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training that a person contin- ue to breathe throughout the exercise and not hold their breath and bare down which tends to increase blood pressure.    Before starting out on an exercise program, make sure that one's CHD is con- sidered stable by a medical provider and that high blood pressure is also under ade- quate control. YOGA/TAI CHI/QI GONG Exercise and relaxation are a healthy combination. Yoga was developed in ancient India as a set of practices intended to integrate the mind, body, and spirit.  Yoga has long been touted as beneficial to those with car- diovascular disease or at risk of developing cardiovas- cular disease.  While there are many forms of yoga, Hatha yoga is the most com- monly practiced form within the United States.  There are three basics practices which make up Hatha yoga. * Asanas involves a variety of physical postures and exercises. * Pranayama comes from the Sanskrit word prana, which means life energy and ayam which means control. Pranayama is similar to the "qi" in ancient Chinese medi- cine.  By utilizing breathing exercises, pranayama through routine physical activity coupled with stress relief. Tai Chi was developed in China in the 1200's and has become the most popular form of exercise in that country.  Tai Chi is increas- ingly popular in the United States as a form of mild to moderate aerobic activity.  It combines slow, graceful movements combined with deep breathing and mental attention.  A typical work-out lasts only 15-20 minutes and ideally is performed twice per day either individ- ually or in a group.  The body's response to Tai Chi has been studied and found to lower blood pressure and heart rate (96). In fact in this study, Tai Chi was found to confer equivalent benefit to attempts to remove the harmful effects of stress, tox- ins, and improper diet. * Dhyana, or meditation, is felt to have beneficial effects on the autonomic nervous system, which regulates excitability within the body as well as hemodynamic fac- tors such as blood pressure and heart rate.  Clinical research regarding the pre- ventative benefits of yoga is in its infancy within the United States.  There have been several non U.S. stud- ies which have examined the hemodynamic benefits of yoga.  Beginning in 1973, a study in London combined yoga along with biofeedback and noted that 25% of those studied were able to stop using anti-hypertensive med- ications (94).  A second study in 1993 examined physical fitness teachers who practiced yoga for 3 months.  The participants showed a significant reduc- tion in blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, and body weight (95).  While the role of yoga in the preven- tion of CHD has not yet been entirely defined, what data is available appears very encouraging.  In fact, yoga, like Tai Chi and Qi Gong, may be ideally suited for the person who is unable to participate in regular aero- bic exercises and yet wishes to reduce their risk of CHD 25% of those studied were able to stop using antihypertensive medicine from a combination of yoga and biofeedback therapy.

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