WHAT IS THE YOGIC SOLUTION FOR OBESITY

OBESITY

IT MAY BE DEFINED AS EXCESS WEIGHT OR DEPOSITION OF EXCESS FATS ON BODY, WHICH LEADS TO VARIOUS DISEASES LIKE DIABETES, HEART DISEASES, HYPERTENSION, LOWERED PULMONARY FUNCTIONS, LOWERS LIFE EXPECTANCY.

IT MAY BE DEFINED AS AN ABNORMAL GROWTH OF THE ADIPOSE TISSUE DUE TO ENLARGEMENT AS AN ABNORMAL GROWTH OF THE ADIPOSE TISSUE DUE TO ENLARGEMENT OF FAT CELL SIZE (HYPERTROPHIC) OR AN INCREASE IN FAT CELL NUMBER (HYPERPLASTIC).

IT CAN BE OF 2 TYPES, FIRST IS ABDOMINAL OBESITY AND SECOND IS GLUTEAL OBESITY. GENERALLY 20 PERCENT EXCESS WEIGHT IS CONSIDERED AS HEALTH RISK.

YOGA HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THE TREATMENT OF OBESIT. YOGA TECHNIQUE AFFECT BODY, INTERNAL ORGANS, ENDOCRINE GLANDS, BRAIN, MIND AND OTHERS FACTORS CONCERNING BODY - MIND COMPLEX. VARIOUS YOGA TECHNIQUE CAN BE PRACTISED EFFECTIVELY TO REDUCE THE WEIGHT AND ACHIEVE NORMAL HEALTHY CONDITONS OF THE BODY AND MIND.

ASANAS

YOGA POSITIONS OR POSTURES ARE ESPECIALLY USEFUL TO REDUCE THE FATS IN VARIOUS PARTS, ESPECIALLY FORWARD BENDING, TWISTING, AND BACKWARD BENDING ASANAS HELP REDUCE THE FATS NEVER ABDOMEN, HIPS AND OTHER AREAS. ALSO THE PRACTICE OF ASANAS IMPROVES FUNCTIONING OF INTERNAL ORGANS, STRENGTHENING HEART, LUNGS, KIDNEYS, EXCRETORY AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS. REGULAR PRACTICE BUILDS STRENGTH IN MUSCLES.

ASANAS CAN BE PRACTISED WITH FAST SPEED LIKE EXERCISE WITH GOOD EFFECTS, THE PRACTITIONER MAY INCREASE REPETITIONS INSTEAD OF MAINTAINING THE ASANA FOR LONG.

SURYA NAMASKAR OR SUN SALUTATIONS ARE VERY BENEFICIAL IN OBESITY MANAGEMENT, EVERY DAY 24 SUN SALUATIONS WITH A SPEED OF 4 ROUNDS IN 1 MINUTE GIVES GREAT BENEFTIS OF YOGA ASANAS AND EXERCISE AS WELL. THE PRACTICE OF THIS ASANA IS A SEQUENCE OF 7 ASANAS PRACTICED IN ORDER WHICH TONES ALMOST ALL OF THE MUSLECS AND INTERNAL ORGANS ARE STRETCHED INCREASING BLOOD AND OXYGEN SUPPLY TO THESE PARTS. REGULAR PRACTICE OF SURYA NAMASKAR WITH BREATHING GIVES GOOD EXERCISE TO THE LUNGS. MANTRAS HAVE RELAXING EFFECT ON MIND.

PRANAYAMA

PRANAYAMA IS VERY IMPORTANT TECHNIQUE IN YOGA WHICH IS CONTROL AND EXTENSION OF PRANA OR VITAL ENERGY OR LIFE FORCE. PRANAYAMA HELPS IN MANAGEMENT OF THIS ENERGY. VARIOUS TECHNIQUE ARE AVAILABLE IN YOGA, WHICH GIVES INTERESTING BUT GOOD RESULTS.

THE PRANAYAMA CAN BE CLASSIFIED IN 2 TYPES IN TERMS OF PHYSIOLOGY, HYPO VENTILATION OR VITALIZING PRANAYAMA AND HYPER VENTILATION OR RELAXING PRANAYAMA. KAPALBHATI, BHASRIKA AND FAST BREATHING CAN BE CLASSIFIED UNDER HYPER VENTILATION (INCREASE OXYGEN AND REDUCES CARBON DIOXIDE) AND DEEP BREATHING, BHRAMARI, SHITALI, SITKARI CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS HYPO VENTILATION (OXYGEN LEVEL REMAINS MOSTLY SAME BUT THE SPEED OF RESPIRATION AND HEART RATE IS LOWER).

KAPALBHATI, BHASRIKA, AND FAST BREATHINGS CAN BE PRACTICED BY PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM OBESITY WITH GOOD EFFECTS, THESE PRANAYAMA TECHNIQUE INCREASE THE LUNG CAPACITY AND HELP BURNING FATS. REGULAR PRACTICE OF PRANAYAMA BRINGS BALANCE IN THE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FUNCTIONS.

CLEANSING TECHNIQUES

SHANKHA PRAKSHALANA OR MASTER CLEANSING TECHNIQUE - DRINKING 2 GLASSES OF WATER, PERFORMING SPECIAL ASANAS, AGAIN DRINKING THE WATER, FOLLOWED BY ASANAS TO EVACUATE THE BOWELS IS THE PROCESS OF CLEANSING OF ENTIRE GI TRACT. THE PROCESS IS COMPLETED WHEN ONE HAS COMPLETELY CLEANSED THE INTESTINAL TRACT.

AGNISAR

FAST MOVEMENT OF ABDOMINAL MUSCLES IN AND OUT, IS VERY GOOD EXERCISE TO GET RID OF THE ACCUMULATE FATS IN THE ABDOMINAL REGION, IT ALSO HELPS IN STEAMLINING DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.

BANDHAS

UDDIYAN BANDHA AND MULABANDHA IF PRACTISED REGULARLY MAY PROVE HIGHLY BENEFICIAL IN RIDING ONE OF EXCESSIVELY ACCUMULATED FATS.

DIET

MORE A RAW VEGETABLES, FRUITS HELP IN BALANCING THE INTAKE OF THE FOOD. REDUCING REFINED AND PROCESSED FOOD, FACT, FOOD, NON VEGETARIAN DIET HELPS IN WEIGHT CONTROL. A SPECIAL FASTING PROGRAMME HAS SHOWN PROMISING RESULTS.

SHEETALI PRANAYAMA

SHEETALI PRANAYAM OR "COOLING BREATH" - A PRANAYAMA TECHNIQUE THAT LOWERS THE BODY TEMPERATURE BY INHALING THROUGH THE MOUTH WHILE LETTING THE BREATH FLOW IN OVER THE TONGUE.

SEQUENCE

SIT IN A COMFORTABLE POSTURE, KEEPING THE HANDS ON THE KNEES AS A GYANA MUDRA.
EXTEND THE TONGUE AND ROLL UP EACH SIDE TO MAKE A CHANNEL LIKE A BIRD'S BEAK.
SUCK THE AIR OVER THE FILL THE LUNGS COMPLETELY.
THE PRESSURE ON THE DIAPHRAGM SHOULD EXTEND DOWN TO THE NAVEL.
WITHDRAW THE TONGUE AND CLOSE THE MOUTH.
HOLD THE BREATH FOR A WHILE AND THEN EXHALE GRADUALLY THROUGH THE NOSTRILS.
CONTINUE THIS PRACTICE FROM ONE TO FIVE MINUTES.