of heart disease. It killed about 371,506 people in 2022.
- CAD (coronary arteries disease) affects approximately 5% of persons aged 20 and older!
- In 2022, almost one out of every five deaths from cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) occurred among persons under the age of 65.
- In the United States, a heart attack occurs every 40 seconds!
- Every year, around 805,000 people in the United States suffer a heart attack. Of them, 605,000 are first-time heart attacks, while 200,000 had previously experienced a heart attack.
- The leading cause of human death globally is heart disease according to WHO! Followed by cancer and accidents.
- 33% of total human deaths globally is attributed to heart diseases in 2019.
By looking at the figures and statistics globally and in the United states, heart disease is no 1 monster in the world and killing people in bulk. It is very scary and people are often frightened by heart disease, a worry or stress related to fear of becoming a heart patient also creates heart disease!
But, monsters can be avoided, we can fight with the monster and people with strong willpower can defeat the monster as well.
Let’s check some scientific data on anulom vilom pranayama and its effect over heath / cardiovascular diseases.
Research related to heart disease and alternative therapy Pranayam & yoga:
Impact of Anulom Vilom on heart diseases
I put some of the notable research in the field of heart disease and whether alternative therapies like yoga and meditation can have a positive effect on it or not.
- According to european society of cardiology, Yoga with breathing, meditation linked with symptom improvement in patients with heart failure, according to research presented at Heart Failure 2024, a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)
- A large number of studies show that yoga benefits many aspects of cardiovascular health, says Hugh Calkins, M.D., director of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Service at Johns Hopkins.
- According to Dr. Helene Glassberg, cardiologist at the Penn Heart and Vascular Center, “Yoga, like other forms of exercise, can improve your cholesterol and blood sugar levels by improving metabolism, and can lower blood pressure by improving artery relaxation.”
- According to american heart association journals, there are data emerges that support the yoga and pranayam benefits in heart diseases.
- According to the International journal of science and health research,a regular practice of ANULOM VILOM Pranayama for 4 weeks reduces the cardiovascular parameters ( systolic and diastolic ) in blood pressure patients.
- As per the article of national journal of physiology, pharmacology and pharmacy, Anulom Vilom pranayama has an immediate positive impact on cardiovascular health among medical students. Incorporating such techniques into medical education curricula may benefit students’ health and academic performance.
- According to a study published in the International Journal of Research in Ayurveda and Pharmacy, ‘Anulom – Vilom Pranayam’ had a substantial effect on systolic blood pressure. Furthermore, practicing Anulom Vilom pranayama for a brief period of time may result in improved parasympathetic control of the heart.
Thus the Impact of Anulom Vilom on heart diseases is very positive and one must start doing this pranayama.
Anulom Vilom – The Good and easy pranayama
Anulom Vilom is one of the easiest pranayama breathing exercises in the yoga discipline. There is no special training is required to perform this alternate nostril breathing. Even a 5 year kid and 90 year grandpa can do anulom vilom pranayama very easily!
Read more benefits – Super benefits of Anulom Vilom Pranayama
How to do Anluom Vilom Pranayama:
Prerequisite
- You should have an empty stomach or do it after 2.5 hours of any food intake.
- You should have a good , comfortable, calm and moderately cool/warm environment.
- You can do it on bed, sofa or even of chair but you should have good comfortable sitting arrangements where you can sit cross leg.
- For people who can not sit in cross leg posture, they can sit comfortably on chair
Anulom Vilom Pranayam Procedure step by step
- Sit into a meditative pose like Padmasana, Shukhasana Or Sidhasana
- Keep your spine and neck straight during the anulom vilom pranayama session.
- Close your eyes.
- Take a deep breath and focus your mind between your eyebrows.
- Rest your both hands/wrist on knees in gyan mudra.
- Now, Fold the middle and index fingers of your right hand toward your palm.
- Put your thumb on the right nostril and your ring finger on the left nostril.
- This is called pranav mudra, so learn how to do pranav mudra first if you find difficulty.
- Close your right nostril with your thumb, then slowly and steadily inhale through your left nostril until your lungs are full. Concentrate on your breathing and pathway of air.
- Next, release your thumb and close the left nostril with the other two fingers (ring finger and little finger) .
- Exhale slowly from the right nostril.
- Now try it in reverse, breathing through the right nostril and expelling through the left.
How long should you do Anulom Vilom Pranayama
- For a one sitting/session , you should do it for 5 to 20 minutes.
- You can do anulom vilom pranayama before sleep as well.
- You can do anulom pranayama 2 times in a day.
Conclusion
- Anulom vilom pranayama is an ancient indian yogic practices mentioned in authentic ancient yogic texts.
- Anulom vilom pranayama OR alternate nostril breathing is a very easy pranayama
- Cardiovascular diseases or heart related diseases are the number one killer of humankind globally and it is backed by several authentic data.
- The impact of Anulom vilom pranayama on heart and blood pressure is positive and it is backed by scientific research.
- Anyone can do Anulom Vilom breathing exercise, whether kid or grandpa.
