Covid-19 also known as the Coronavirus has created havoc in the lives and lifestyles of people around the world. Our hearts go out to the people who have been directly affected by the virus and the effects of it on their lives.

OBJECTIVE

This blog piece outlines what we learn from the solutions that the Pharma industry is proposing with treatments of COVID-19 patients as well as preventions linked to Breathing Techniques (Pranayama) from Yoga.

BACKGROUND - WHAT DO STOCK MARKETS INDICATE?

A couple of weeks ago when stock markets around the world have been falling (apart), there was a little known news that skipped many mainstream news media.

Yes, it was being reported that the pharmaceutical industry was romping up to meet the demands of the medical equipment, medicines and other shortages, while at the same time working on the solutions to treat the novel Coronavirus.

However there was an intermediary solution that was being worked on.

Here is the headline from the article published on Mar 20, 2020

NITRIC OXIDE: REDUCING THE MULTIPLICATION OF THE VIRUS

When online news started reporting on that Food and Drug Administration in the United States had opened the ‘gas therapy’ for COVID-19 patients in the situation of shortage of ventilators in the United States, it was different.

“The FDA has granted “emergency expanded access” to Bellerophon Therapeutics’ inhaled nitric oxide delivery system for treating the novel coronavirus.
Also known as compassionate use, the agency’s policy is typically administered on a per-patient basis—at times when clinical trials are infeasible, the benefits are seen to outweigh the risks, and there are no available alternatives.”

Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by nearly every type of cell in the human body and one of the most important molecules for blood vessel health. It's a vasodilator, meaning it relaxes the inner muscles of your blood vessels, causing the vessels to widen. In this way, nitric oxide increases blood flow and lowers blood pressure.

See our last blog post from 2018 about it here for the detailed article called “BREATHE LESS NOT MORE..”

The article from FierceBiotech goes on to explain:

“Inhaled nitric oxide acts as a vasodilator, relaxing the lungs’ muscles and blood vessels, and is used in hospitals worldwide. Bellerophon has been researching its use to combat potentially harmful high blood pressure in the lungs among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial lung disease and sarcoidosis.
The compound has also been tested as a potential treatment for the novel coronavirus’ closely related predecessor—the strain behind the SARS outbreak in the early 2000s. Previous studies showed that nitric oxide slowed down the replication of that virus and reduced the need for long-term ventilator support.
According to Bellerophon, the genetic similarities between the two coronaviruses “support the potential for [inhaled nitric oxide] to provide meaningful benefit for patients infected with COVID-19” and inhibit the progression of upper respiratory tract symptoms.”

(Description in the article published on March 20, 2020)

HUMMING BEE BREATHING (BHRAMARI) & NITRIC OXIDE

Bhramari is a Sanskrit word which means like bumble bee, as shown in images below and this pranayama got its name because in Bhramari Pranayama one has to produce or imitate humming sound of the bumble bee while strictly exhaling through nasal cavity keeping oral cavity closed at the lips. While doing so eyelids are shut down, ears are kept closed by fingers or ear flap.

FINDINGS

The Humming Bee way of practicing breath regulation produces up to 15 times more Nitric Oxide (NO) gas in the Sinuses of the skull. (Weitzberg & Lundberg; 2002)

NO gas from the nose and sinuses is inhaled with every breath and reaches the lungs in a more diluted form to enhance pulmonary oxygen uptake via local vasodilation. (JO. Lundberg; 2008)

Upon reading the role of Nitric Oxide, the connections between the solutions that the Pharma industry is offering and what is possible through correct learning of the Yogic Breathing techniques becomes clearer as ever.

We all know that the practice of Yoga Asana (physical positions) and Pranayama (breath regulation) has a clear impact on developing our immunity and capability to fight foreign agents such as viruses, however these scientific bases really establish that it is also possible to some extent offer treatments to fight off COVID-19 infections.

This may be true for people with only initial or mild symptoms (80% of all cases) but it is a big majority of the affected.

HUMMING V/S NOT-HUMMING

This graph below indicates the NO output levels while humming with the exhalation and while not humming with the exhalation.

CONCLUSIONS & THE FUTURE:

With empirical evidence directly pointing to benefits of some form of initial treatment and higher forms of prevention with the regular practice of Bhramari Pranayama, our next steps would be to make more experiments and interviews with COVID-19 recovered patients in this regard.

For more information on the subject of practice and learning the right techniques; or to contribute to any corrections in the blog post above, we encourage you to contact us at info@aroga.ch

DISCLAIMER: Yogic practices are NOT a replacement for treatments with medical doctors. Please consult your physician at all times.