According to a controlled study, the researchers have found that performing regular yoga and meditation as well as vegetarian diet linked to decline in risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Deepak Chopra, senior author the study, said, “It appears that a one-week Panchakarma program can significantly alter the metabolic profile of the person undergoing it. As part of our strategy to create a framework for whole systems biology research, our next step will be to correlate these changes with both gene expression and psychological health.”

While studying, 119 healthy male and female participants between 30 to 80 years of age were kept in six-day Ayurvedic-based well-being program that consists of providing a vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga and massages.

Co-author Paul J Mills said that although the medicinal practices such as meditation as well as Ayurveda, are extremely popular, their effects on human microbiome, genome and physiology are not fully understood.

He said, “Our program of research is dedicated to addressing these gaps in the literature. The researchers looked at the effects of a Panchakarma-based Ayurvedic intervention on plasma metabolites in a controlled clinical trial.”

“Panchakarma refers to a detoxification and rejuvenation protocol involving massage, herbal therapy and other procedures to help strengthen and rejuvenate the body,” he further added.

According to the researchers, they found that in the Panchakarma group there was a measurable decrease in 12 specific cell-membrane chemicals, knows as phosphatidycholines, correlating with serum cholesterol and inversely related to Type-2 diabetes risk.

Mr. Chopra sai, “These phospholipids exert broad effects on pathways related to inflammation and cholesterol metabolism. Plasma and serum levels of the metabolites of phosphatidylcholine are highly predictive of cardiovascular disease risk.”

By Prajakt K.