Meditation can impact DNA methylation activity, the key to epigenetic changes: Dr Kamlesh Patel of Heartfulness Foundation.
The 7th International Day of Yoga was celebrated at PGIMER, Chandigarh with a talk by Chief Guest Dr Kamlesh Patel (fondly called Daaji of Heartfulness Foundation) which was attended online by about 15000 participants.
Throwing light on the importance of resilience achieved by parasympathetic response following meditation, the Chief Guest Dr. Kamlesh Patel stated, “Yoga has health promoting effects and results in achieving inner peace and reduced heart rate.” He also outlined the effects of meditation on stress markers like Cortisol and how meditation can also impact the DNA methylation activity which is the key to epigenetic changes. He described various studies showing changes in the brain among long term meditators, inspiring faculty to take up further research in the field.
Earlier Prof Jagat Ram, Director PGIMER welcoming the Chief Guest, said, “Enrichment of inner self can be mastered by yoga just like we try to enrich ourselves externally by other tools”. Prof. Jagat Ram also mentioned that an MOU has been signed up with Ministry of AYUSH leading to establishment of new Centre, appealing faculty and staff to adopt yoga in their lives. Director PGIMER recalled how the honorable PM brought Yoga to International stage.
Dr Akshay Anand, Prof in Charge of this newly initiated “CCRYN Collaborative Centre for Mind Body Medicine by Yoga Intervention” narrated the Institute’s 7 day Yoga activity and competitions organised in collaboration with Department of Community Medicine and School of Public health and thanked Dr Amarjeet Singh and Dr Sonu Goyal for their initiative “Yoga Hi, BP Bye” which was well received.
The goodwill messages of health and wellness for PGI, received from Sadhguru, Dr H R Nagendra, Chancellor of SVYASA and the Institute’s last year’s Yoga Day chief guest, Dr David Frowley (Padmavibhushan), were streamed live alongwith Daaji’s address on PGI’s official YouTube channel duly facilitated by Department of Telemedicine.
Dr G D Puri (Dean Academics) PGIMER thanked Daaji for his excellent talk and proposed to start new research projects in the new Centre which may lead to the advancement of our knowledge in the field.
