Physical health in prospective of Yoga
By: Dr. Pravin Kumar
Physical health consist ability to perform daily activities with vigor this is possible with flexibility, strength, endurance(muscle and cardio-respiratory endurance), balance and body composition, which are main components of physical fitness.
We see components of modern physical fitness mainly outcome of three components of Hatha Yoga which includes Mitahar, Asana, and Pranayama.
Mitahara (balanced diet) helps in body composition. Hatha yoga pradipika Mitahar (1.57) defined it as agreeable and fresh, pleasant tasting food with adequate amount of simple sugar containing. Light food easy to digest. Half of the stomach should be filled with food rest one fourth should be filled with water and rest of the stomach should be empty for air. Food should be source of nutrition and nourishment not for only taste.
Asanas (Yoga Postures) helps in body flexibility, strength, balance. Asana defined in Hatha yoga pradipika (1.17) as those postures which helps steadiness, balance flexibility and lightness of body. During Asana practice continuous deep breathing is important for above benefits.
Pranayama is a breathing practice with bundhas (locks) helps in endurance of muscles and cardiorespiratory system.
Basically we see in Hatha Yoga system nourishment, body movements in various directions with deep breathing is considered as way to achieve physical fitness. At cellular level which is the unit of body a physiological process takes place called glucose metabolism. Rate of glucose metabolism depends upon exactly above mentioned three components food and glucose, body movements rise the necessity of energy to cell this increase glucose metabolism. At last Pranayama (deep breathing) provides sufficient amount of oxygen to the cell to convert glucose or food into maximum energy needed for activities to be done. When rapid body movements happened such as running after long time we fill pain in muscles, this happens because muscle cells do rapid glucose metabolism in absence of sufficient amount of oxygen. In this condition glucose could not breaks down completely rather it breaks into lactic acids and produce less ATP (energy). This process is called anaerobic glucose metabolism. We can understand it by a simple example when we fire wood in absence or less oxygen it create alot of smoke and provide less fire. Similarly in cell when there is not sufficient supply of oxygen and body need alot of energy at that point of time for less time body could not completely breakdown glucose. But breaks into lactic acid and this lactic acid deposition gives feelings of pain in muscles of legs.
Now reverse the situation during Asana practice muscles at rest and gets movements with sufficient amount of oxygen, in this condition another type of glucose metabolism takes place call aerobic cellular respiration. In this situation body need energy for various stretching or bandings, muscle cells goes into complete breakdown of glucose without any residue rather glucose breaks into carbon dioxide and water molecules. But glucose metabolic rate also depends on many other factors such as age. Human metabolic rate decrease by 2 percent after every 10 years. Changes in body composition, including reduced lean muscle mass are mostly responsible for this decrease. Loss of muscle mass which reduced the strength. But regular physical activity and good lungs capacity and eating healthy again three components of yoga helps for keep better metabolic rate. Consequential decline in metabolic rate occurs between 50 to 70 years of age. We can minimize this with including healthy habits such as eating breakfast, eating small meals frequently, consuming plenty of lean protein, drinking water for remain hydrated, doing asana regularly, keeping lung capacity with Pranayama. Good sleep is important for physical health. Relaxation too is important phenomena with meditation or Savasana.
Last verse of second chapter of Hatha yoga pradipika defines the benefits of performing regular hath yoga verse goes as follow:
"Vapukrishatavam Vadane prasanata nada sphutatavam naine sunirmale,
Arogyata vindujyoganidipnam nadi vishudhi hathsidhi lakhsanam"
It means perfection in hatha yoga provides leanness of the body, tranquil countenance, manifestation of inner sound, glowing eyes, diseaselessness, control over bindu (semen or ova), active digestive fire and purification of nadis.
