Chronic stress and insulin resistance-related indices of cardiovascular disease risk, part 2: a potential role for mind-body therapies.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability in the industrialized world, and its prevalence is rapidly increasing among developing nations. The increasing global prevalence of CVD reflects in part the concurrent rise in insulin resistance, obesity, dyslipidemia, and other atherogenic changes associated with insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). Evidence suggests that chronic stress and related psychosocial factors also play an important role in the development and progression of IRS-related states and ultimately, in the pathogenesis of CVD. Designed to address these interrelated psychological and physiological components of health, yoga and other traditional mind-body therapies may offer particular promise in both the primary and secondary prevention of CVD. In this article, we review the evidence regarding the potential benefits of specific mind-body modalities for CVD risk reduction and discuss possible mechanisms underlying these observed effects.