'Yoga helps in enhancing immunity'

CHANDIGARH: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convocation address at the PGI last year in September that emphasized integration of yoga with medical science, Dr Meenu Singh, a paediatrician at the PGI, has initiated the holistic system. She conducts special sessions with her patients to teach them yoga after they are weaned off medicines. Specializing in asthma and bronchitis, the paediatrician complements medicine with yoga.
"When our patients suffer from respiratory disorders like asthma or bronchitis, they are taken off medicines and we ask them to do yoga. They are also taught in various camps that we often conduct," Dr Meenu said, adding, "When the dosage of medicines is altered, it is preferred to build the immunity. Yoga teaches some techniques that help in enhancing the immunity and also improves breathing capacity."
What one might not expect from an allopathic doctor is asking the parents to use "traditional" practices. However, Dr Meenu prefers honey and ginger mixture for sore throat for children to strong doses of medicines.
Not only in respiratory diseases, yoga is also recommended in posture-related disorders. "Most of the physiotherapy exercises are similar to yoga postures. It helps in most of the backaches and posture-related problems," said Dr Jaswinder Walia, a city-based orthopaedician.
Though no specific research has been done on yoga and its relation to diseases has been done at the PGI, some collaborative studies have provided sufficient evidence. "We had done a study with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, on herbal remedy trial for sore throat. There are evidences that substantiate that herbal medicines are effective," said Dr Meenu, who does not shy away from recommending alternative therapy like yoga.