Eating Disorders

Anorexia and bulimia are evidently the most common forms of eating disorders that are currently ravaging the American population. What is sad is the fact that most of the victims of eating disorders are those who are just starting on their life’s journey – the teens. Why them? This may be due to the fact that the younger generation is more susceptible to the pressures going on around them. A complex combination of social, biological, psychological and behavioral concerns may trigger the onset of these life-threatening conditions. And we all know just how vulnerable these young people can be.

If you want to have a better fighting chance against the ill effects of eating disorders, you need to have a calm and focused mind. And luckily, yoga can give you just what you need!

Throughout the centuries, yoga has been proven effective in dealing with depression and in quelling negative emotions. It was also proven to be very effective in restoring a person’s state of balance and in promoting a general feeling of well-being. Just how does yoga accomplish all these?

Yoga fosters a strong connection between your mind and your body. It encourages heightened levels of self-esteem. It somehow manages to make you view your own body in a more positive light making you love and accept your self even better. And here lies the secret behind the power of yoga in dealing with eating disorders. Eating disorders are fueled by low self-esteem so if you are confident regarding your own person, you can ward off eating disorders for good!

According to the yogic system, eating disorders are problems related to the first chakra. A number of yoga poses can be used to counteract this problem. Practicing the crab, the full wind, the pigeon, the locust and the staff positions can be good starting points in dealing with your eating problems.

Using grounding postures such as the mountain, the goddess, the standing squat and the prayer squat, on the other hand, can help reinforce your strength and courage in dealing with the challenges that goes along with your fight against the eating disorder. Most back bending poses are proven to reduce depression while forward bends can calm the spirit and reduce the harmful effects of eating disorders.

Your mind plays an important role in dealing with eating disorders so it may be advisable for you to carry out a specifically targeted meditation practice to effectively reduce negative thoughts and feelings. A general meditation technique may also work but to a far lesser extent.

Yoga works best if you focus your concentration on your inner self. So, as you do your yoga practices, forget everything else in the outside world. Focus on what’s inside you - on whom you really are. Pay special attention to little things such as your breathing and other inner sensations to help keep you in the right track. If properly executed, this will give you a heightened sense of calmness and awareness like you have never experienced before.

Once you admit that you have an eating disorder and decide to get professional help, you can be sure that you are taking your first great step towards recovery. And with some help from yoga, you can be sure that the recovery process will be much easier!