Ch 3Yoga as Preventive Measure for Lifestyle Disease — Class 12 Physical Education, concept-first.

Modern life has quietly reshaped the way our bodies work. Long hours seated at a desk, meals chosen for convenience over nourishment, little real movement and a steady background of stress have togeth…

Obesity is the excessive accumulation of body fat to a point where it begins to harm health. It develops mainly from eating more energy than the body uses — over-indulgence in food combined with physi…

Tada means palm tree and asana means posture, so Tadasana is the palm-tree pose. In the final position the body is held straight and erect, just as a palm tree stands tall and upright.

The name comes from kati meaning waist and chakra meaning circle or wheel, so Katichakrasana is the waist-rotating pose. It gives the waist a good stretch and makes it more flexible and supple.

The name comes from the Sanskrit pavana meaning wind and mukta meaning free or released, so Pavanmuktasana is the wind-releasing (wind-removing) asana — it literally helps expel trapped gas from the d…

Matsya means fish, so Matsyasana is the fish pose — in the final position the arched body is said to resemble a fish.

Hala means plough, and this posture is called Halasana because in its final position the shape of the body resembles the Indian plough.

The word comes from paschima meaning west or the back of the body and uttana meaning intense stretch, so Paschimottanasana is a seated forward bend that intensely stretches the entire back of the body…

The name comes from ardha meaning half, matsya meaning fish and eendra meaning king — the final position resembles the Half Lord of the Fishes, and the pose is also known as the Half Spinal Twist.

The name comes from the Sanskrit dhanura meaning bow — in the final position the body resembles a drawn bow, the straight arms forming the string and the curved torso and legs the arc.

Ustra means camel, so Ushtrasana is the camel pose. It is an intermediate back-bending posture, said to open the Anahata (heart) chakra, and it adds flexibility and strength to the body while improvin…

Surya means the sun and bhedhana means to get through or to pierce. In Surya Bhedhana Pranayama all inhalations are done through the right nostril and all exhalations through the left.

Diabetes mellitus is a lifestyle disease in which the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood stays too high.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.2 (Katichakrasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.3 (Pavanmuktasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

In Sanskrit the word Bhujanga means cobra. Because the final position of this asana resembles a hooded snake raising its head, it is called Bhujangasana, or the cobra pose.

The name Shalabhasana comes from the Sanskrit word shalabh, meaning grasshopper or locust. In the final position the raised legs and lifted body resemble a locust, which is how the asana gets its name…

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.8 (Dhanurasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

In Sanskrit, supta means reclined and Vajra means thunderbolt. Supta-Vajrasana is the reclined thunderbolt pose, and it is mainly useful for improving the digestive system and boosting stamina.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.6 (Paschimottanasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.7 (Ardha Matsyendrasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

Mandukasana comes from the Sanskrit word manduk, meaning frog. The asana is aptly named the frog pose because the body resembles a frog when the posture is held.

The name Gomukhasana comes from the Sanskrit words Go, meaning cow, and Mukha, meaning face or mouth. The asana gets its name because the folded thighs and calves of the person performing it resemble…

Yogamudra is not strictly an asana but a mudra (a yogic gesture or seal); even so, it can be performed as an effective remedy for diabetes. It is regarded as a sign of deep understanding and wisdom.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.9 (Ushtrasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

Kapalabhati is a cleansing breathing practice (a shatkarma / pranayama) that involves forceful and fast diaphragmatic breathing.

Bronchial asthma is a lifestyle and respiratory disease in which the airways (the bronchial tubes that carry air to the lungs) become inflamed, swollen and narrow.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.1 (Tadasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

The name of this asana comes from the Sanskrit urdhva, meaning upward, and hasta, meaning hands. In English it is called the upward-salute or upward-hands pose; here it is practised with a side bend t…

When, in Mandukasana, the head is held within the elbows, the posture becomes Uttanmandukasana, which resembles an upright frog (uttana meaning upright).

This asana is described in full in section 3.2.3 (Bhujangasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.8 (Dhanurasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.9 (Ushtrasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

Vakra means twist in Sanskrit, so the name Vakrasana means the twisted pose, because the spine is twisted while practising it.

This asana is described in full in section 3.2.13 (Kapalabhati) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.2.10 (Gomukhasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

This asana is described in full in section 3.1.4 (Matsyasana) above - its procedure, breathing awareness, benefits and contraindications are the same wherever it is practised.

Anulom-Vilom is one of the fundamental types of pranayama. It is also called Anuloma-Viloma - viloma means 'produced in the reverse order' - because the order in which the nostrils are used for inhala…

Hypertension, or persistently high blood pressure, is one of the most common lifestyle diseases and is often called the silent killer because it can build up for years without any obvious symptoms.

Tadasana (palm-tree pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Katichakrasana (waist-rotation pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

The name comes from the Sanskrit words Uttana, meaning raise-upward, and pada, meaning feet or legs. Uttanpadasana is one of the most useful asanas in yoga and carries many health benefits.

Ardha means half and Hala means plough, so this asana is called Ardha-Halasana because in its final position the body resembles half the shape of an Indian plough.

The word Saral means easy and Matsya means fish, so Sarala Matsyasana is the easy fish pose — a gentler version of the fish posture that most students can manage.

Gomukhasana (cow-face pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Uttan Mandukasana (upright-frog pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Vakrasana (twisted pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for hypertension, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Makar means crocodile. While doing this asana the body resembles the shape of a crocodile, which is why it is known as Makarasana.

Lying supine on the ground like a corpse is Shavasana. The posture wards off fatigue and brings mental repose.

Nadi means channel and Shodhana means purification, so Nadi-Shodhana is known as the channel for purification.

As the name indicates, this pranayama cools the system. It helps to keep the body's temperature down, and is taught in the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education course as a cooling breath that helps lower…

Back pain and arthritis are among the most common complaints of a sedentary, modern lifestyle. Long hours of sitting, poor posture and stiff, under-used joints gradually weaken the back and reduce the…

Tadasana (palm-tree pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Urdhwahastottansana (upward-hands side-bend) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

In Sanskrit, Ardha means half, Chakra means wheel and Asana means a pose. Therefore Ardha-Chakrasana means the half-wheel posture.

Ushtrasana (camel pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Vakrasana (twisted pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Sarala Matsyasana (easy fish pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Bhujangasana (cobra pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Gomukhasana (cow-face pose) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again here.

Bhadrasana means the gracious yoga pose. It is made up of two words — Bhadra and Asana. Bhadra is a Sanskrit word that means auspicious or gracious, while asana indicates a yoga pose.

In Sanskrit, Makar means crocodile and Asana means posture, so the English name of this pose is the Crocodile Pose.

Nadi-Shodhana Pranayam (alternate nostril breathing) is also recommended as a preventive asana for back pain and arthritis, which is why the CBSE Class 12 Physical Education textbook lists it again he…

This chapter closes with a set of practice questions that bring together everything you have learnt about yoga as a preventive measure for lifestyle diseases.

- Yoga as a preventive measure. Unlike ordinary exercise, yogasanas slow the respiration and metabolism and help arrest catabolism, making yoga a gentle, sustainable way to prevent and manage the comm…