In the United States today, cases of obesity have become a growing concern among the average population. Somewhat startling statistics tell us that more than 130 million adults (20 years and older) suffer from extreme weight gain problems. The medical implications of obesity make it a great cause for concern. Risk factors for obesity include diabetes, high blood cholesterol, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, osteoarthritis (a condition of degenerative cartilage and joint tissue), sleep apnea, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, kidney cancer, pregnancy complications, menstrual irregularities, loss of urine, excess body hair, and depression.
Although there are many very effective weight loss programs in the United States, how do you know which ones are for you? Weight loss pills work, but they are generally not the healthy alternative. Many weight loss programs are designed specifically for someone within a certain range of obesity, so they are not suitable for everyone. A lower weight goal program would have adverse effects on someone who is morbidly obese, as it would require her to work too hard for her particular condition. The effects can be as extreme as a heart attack or respiratory problems. Also, if you lose too much weight too quickly, you risk sagging skin hanging off your body, and this usually leads to depression and sometimes even agoraphobia.
With all this disturbing information, where should the obese person turn to find a weight loss program that works? There is one that works for all ages and weights, and that is Yoga. Yoga offers a slow and steady weight loss option that keeps the individual healthy as they lose weight. Although it is not that fast, it can be permanent.
A yoga weight loss program is a five stage system that has proven to be very popular and has had good results. This program consists of a series of cleaning techniques. These are Kunjal Kriya, which is stomach lavage and lung cleansing, Basti, which is colon cleansing, laghu shankha prakshalan, a digestive system cleansing process, Bagh, also known as the Tiger exercises, and Yoga Asans, which involves postures.
In many cases, the individual in question has more weight problems in one area than another. For example, one person’s weight may be in the abdominal area, while another’s may be in the buttocks area. In these situations, the full yoga weight loss regimen mentioned above isn’t really necessary. Yoga presents options for those seeking to address the issue of obesity in certain areas.
In the Abdomen, there are many options such as the Abdominal Lift, Child’s Pose, Yogic Seal Pose, and the Naval Movement Asana. For the arms and legs, we have dog pose, tree pose, and bridge pose. For the chest, Yoga offers the hero pose, spinal twist, triangle pose, and cobra pose. For the thighs and hips we have the sun salutation, the dog pose again, the advanced wind release pose, and the angular prose.
These are just some of the solutions that yoga offers to people with obesity or weight problems. Study the subject thoroughly before attempting it and always consult with your GP.