Yoga Therapy and Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are one of the most common psychological/psychosomatic disorders that cause many problems for physical health, mental functioning and quality of life. Eating disorder is identified by severe chaotic eating behaviors and includes anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The use of complementary medicine, such as yoga, has always been of interest to researchers in clinical sciences and has been proposed as a new approach to the treatment of eating disorders. Yoga essentially means connectivity and continuity. Through mind- and body-based techniques, yoga can be effective in the achievement of therapy goals in feeding and eating patients. The data for the present review study was collected through a search in electronic resources and databases as well as manual search of library resources. The search for relevant articles and studies was performed on the internet in relevant websites and scientific/research journals using a number of keywords. This study will address yoga therapy and its relationship with and effects on eating disorders after a review of the definition, classification, epidemiology and pathophysiology of different types of eating disorders. The results showed that eating disorders are caused by emotional disorders and stress and, essentially, by subjective factors. Many people achieve relaxation and body, soul and mind balance with yoga. This practice makes it more possible to fight eating disorders. Yoga creates self-confidence and a positive feeling about one’s body and appearance. Yoga has a holistic attitude toward human-beings and provides different, continuous and simple techniques for humans’ health, development, preparation and balance and is thus effective in improving nutrition and eating disorders.