New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS): Yoga is the best way to tackle anxiety, stress and psycho neurotic disorders, easily resulting in better health and regulation of stress hormones, health experts said.

They said that it has been scientifically proven that yoga is very effective in curing disorders related to diet problems, hypertensions, diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity."

"Yoga is a way of life. It can give people a stress free mind," said S.C. Manchanda, senior consultant cardiologist, Gangaram Hospital.

Manchanda was speaking at a discussion on "Why is modern medicine looking at Yoga" held Tuesday at the India International Center (IIC) here.

"People think that they can either go for yoga or the allopathic medicine to cure diseases. But they need to understand that Yoga is effective in lowering mental stress and giving a better and happy life during and post-treatment like in heart-related diseases and diabetics," he said.

According to the experts, over 2.5 million people in India die of heart-related diseases every year and currently over seven million citizens in the country are suffering from diabetes.

Ramesh Bijlani, former professor physiology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said: "Seventy percent of the diseases in patients are caused due to the kind of lifestyle they have led in the last one decade or so, so for that it is compulsory for them to undergo medication, but to get a happy and better life after treatment Yoga can be pursued on a daily basis."

He said that yoga helps in bringing happiness, and being happy in life can curb up to 30 percent chances of suffering from any kind of diseases.

Naming some of the yoga exercises, Naresh Gupta, Director-Professor, Maulana Azad Medical College said, normal stretching, Pranayams and Savasans can keep one's mental status healthy and keep stress and anxiety at bay.