Eating disorders such as bulimia, binge eating, and anorexia negatively affect a person’s mental and physical health. It is a serious mental disorder caused by excessive obsession with food, exercise, and body composition. Eating disorders are typically accompanied by anxiety and depression, and at any given time, about 0.9% of women and 0.3% of men suffer from anorexia. One of the main reasons that most people suffer from an eating disorder is stress. Stress can cause both binges eating disorders and obsessions about the weight of the food. It is common for people with an eating disorder to use food to relieve feelings of sadness, anger, and boredom. Individual counseling and therapy facilities were not available during the COVID pandemic, with the greatest impact being on those suffering from mental health and especially those suffering from eating disorders. In times like these, yoga and meditation are essential for such a suffering population. Through Yoga in Bali, you can learn yoga and get complete information about yoga.
How does yogasana help with eating disorders?
Yoga provides a sense of inner peace by revitalizing the mind and activating the endocrine system. Thus it helps practitioners to accept and experience their body as a whole. A study conducted by the American Psychological Association focused on a group of women between the ages of 18-30 who practiced yoga for 12 weeks and found that it could help build a healthy body image, which was linked to eating. It will be helpful in reducing the disorder. The study found participants increased satisfaction with their personal body image and paid less attention to how they appeared to others. Under the supervision of a yoga trainer, you can practice the following yoga postures that can be helpful in curing eating disorders and preventing them to some extent:
Balasana Yoga:
This is a very relaxing pose that involves bending forward with knees bent and keeping the body on the floor/mat.
Chakrasana:
This is an upward-facing bow pose that stretches your chest and lungs and strengthens your arms, legs, abdomen, and spine.
Tadasana:
Tadasana is one of the easiest yoga postures that improve body balance and abdominal health.
Dhanurasana:
This pose provides relief in all issues related to eating disorders and helps in digestion, constipation, and abdominal cramps.
Surya Namaskar, Pranayama, and Yoga Nidra are some other practices that can be followed to help with an eating disorder. They have a positive effect on the gut and digestive system, leading to a balanced diet and lifestyle. Mixing them with yoga can heal not only the body but also the mind.
The practice of yoga is basically born out of the need for relaxation, calmness, and mindfulness (focused awareness in the present moment) combined with meditation, breathing, and exercise. And these exercises help them deal with anxiety, which is a common cause of (anxiety) eating disorders.
Yoga: An Effective Therapy for Eating Disorders
Yoga practitioners who work with eating disorder patients do not add to their physical burden by suggesting stressful exercises. The teachers focus on teaching yogasanas that strengthen the mind of the patient, promote mental peace, and promote self-love.
Their education emphasizes the importance of recognizing when a routine or habit becomes too intense for their health and restraining themselves until they find a balance between their mental and physical wellness. Self-love and mindfulness are the outcomes of yoga practice for people with eating disorders.
