His book, Bikram's Beginning Yoga Classes , advises beginners to modify stretches for comfort and never to force themselves into position. The same book pictures him balancing his weight atop the stretched backs of his celebrity students, including the likes of Quincy Jones. His book lists emphysema, migraines and hemorrhoids, among others, as ailments that his program can address. A native of India, he claims broad experience in natural medicine. Goldstein, who reports losing about 60 pounds in his first two years of doing hot yoga, wrote a book describing how it helped his diabetes.
Some medical experts urge caution.
Aerobic exercise for about 30 minutes every other day seems to help diabetics most, he says, adding that any activity that gets diabetes sufferers moving would be of benefit. Other hot-yoga students say their discipline helps multiple sclerosis, a condition in which the immune system starts attacking nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Although many MS patients benefit from yoga's gentle stretching, Stephen Reingold of the National MS Society warns that heat commonly exacerbates spasticity, weakness and other disease symptoms. In fact, swimming or aerobic exercise performed in a slightly chilled pool may benefit most MS patients, he says. Some yoga experts worry that Choudhury's emphasis on curing medical ills misses the spiritual dimension of their discipline.