瑜伽，一項經(jīng)驗證對心臟確有好處的運動

Yoga is a discipline I've long been a fan of, and I practise sun salutations several times a week. I know it does me good and now I have to add another benefit – it could be a life saver for people recovering from a heart attack.

瑜伽是我一直以來都十分熱愛的運動，每周我都會做幾次拜日式動作。我知道瑜伽有利于身體健康，現(xiàn)在我還知道了它的另一個益處——對于正在恢復的心臟病患者而言，它可以救命。

I'm not at all surprised to learn that an Indian study of almost 2,500 people recovering from heart surgery found breathing exercises and stretching boosted circulation and strengthened the heart. Furthermore, the researchers claimed a three-month programme of yoga while recovering from surgery after a heart attack resulted in a lower risk of being hit by another.

印度一項針對近2500名正在恢復的心臟病患者的研究發(fā)現(xiàn)：呼吸運動和伸展運動可促進血液循環(huán)、增強心臟功能。得知這一點，我并不感到驚奇。此外，研究員稱，做完心臟病手術(shù)后康復的同時進行三個月的瑜伽運動可降低心臟病再犯的風險。

Better still, people who did a daily hour of breathing exercises and gentle movement were about 16% less likely to die over the next five years. Why? Tests showed participants’ hearts were pumping blood around the body more efficiently.

更甚者，每天進行一小時呼吸運動和柔緩運動的患者在未來五年內(nèi)死亡的風險降低了約16%。為什么?研究表明，因為患者的血液能夠被更有效地從心臟運輸至全身各器官。

Lead researcher Professor Naresh Sen, from Jaipur, said: "Patients in the yoga arm undertook three months of a new daily one-hour programme specifically designed for cardiac patients, incorporating yoga and meditation in the morning, and a pattern of breathing exercises, comprising slow and fast-breathing elements, in the evening. Yoga and breathing exercises may reduce metabolic stress, reduce oxygen demand and prevent ventricular remodelling [damage to the heart]."

來自齋浦爾的首席研究員納雷什·森(Naresh Sen)教授說道：“瑜伽組患者在三個月的時間內(nèi)每天做一個小時的運動，該運動專為心臟病患者設(shè)計：早晨做瑜伽和冥想、晚上做一組有快有慢的呼吸練習。瑜伽和呼吸練習或能降低新陳代謝的壓力、減少供氧需求，并預防心室重構(gòu)(不利于心臟健康)。”

Yoga performed well given that the trial involved patients who had suffered the most serious type of heart attack, where one of the major arteries is blocked. All had undergone surgery to widen the vessels, using a stent to allow blood to flow more freely. Half the patients were then put on a three-month programme of yoga.

鑒于該研究中的某些患者曾經(jīng)歷過最嚴重的心臟病發(fā)作(一條主動脈被堵)，瑜伽帶來的健康效果超出了想象。所有受試者都做過手術(shù)，在血管狹窄處放入擴張支架使血液流通順暢。其中一半的患者參與了三個月的瑜伽鍛煉項目。

Over the next five years, the patients in the yoga group were 16% less likely to die. There was an unexpected bonus too, heart performance was improved, with an 11% boost to its ability to pump blood round the body. Those who didn’t do yoga saw an increase of only 4%.

在未來五年內(nèi)，瑜伽組患者的死亡風險比另一組低16%。意外之喜是，這些患者的心臟功能也有所提高，將血液傳輸至其它器官的能力增強了11%，而未進行瑜伽鍛煉的人只增強了4%。