Feet Exercise

The way our hand works day and night, the same way our feet walks and runs whenever required. So, it is our duty to take care of the toes as they are the two strong pillars of our body. They should always be relaxed and happy. Hands and feet have easiest of all the exercises and can be done anywhere. You don’t even need to take out extra time for them.

However, if you have time for yourself, go for a massage and some acupressure. These help in better blood circulation and relaxes the other parts of the body too.

In the previous post, I had posted some images to help you get the exact idea of how to do those exercises for hands (check it here: http://experiencingseconds.blogspot.in/2016/01/hand-exercises-for-healthy-wrist-and.htm). Here are some easy yet very effective exercises for your healthy and wealthy feet so that you can be on your toes all the time.

Curl all your fingers in your toes, first stretch the thumb and the first finger, and then stretch all the fingers.

Move your fingers up and down.

Rotate your feet from the ankle.

This heel rocking helps in strengthening the lower leg. First stand on your toes and then rock back and stand on your heel. This should be repeated for few minutes.

These 6 exercises are very useful in shin splits, tendonitis, Achilles', plantar fasciitis and also decreases the possibility of  sprain in the ankle.

This is a very good exercise for your toes where you spread a towel on the floor, put your foot and curl your toes to scrunch the towel.

Rolling a ball with your foot relaxes the nerves as it acts as a massage.

Hand Exercises for Healthy Wrist and Fingers

Hands are that part of the body that works a lot, day and night. It should be noted that the more it works, the easier it is, to take care of them. Nowadays, most of us are working on computers most of the time. Result? Hand pain, finger pain and problem in moving the fingers. We all suffer from it every day, but try to ignore it or take pain relievers to get rid of the pain. But, as I always say, when a disease can be cured with exercises then it is better to avoid the pain relievers. It will attract more disease in the long run. Here are few hand exercises that are very easy and can be done in the office, on the bus, in the car, while walking, talking, and anywhere and everywhere. Practice it every day as many times you can and the pain relievers will not have any place in your life.

Om Jai Jagadish Hare

Emirates' New Cute Little Cabin Crew

Yogic way of dealing with breathlessness

Breathing is so important and required – I never knew this till few days ago, when I started having breathlessness all of a sudden and felt like catching the air and filling it inside my heart. Although all my life I had been breathing, but that process was spontaneous. I never had to put any effort in doing so, it was automatic.

Off-late, I started looking for air around myself and felt like taking out my windpipe and filling it with oxygen. Huh!! So suffocating.

I went to the doctor, but came back barehanded, without any disease on the prescription, which brought more suffocation, as now, I was clueless about what to do next. With no disease in hand and no idea about the problem which was creating so much of suffocation, I started scrutinizing myself. Could it be the increased stress? As soon as I started thinking about the tension I was going through, the air again started refusing to go inside my heart.

So, here it was again, stress. As soon as we start getting stressed-up, our body somehow tells us that we should stop torturing the body by stressing more on the stress. Instead, we should look for the resolution.

Ultimately, I got the first resolution about finding the problem which was causing the breathlessness. It was the stress which was telling me not to worry so much.

Wow, such a great way of telling us that we are going in a wrong direction. We are a part of this nature and it has all the answers, we just need to look around with open eyes.

I started with a simple in and out breathing exercise followed with Kapalbhati and Anulom-Vilom.

Kapalbhati is a great technique of curing many ailments related to stomach, stress, breathing and many more diseases. Majority number of diseases are caused due to the stomach. Kapalbhati helps in keeping the stomach in a good health while removing the problems which have accumulated over a period of time. It cleans our lungs and stomach, and increases the amount of oxygen within us. This helps in curing many unwanted diseases, including breathlessness, by reducing stress and stabilizing anxiety. I got a relief the same day, after doing Kapalbhati for about 20-25 mins.

But this was not it. As the shortness of the breath was too much, I also did Anulom-Vilom. This is yet another simple but very effective technique of healing the body. It helps in the intake of the right amount of oxygen at a right speed and releases all the stress. This simple way of breathing relaxes the entire body and makes it more lively and energetic.

By doing just these simple Yogasanas, my stress level decreased and I started breathing normally again. Now, even when I am very busy, I take out at least few minutes, even while working or travelling and do these breathing exercises. Such a relief it is!!

TREATING HEADACHE WITH YOGA

The head needs just a reason to ache. Headache is a very usual problem among people. According to WHO (World Health Organization) near about 47% of people have faced headache during the last year. This figure is just of those people, who went to see a doctor. But there are many, who despite suffering from a bad headache, do not see a doctor, as this is such a common problem. Remember that a problem is a problem, especially when it occurs frequently. Many of us take a pain relief medicine without seeing a doctor because when it comes to headache almost all of us is a specialist. Those who do not like to go for medicines, go for balm or use grandmother tips. It is always advisable to see a doctor if it becomes a frequent problem.

Even though it is a common problem with everybody, one should not take it lightly. The head is the main operator of the entire body and all the nerves are attached to the brain. So, the pain may be for any reason, which may even be fatal. Headache comes with several types. There are many kind of headache but one thing is predictable, that is pain. There are many causes of headache like tension, depression, sinus, migraine and cluster headache. In females, menstrual problem can also be a cause of headache. Blood clot, brain freeze, stroke, poisoning of carbon monoxide, mild cranial trauma, dehydration, glaucoma, influenza, panic attacks are also responsible for headache.

Migraine is one of the most common causes of severe headaches. It may stay for few hours or 2 – 3 days. The pain attacks either one side or both sides of head. Nausea, sensory disturbance, may also be a symptom.

Yoga is an immemorial method which encourages holistic living through incorporation of position and breathing method. Without any medication, we can be free from many kind of headache including migraine. Regular practicing of some Asanas and Pranayama can be beneficial for headaches.

Hastapadasana or Standing forward bends:

Process: Stand straight. Stretch your arms upward, be sure to feel the stretch in your spine. Now bend slowly to touch the ground with palms. Head should touch the knees. Stay in this position for few minutes with normal breathing.

N.B: People who suffer from spondylosis, high B.P, heart disease should not do this exercise.

SETU BANDHASANA (BRIDGE POSE)

Process: Lie down on the ground. Then fold your knee just like this picture. Hands should be kept aside your body. Then raise your waist upward but your head, neck and shoulder must be touched with the ground. You can use your hands as a support. Stay for a while with normal breathing.

N.B:  Person who has neck and back injury should avoid this asana.

BAALASANA (CHILD POSE)

Process: This asana is very effective for stress. Sit on the ground and put your weight on the knees. Now compress the feet onto the ground to sit on your heels. Open out your thighs and distant them from each other just a little. Then breathe out and bend your waist to the forward. Upper part of your body should stay on your thighs. Extend your hands in front to stretch your back. Forehead should be touching the ground. In this posture stay with normal breathing for a while.

N.B: During pregnancy, knee injury or diarrhea, this should not be practiced.

PADMASANA

Process:  Sit on the ground and stretch your legs to forward. Now bring left leg and keep it onto right thigh. Then bring right leg on the left thigh. Keep your hands on the knees. Join your index finger and thumb and keep the rest of the fingers straight. Keep your spine and head straight. Close your eyes and do deep breathing.

This asana is a great way of doing meditation. You can read more about meditation in my previous post - http://experiencingseconds.blogspot.in/2015/07/stay-blessed-with-meditation.html

N.B: Don’t practice this, if you have knee or ankle injury.

SURYABHEDON PRANAYAMA

Process: First sit in Padmasana. Then close your index and middle finger of right hand. Lock your left nostril with the help of ring finger and little finger. Use thumb to lock your right nostril. Now lock your left nostril with mentioning finger and inhale through the right nostril. Lock both nostrils with mentioning finger for a few seconds, and then open your left nostril to exhale the air, in the meantime, right nostril should be closed with thumb. You can also practice it without holding your breath.

This pranayama is very useful for not only migraine or headache, but cough and cold, tonsil and asthma too.

These Pranayams are very helpful in curing headaches. As I said, headaches should not be taken lightly as they can be fatal if we do not take prompt action. But any kind of headache can be prevented by Yoga and good food habits, well balanced life style. We should always think positive. Yoga is the best and safest way to prevent any kind of diseases. If anyone can do these Asana and Pranayams correctly, they can be free from not only headache but from many physical and mental problems too.

So, practice Yoga and stay a healthy life!!

Quick Tips for Anxiety

Few Quick Tips for dealing with Anxiety.

Stress leads to anxiety, which can be fatal. Here are few quick tips to deal with anxiety.

• Sit in Sukhasana, put both your hands on your chest, then slowly breathe in and breathe out.
  
• Do Anulom-Vilom / Nadi-Shodhan Pranayam.
  
• Put both the palms on your knees while sitting in Sukhasana (or any other posture), then slowly breathe in and breathe out.
  
• According to Atharva Veda, Water is the healer of all diseases. So, drink lots and lots of water.
  
• Eat as much as you can. Fill yourself with so much food that you don't get time to think about anything else, except your heavy belly. No pun intended.
  

These are few steps which you can follow on a regular basis to get relief from anxiety. I have tried it myself and believe me…..it works!!