Reporter: Well, now, researchers believe they could do worse than try meditation and yoga. The findings have just been published in an international medical journal, as medical reporter Sophie Scott reports.
Sophie Scott: Mindful meditation rather than being twisted in knots that’s what Sahaja yoga promises its students. But now Australian researchers say it may help some patients with asthma control their symptoms.
Dr Guy Marks: This is one of the few studies in which, you know, if you’d like, alternative type treatment has shown any beneficial effects.
Sophie Scott: Claire Pisani says she was skeptical about the effects Sahaja yoga would have on her asthma.
Claire: I found that as I’ve started to do this meditation, there’s been a dramatic improvement in my well-being generally and specifically, my lung function has improved.
Sophie Scott: Researchers from Sydney’s Institute of Respiratory Medicine and the Natural Therapies Unit of the Royal Women’s Hospital studied patients with moderate to severe asthma. Half practiced Sahaja yoga, the other half did relaxation. All continued to take their asthma medication.
Dr Guy Marks: The people who had yoga had evidence of much less twitch or some less twitchiness of the airways than those who had who were in the relaxation group.
Sophie Scott: But researchers admit they don’t know exactly why yoga helps asthma sufferers.
Dr Guy Marks: One possible explanation would be that it’s in some way related to pattern of breathing, the depth and pattern of breathing.
Sophie Scott: Researchers now want to do further studies to see how important yoga is in managing asthma.
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