Yoga helps heart operation patients live longer

瑜伽有助于心脏手术患者长寿

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.

瑜伽是我一直以来都十分热爱的运动，每周我都会做几次拜日式动作。我知道瑜伽有利于身体健康，现在我还知道了它的另一个益处——对于正在恢复的心脏病患者而言，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.

印度一项针对近2500名正在恢复的心脏病患者的研究发现：呼吸运动和伸展运动可促进血液循环、增强心脏功能。得知这一点，我并不感到惊奇。此外，研究员称，做完心脏病手术后康复的同时进行三个月的瑜伽运动可降低心脏病再犯的风险。

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，每天进行一小时呼吸运动和柔缓运动的患者在未来五年内死亡的风险降低了约16%。为什么？研究表明，因为患者的血液能够被更有效地从心脏运输至全身各器官。

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]."

来自斋浦尔的首席研究员纳雷什·森（Naresh Sen）教授说道：“瑜伽组患者在三个月的时间内每天做一个小时的运动，该运动专为心脏病患者设计：早晨做瑜伽和冥想、晚上做一组有快有慢的呼吸练习。瑜伽和呼吸练习或能降低新陈代谢的压力、减少供氧需求，并预防心室重构（不利于心脏健康）。”

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.

鉴于该研究中的某些患者曾经历过最严重的心脏病发作（一条主动脉被堵），瑜伽带来的健康效果超出了想象。所有受试者都做过手术，在血管狭窄处放入扩张支架使血液流通顺畅。其中一半的患者参与了三个月的瑜伽锻炼项目。

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%.