Want to look fabulous with the right weight? If yes, practice these Yogasanas !!

Who doesn’t want to be slim now-a-days. All of us want a body without the extra fat. Few people live without giving a damn to the nasty comments of the people around them, who are a reason of stress, and have a great metabolism which helps them to digest everything that they eat. So, they don’t have to do that extra effort to lose anything from their body. However, few of us keep on hogging on the food throughout the day, and are worried about each and every thing. Due to this, our internal system becomes weak and is unable to digest all the fat that we eat. Thus, it starts accumulating in our body in the form of fat and gas, leading to a fat and heavy body. To get your body in a good shape and looks, firstly, get off the stress, and then practice Yogasanas to burn out those extra calories that are stored here and there in the body.

Before coming to a conclusion that there is no way out of those fats, try these asanas, I am sure you will not be disappointed.

Surya Namaskar

Surya Namaskar is highly energizing and beneficial for the body. The 12 postures of this asana are designed in such a way that the entire body gets worked-out. It is a must if you really want to get back that teenage look. If practiced daily, for at least 9-11 times, you can see the difference yourself. If this is your first time, start with 1-3 cycle of Surya Namaskar each day.

Paschimottanansana

This is one of the finest asanas of all. It helps relax the muscles of the entire body at one go along with improving the digestion system.

Sit with your legs stretched out forward. While breathing out, bend forward and hold your toes with your hands. Your forehead should touch the knees. Stay in this position for a minute then come back to the normal position while breathing in.

Halasana

Halasana is yet another way of stretching your muscles. In fact, it works wonders on your spine. Remember that if you have a healthy spine and back, you will have extra energy and you will feel very fit.

So, while doing Halasana, lie down on your back. Then lift your legs straight and bring it towards your head. With the support of your hand on your back, get that extra grip and rest your toes above your head. I have put this image of Halasana just to make you understand what I am talking about.

Kapalbhati

Kapalbhati burns the fat in your stomach very fast and easily. You just need to do it every day for at least half an hour. It even helps in curing any breathing problem. This is the easiest way of saying bye to those extra fats.

Sit in Sukhasana, close your eyes and with the help of your stomach muscles, blow the air out. Repeat this for at least 15-20 times initially and later on increase it.

Anulom-Vilom

Anulom-vilom is the best way to keep the blood flowing properly in your body which helps prevent the building of fat inside our body.

For this, sit in sukhasana, close your left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand, inhale from the right nostril, then close the right nostril with the thumb and release the air from the left nostril. Repeat this process with the opposite nostril, but with the same hand. Continue it for about 5 mins.

There are many asanas and breathing exercises which are great to burn out the fats. It is just that you need to be determined towards your goal. Many people do these exercises one day and the second day they check themselves in the mirror. They find no change and they stop practicing it. Remember that Yoga is not a miracle, it is the best way to keep yourself fit and healthy. So, you need to practice it every day in order to get the result that you want.

So, practice Yoga and stay slim and fit.

Did you find the above tips helpful? Please share your thoughts.

Yoga For Shinier and Lustrous Hair

Beautiful, soft and shiny hair, is one gift that we want from the God day and night. Amidst all the stress and daily chorus, this prayer always keeps on running inside our mind. There are many different grandma’s secret of having the hair that we dream about, like applying amla, shikakai, egg, etc. But above all, a good diet and a regular practice of Yoga is something that we cannot miss at all. Having food with lot of protein and vitamins with lots of water along with Yoga, has no alternative. There are many Yoga asanas and breathing techniques that can help your hair breathe with lot of life in it.

Kapalbhati

This breathing technique is a great remedy for numerous diseases and benefits our body in a lot of ways. If you practice kapalbhati every day for at least 30 minutes, it provides relief from acidity and indigestion making our internal system healthy and fit. This very easily shows on our face and hair.

Vajrasana

Vajrasana is a great asana for a healthy digestive system. It reduces the formation of excess acid which relieves from acidity. Thus, you can see a decrease in the hair fall. Sit in Vajrasana for about 10-15 minutes daily after having food or while practicing Yogasanas.

Sarvangasana

In Sarvangasana, you basically stand on your shoulders while keeping your legs straight pointing towards the ceiling. Stay in this posture for about 5-10 mins while breathing continuously. Sarvangasana increases the blood flow in your head which relaxes the brain, helping it to breathe. This, in turn, leads to a much healthier and shinier hair.

Shirsasana

Shirsasana is the king of all the asanas. It is the ultimate pose, which, if practiced daily, can get you the really strong, soft and lustrous hair, which everybody will envy.

Follow these simple yet effective tips on a regular basis and stay free of all the scalp and hair related problems.

Relax Your Eyes

The eyes are the path to one’s inner soul. It says everything. If you want to know about a person, just plunge into the deep ocean of his/her eyes. The eyes can be warm or cold and of varying colors, which talk about the personality and emotions of that individual. It is the eyes, that shows us the color of this beautiful universe and brings us closer to the nature. But due to stress, tiredness and aging, our eyes suffer a lot, which leads to the wrinkles and puffiness. In Yoga, there are different exercises and Pranayamas to keep our eyes healthy.

Pranayama

The oxygen that we inhale, is a very powerful healer, and pranayama is one best way of inhaling the oxygen in a huge amount and sending it to the lungs. Pranayama like, Anulom-Vilom, Kapalbhati, Bahya-pranayama and Bhramari are very effective in relaxing the eyes. Keep the eyes closed and perform these pranayama at a quiet place so that you can concentrate on your breath.

Exercises

Exercise is important for our body and so it is, for our eyes. The simple exercises, which takes just a few minutes of your time, can actually help in increasing your vision and reduce puffiness.

Move your eyes sideways, up and down, diagonally opposite and, round and round. Keep your eyes straight, but try to see the area of 360⁰ around you. (All as shown in the below figure). Each should be done for at least 10 times every day.

Acupressure

Our body is full of so many nerves or points which are straight away connected to the other parts of the body. If we massage or put pressure on those nerves or points for at least 5-10 minutes daily (which can be done for more than once), it heals the part that is connected to that point. For eyes, the acupressure points are same on the hands and legs, which is, in the depression just under the meeting point of the index and middle fingers. The thumb of the other hand should be used to press and release that point. The same should be done on both the feet.

Keep yourself stress-free and practice Yoga daily. You will have a happy and beautiful eyes, which everybody would long for!!

Mudras – Our Life-line

While doing any Pranayama, we see many people sitting in Mudra. These Mudras are not just to keep your hands engaged while you are concentrating on the divinity, but in reality, these Mudras are a healer and works a lot in keeping you healthy.

Here are few Mudras about which you never knew that it works wonders in healing the soul and body.

Mudra for knee pain

This Mudra brings energy in your joints and works wonders if you are having a knee pain.

Pose – Join the thumb and the ring finger of your right hand and join the thumb with your middle finger on the left hand.

Sit for about 15 mins, 4 times a day, in case of normal pain and 30 mins, 6 times a day, in case of severe pain. This is called joint Mudra.

Mudra for Back Pain

This Mudra provides relief in lower back pain.

Pose – Join the thumb, middle and little finger on the right hand, while keeping the ring and first finger extended. And for left hand, place the upper phalanx of the thumb on the nail of the first finger.

Sit in this position for about 5-10 minutes.

Mudra for sleep

Also known as Parivartan Mudra, helps cures insomnia which ultimately leads to a sound sleep at night.

Pose – While lying down on your back, clasp both the hands tightly in front, and interlock all the fingers. With the help of the left hand fingers, put pressure on the back of the right hand, repeat it with the other hand too. This should be done for about 27-30 times for at least 3 continuous days for best results.

Mudra for cold and cough

Shiva Linga Mudra helps in curing cough and cold. It also helps in asthma, sinuses and paralysis.

Pose – Intertwine the fingers of both hands and raise the thumb of the left hand. Keep it close to the chest and sit for about 5-10 minutes daily. It can be practiced for more than 1 time a day as well.

These Mudras are very helpful. So, when the next time you are doing any Pranayama or have time for yourself, don't just fold the fingers here and there, put it in a right way to get the right benefit.

Live it right!

Yoga has its best effect, if it is combined with the right food.

Early morning, before getting down the bed, drink at least 1 -2 glass of water.

Have a heavy breakfast and include eggs, fresh juice and food with high vitamin and fiber to keep you charged-up throughout the day.

Drink water only after an hour’s gap after having your food.

Avoid drinking water while having food.

After breakfast, eat in a small amount, at an interval of around 2 hours.

Don’t eat anything after 7 pm in the evening.

Throughout the day make sure to drink at least 10-12 glasses of water.

Start your day with Pranayama followed by at least few basic exercises for your hands and legs (if you have time, do more asanas).

End your day with Pranayama, especially Bhastrika, Surya bhedana pranayama and Bhramari.

Have a good sleep. 

Suffering from Heartburn and Acidity? Read on.

Acidity and heartburn are a common problem among all of us. The new living style and eating habits has a lot of adverse effect on our digestive system which leads to acidity. When we eat rich and oily food, drink aerated drinks and follow irregular eating habits, our digestive system reacts to it, by producing more acid inside the stomach which causes acidity. Sometimes, due to excessive secretion of acids, the food that are undigested in the stomach, are pushed back in the food pipe which results in heartburn.

Before we get into treating the problem, we should first stop the reason of its occurrence. So, it is very important to have your food on time and stick to homemade food that are less spicy and oily. If you have to take food from outside, try sticking to the fresh-made foods that have less or no oil and spices.

Many people eat heavy at night and have less or no breakfast at all, and say that they are dieting. This is WRONG. Dieting means taking right food at the right time. Dieting doesn’t mean that you stop eating. Breakfast is a must, that too, heavy breakfast. Don’t eat anything after 7 pm. After breakfast take small diets after an interval of around 2-3 hours. And off-course drink lots and lots of water.

Along with right food, massaging your inner system is very important. This is done with the help of Yoga – the age-old self-medicine, that’s what I like calling it.

Vajrasana

Vajrasana is a very effective asana for digesting the food. After having your meal, sit in Vajrasana for about 10-15 minutes and you will see a lot of relief from acidity. You will not even feel your stomach bloated. For this, kneel down and rest your buttock on your heel, put both the palms on each knee. While breathing slowly sit for around 10-15 minutes and you will see the difference yourself. Follow this after every meal.

Makarasana

Makarasana improves the digestive system which reduces acidity and heartburn. Lie down on your stomach for about 10-15 minutes and slowly breathe in and breathe out.

Pawanmuktanasan

This asana gives relief from chronic acidity and heartburn. Lie down on your back with both legs straight. Fold one leg, hold it with both the hands and bring it towards the chest. Count 10 and go back to the normal position. Repeat this with the second leg and then both the legs. Repeat this entire process for at least 3 times to get best results. Pregnant women or people having back problem should avoid this asana.

Setubandhasana

Along with irregular and incorrect eating habits, even stress affects our digestive system. Hence, we need to keep ourselves stress-free. Setubandhasana is a very good technique of keeping stress away along with working on the digestive system. For this, we lie down on our back, then fold the knees, hold the ankle with the hands and push the body upwards, while still keeping the shoulders and head on the ground. Stay in this position till 10 count, then come back to the normal position. Repeat this for 4-5 times.

These yoga steps are very effective for heartburn and acidity. If followed daily, it can even cure the problem for ever.

Quick tips for practicing Yoga in winters

During winters, we don’t like waking up early, instead, we like staying inside the blanket with a hot cup of tea watching our favourite channels throughout the day. The long nights and cold breeze make it almost impossible for us to wake up early morning and practice Yoga. So, we kind of, skip any exercises during this time. But that’s ok. Throughout the year we are on our toes working, exercising and fulfilling our duties. This is one season, when we like to live for ourselves. So, instead of pushing yourself for getting up and exercising, use your laziness wisely and in such a way that it gives you a lot of energy for the rest of the year.

Sleep a lot

Sleep as much as you want. Don’t stress yourself, don’t tell yourself all the time that you need to get up from bed and do your daily chorus. Although this is not for people who go for work or, are students, but as soon as you come back home, and if you long for the bed the entire day, slip inside your blanket. This is one season, when you can rest your body fully.

Have warm bath

There are lot of people who skip their bath during winters. But remember, during winters it becomes more important to take a bath daily. This helps your body in adjusting itself with the outside temperature and you feel less cold. You also get a good sleep and rest. Have a bath with warm water with your favourite bathing solution. You will feel like heaven and very relaxed.

Add such pranayama which induces heat

There are many breathing exercises which you can do even when you are on the bed. Like –

Anulom-Vilom – In Anulom-Vilom, sit in Sukhasana, with your right ring finger close your left nostril, breathe from the right, close the right nostril with your right thumb and slowly exhale from the left. Then again, inhale from the left nostril, close it with your right ring finger and slowly exhale from the right nostril. This is a continuous process. Repeat it for at least 10-15 minutes.

Kapalbhati – In kapalbhati, with the help of your belly muscles, push the air from your lungs out from the nose. Read more about kapalbhati and other exercises in my previous post here: http://experiencingseconds.blogspot.in/2016/01/say-bye-to-cold-in-this-winter.html. Repeat it for about 5-10 minutes. It improves the health of your lungs and fills you with lot of energy.

Ujjayi Pranayama – While doing ujjayi pranayama, contract your throat a little and breathe from your nose to fill the lungs with air. Stay in this position till 10 count then release the air from your left nose. This gives you a lot of energy, warms up the body and calms the mind.

Enjoy this season with these little tips and a cup of hot green tea J

Get Nourished with Yoga this winter

Winter is a season of being lazy. We all enjoy this season a lot. The more pleasant the season is, the more dry and fizzy our skin and hair becomes. We use a lot of creams and soaps to make ourselves look beautiful, but as the day passes, the beauty cream loses its effect and our skin again becomes dry. To prevent ourselves from dryness, it is very important to continue drinking the same amount of water, i.e. about 10-12 glasses, each day, even though we don’t feel thirsty most of the time.

Along with water, it is also important to stick to the daily routine of our yoga so that the dryness of the skin and fizziness of the hair does not return as the day ends. There are few Yogas which should never be skipped and should be accompanied with lots of green veggies and fruits.

Padmasana

This posture of sitting is very effective for glowing and flawless skin. Since ages people have used this simple and easiest way of yoga to get a radiant skin. It is very simple, you just need to sit in Siddhasana for at least 10-15 minutes and slowly breath in and breath out, while concentrating on it. Make sure to keep your back straight.

Kapalbhati

In Kapalbhati, sit in sukhasana and forcefully release your breath from the nose with the help of your muscles in the stomach and repeat the process for about 10-15 minutes. The back should be straight and hands on the knees. This is a wonderful pranayama which lets your skin glow with radiance. It energizes you and also detoxifies the skin.

Halasana

This asana rejuvenates your skin from inside and relaxes the mind along with the entire body. It actually tones the full body and relaxes all the nerves which ultimately shows on your face. For this asana, lie down flat on the floor with your arms straight beside your body and palms facing down. While inhaling, lift both the legs with the help of the abdominal muscles and bring it above the head in such a way that the toes touch the ground above your head. Hold this position and concentrate on your breath, for about a minute and slowly bring the leg back to its normal position while exhaling. Make sure to avoid any jerks while coming back to the normal position. This should be repeated for about 4-5 times. This should be avoided during pregnancy and periods. If you have any back problem consult your doctor or yoga trainer before doing this asana.

Dhanurvakrasana

For this asana, lie down on your stomach. Stretch out your legs and put your hands on the side of your body. Then bend both the legs and catch them with your hands. While inhaling, pull your legs with your hands and raise your head upwards as much as you can. Stay in this position for about 15-20 seconds, then come back to the normal position while exhaling. Repeat this for 4-5 times.

Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana relaxes your back, neck and legs, and rejuvenates the entire body. Sit with your leg stretched out and back straight. Raise both your hands up, while exhaling, bend forward and hold your toes with your hands, with head touching the knees. Stay in this position for about 8-10 seconds. While inhaling come back to the normal position. Repeat this asana for 4-5 times. You will literally feel happy after doing this asana.

These asanas and pranayamas relax your body as well as mind. They detoxify your skin and helps in keeping the stress away. Although you will feel the difference the first time itself, but it should be done regularly for a longer and better effect.

Say "bye" to the cold in this winter

The winter season brings the chilly air along with few common and irritating diseases, like cold and cough. Yes, it really gets your nerves out and you tend to become stressed for almost nothing. This problem is very common in children. As soon as the winter season arrives, we find our children having a running nose, which again is very stressful, most of us who have children knows what I am talking about. A very simple way of keeping cough and cold away is, mustard oil. This is an age old technique, wherein, while bathing you put a little mustard oil in both of your nostrils and you are almost safe from getting these problems.

Along with that, as always, yoga is the best way of keeping the problems of cough and cold away. This blog is particularly to help you avoid these problems, with the help of pranayama and exercises, so that you can stay safe and happily enjoy this beautiful weather.

Kapalbhati Pranayama

This breathing technique has a cure for a lot of diseases which can be from curing cough and cold to curing shortness of breath (read how to cure shortness of breath here: http://experiencingseconds.blogspot.in/2015/12/yogic-way-of-dealing-with-breathlessness.html). In this breathing technique, you sit in a Sukhasana or Siddhasana , and forcefully relieve the air from the lungs with the help of abdominal muscles. It is done exactly like when you blow your nose. The process should be repeated for about 5 minutes initially, then increased. It is very good for curing sinuses as well. Remember that if you are pregnant or going through menopause, you are not supposed to practice this Pranayama.

Surya Bhedana Pranayama

Surya Bhedana Pranayama is yet another breathing technique where you first close your left nostril with the help of ring finger of your right hand, inhale from the right nostril, then close the right nostril as well and count 10, open the left nostril and exhale from it very slowly. This process should be repeated for about 10 times initially and then it can be increased. It is very good for treating cold, if you are suffering from it for a long time.

Bhramari Pranayama

Bhramari pranayama is very useful in opening sinuses and also drains the phlegm present in the forehead. It reduces dark circles too. Bhramari pranayama is done by humming like a bee with closed mouth. The thumb of both the hands should be used to close the ears, index finger should be kept on the forehead and the rest of the three fingers should be used to close the eyes. Check the image of Baba Ramdev performing Bhramari pranayama. It should be kept in mind that the three fingers do not touch the eyes.

Setubandhasana / Bridge pose

Setubandhasana helps in opening up the chest and activates the thymus glands that help in improving the immunity and protects from cough and cold. In this posture, you lie down on your back and fold your legs. Catch your heel with both the hands. Now, while exhaling and with the help of the arms, lift your body up and take deep breaths for 4-5 times, then come down. Repeat this pose for about 5 times.

Do these exercises daily for at least half an hour and you will find a lot of relief from your cold and cough.

Have a happy winter :)