New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Reference Terms
from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yoga (alternative medicine)

Yoga is a healing system of theory and practice, its a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation, practiced for over 5,000 years.

A survey released in May 2004 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine focused on who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), what was used, and why it was used in the United States by adults age 18 years and over during 2002. According to this survey, Yoga was the 5th most commonly used CAM therapy (2.8%) in the United States during 2002. Yoga is considered a mind-body intervention that is used to reduce the health effects of generalized stress. Yoga is believed to calm the nervous system and balance the body, mind, and spirit. It is thought by its practitioners to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians open and life energy (Prana) flowing. Yoga is usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted at least once a week and for approximately 45 minutes. Yoga has been used to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve coordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion.

Related Stories
 


Health & Medicine News

October 16, 2026

USC scientists have discovered a way to create a potentially renewable supply of genetically engineered immune cells that can attack cancer and strengthen the body's natural defenses. By growing and ...
Yale scientists have uncovered how the stress hormone cortisol helps the brain turn emotional experiences into stronger, longer-lasting memories. The discovery reveals that stress can reshape ...
Scientists have discovered how to turn a protein that normally fuels cancer growth into a weapon against it. By activating PPARD in immune cells, researchers made them better at burning fat and attacking tumors, slowing or stopping cancer growth in ...
Scientists have uncovered a hidden biological mechanism that helps explain how exercise can reverse some of the damage caused by muscle aging. The key is a gene called DEAF1, which becomes overactive with age and interferes with the muscles’ ...
Eating late at night could be putting your liver at risk, according to a large study led by Oregon Health & Science University. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 200,000 people and found that those who regularly ate after dinner or around ...
Scientists have discovered that unusually small cancer cells carrying extra chromosomes can be far more aggressive than larger ones, growing faster, spreading more readily, and resisting common treatments. The surprising finding could help explain ...
A rare examination of an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain revealed that regions cleared of amyloid plaques had remarkably little of the harmful tau buildup associated with memory loss, while ...
Strokes are becoming alarmingly common among younger adults, with rates nearly doubling among people ages 20 to 54 over nearly three decades. Researchers found that blocked blood vessels in the brain ...
Popular diabetes and weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have been linked to a slightly increased risk of a rare condition that can cause sudden, potentially permanent vision loss. Although the risk remains very low, Rutgers researchers say ...
A 47-year study has uncovered a surprising turning point in physical aging: fitness and strength begin declining around age 35, even among people who exercise regularly. Researchers found that this decline accelerates as people get older, but ...
A major study found that several cancers are rising faster among younger adults in England, even as smoking, diet, and other established risk factors have generally improved. Excess weight explains only part of the increase, leaving scientists ...
Ice baths, massages, compression garments, and recovery supplements promise faster muscle recovery, but research suggests their benefits are often overstated, and some techniques may even undermine long-term gains. Scientists say the most effective ...

Latest Headlines

updated 12:56 pm ET