International yoga day: Positive step toward global health

Dear Sir,

Yoga is art and science. It is an ancient Indian set of practices comprising a lifestyle. It has multiple physical, mental and spiritual benefits, and influences of the mind on the body are far more powerful than the influences of the body on the mind.[1] The United Nations General Assembly adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as “International Day of Yoga.” The resolution, adopted under the agenda of “Global Health and Foreign Policy,” the General Assembly recognized that Yoga “provides a holistic approach to health and well-being” and that wider the dissemination of information about benefits of practicing Yoga would be beneficial for the health of the world population. The main significance of the UN declaring an International Day is to focus the attention of the international community on the topic and to encourage activities among the member states to commemorate the day.[2] The immense benefits of yoga are well established across the world. According to a survey done in US, yoga was perceived in several ways such as an exercise activity, spiritual activity, or a way to treat a health condition.[3] The reasons for practicing yoga were for general wellness, as a physical exercise, and for stress management. Majority of the respondents practiced yoga for better health, while the remaining ones practiced yoga for specific health conditions.[4] Further as per a review, yoga practices were found to be as effective as or better than exercise in improving several health conditions in healthy as well as diseased populations.[5] Yoga also aims at promoting positive health that will help us to tide over health challenges that occur during our lifetime. This concept of positive health is one of the yoga's unique contributions to modern healthcare as yoga has both promotive and preventive role in the healthcare of the masses. The UN adoption of Yoga day will help to reach the unreached and more people to practice yoga worldwide. In true sense, a positive step toward the global health.