YOGA FOR EATING DISORDERS
About Yoga for Eating Disorders
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness can help people suffering from eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia in a number of ways.
The physical asana practice of yoga can help to build muscle strength, without being a high intensity or energy draining sport.
Most importantly the mental peace that comes from focusing your mind with meditation and/or pranayama (breathing exercises), and yoga’s emphasis on self-acceptance, can increase body satisfaction, recalibrate our attitudes to eating, and create a healthier headspace.
Yoga, meditation and mindfulness practices can also help reduce tension and anxiety, and alleviate depression.
What the clinical studies say
Yoga
- Fewer disordered eating attitudes
- Increases body satisfaction
- Increases in physical activity
- Lowers self-objectification
- Reduces anxiety
- Reduces binge eating
- Alleviates depression
- Improves self-control
- Increases mindfulness
- Reduces binge eating
- Stress reduction
Mindfulness
- Alleviates depression
- Improves self-control
- Increases mindfulness
- Reduces binge eating
- Stress reduction
the clinical studies
Yoga
Innovative interventions for disordered eating: Evaluating dissonance-based and yoga interventions
Yoga as a treatment for binge eating disorder: A preliminary study
Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders
Meditation
An exploratory study of a meditation-based intervention for binge eating disorder
Mindfulness
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy applied to binge eating: A case study
Experiences of Women with Bulimia Nervosa in a Mindfulness-Based Eating Disorder Treatment Group
Mindfulness-Based Eating Awareness Training for Treating Binge Eating Disorder: The Conceptual Foundation
