瑜珈的迷思 “瑜珈能夠增進新陳代謝" ?
大多數的人認為瑜珈就是一種運動 ，幾乎所有的運動應該都可以增加我們的新陳代謝 ，讓我們擁有美好的身材? 沒錯 ! 有太多的例子告訴我們瑜珈練習會讓我們的身材更好， 但是身材好是因為新陳代謝增加了嗎? 如果你練習瑜珈每天還是去吃 All You Can Eat, 有身材變好的可能嗎? 已經不止一項的研究都一致地指出瑜珈的動作、呼吸及冥想其實都是會啟動副交感神經系統，而且它會"降低"基礎代謝率，"降低"新陳代謝。 “瑪雅珊卓茶雅是一位印度班加羅爾的生理學家，他帶領一個團隊研究超過一百位男女，依循特定的瑜珈動作練習持續至少半年的時間，2006年他的團隊報告研究成 果發現：規律做瑜珈的人可以平均減少百分之十三的基礎代謝率，這個研究報告的結果在性別差異上更大，男性平均可以減少百分之八，女性更可以減少高達百分之 十八，大於男性的兩倍 代謝下降也會產生另一個問題，她們注意到瑜珈所造成的生理功能減緩，在理論上將導致體重增加和脂肪沉積的傾向，換句話說，練習瑜珈的人會因為基礎代謝率下降而需要較少的食物及較少的熱量，如果他們仍維持原來的飲食習慣及運動習慣的話，有可能因此而增加了體重”~~瑜珈的科學(Page 184): 例如: 瑜珈啟動喉輪(jalandhara bandha)的動作(如圖) 其實它會刺激頸動脈竇(carotid sinus) 頸動脈竇是身體一個自保的機制偵測到你的頸動脈的壓力過大, 為了保護我們的腦不至於受壓過大而中風 它會降低心跳及血壓.
我們這些練習啟動副交感神經系統的方式，會幫助我們降低心跳， 降低呼吸頻率， 降低氧氣消耗 ， 進而降低壓力 ，讓我們處在一個寂靜祥和的生理狀態。
但是好消息是，飲食與減重的關係較為密切， 以我本人為例 練習瑜珈之後體重減輕非常的多 大部份都是因為飲食的"質與量"改變所造成 “茶雅告訴我減重與快速的新陳代謝率 一點關係都沒有 ，而是和壓力釋放的心理影響有關 瑜珈會影響心智和慾望，所以你自然會少吃一些” ~~瑜珈的科學(Page 186)”
例如以下的影片，為美國摔角選手Diamond Dallas轉瑜珈老師，幫助一個過重不良於行的人直到他可以開始跑
此外減緩新陳代謝也是有其他好處的 馬修醫師在他的文章提到減緩新陳代謝有延長生命的一些假設 http://www.matthewmd.com/yoga/why-women-yoginis-dont-lose-weight/
許多瑜珈的呼吸法，鼓勵我們深呼吸。 傳統印度瑜珈思想，認為人(動物)一生的呼吸數是有限的。 因此如果呼吸越慢的話生命可能會更長。 用當今的統計數字看來， 似乎有些道理。 (圖表中不同動物的呼吸速越慢,平均壽命似乎越高)
更重要的是 這跟你練那一種瑜伽有相當重要的關係 圖為本人實際測試結果 ，測試者為31歲54公斤的女士她在一個小時半的火箭瑜伽之中， 燃燒了506大卡 並且將近一半的時間他的心跳都已經到達了”心肺燃脂訓練區”
Corey實測Ashtanga瑜珈燃脂的效應(68Kg)，在1小時11分鐘的60%練習過程中，41分鐘總長，心跳的確也有達到燃脂區。
但如果只是一般的哈達(非Vinyasa類) 瑜珈課程: “許多瑜珈的研究是被忽視的，威斯康辛大學的調查掀起波瀾，可能是因為它的贊助廠商是美國運動協會(American Council on Exercises)，一個主要在保護消費者免於受危險和無效的健身計劃所擾的非營利組織，發出新聞稿指出威斯康辛大學的科學家發現每個哈達瑜珈課程只燃燒一百四十四卡路里 相當於緩慢的步行” ~~瑜珈的科學(p143) 瑪雅珊卓 茶雅(Mayasandra S. Chaya) 研究報告網址: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564415/
The myth of yoga.... “Yoga boosts your metabolism giving you a sexy body of your dream !!??” That's what yoga studios want you to believe.
More than one studies pointing out Yoga slows down the BMR(basal metabolic rate) by activating the parasympathetic nervous system.
“Mayasandra Chaya is a physiologist led a team of over 100 male and female. Her scientific study in 2006 showed the regular yoga practitioners slow down their BMR(basal metabolic rate) by an average of 13%. In average, male reduced 8% and female reduced 18% of their BMR.
The slowing down of the metabolic rate creates another issue. Theoretically, it could cause weight gain and depository of fat cell. In other words, people who practice yoga need less food due to the reduction of the BMR. If they still stay with the same diet and exercise, they could start to gain weight.” ---(not the exact quote, since I translated from Chinese edition.(page 184)
For example the activation of the Jalandhara Bandha(throat lock). It stimulates the carotid sinus. Carotid sinus is actually the mechanism to protect your neck artery from over pressurization. It’s a sensor to protect artery from over pressurization causing stroke and it actually helps to reduce the heart rate and blood pressure when stimulated.
Practice the activation of the parasympathetic system in order to reduce heart rate, breathing frequency and reduce the oxygen consumption. These help to reduce the pressure so we can be at the state of peacefulness and stillness.
The good news is the diet has a lot more related to the weight to. Take me for example I have lost a lot of weight after practicing yoga mostly due to the change in the quality and quantity of the diet.
“Chaya mentioned weight reduction has not much to do with the BMR, Yoga affects the mind and desire. Naturally you tend to eat less after regular practice of yoga” ~~(not the exact quote, since I translated from Chinese edition.(The science of Yoga page 184)
Also it has to do what kind of Yoga you practice.
Picture 2and 3(above) is an example. Test subject is a 31 year old, 54 kilograms female: In the hour and half rocket yoga practice she has burned 506 calories. Over half the time her heart rate has reached the “fat burning zone” or so called the training zone (over 65% of her maximum heart rate).
“American Council on Exercises, a none profit organization aimed to protect the consumers from dangerous or ineffective exercise programs issued a press release on the study by University of Wisconsin: An average Hatha yoga class burns only 144 calories, similar slow walk” ~~ “Science of Yoga”(not the exact quote, since I translated from Chinese edition.(page 143) Again it has to do what kind of Yoga you practice.
There are hypothetical benefits of the reduction of metabolism rate. Dr Matthew mention in her article about the reduction of metabolism help to extend life http://www.matthewmd.com/…/why-women-yoginis-dont-lose-wei…/
Link to Mayasandra S. Chaya’s study in 2006 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1564415/