Effects of Sattvic Diet and Yogic Breathing on Physiological Health and Psychological Well-Being: A Conceptual Model

Preventive health is gaining major attention in these days due to increasing number of lifestyle related disorders and psychological stress. Coming from yoga, as a complete lifestyle system, the aspect of any discipline on diet and breath regulation for homeostasis is indispensable. The current study investigates the impact of sattvic diet and yogic breathing practices on physical health and mental well-being. A cross-sectional survey of 357 respondents was conducted, and a quantitative research design used. Data were collected via a structured questionnaire to measure adherence to sattvic dietary practices, frequency of yogic breathing, perceived physiological health, and psychological well-being. The proposed hypotheses were tested using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression.
It showed that sattvic diet and physiological health; yogic breathing practices and physiological health were significantly positively associated with each other. Meanwhile, yogic breathing proved to be a significantly stronger predictor than self-belief in the ability of breathing techniques to exert parasympathetic control over physiological responses. The interaction analysis demonstrated that both diet and breathing practices work synergistically, as the combined adoption of a dietary regulation mild had significantly greater improvements in physiological health and psychological well-being than either component alone. These findings are in keeping with the holistic premise of yoga that lifestyle practices synergistically work to positively impact overall health. The results may also serve as a welcome addition to the literature on integrative health by demonstrating empirical support for yoga-based lifestyle intervention efficacy. It also has practical implications for wellness programs by underscoring the importance of integrating nutritional knowledge with breath-based therapeutic modalities. Longitudinal and/or experimental designs will allow researchers to establish these relationships with greater confidence in the future.

Sattvic diet; Yogic breathing; Physiological health

1. Acharya, K., & Sharma, R. (2021). Yogic dietary practices and holistic health: A conceptual review. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 12(4), 658–665. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Balaji, P. A., Smitha, V., & Venkatesh, P. (2012). Physiological effects of yogic practices and transcendental meditation in health and disease. North American Journal of Medical Sciences, 4(10), 442–448. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bhavanani, A. B., Madanmohan, & Udupa, K. (2013). Immediate effect of pranayama on cardiovascular variables. International Journal of Yoga, 6(2), 95–102. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Brown, R. P., & Gerbarg, P. L. (2005). Sudarshan Kriya yogic breathing in the treatment of stress, anxiety, and depression. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 11(4), 711–717. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Haller, H., & Dobos, G. (2014). Yoga for hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Hypertension, 32(9), 1742–1749. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Cramer, H., Lauche, R., Langhorst, J., & Dobos, G. (2017). Yoga for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Depression and Anxiety, 34(6), 482–493. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Field, T. (2011). Yoga clinical research review. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 17(1), 1–8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Gard, T., Noggle, J. J., Park, C. L., Vago, D. R., & Wilson, A. (2014). Potential self-regulatory mechanisms of yoga for psychological health. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8, 770. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Gothe, N. P., & McAuley, E. (2015). Yoga and cognition: A meta-analysis of chronic and acute effects. Psychosomatic Medicine, 77(7), 784–797. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Innes, K. E., Selfe, T. K., & Taylor, A. G. (2016). Chronic stress and insulin resistance-related indices: A systematic review of yoga interventions. Journal of Diabetes Research, 2016, 1–17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Khalsa, S. B. S. (2013). Yoga for psychiatry and mental health: An ancient practice with modern relevance. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 55(Suppl 3), S334–S336. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Christian, L., Preston, H., et al. (2010). Stress, inflammation, and yoga practice. Psychosomatic Medicine, 72(2), 113–121. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Kumar, V., & Telles, S. (2009). Effects of two yoga-based relaxation techniques on memory scores and state anxiety. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 3(1), 8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Madanmohan, Mahadevan, S. K., Balakrishnan, S., et al. (2005). Effect of six weeks yoga training on weight loss following step test. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 49(2), 313–318. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Pascoe, M. C., Thompson, D. R., & Ski, C. F. (2017). Yoga, mindfulness-based stress reduction and stress-related physiological measures. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 86, 152–168. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Ross, A., & Thomas, S. (2010). The health benefits of yoga and exercise: A review of comparison studies. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 16(1), 3–12. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Sengupta, P. (2012). Health impacts of yoga and pranayama: A state-of-the-art review. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 3(7), 444–458. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Sharma, M. (2014). Yoga as an alternative and complementary approach for stress management. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 19(1), 59–67. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Singh, R., & Verma, S. (2023). Dietary patterns and metabolic health: Integrating traditional and modern perspectives. Nutrition Research Reviews, 36(2), 221–236. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Streeter, C. C., Gerbarg, P. L., Saper, R. B., et al. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, and allostasis in epilepsy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 78(5), 571–579. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Telles, S., Sharma, S. K., Gupta, R. K., & Balkrishna, A. (2016). Heart rate variability changes during high-frequency yoga breathing and breath awareness. Biopsychosocial Medicine, 10(1), 1–10. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Tolahunase, M. R., Sagar, R., Dada, R. (2018). Impact of yoga and meditation on cellular aging in apparently healthy individuals. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2018, 1–12. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Woodyard, C. (2011). Exploring the therapeutic effects of yoga and its ability to increase quality of life. International Journal of Yoga, 4(2), 49–54. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. World Health Organization. (2021). WHO guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. WHO Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Yadav, R. K., & Das, S. (2001). Effect of yogic practice on pulmonary functions. Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 45(4), 493–496. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Measuring Waste of Patient Time in Health Care at Non-Digitized Hospital: An Observational Study in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Bangladesh
• Reaffirming Clinical Confidence in Atorvastatin Therapy: A Digital Outreach Case Study from Tamil Nadu, India
• Clinical Manifestations and Therapeutic Response in a Patient with Hypothyroidism: A Case Report
• Eranda (Ricinus Communis) In Gridhrasi (Sciatica): Classical Rationale, Pharmacology and Clinical Evidence- A Narrative Literature Review
• Magnetotherapy in Pain Management: Mechanisms, Clinical Applications, and Future Perspectives – A Review