DHAARRII (ധാരി)

                               OBESITY MANAGEMENT – YOGA  VIEW

                 

 Obesity   is an alarming health issue which has extended its position as an epidemic . It is a griping health problem   piercing the rich as well as poor, developed and underdeveloped countries, educated and   illiterate, men , women and even children in its strong claws.

          The magnitude of enlargement of the obesity ,can be understood from the fact  that Worldwide obesity has nearly tripled since 1975.In 2016,more than 1.9 billion adults,18 years and older were found to be  overweight and  650 million were obese. Further children under the age of 5 ranging over 41 million were overweight or obese in 2016.

                 Obesity is caused by accumulation of fat tissue in the body . It has a wide spectrum of causative and influential factors. The modifiable   factors are an aggregate of  age ,gender, genetic disposition, hereditary etc. However the modifiable factors   include an array of negative undesirable behavioral trends , such as intake of unhealthy food, sweeteners, high calorie content food, inappropriate eating habits ,improper sleep ,sedentary habits, lack of exercise etc

                      This is the slot where Yoga  can play a cardinal role. The   school of of yoga visualizes   human as a healthy being  with well streamed  agile body, radiant  face, sparkling eyes, optimum functionally sense organs, endowed with pleasant speech and adorable behavior. The concept of gluttonous body   with a bonus of lethargic mind is  the unmistakable  signature of a obese person ,this can be knocked down by a pious practice of  Yoga.  Before plunging  how yoga  can deal with obesity, it would be  worthy to navigate into how Yoga looks at  the disease .

                                 Yoga illustrates the concepts of  Adhi ( pertaining to mind) and vyadhI( pertaining to body)  as two counterpart of disease process , along  with accepting  the interchangeable influence of the two aspects . Now Adhi ,the  disease terrain of mind is groomed by the powerful Mano dosa – Rajas and Tamas. The Rajas component flares up  reckless competitiveness, uncontrollable irritability, stubborn arrogance .Meanwhile tamas fuels  sheer ignorance, staggering lack of initiation,  in depth depressive temperament. Both the Manodosa  conjointly pushes the person into the ditch of Prajnaparadha(intellectual blashphemy) ,eventually the person is unable to decide what is  beneficial and what is not conducive to him ,he remains helpless  in executing corrective measures even he decides to changes to a  new leaf. Further under the influence of erring   Manodosaone ceases to remember the consequences of relapses and mistakes committed previously. This dogma of confusion and chaos can be well elicited in the tale of an obese person. The affected person had fallen prey to the disease by ignoring the beneficial components of health. Once he is entangled  the web of obesity ,he is in  dare need of continuous motivation and need to be reminded of consequences of departure from healthy routine.

                     The virtue of Yoga is that it visualizes and invigorates the awareness of the sel .  At the panchkosa  level of Yoga,the  Manomaya kosa (emotional sheath)comes to lead role where one has  downplay the negative motion lest they percolate into body sheath level of Annmaya kosa(food sheath). According to  Yama  domain of Yoga,Aparigraha (non horading )is virtuous act ,obesity can be considered as hoarding of undesiarable withholding physical mental and emotional entities. So the corrective measureought to be  target by introducing  detoxification by shad karma(purification methods),stipulated  exercise by asana,breathing  practice by robust set of pranayama.

                     Annamaya kosha  is vitiated by  continous use of unhealthy food, lack of sleep.The correction mechanism involves proper diet ,Shad kriya ,sukshma vyayama( loosening exercise) and Asana. The Pranamayakosha  is tormented  by stress(mental level)culminating in energy clogging, and  blockage in nadi ,where by Pranayama and Kapalabhati can be used .Manomayakosha  is suffocated by suppressed emotions. Here  Dhyana ( meditation) and cyclic meditation are rescuers.The Vijnanamaya   kosha is polluted by  sedentary activities and  inappropriate analysis .The remedial measures     include counseling.The Anandamaya kosha  can be intervened  by karma yoga

Shad karma are body purification methods adopted in Yoga for demulsifying the excess fat from the ody.So these techniques have   clean slate in obesity management. They   help in reducing  the clogged uo fat in the body and awaken the dormant locked up energy which in form of locked up prana . The inflammation  is reduced  at molecular level. They need to be practiced once in a week .  Vamana dhautI is specially useful in obesity to get mastery over hunger pangs as it delays  the stomach emptying time. It also prevents hyperacidity due to delay intake of meals to cut down calories. The Agnisara kriya dissolves visceral fat around the vital intra-abdominal organs and Nauli reduces abdominal fat, reduces  waist circumference. The laghu sankha prakshalana (complete wash out to alimentary canal) is also a keen method in combating obesity.

                         Sithilikarana vyayama(loosening practices)  burn out calories in overweight & obese. They aid in uniform fat reduction and help in harmonizing bio energy (prana)flow .The appetite comes down as mind is calm and calorie requirement comes down .It comprises of a organized set of exercises involving jogging , jumping, backward & forward bending , side bending ,sit ups from standing position, hip twist, hip rotation, spinal stretch(with folded legs)half butterfly full butterfly.

                             The asana package can be designed  accordingly comprising of Dhanurasana swing,Alternate bhujangasana & parvatasana ,Pavanamuktasana  ,Paschimottanasana ,Halasana , Ardhakatichakrasana ,Ardhachakrasana Padahastasana Trikonasana  and  Salabhasana

                          Adherence to a prudent  diet which is   healthy ,immaterial of its taste and   the awareness of it being useful to the body is the mode of reconciliation. Any attempt of   food change in obesity needs to be done with caution owing to high rate of  recoil  tendency  of the habits, which  can be disastrous for the person.Yogic management at Vijnayamaya kosa  through counseling, self analysis, meditation are the key to this pivotal issue of obesity management.

                      Consistent motivation  , self esteem of body image is typically  important factor ,meditation , relaxation techniques can  help one to resolve ones problems by being aware of them rather than depending upon food as relief measure or falling into  the lap of inactivity as shadow measure to tackle ones insecurities.  Obesity management in yoga can be considered as a   conscious mind body interplay where body is put to  dynamic work ,mind  is en capacitated to regain  vigor  from slumber state  of self neglect ,pursue confidently   in the race of problem solving .Hence obesity tackling through yoga is  in itself  a self incarnation journey .

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