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Check with your Doctor
Yoga asanas can be practiced by
young and old alike. While there is no one who should be excluded,
check with your doctor before you begin a course if you suffer
form a medical condition or have any doubts..
Factors to be considered before
Starting Yoga
You do not need special equipment to practice yoga.
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Although you can buy foam yoga mats, a towel on a carpeted floor will do just as well.
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For practicing indoors, you will need an open space, clear of furniture.
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The room should be comfortable heated and free from disturbances.
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Try to practice yoga every day.
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At the same time, be gentle. Do not force yourself.
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A yoga session should be a joy.
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Set aside a time when you will not be disturbed and you will not have to rush. Morning practice helps loosen up stiff joints after sleep. Evening practice relieves the tensions of the day.
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Whenever you practice yoga, avoid eating for at least two hours beforehand.
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Many of our regular daily activities tend to emphasize the use of one part or side of the body. To achieve a healthy and harmonious balance, it is important to keep all parts of the body equally strong and flexible. Yoga exercises make each group of muscles work equally on the left and right sides of the body to achieve equilibrium.
Proper Diet
The recommended diet for a student
of yoga is a simple and wholesome vegetarian one, made up of
natural foods that are easily digested. It keeps the body vital
and healthy, and the mind calm and free from restless thoughts.
Processed and tinned foods are to be avoided when possible.
In yogic philosophy, our diet affects far more than our physical
well-being. Our vital energy, mental capabilities, and emotional
health are all influenced by the food that we eat. The practice of
meditation, postures, and breathing exercises is directed towards
bringing the mind and the body into harmony. Eating the right
foods is an important element in achieving this goal. Foods that
are beneficial to us are said to be Sattvic, or pure. Impure foods
that can upset our physical, emotional, or intellectual balance
are identified as being in the categories. Tamasic (stale or
rotten) and Rajasic (stimulating). You should avoid these foods.
Avoid tamasic foods
Foods that are stale, tasteless, unripe, over ripe, or putrified
are Tamasic. They poison the body, sap our energy, and dull the
intellect. Tamasic foods include meat and fish, mushrooms, and
foods that have been frozen, preserved, tinned, over-cooked, or
re-heated. Foods that have been fermented, such as vinegar, are
Tamasic, as are all drugs and alcohol. Eating too much is also
considered to be Tamasic.
Avoid Rajasic Foods
Onions and garlic, tobacco, eggs, coffee, tea, chillies and other
strong spices, and foods that are sour, acid, or bitter are all
Rajasic. Chocolate, white sugar, white flour, and most prepared
and convenience foods are also Rajasic to a lesser extent. All
these substances excite the passions and over-stimulate the mind,
making it difficult to control. Eating too fast and eating too
many combinations of foods is also Rajasic.
Choose Sattvic Products
Sattvic foods from the ideal diet, being nourishing and easy to
digest. They create new energy and a clear, calm mind, enabling us
to use all our mental, physical, and spiritual talents. Sattvic
products include cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables, natural
fruit juice, milk butter, beans, honey, and pure water.
Stop Smoking
Yogic philosophy identifies two impure categories of foods-Rajasic
(over-stimulating) and Tamasic (Stale or rotten). Tobacco is both
giving up smoking eliminates toxins from the body and helps you to
achieve a calm mind and body.
Avoid Caffeine
Caffeine is considered to be Rajasic, as it is powerful stimulant.
It causes the mind to be over-active and gives the body artificial
energy. It can also disrupt your natural sleeping pattern,
impairing your ability to relax. If you cut out tea and coffee
from your diet, you will find that meditation becomes easier.
During Pregnancy
The ante-natal period, when your body
and mind are engaged in the creation of a new life, can be a rare and
valuable learning experience. Yoga can help you to have an easier,
healthier pregnancy and delivery. Practiced slowly and gently, the
postures relax and strengthen the body, helping you to adjust to many
of the temporary physical changes. The breathing exercises can help
you to make the most of your breath.
WHAT NOT TO DO WHEN PREGNANT
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Do not perform the Bow.
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Do not attempt the Locust.
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Shoulder stand and Plough should only be
practiced if comfortable.
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Do not perform the Cobra (or the seventh
Sun Salutation position).
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Do not practice the Peacock.
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Do not perform the Headstand for the
first time during pregnancy. If you are used to it, you can continue
until it becomes uncomfortable (in about the fourth month).
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Featured Articles:
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Heartburn or Gastroesophageal Reflux
Disease (GERD) means acid indigestion. This occurs when the lower esophageal
sphincter (LES) does not close properly and the stomach contents reflux or
return into the esophagus. This may create a burning sensation in the chest or
throat when the refluxed stomach acid touches the lining of the esophagus. The
burning sensation is the one called Heartburn.
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Samadhi is a Hindu and Buddhist technical term that usually
denotes higher levels of concentrated meditation, or dhyana, in Yogic schools,
and is considered a precursor for enlightenment, or Nirvana, in Buddhism.
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Binge-eating followed by purging with self-induced
vomiting and the compulsive use of laxatives, are warning signs of
this condition. Its causes include low body image and a feeling of
not being in control. It is often associated with anorexia.
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Facial Yoga: to fight wrinkles naturally
Face yoga comprises of
a series of toning and strengthening exercises for the muscles of
your face. Exercises include rolling the tongue to make vibrating
sounds and exaggerated yawns to release the jaw muscles. It also
involves laughing a lot out loud and blowing kisses. Relaxing your
face is an important part of yoga because the face is an indicator
of tension in the rest of the body.
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The seated asanas provide us with the chance to take the body
alignment and balance created in the standing sequence into a
broader range of postures. The heat that has been generated will
enable deep stretching , and the vinyasas between each side of each
pose and each asana will help to maintain this internal heat.
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The practice of
yoga
gives you the opportunity to create a world (your body) for your baby
that is healthy and peaceful. "What a child learns in the womb cannot be
learned on earth".
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Yoga is a centuries’ old practice that promotes balance, energy,
deep breathing and relaxation. The therapeutic and buoyant effect of
water is combined with energizing and harmonizing effects of yoga
provide the optimum workout for you and your baby.
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For results with Yoga, as with any program, one needs to learn simple rules;
dedication and persistence. You have to be dedicated and follow the practices on
a regular basis if you really want to get results. The major problem with most
yoga 'drop outs' is not getting the techniques right, as most people have
aligned their minds to believe, but the ability to establish the habit of
following the practices through on a regular basis.
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This total body workout targets the upper and lower body with a
variety of exercises that can be done while seated. Although a
greater proportion of you rests on the floor, the increase in
sensory response provided can give you even more of an idea of where
you core is and how you lift. Always come to the floor exercises
fresh.
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Headaches can be caused by eyestrain,
indigestion, allergies, sinusitis, exhaustion or poor posture. Types
of headaches vary according to the cause and so do the remedies.
Migraines and cluster headaches can be helped with yoga, but you
must have the supervision and approval of your doctor.
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Top 10 Yoga asana to fight physical Fatigue
Stressful physical exertion brings out this condition
characterized by exhaustion and reluctance to exert oneself. If
unresolved by rest, and removal of stress factors, the condition may
lead to chronic fatigue syndrome.
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De-fusing Anger with yoga
Anger comes in several forms,
including outrage, frustration, jealousy, resentment, fury, and hatred. It also
masquerades as judgment, criticism, and even boredom. Like all emotions, it is a
complex, ever-shifting state involving thoughts, feelings, and bodily changes.
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Colon Cleansing
With Yoga
Colon cleansing is extremely essential in each human being's life
however many of us do not even recognize it. Colon cleansing just refers
to the cleaning of the large intestine. But it is not enough. The entire
organ, that is, including the small intestine has to be cleaned. The
colon tends to accumulate a lot of toxic materials than any other part
of the body and as a result becomes thicker.
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Yoga to Get Your Heart Healthy
According to new research from Yale University School of Medicine.
Findings show that people who practice yoga and meditation at least
three times a week may reduce their blood pressure, pulse and -- most
importantly -- their risk of heart disease.
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Constipation is a common problem.
Every woman in her lifetime faces this problem at some point in
time. This condition should be treated or else it could lead to many
more serious problems. The main problem with constipation is that
the stool becomes hard and the person is unable to pass it with
ease. Yoga could help a person to overcome constipation.
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The term 'amenorrhoea' literally means
'the absence of periods'. There are a wide variety of reasons why
you may not be having periods, like heavy exercise, stress or eating
disorder and you must always take steps to find out what is causing
your amenorrhoea.
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It is true that positive stressors can
be good for us and good for our nervous system. It is only when the
stress is too extreme, too prolonged, inappropriate to the challenge
or accompanied by strong negative emotions like fear that the stress
load gets unmanageable.
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Insomnia is a huge problem in this
fast-paced, sugar and caffeine addicted country. But if we can first
identify the habits we have that contribute to our sleeplessness and
slowly change them, and at the same time add more relaxation and
deep breathing to our pre-sleep routine, we will sleep better.
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When chuckles, giggles and belly
laughs are mixed with yoga, it becomes 'laughter yoga' -- the fun
way to reduce stress. Not only is it fun to laugh, but laughter yoga
(also known as Hasya yoga) can provide many health benefits: it
serves to reduce stress, enhance the immune system.
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These occur when a muscle in the limbs
or abdomen contracts with great intensity and does not relax. These
are often caused by exposure to heat. Cramps can occur during
exercise, immediately after, or as long as six hours later. Yet
common as they are and terrible as they can be, no one really
understands cramps. They are a medical mystery.
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The practice of yoga improves the blood and oxygen
flow around the body which aids in the removal of toxins and waste. For yoga to
be truly beneficial to the lowering of your unwanted bad cholesterol it must be
practiced on a regular basis.
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Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease
seen as redness, scaling of various sizes. Although psoriasis can strike at any
age, it is seen mostly in people in the age group of 15-35 years. Psoriatic
arthritis, however, has its highest incidence in the age group of 30-50 years.
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The most dangerous fat lies around the organs, deep within the belly. The fat in
the abdominal area functions differently than fat elsewhere in the body. It has
a greater blood supply as well as more receptors for cortisol, a stress hormone.
With high stress and, consequently, high cortisol levels, more fat is deposited
in the abdominal area.
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The first thing you do when you are born
is breathe, and it's the last thing you'll do when you exit. Oxygen is
the most vital nutrient for our bodies and is essential for all of our
organs and tissues. If we don't get enough of it, the result is mental
sluggishness, negative thoughts, depression and various other health
concerns.
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Top 10 Yoga Asana to relieve Asthma
In this condition, the
airways of the lungs are constricted, causing tightness in the
chest, bouts of coughing, wheezing, and breathing difficulties. The
inflammation of the air passages can become chronic. Asthma is
usually caused by allergies or stress. Yoga has come a long way to
heal and manage asthma.
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Pratyahara: learning
to control "indriyas"
The word "pratyahara" means "removing indriyas from material
objects". Pratyahara is the stage at which an adept learns how to
control the "tentacles" of consciousness that are called "indriyas"
in Sanskrit.
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Eight million women today are living with heart disease, and they're
developing it at younger and younger ages. Stress
is considered to be a major contributing factor.
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The yogic-diet is said to be lacto-vegetarian,
which means that it is made up entirely of non-animal foods with the
exceptions of milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter eggs and honey.
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"Chakra" means wheel or
ring in Sanskrit and our personal chakras have energy coiled within
them, located along the spine and head.
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Do you spend your days staring at a
computer screen? If you do, you probably know how draining and tiring it
can be to your entire body, not just your eyes.
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The fat in
the
abdominal
area functions differently than fat elsewhere in the body. It has a
greater blood supply as well as more receptors for cortisol, a
stress hormone.
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Cancer patients often find themselves in distracted states of
mind—bombarded as they are by frightening, sometimes contradictory,
information, subjected to invasive, painful procedures, and
not-always-compassionate medical care. When our minds are so
grievously disturbed, we may find it impossible to make crucial
decisions or relate satisfactorily to our family and friends.
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Giving
birth
can be a very demanding physical event. It can also give rise to
strong emotional and spiritual experiences.
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Doing yoga regularly will improve
your flexibility, posture, and strength, while giving you that
fringe benefit you're looking for-sculpted abs muscles. Try these
yoga moves.
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Yoga for Travelers
If your job involves a lot
of traveling, sitting
in one place can affect your blood circulation.
The altitude and recycled air of most plane trips take their toll on you by
slightly dehydrating you inside and out. Read
on....
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Dermatitis is
a broad term that refers to any inflammation of the skin. Poison
ivy and similar rashes are known as contact dermatitis, caused by
touching something that irritates a patch of skin. Reactions to
internal medication can cause red, scaly skin and sometimes even
hair loss. Read
on....
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Swara Yoga is science which is a
complete study, observations, control and manipulation of breath or Swara. In
swara yoga, you will find association of breath in relation to activities of
sun, moon, various seasons, physical and mental conditions of individuals etc.
So Swara Yoga is more comprehensive in theory and practices related to breath. Read
on....
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Losing bone density is a natural part
of the aging process, but when too much bone is lost the bones
become weakened and susceptible to fracturing and breaking.
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A
study published in the latest issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly reports
that mind-body exercise, such as yoga, is associated with greater body
satisfaction and fewer symptoms of eating disorders than traditional aerobic
exercise like jogging or using cardio machines.
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Yoga and running have a lot in common, in a way that both require practice,
agility, flexibility, patience and your own breathing method.
Runners, more than often complain of sore feet, bad backs and knees, tight
hamstrings and hips. Yoga has the ability to help all of us get better – better
in terms of healing and rehabilitation, better in terms of strength and
flexibility, better in terms of the elimination of pain.
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The shuddikriya for the cleaning of the nasal path is known as neti. The
aim of the process is to purify the
breathing path right
from the nostrils to the throat. If the aim is achieved using water, the
process is known as Jalneti.
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Stress has been described over or lack of
stimuli. Too little can lead to depression, lethargy, feelings of being
devalued and lack of focus. Conversely, too much stress can lead to
exhaustion "burn out" or even "nervous breakdown".
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Prolapse refers to a collapse, descent, or other change in the
position of the uterus in relation to surrounding structures in the
pelvis.
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Chi Kung (pronounced 'chee goong')
is a form of moving meditation and a way of harnessing and releasing the body's
own vital energy, or chi. It can have an extraordinarily beneficial effect on
both physical and mental health and it is one of the most energizing forms of
exercise.
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Dynamic
yoga
is a creative style of Hatha yoga, principles of Astanga and lyengar.
Dynamic yoga is not only
meditative
but also physically challenging.
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Motion sickness is
usually experienced while riding in a car, boat or an airplane. It can
also be caused even while standing still and viewing a large screen
movie that contains significant motion. This is characterized by
dizziness - nausea, vomiting, fatigue followed by pallor.
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During any exercise the strain on muscles
increases, the requirement for blood and oxygen increases but in Yogasanas the
requirement goes down as there are no strains and every muscle is relaxed, the
requirement for blood and oxygen goes down.
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Yoga poses increase blood flow to your digestive tract and stimulate
the intestinal action known as peristalsis so digestion is more
efficient.
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Yoga
can alleviate menopausal symptoms such as insomnia, depression, hot
flashes, and mood swings. The body-mind connection is a powerful
element of hot flashes and emotional symptoms. Rhythmic breathing
exercises which helps you meditate and relax, can effectively reduce
your hot flashes. Researchers have found that deep, slow breathing
can reduce the effects of hot flashes in half, probably by calming
the central nervous system.
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Stiff neck? Achy back? Painful knees?
Those sore joints might be keeping you from exercising, but lack of
exercise may actually be what's causing the pain. Improperly
performed movements can also cause stiffness and pain but you can
snap back to normal, pain-free movement by following these Yogasanas.
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Lordosis or swayback is a disorder
defined by an excessive inward curve of the spine. It differs from
the spine's normal curves at the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar
regions, which are, to a degree, either kyphotic or lordotic.
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Asthma is usually caused by allergies or
stress. Yoga has come a long way to heal and manage asthma.
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As the name of this yogic system
implies, the discipline involves action. The aim of Karma Yoga is to
attain union with the Supreme by means of right action, which means,
quite simply, action undertaken for its own sake and not for the
sake of reward.
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Uterine fibroids are the most common
benign tumors in the female reproductive tract whose exact cause is
unknown, but it is known that fibroids are fed by hormones and blood.
They can be as small as a millet seed or large enough to fill the entire
abdominal cavity.
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Diabetes means that the body does not
produce or use insulin properly. Many studies have reported the
beneficial effect of the practice of yoga on diabetes. Some studies have
mentioned up to 65 percent beneficial effect of yogic therapy for
diabetes.
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Meditation is not for a few but is
necessary for all human beings. The inner self of a person touches the
Higher Self (the Param-Tattwa) during deep sleep daily. This unknown
touch recharges the battery of man.
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Yoga for Cancer
Cancer patients often find themselves in distracted states of mind—bombarded as
they are by frightening, sometimes contradictory, information, subjected to
invasive, painful procedures, and not-always-compassionate medical care. When
our minds are so grievously disturbed, we may find it impossible to make crucial
decisions or relate satisfactorily to our family and friends.
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