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People suffering from lifestyle diseases can heal or manage their illnesses by practicing Yoga. Dr Gacheke, a certified Yoga trainer in Nairobi, said a Yoga lifestyle can prevent one from falling ill, besides helping in disease management and mental health.
Yoga is an ancient spiritual exercise that includes breath control and meditation through specific bodily postures to promote physical and mental health.
As the world marks International Day of Yoga, experts are calling on Kenyans to adopt Yoga as an alternative to conventional healing methods such as use of medicine.
“Yoga is a system of natural healing and it concerns everything including breathing, eating, how we take actions among other lifestyle behaviour,” said Gacheke.
The eighth edition of the international day of yoga was marked at United Nations headquarters in Nairobi under the theme Yoga for Humanity. Participants from different countries showcased bodily postures of Yoga.
According to India High Commissioner to Kenya Dr Virander Paul, the practice has attracted enthusiasts locally and internationally citing its promotion to physical well-being and mental health.
The commissioner said Yoga played a major role in averting sufferings, particularly at the height of Covid-19 pandemic, since June 21 was adopted as International Day of Yoga. “It is heartening to see how various national governments are incorporating yoga in one way or another in health care policies. Yoga is a form of medicine that has been proven to be efficacy and there’s scientific evidence coming up to support that this can play a major to meet he large objective of universal health of body and health,” said the commissioner.
United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya Stephen Jackson said the ancient technology of using physical practice to promote mental wellness strengthened health. “There is no country in the world that is not practicing Yoga, and there is a lot of science evidence that points to the efficacy of the exercise through the various yoga poses,” said Jackson.
“It was particularly important during the coronavirus pandemic when we were isolated from our families, friends and workmates and spelt loneliness and depression,” he added.
The UN representative said they were promoting Yoga as a universal practice that complements the usual ways of exercising to promote humanity.
“This is an exercise that should be done routinely at workplaces or homes because it would put people in better mood and make them more productive. Kenya is a massive centre for Yoga and people are practicing in different locations such as Karura Forest,” he added.
Overall, Jackson said incorporating the exercise would by far help in achieving the county’s universal health.
“One thing we realise is that health is high-tech hospitals, clinics, vaccines, medicines, but whereas they’re useful, physical health through regular exercise could reduce the burden of diseases associated with societal development such as diabetes, obesity and heart problems,” said Jackson.
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