WEIGHT LOSS THROUGH YOGA

Recently we have discussed various benefits of yoga ASANAS and yoga PRANAYAMA. YOGA practice can actually address several types of human affliction and can nullify the effects of harm cause to body due to stress and other human practices like unhealthy diet causing obesity, smoking, drinking etc. in this post we will discuss about various YOGA ASANAS that would be beneficial in case of OBESITY.

Obesity & YOGA:

Modern & busy life style, unhealthy diet plans, non-physical work culture and unawareness are the major reason why our generation is suffering from obesity. Obesity is a complex disorder in which there is excessive accumulation of fat in body. This not only ruins your physical appearance but also make you prone to many health problems like high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes etc.

The important thing is that if you are concerned, you can get over this problem. With changes in dietary plans, including physical workout/YOGA and leaving stress can help you effectively.

YOGA is getting more popular these days which also to helps people with excessive fat. There are some ASANAS and PRANAYAMA practices that effectively deal with weight loss. The main goodness of opting YOGA for this problem is that it also makes you meditate, that means you relives your stress too. Stress is also a reason for obesity in many persons. So, if yoga is practised persistently and correctly you can win over this situation for sure.

Here are some YOGA practices that will benefit you:

YOGA ASANAs:

There are various ASANAS that burns body fat and improve body flexibility. Here is the list of some of them. Try to practise two three ASANAS at first. Practise them persistently and then slowly introduce more ASANAS.

1.       Nauka Chalan (Boat pose): For this, lie down with support of spine in comfortable position. Spread your legs straight in front of you. Your legs need to be joined to each other. Do not bend your knees. Raise your hands to shoulder level. Now raise your legs to 45 degree. Along with this, raise upper part of the body and hold. Hold this posture as long as you can hold with comfort. This pose strengthens and tones the muscles of back and abs. It is a great work out to reduce both upper and lower belly fat.


Boat Pose(credits: yogamagazine.com)

2. Utthita Trikonasana (Triangle pose): Stand straight and separate your feet comfortably wide apart.  Now turn your right leg, along with thighs, feet and knees, out about 90 degree. degrees. Turn left leg 15 degrees in. Now raise your hands to shoulder level. Make sure that your back and hip are in the same plane. Inhale and stretch your body. On exhalation bend down and place your hand on right shin or grip your calf (if comfortable), as far down as you can. In this pose your spine should be straight. Raise your left arm toward the ceiling and look at your palm.

This YOGA tones your legs and back.

Triangle Pose(credits: forwallpaper.com)

3. Chakra pada asana: Lie down on your back with legs stretched out and toes pointing outwards. put your hand beneath your hips. Now raise your one leg upto 30 degree from the ground and make 10 clock wise and 10 anti clock wise rotations. Repeat the same with other leg and then with both legs simultaneously. 

This practices tones thighs and lower belly. 

4.  Sarpasana (snake Pose): lie down on your stomach with streght legs, feet together, chin touching ground and toe poiting outwards. Interlock hands and place them on top of hips. Inhale deeply and hold your breath. Now raise your chest as up as possible along with your hands. Look forward while holding this pose for 10-20 seconds. Exhale and relax. Repeat 3-4 times.

This Yoga streches every muscle of abdomen and increases the flexibility of spine.

5.  Dhanura asana(Bow Pose): Fold both the legs at the knees and keep them 6 to 8 inches apart from each other. Bring the heels close to your hip. Hold both the legs firmly near the ankles (grab the right ankle with right hand and the left ankle with the left hand). Breath & pull the legs upward with the hands, allow the body to be stretched in a curve, push the neck backwards. Now try to raise the thighs up from ground along with shoulders and chest. Push the neck backwards as much as possible.

Via myyogaon.tumblr.com

PRANAYAMA for weight loss:

Along with YOGA ASANAs there are Various PRANAYAMA too that helps in weight management. Her is a quick guide:

1. Kapalabhati Pranayama
2. Ujjai Pranayama
3. Bhastrika Pranayama
4. Agnisar Kriya             

These Pranayama works effectively on weight loss issue. These are also very beneficial in case over weight is due to Thyroid problem. It helps in reducing stress and introduces positive mind frame.
Details about each of the above PRANAYAMA can be found on below mentioned link:

http://yogapowerforyou.blogspot.in/2014/05/yoga-benefits-and-techniques.html
http://yogapowerforyou.blogspot.in/2014/05/basic-yoga-pranayama.html

FORMS OF PRANAYAMA

There are several forms of PRANAYAMA, which includes following:

1.       Ujjayi Pranayama

2.       Nadi Sodhan Pranayama

3.       Shitali Pranayama

4.       Anuloma Pranayama

5.       Viloma Pranayama

6.       Kapalbhati Pranayama

7.       Digra Pranayama

8.       Bhastrika Pranayama

9.       Bhramri Pranayama

10.   Bhaya Pranayama

11.   Agnisar Kriya

UJJAYI PRANAYAMA:

This Pranayama involve making sound of oceanic waves.

To perform this Pranayama, sit comfortable in cross legs position. Now inhale and exhale deeply through your mouth. Restrict your throat as if it is choking and keep inhaling/exhaling in the same manner. This will produce sound that seems similar to the sound of ocean waves.

Practice this for a few times and then do this with nose, closing your mouth.

This can be done 8-10 times at initial stage.

Benefits of UJJAYI PRANAYAMA:

Practicing this Pranayama increases body temperature, the vibrations caused by the sound helps your mind to calm down and relax. This Pranayama activates and energizes the body and improves the control over the senses. This pranayama stimulates the proper functioning of Thyroid gland also. 

It has also shown positive effects on curing respiratory and lungs related problems like asthma and tuberculosis.

NADI SODHAN PRANAYAMA:

This yoga involves breathing through alternate nostril. To perform this yoga, sit down in cross legged position. Now follow these steps:

·         By the thumb of your right hand close your right nostril and inhale deeply through left nostril and exhale through right nostril, closing the left one.

·         Now close your left nostril and inhale through right one and then exhale through left nostril closing right one.

This can be done 10-12 times.

This is the basic practice. This PRANAYAMA can be done in various other ways by controlling the ration of air inhaled and exhaled. But it is advised to go that deeply under supervision.

via pinterest

Benefits of NADI SODHNA PRANAYAMA:

This PRANAYAMA effectively lowers heart rate, stress level and anxiety. Helps in purification of two nadis – inghla and pinghla and eases the flow of PRANA (breath) throughout the body.

 It also lowers body temperature and develops better coordination between the two hemispheres of mind.

SHITALI PRANYAMA:

The word SHITALI means cool. This Pranayama effectively cools down the body temperature. Steps to perform this Pranayama:

·         Sit Comfortable in cross legged position.

·         Close your eyes and open your mouth. Place your tongue on lower lip and roll it. Now inhale deeply through mouth.

·         Hold your breath as long as possible but with ease.

·         Now close your mouth and exhale through nose.

vai interest

Practice this initially for 2-4 times then gradually it can be increased to 10 times a day.

Benefits of SHITALI PRANAYAMA:

This Pranayama lowers body temperature and cures hypertension. Through this Pranayam one can also get relief in case of acidity and other ingestion problems. This practice also improves health of eyes and skin.

NOTE: This Pranayama should not be practiced by people with low blood pressure and heavy cold. Also this practice should be avoided during winter season.

Rest Forms will be discussed in our next post...Till then KEEP READING !!!!

BASIC YOGA: PRANAYAMA

via pinterest

PRANAYAMA

YOGA beginners mostly get enticed by the workout and stretching poses (asanas) of YOGA they have seen in TV or magazine. In contrast to this, PRANAYAMA is a practise that involves control and extension of breath, which is life force of every living being. PRANAYAMA is a Sanskrit word, which means “Extension of Prana( breath)”. The word PRANA means vital energy for survival, basically breath, and YAMA means to extend.

Initially, the concept of using the energy of PRANA (breath) seems to be obscure to be relevant or important. But PRANAYAMA is meant to take care of bodily health and improve metal stability through energy of one’s breath.

There are various forms of PRANAYAM, but before starting let’s get to know the very basics of why and how of this asana.

Essence of PRANAYAMA:

Remember & practice following things before getting started:

1.       Every YOGA pose does not require rigorous work out & this asana is one of them.

2.       This asana deals rigorously only with the breath. But before going deep into the asana, you should know your breath pattern and learn to control the breath.

3.       PRANAYAMA should be practised with care and advance level PRANAYAMA should always be done under guidance.

4.       People with low blood pressure & pregnant ladies may need to avoid this asana.

       

5.       Practise Sava asana (corpse pose) before starting PRANAYAMA. For this, lie down on yoga mat with the support on spine and legs stretched out. Relax for some time & let your mind take a break. Then observe your breath. Notice the quality of your breath, just notice. Do not obstruct or judge your breath. After some time try to smoothen and guide your breath to get a rhythmic breath.

This practice may be carried out a few more times.

6.       Once you are able to guide your breath and notice a smoother inhaling and exhaling you are ready to go to the next step i.e. PRANAYAMA. This practise can be done in seated position afterwards.

YOGA Benefits and techniques:

As we discussed earlier also, YOGA is not just an exercise, it is a way of making correct connection between your body, mind and soul. YOGA consists of three things: Exercise, breathing and meditation.  YOGA ASANAS, when practiced correctly and regularly, are very beneficial for mental and physical health. Not only one can cure a disease through YOGA but also prevent your body from getting attacked by various diseases.

YOGA & health benefits:

1.       Yoga Practice reduces your biological age.

2.       It keeps away heart related problems and also helps in improving respiratory system.

3.       Develops inner peace and consciousness.

4.       Concentration power also improves with YOGA practice.

5.       Helps in controlling weight.

6.       Normalizes blood pressure.

7.       Develops positive attitude toward life.

8.       Helps in controlling anger & anxiety.

9.       Body strength and flexibility is improved. It also reduces joint stiffness.

10.   Improves blood circulation, hence adds glow to face and hairs also.

11.   Helps in detoxification of body and improves immunity system.

These are some of the benefits that one can get from practicing YOGA.

YOGA Techniques:

YOGA should be done only after fully understanding the pose plus the way to perform the yoga. Here are few techniques that you should know while practicing yoga:

1.       Learn the ASANA: learn step by step. Don’t rush yourself and don’t hesitate in giving a shot to learn and then master the pose.

2.       Breathe and breathe: while following the steps of YOGA you should understand that every posture demands inhalation/exhalation of air from your body. Along with learning steps, also learn the time of breath. If breathing is done correctly it will improve your posture, you feel ease in performing steps for longer time.

3.       Never push yourself hard: remember that you are doing YOGA to get benefitted and not to punish yourself. If you find your performance is not as good as it should be, than you needs to practice only. Practice will improve your posture and ultimately you will get the desired benefits.

4.       Concentrate: start YOGA with a positive mind frame and concentrate on what you desire. Try to free your mind for some time from external world and relax.

Keep reading & be healthy !!!!!!

YOGA FOR BEGINNERS

If you are thinking to start YOGA….CONGRATS!!! This means you know that yoga will benefit you irrespective of your age and fitness level. STEP I completed….!!!!

But before you begin there are certain things that may cross your mind or may trouble you/ here is the list of Do’s and Don’ts for your comfortable yoga:

·         Know the purpose: There might be some specific reasons why you thought to include YOGA to your life. Know them first. the reason could be:

1.      To maintain fitness

2.      To reduce fat of specific area of body

3.      To overcome any health problem

Once purpose is known opt for the yoga styles that would be most beneficial.

·         Practice Correctly: It is very important to learn the steps correctly before starting any yoga asana or it may harm you instead of helpful.

·         Choose the place: Choose a place which is well ventilated. Prefer not to work out under fan or AC.

·         Wear something comfortable: Always choose a dress that makes you comfortable. Clothes should be well fitted, neither too tight nor too loose.

·         Take off your Shoes: Yoga is always practices bare footed. Avoid wearing socks too.

·         Schedule your meal: Remember not have heavy meals at least 1 hour before practicing YOGA.

·         Timing: Time your session. At the beginning, practice for 30 minutes, daily. Morning timings are most preferable for any king of work out but if time is not suiting you can go for evening timings.

·         Be hydrated: During YOGA session your body will lose lots of water, so it is very important to keep yourself well hydrated. Drink lots of water 2 hours before session and 1 hour after the session. Avoid drinking water during the session.

·         Rest: Don’t push yourself too hard. Remember that you are not under punishment. YOGA should be a reward to your body, so rest intermittently and enjoy.

·         Meditate: Practise 5-10 minutes meditation at the end of session. This will not only make you feel relaxed but will also boost up your senses and energy level.

KEEP READING!!!!!!

BE YOGA FIT

YOGA RELEVANCE

Yoga word comes from Sanskrit word Yuj, which means to join or unite. In broader sense it means uniting various aspects of human life/body to its soul and then lead a balanced and content life.

 Yoga is a practice through which one can achieve healthy body and peaceful mind without any kind of medicine or equipment. Yoga has recently gained popularity as people are getting aware of super amazing results of including yoga to their life.

Why YOGA??

As said above yoga practice brings balance to the life. Then the question comes why balance is important????

Here is a small example that will answer this question: when we learn riding a bicycle, our whole focus is concentrated on balancing the wheels, while which we ignore the enjoyment and beauty of the ride. But when we have learned balancing the wheels, we start enjoying the ride and then we realize the pleasure of journey. Same is the case with life, once we achieve balance in our life only then we can realize the essence, beauty and significance of human life. By balance, we mean that state of mind which keeps us happy and content at every up and down of life cycle.

Now a days our life style demands a relief therapy to be practiced every day so that we can lead a healthy and stress free life & Yoga is the best option for this. 30-45 minutes daily Yoga practice can actually make a difference to your life.

YOGA ASANAS

The ultimate reason why YOGA was introduces was to achieve MOKSHA (Liberation from life-death cicle). In YOGA SUTRA, Patanjali has described the ultimate goal of YOGA is a state of permanent peace, necessary to know the one’s true self. Here you can read details & history of various asanashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asana .

Aprat from this there are various asana that are also known to improve health and beauty. In the coming posts will be about various asanas beneficial to beauty and various detailed YOGA ASAN will also be discussed later on.

TUSLI (part II)

TULSI

PART II Beauty Benefits of Tulsi

(credits 1)

Tulsi plant is also endowed with beauty enhancing qualities along with meditational effects. Let’s take a look:

·         It contains blood purifying agents, thus it works great for skin. Regular intake of Tusli extracts prevents acne and pimple and results in glowing skin.

·         Tulsi gives soothing effect to the body cells when used both internally and externally. So, Tulsi leaves extracted by boiling in water can be used as toner.

·         Tulsi juice mixed with lemon juice and besan forms excellent face pack that improves skin complexion and reduces scar marks.

·         Another very effective face pack for glowing skin can be made by mixing Tulsi leaves with rosewater and honey.

·         Tulsi water with lemon juice cures ringworm.

·         Tulsi leaves relieve itching if rubbed on affected area.

·         Add Tulsi juice to hair oil and massage it to have healthy and lustrous hairs.

Apart from all above mentioned benefits of Tulsi, just planting a Tulsi plant can make you experience its benefits. This plant purifies air, its aroma releives headache and strengthens immune system. So keep this plant potted at house.

Keep reading and stay beautiful and healthy!!!!!!!!

TULSI

TULSI USES FOR HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Tulsi is one of the plants that contains several meditional qualities that are very beneficial to us. Because of its unmatched properties, this plant is also worshipped like goddess by Hindu people. Tulsi is known to purify the air and because of this, it is commonly planted at the entrance or veranda of house. This plant is used for medication in Ayurveda for its amazing healing properties and considered as the 'elixir of life'.

Tulsi leaves with flowers

Part I- Health benefits of Tulsi

Tulsi( or Basil in English) is mainly used in the form of its leaves, seeds and roots. It possesses strong anti-oxidant, anti-viral and immune system improving properties. It is also known to promote longevity of life. Some of the health benefits are listed below:

·            Heart Disorders: Tulsi contains various anti oxidants which removes harmful effects of free radicals from body. It helps in reducing cholesterol level and blood pressure thus prevents cardiac disorders.

·        Kidney Stones: Tusli has detoxifying effects so it reduces uric acid level, which is main reason for kidney stones. So, in order to treat renal stones mixture of tulsi leaves juice and honey is very effective. This helps in removal of stones through urinary track.

·       Treats Fever and common cold: A decoction of tulsi leaves boiled with turmeric and cardamom power is a effective remedy to treat fever and common cold symptoms. The anti-viral agents present in tulsi prevents against malaria fever, dengue fever and any other kind of viral infection.

• Headache: Crushed Basil leaves mixed with sandalwood power forms an effective remedy against headache. This paste can directly be applied on forehead for relief.
•  Stomach Problems:  Basil leaves juice is also helpful in various stomach problems like acidity, lack of appetite, constipation and flatulence. It supports digestive system and decreases bloating stomach problem.
•   Stress reliever: Tulsi extracts gives soothing effect to the nervous system and helps reducing stress.
• Fights Cancer: How ever Tusli alone cannot be used as treatment against cancer but it contains anti-carcinogenic agents that are beneficial in various types of cancers like breast and oral cancer.
• Diabetic control: It also controls blood sugar level effectively.
•  Helps in quiting smoking: If you are planning to quit smoking tulsi leaves can really be helpful. Chew tulsi leaves whenever you urge to smoke, it will provide a calming effect to the urge and various anti-oxidants will help in undoing the harm cause by smoking.
• Relives insect bite: In case of any kind of insect bite, Tulsi leaves juice can directly be applied to the affected area. The effect of scorpion poison can completely be nullified if paste of Tulsi leaves and roots ground together is applied immediately to the bitten area.

next post>>> Beauty Benefits of Tulsi