Friday, May 30, 2008

What is Pranayama?

Pranayama is an art of controlling your breath to bring back or regain your body energy. Breathing or breath is the most important and vital function of life. Pranayama ensures maximum supply of oxygen to your body (brain & blood).

Pranayama helps to regain the lost vigour & energy in the body, as we concentrate on our breath which aids in better oxygen supply to the mind & body.

Courtesy: ABC of Yoga

Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Yoga for a Healthy Pregnancy - Prenatal Yoga

Yoga can be a great way to make your way thru a healthy pregnancy. Helping yourself & and growing baby (within you). It is also a good way to spend time with yourself & to show your baby, U Care !!

Generally very gentle postures are practiced for yoga, so as not to make things difficult in the future. You must also take special care for a healthy and enjoyable yoga practice.

Here are a few tools that can be practiced during your initial pregnancy i.e. 1st 3 months:

1. Pranayama / Breathing Exercises
Practicing breathing exercises help & ensure a healthy supply of oxygen for you and your unborn.

2. Mudras for Meditation

Gyan Mudra
This is done by joining the tips of the index finger and thumb and keep the other 3 fingers stretched and joined.


Shoonya Mudra
This is done by Pressing the middle finger on the base of the thumb and keep the thumb on middle finger, keeping the other three fingers straight.


Apaan Mudra
This is done by joining the tip of the thumb with the tip of middle and ring finger, keeping the other fingers straight.


Prana Mudra
This is done by joining the tip of the thumb with tip of little and ring finger and keeping the other two fingers straight.


Vayu Mudra
This is done by pressing the index finger on the base of thumb and keep the thumb on the index finger and letting the other fingers be straight.


Prithvi Mudra
Do this by joining the tip of the thumb and ring finger.


Varun Mudra
Do this by join the tip of the thumb and little finger.


Surya Mudra
Do this by putting the tip of ring finger at the base of thumb and thumb pressing finger gently.


Ling Mudra
Do this by Interlocking the fingers of both hands together, keep the left thumb up (encircled by right thumb and index finger).


Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Yoga for Prostrate Health

Men over forty often suffer from an enlarged prostate gland. For them yoga, with its asanas to energize and strengthen prostrate, can be an effective way to control and avoid the annoying malady

An enlarged prostate gland is a common malady in men after the age of forty. It has been seen that more than four out of every five men between the age of fifty and sixty have benign enlargement of this gland. As the prostate surrounds the urethra ­ the duct through which urine passes ­ when this gland enlarges, it interferes with urination. The patients find difficulty in passing urine and feel the urge frequently. Except for the extreme condition, enlarged prostrate is only annoying and not a serious ailment. What is dangerous is prostrate cancer ­ one of the most common types of cancer in men. Since the symptoms for both the problems are somewhat similar, people with prostrate cancer tend not to seek medical help immediately, which gives a chance to the cancer to spread. Both diseases can be prevented by yoga. First, one needs to meditate to destress the mind and preserve the glandular health. Under stress, the hypothalamus that controls the pituitary, which in turn regulates the functions of all the glands in the body, cannot do its job correctly. Second, asanas that exercise and energize the prostrate must be practiced. On of the most effective practices is Vajaroli.

How to do Vajaroli ?
Sit in any meditative pose such as
vajarasana, Sukhasana or Padmasana


Retain your breath and then try to contract the urethra. This is the same sensations and employs the same muscles which you would use to control urine flow. People who suffer from heart ailments should not hold their breath

Hold the contraction and the muscles for a short period of time. But don’t overdo this exercise. Your muscles will build up over a period of time Exhale and at the same times release the contraction Practise this Vajaroli technique 50 times a day.

Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise.

Yoga for Getting Pregnant

Yoga and Meditation have proved to be the best medication if you are expecting to be pregnant. Here are a few of the yoga asanas that would help you in the process of fertilization / getting pregnant. Stress plays an important factor in fertility. Yoga has been proven to reduce the production of stress hormones which hamper conception.

Supta Baddhakonasana or Uptavistakonasana
These help to soften the belly & pelvis areas.

Steps for Baddhakonasana:
1. Lie on your back, legs and arms straight, palms up.
2. Bend left knee and place foot on floor, then do the same with right knee and foot.
3. Lower knees away from each other toward floor, bring soles of feet together, sweep arms until they’re overhead.
4. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths.
5. Bring knees upright, sweep arms back down toward sides of the body.




Sarvangasana
This asana helps to compress the thyroid. Because the balance of hormones affects fertility as well as the regular menstruation, this asana, helps to regulate hormones in the body.

Steps for Sarvangasana:
1. Lie with back on the floor, feet flat on the floor about hip-width apart, arms along sides of the body, palms up.
2. Bend knees in toward chest.
3. Roll hips up and over until legs straighten and toes come to the floor behind the head.
4. Place hands on low back for support, fingertips face up.
5. Lift right leg toward the ceiling.
6. Lift leg toward the ceiling.
7. Press (straight) legs into each other.
8. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
9. Keeping legs straight, lower legs at the same time behind the head until toes touch the floor.
10. Lower hands to the floor, palms up.
11. Roll back to the floor till hips reach the floor.
12. Bend knees, place feet on floor.




Halasana
This asana also, like Sarvangasana, helps to regulate hormones in the body.

Steps for Halasana
1. Lie flat on your back with knees bent, feet flat on the floor, legs together; arms are stretched alongside the body, palms press into the floor.
2. Bring knees in toward chest
3. Extend legs back over your head so the balls of the feet come to the floor behind you.
4. Clasp the hands together in front of you and straighten arms along the floor.
5. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
6. Bend the knees, placing the right knee next to the right ear and the left knee next to the left ear.
7. Release the hands and sweep them out and up, so hands rest next to the feet, palms up.
8. Hold for 3 to 5 breaths.
9. Slowly roll the shoulders and back down to the mat, til hips and feet come back to the floor in their original position



Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation is a common sequence of Hatha yoga asanas. Its origins lie in a worship of The Sun God. Hindu Diety for Solar Energy. This sequence of movements and postures can be practised on varying levels of awareness, ranging from that of physical exercise in various styles.

The physical practice links together twelve postures in a dynamically performed series. These asanas / postures are ordered so that they alternately stretch the spine backwards and forwards. When performed in the usual way, each asana is moved into with alternate inhalation and exhalation (except for the sixth asana where the breath is held in external suspension). A full round of Surya namaskara is considered to be two sets of the twelve poses with a change in the second set to moving the opposite leg first through the series.

Proponents of the use of Surya namaskara as part of the modern yoga tradition prefer to perform it at sunrise, which is considered to be the most favourable time of the day.

Here are the details of Postures for Surya Namaskar
Surya Namaskar


Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise

Friday, May 23, 2008

Yoga for Women Health Problems

From puberty (onset of the menses) until menopause a women’s reproduction system under goes many cyclic changes. The cyclic changes are related to the changes in the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus), breast, ovaries, vagina, hormone secretions, and even emotional attitudes.

The cyclic reproduction changes of the female are marked by menstruation, during which some cells, unclotted blood from ruptured blood vessels, other fluids and uterine endometrium are released through the cervix and vagina. Each menstrual cycle occurs about every 28 days and last for 4 - 5 days.


The menstruation occurs 12 to 14 days after the ovum is released from the ovary (ovulation), about once in four weeks. The periodicity of cycle varies with individuals. After fertilization, menstruation ceases and it is the first indication of pregnancy.

The disorders of the female reproductive system are frequently involved in the menstrual disorders. Some of them are: Amenorrhoea, Secondary amenorrhoea, Dysmenorrhoea, Abnormal Uterine Bleeding and Premenstrual Syndrome

Various Yogic Exercises are recommended to Overcome the above disorders.
Svastika Asana Svastika Asana
Padma Asana Padma Asana
Vira Asana Vira Asana
Gomukha Asana Gomukha Asana
Paschimothan Asana Paschimothan Asana
Baddha-kona Asana Baddha-kona Asana
Sirsha Asana Sirsha Asana


Note: You must always exercise these asanas, by keeping your basic health in check; Incase your health practitioner has warned you not to do any exercise / asana, you must always abide by the same. We would not be responsible for any physical injury caused due to your not following your doctor's advise

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Yoga for Health and Fitness

Yoga is an excellent way to improve fitness of mind as well as body. It helps you to attain spiritual as well as physical wellbeing. Yoga helps in maintaining a healthy lifestyle, coupled with freedom from common ailments.

Yoga is not only an exercise of your physical self but also an art of living that tends to overpower an individual with positive energy and provides with better wellbeing.


The 5 Major Principles of Yoga
1. Relaxation
2. Regular Exercise
3. Proper Breathing
4. Proper Diet
5. Meditation (Positive Thinking)

Yoga helps keep oneself Fighting Fit against all ailments.


Yoga & Weight Loss
Adopting yoga for reducing body weight is the best option as it takes care of all the aspects of maintaining good body, in terms of weight as well as mental and social wellbeing.

It is the best form of exercise which is suited to all age groups and helps in gaining control of mind, body and soul in short all five sensory organs (5 indriyan).

Just follow the right steps and the right Yoga Asanas and you will be a changed person very soon.