Health experts around the world and studies over time have talked about the harmful effects of belly fat. Belly fat may also include visceral fat which surrounds your internal organs. This kind of fat could increase your risk of cardiac diseases, diabetes, blood pressure, breathing problems etc.
Leading a healthy lifestyle including balanced diet and physical exercise can help deal with the problem. Yoga especially has a couple of yogasanas and pranayamas that are extremely beneficial in burning this excess flab.
Yoga instructor at Art of Living Foundation Anand Karn says that the sedentary lifestyle coupled with unhealthy habits right from the childhood leads to accumulation of belly fat over the period of time. He says that yoga offers a very healthy way to lose this fat over the period of time.
He suggests the following breathing exercises to deal with belly fat:
Pranayamas or breathing exercises to burn belly fat
Surya Bhedi Pranayama
Method
Surya Bhedi Pranayama is done by inhaling slowing through the right nostril and filling up lungs with fresh air to the maximum and then holding the breath and exhaling through the left nostril slowly.
Benefits
The breathing exercise activates the digestive fire of the body and if done over the period of time improves body’s metabolism and burns fat slowly.
The pranayama is best to be done in winters and one should not do it in summers. It also removes blockages in pranic energy channels and helps reduce everyday stress.
Bhastrika Pranayama
Method
Bhastrika Pranayama is done by sitting in sukhasana or padmasana and taking deep breath from both nostrils and exhaling forcefully, so that the stomach contracts.
Benefits
The breathing exercise is extremely beneficial as it increases the metabolic rate, digestive health and overall energy levels. This pranayama is very effective in releasing toxins from the body. It also calms the mind and keeps anxiety issues at bay.