Eating Disorders (ED) can be identified by abnormal eating behaviours that adversely impact an individual’s physical and/or mental health. With bulimia, binge-eating, and anorexia being the most common types, ED is a serious mental illness that’s characterised by such an unhealthy obsession with food, exercising, body shape and weight. Anxiety and depression are usually common comorbidities of ED and, at any given point in time, approximately 0.9% of women and 0.3% of men suffer from anorexia disorders.
One of the main reasons that our larger public is suffering from eating disorders is Stress. It can cause both binge eating disorder and obsessive consciousness about eating. It is a common thing for people with eating disorder to use food to turn off the emotions of sadness, anger, and boredom. The feeling of a total loss of control in the pandemic coupled with the absence of in-person counselling support and therapy groups fuelled the spiral of all mental health survivors and especially people living with these disorders. At such a time, Yoga & Meditation is the required panacea for such an aggrieved population. Meditation also helps in relieving stress.
HOW DOES YOGA HELP?
Yoga promotes acceptance of the self and bestows a sense of inner peace by revitalising the mind and activating the endocrine system. Thus it helps practitioners to acknowledge and experience their bodies in a holistic fashion. A study by American Psychological Association focused on a group of women between the ages of 18-30 practising Yoga for 12 weeks observed that it can help in creating a healthy body image, which would be helpful in alleviating the conditions of eating disorders. Within the study, participants reported an increase in satisfaction with their personal body image and thus spent less time on how they appeared to others. This indication is an extremely persuasive sign in favour of Yoga being helpful in the recovery and maybe even prevention of the same.
Some of the yoga poses that can be practised under the supervision of an authorised trainer are:
Child’s pose- It is a very relaxing pose that involves bending forward over the knees and putting the body on the floor/ mat.
Wheel Pose- It is an upward facing bow pose that stretches your chest and lungs and strengthens your arms, legs, abdomen and spine.
Mountain Pose- Also known as Tadasana, is the easiest yoga asana that improves body balance and gut health.
Bow Pose- This pose provides relief in all the issues related to eating disorders and helps with digestion, constipation, stomach cramps.
The other practices which can be followed are Suryanamaskar, Paranayama and Yog Nidra. These practices have a positive impact on the gut and digestive system which lead to balanced eating and a proper lifestyle. When combined with yoga, it can heal not only the body but the mind as well.
The practice of Yoga is fundamentally born of the need for and practice of relaxation, peacefulness, and mindfulness through several helpful meditations, breathing, and exercise approaches. And these preparations help them combat anxiety, a common building block of EDs.
YOGA: AN EFFECTIVE THERAPY FOR EDS
Since it’s all about balance, Yoga therapists who are working with ED patients try not to add to their physical burden by charting strenuous regimes. The teachers are more likely to concentrate on strengthening the minds of the patients and teach the latter to love themselves and get back in touch with their own selves, with meditation and easy Yoga Asanas that propagate mental peace and calm.
They are taught to recognise when the regime is getting too intensive for their health and learn to stop themselves and get back to a mental and physical state of balance before going forward. People living with ED suffer due to the belief they’re not worthy of love unless their bodies meet certain unhealthy criteria and Yoga helps replace this fear for mindfulness and self-love.
The writer is Founder, Divine Soul Yoga.