New research about the myriad benefits of yoga is coming out all the time. This latest report is slightly off-centre, and perhaps all the more interesting for that.
Apparently, regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese.
The study - which was led by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle - confirms a similar study four years ago.
Researchers found that people who ate mindfully (that is, who were aware of why they ate and stopped eating when full) weighed less than those who are mindlessly. For example, eating when not hungry and eating in response to depression or anxiety.
Researchers also found a strong association between yoga practice and mindful eating - but (and here's the clincher) no association between other types of physical activity, such as walking, running, and mindful eating.
'These findings fit with our hypothesis that yoga increases mindfulness in eating and leads to less weight gain over time, independent of the physical activity aspect of yoga practice', said Alan Kristal, who led the previous study four years ago.
Kristal goes on to reason that yoga cultivates mindfulness in a number of ways - such as the ability to hold a challenging physical posture by observing the sensations in an accepting, calm, non-judgemental way.
This important ability then spills over into other areas of life, teaching the practitioner how to be calm in challenging, albeit everyday, situations - such as knowing when to stop eating, even when the food tastes good.
It's fascinating that science is now adding its stamp of authority to the many-faceted benefits of yoga - including the way the practice works with our subtle, complex emotional responses.
For more details on the research, click here.
Lucia Cockcroft, editor
Image shows lead author Dr Alan Kristal, a longtime yoga student, and co-author Denise Benitez, practice yoga in her studio, Seattle Yoga Arts. Photo by Todd McNaught.
.jpg "Baddha Konasana - Bound Angle Pose")
