The rapid spread and chronic nature of diseases of civilization have created a
scenario where local and traditional medicine is ill-equipped to deal with health and
wellness. Low cost public health prevention and intervention efforts are key elements in
stemming the tide of diseases arising from fast-paced globalization. Diseases travel
across borders, so do modalities of health. The mingling of Eastern and Western
methods of health and wellness has given rise to the practice of various mind-body
techniques. Yoga and meditation, categorized as mind-body therapies, are examples of
this cross-fertilization of treatments between the East and the West. Both yoga and
meditation have been described as useful and effective health and stress management
tools that can alleviate the negative physical effects of stress by improving
neuroendocrine status, metabolic function, inflammation, HPA regulation and
parasympathetic nervous system tone. Yoga and meditation benefit health via their
effect on obesity and diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus. The
inexpensive nature of yoga and meditation practice makes them attractive public health
tools. With the increasing impact of globalization, the arsenal of public health tools
should include traditional and modern medical approaches from both Eastern and
Western traditions. This sharing of regional and culture-bound health practices offersthe
opportunity to implement potentially effective public health programs within
unexplored geographic locations and settings. Yoga and meditation are ancient wellness
techniques that can be used in combination with traditional medicine to reduce the
global escalation of obesity and related chronic illnesses.
Keywords: Yoga, meditation, obesity, relaxation, stress management, Eastern
medicine, Western medicine, global health, overweight, wellness, risk, behavior,
lifestyle-related diseases.
