Search Results for: breathing techniques

May 2, 2018 By Palak Mittal 3 Comments

Living well with regular Yoga and good Nutrition

yoga lead

Yoga is not simply a set of exercises but a lifestyle. When practising yoga, asanas and nutrition go hand in hand to improve your quality of life. Your digestive system, immunity and energy levels are directly linked to the food you intake. If there is a problem with any of these, yoga asanas can help resolve it.

Digestion: Not all food is easy to digest. Instead of popping laxatives and antacids after every meal, change the food you’re eating. Citrus fruits and leafy vegetables that are rich in fibre aid digestion and prevent constipation. Some foods like yoghurt, buttermilk are probiotics that support the growth of gut bacteria and keep your stomach healthy. Also include carminatives or foods that prevent the formation of gas like cumin, ginger and oatmeal.

Yogic Asanas such as the Spinal twist, Apanasana and Paschimottanasana can help smoothen the digestive process.

apanasana

Immunity: Eating the right food can help boost your immunity. Citrus fruits are rich sources of vitamin C that directly strengthen the immune system. Herbs like turmeric, ginger and garlic are rich in antioxidants and linked to the prevention of a number of diseases including several types of Cancer. Proteins also help nourish your immune system and hence should not be ignored.

A combination of asanas and yogic breathing techniques can help boost your immunity. Some asanas to try to include Viparita Karani, Bhujangasana, Matsyasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana. These poses help lower stress and boost immunity by pumping rich oxygenated blood to all the parts of the body.

bhujangasana

Energy: The food you eat is turned into glucose to fuel the body and maintain a constant supply of energy. Soy and green leafy vegetables that are rich in iron can effectively boost your energy levels. Fruits like apples, bananas and oranges can also help increase your energy. Yoghurt rich in magnesium does not directly contribute towards the creation of glucose but helps the body release this energy whenever needed.

Yoga asanas help increase blood flow and increase the heart’s capacity to pump blood through the body. A few yoga poses that can boost energy are the camel pose, tree pose and warrior asana.

Relaxation: Sipping on a cup of green tea is a good way to end the day and relax. Other food like honey, milk, celery and oatmeal can also help calm the body and fight off the day’s stress. Apart from being delicious, dark chocolate also releases hormones that ease stress and help relax a person.

Practising yoga breathing techniques like Pranayama can effectively release tension. Supta Baddha Konasana, Viparita Karani and the Supta Matsyendrasana can also help increase energy levels.

November 30, 2017 By Trupti Vyas (Pandya) 1 Comment

Pulse of the Mind

What if there was something you could do right at this very minute to improve how engaged, productive, and creative self at work? As it turns out, there is a way, and you’re already doing it—breathing.

When you’re stressed, people often advise you to take a deep breath — and for a good reason, a new study shows. Slowing your breathing calms you, and by now scientists have also figured out how you can relax your brain through your breathing. It has to do with your brain’s pacemaker for breathing.

Here are several different relaxation techniques that you can try and see which one works best for you. And if your favourite approach fails to engage you, or you want some variety, you’ll have alternatives. You may also find the following tips helpful, let’s start with them?

Alternate Nostril Breath ( Anulom Viloma)

anulom vilom-image 1

Sit comfortably. Place the middle finger of right hand on your forehead; your thumb rests on your right nostril, your ring & any fingers rest on the left nostril.
Inhale & exhale. Close the right nostril with thumb; inhale through the left nostril for a count of 5.
Close both nostrils; hold your breath for a count of 5.
Lift thumb, exhale for 5 through the right nostril.
Inhale through the right nostril, hold, close right nostril & exhale through the left nostril. This ends round 1.
Repeat for 4 more rounds.

Benefits:

Balances the energy of the nervous system.
Has a profound stilling on the mind.

Note: We breathe in two-hour cycles: the first one, then the other nostril is dominant. Prolonged breathing through one side affects our energy. This restores the proper balance.

Complete Breath

active breathing-image 2

This breath can be done in a comfortable seated position.
Relax close your eyes.
Exhale completely. Inhale slowly & deeply through your nose. Allow your stomach to expand like a balloon. Sip your breath, filling your chest & lungs.
Hold your breath; exhale slowly through your nose, squeezing out all the stale air.
If you wish, count to maintain your rhythm; inhale for a count of 5, hold your breath for 15 and exhale for 10.
Repeat 5 times.

Benefits:

Relaxes the body & nervous system.
Purifies the respiratory system by expelling stale air.
Relieves tension & calms emotions.
Improves concentration.
Great for the complexion.

Breath of Fire ( kapalabhati )

Kapal-bhati-yoga-image 3

Sit Comfortably. Inhale and Exhale Completely.
Repeat these contractions. Focus on steady, quick Breathes that Emphasize the exhalation.
Start with 20 consecutive breathes: increase to 3 sets of 20. Breathe normally between sets.

Benefits:

Purifies and aerates the entire system.
Recharges and warms the body.
Increase oxygen improves concentration.

Note: Those who practice this breath daily say they no longer get colds. One caution: If Dizziness occurs, stop and Consult a yoga teacher For Guidance.

Sounding Breath ( Ujjayi )

Sit Comfortably.
Exhale completely.
Draw your Breath in Slowly through your nose.
As you inhale, slowly fill your abdomen and Lungs.
Contract your throat and make a soft hissing sound as you exhale, emptying your lungs completely.
Let your breath be long and slow.

Benefits:

Calms the Body and balance the nervous system.
Expels stale air from Lungs, purifying the respiratory system.
Slow the minds, calms the emotions.

Sufi Mother’s Breath.

Sit comfortably.
Exhale With a sigh to reset the diaphragm.
Breathe In through your nose for slow count 7. Hold Your Breath for a moment.
Breathe out through your nose for a count of 7. Hold your breath for a moment.
Repeat Several times.

Benefits:-

Promotes a feeling of being deeply nurtured.
As with all Deep breathing exercises, the increased flow of oxygen and improves the complexion and cleanses the inner organs.

Chin Press Breath ( Murcha Pranayam )

image 6 (1)

Sit comfortably with your back erect.
Inhale through your nose for a count of 7.
Lift the sternum and press your chin into your chest. Hold Your Breath for a count of 7.
Lift your chin away from your chest and exhale through your nose for a count of 7.
Repeat several times.

Benefits:-

Improve willpower and Concentration.
Stimulates the thyroid.
Stretches the back o the neck.
Promotes a sense of inner peace.

Cooling Breath ( Shitali Pranayam )

Sit Comfortably With Your Spine straight.
Curl the sides of your tongue to form a straw between your lips.
Inhale through the mouth for a count of 7 through the opening created by your Tongue.
Withdraw your tongue close your mouth, and hold your breath for a count of 7.
Exhale through your nose for a count of 7.
Repeat 5 or 6 times.

Benefits:-

Cleanse The Body of toxins.
Has a calming and cooling effect
Relieve a variety of stomach ailments.

Practice these different breathing techniques once or twice a day. Always do it at the same time, in order to enhance the sense of ritual and to establish a habit. Try to practice at least 10–20 minutes each day. It really makes a difference!

October 4, 2017 By Trupti Hingad Leave a Comment

Know the exercises for pool workouts –Part 2

water spinning 2

In my previous blog, I explained how pool exercises are beneficial and what precautions should be taken before starting off on them. In the current blog, I am going to tell you about few aqua exercise that you can do.

Let’s get started with some amazing Pool exercises

Aqua walking: You might start with water walking. In water about waist high, walk across the pool swinging your arms as you do when walking on land. Avoid walking on your tip toes, and keep your back straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles to avoid leaning too far forward or to the side.
Aqua jogging: This is deep water running and mimics. You wear a buoyancy belt, which helps you maintain an upright position as you jog or you would also need to wear a flotation vest as a beginner. One of the easiest and most effective pool workouts is water jogging. At a high intensity, you’ll burn 17 calories per minute — more than on land. It also makes you stronger.

Water spinning: Stationary bikes are placed in a pool and one has to combat the waters resistance and pedal to go faster which can pose a challenge. Water cycling gives your legs good massage as the water hits the fat deposits on the leg and thigh muscles. It’s a high-value workout where you may burn 750 calories in just 45 minutes.

Spiderman— Climb the pool wall like Spiderman climbs buildings. How do you do this: Stand in the water on the side of the pool. Stabilize your upper body by sweeping your hands back and forth as you run your legs up the side of the pool and back down to the pool floor. Do four Spiderman exercises, alternating the leading leg each time you reach the end of one jogging circuit.
Arm exercise using hand webs: Hand webs can help you strengthen your biceps and triceps in the water. Wearing hand webs, stand in waist-high water with your arms down, your palms facing forward and your elbows close to your body. Raise your forearms to the level of the water, keeping your elbows close to your body and your wrists straight. Then switch direction and push your hands down until your arms are straight again. Repeat 12 to 15 times or until you’re fatigued.

Pool plank: Planks are a proven core-strengthener on land. But, if you don’t have a strong upper body it’s hard to hold it long enough to give abdominal muscles a good workout. All that changes in a pool. Hold the noodle in front of you. Lean forward in a plank position. The noodle will be submerged under the water, and your elbows should be straight down towards the pool floor. Your feet should still be on the pool floor. Hold as long as comfortable, 15-60 seconds depending on your core strength. Repeat 3-5 times.

One-Legged Balance

This strengthens your leg and core muscles and helps in balance. Standing in waist-high water, lift your left knee up and place the middle of a noodle under your left foot. (Its sides will float up into a U-shape.) Keep your hands by your side and balance with your left foot on the noodle for one minute. Then move your left knee out to the side and balance for another minute. Switch legs and repeat with the right knee lifted and the right foot resting on the noodle. For an extra challenge, lift both arms up over your head as you balance.

8. Fly-Backs

In the water, as on land, fly-backs work the muscles in the upper chest, back and arms. They also improve posture. Start in a lunge position with your right knee bent and your left leg extended straight behind you in the pool. Reach your arms straight out in front of you at chest height — palms touching, fingers extended and thumbs up. Open your arms straight out to the sides in the water, then return them to the starting position to complete one rep.

Forward and side lunges: Stand near the pool wall for support, if necessary, take an oversized lunge step in a forward direction. Do not let the forward knee advance past the toes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. For a side lunge, face the pool wall and take an oversized step to the side. Toes should be kept facing forward. Repeat on the other side. Try 3 sets of 10 lunge steps. For variation, lunge walk in a forward or sideways direction instead of staying in place.
Leg exercise using a noodle: To strengthen your leg muscles, tie a water noodle into a knot around your foot or water shoe. Stand with your back to the side of the pool in waist-high water, placing your arms on the edge of the pool for stability. Straighten your leg in front of you, and then flex your knee to about a 90-degree position. Return to the starting position and repeat 12 to 15 times or until you’re fatigued. Tie the water noodle into a knot around your other foot or water shoe and repeat with the other leg.

Resistance exercise using a kickboard: Kickboards provide another type of resistance. Standing up straight with your legs comfortably apart, and tighten your abdominal muscles. Extend your right arm and hold the kickboard on each end. Keeping your left elbow close to your body, move the kickboard toward the centre of your body. Return to the starting position and repeat 12 to 15 times or until you’re fatigued. Then extend your left arm and repeat the exercise on the other side.

Pool kickboxing: It is great for sculpting arms and torso. Lift one knee and kick the foot upwards which you punch forward with your other hand. Punch throughout the water resistance and kick without worrying about keeping your balance.

Deepwater bicycle: In deeper water, loop 1-2 noodles around the back of your body and rest your arms on top of the noodle for support in the water. Move your legs as if you are riding a bicycle. Continue for 3-5 minutes.

Push-ups: While standing in the pool by the poolside, place arms shoulder-width apart on pool edge. Press weight through your hands and raise your body up and halfway out of the water, keeping elbows slightly bent. Hold 3 seconds and slowly lower back into the pool. (Easier variation: Wall push up on side of pool: place hands on edge of pool shoulder width apart, bend elbows, and lean chest toward the pool wall.

15. Aqua Tai Chi: This water inspired version of tai chi. It involves series of deep breathing, relaxing movements that challenge balance using tai chi and Qigong (breathing techniques).Try the arms uplifting pose, moving arms from side to centre, and floating. The slow, fluid exercises reduce tension, stretch the spine and allow the chi (life force) to flow through the body. They reduce fibromyalgia and chronic pain.

Aquatic exercise can be fun at any age, size or fitness level — whether you practice it on your own or sign up for a class. Jump in. The water’s fine! Stay healthy and stay fit!

July 28, 2017 By Trupti Hingad 8 Comments

CONSTIPATION – Digestive disorder! Do you care for your shit!!

After reading my blog on Poop…most of my blog reader’s reaction was Ewww!! Most of us feel the same way when we talk about shit or pee. But we forget that its part of our own body and we are only responsible for how it turns out. In my years of experience..I have noticed that many of them have issue related to clear bowel movement. –medically termed as CONSTIPATION and is one of the reason for not losing weight too.

In Bollywood.too….many films are made on this—like Toilet—Ekpremkatha, Piku, Delhi Belly. The over or underuse of toilet is always an issue!

Constipation is defined as lesser than three stools per week and Chronic constipation means once or less per week.

Most of us have gone through this phase sometime or other in our life. Have you ever wondered why? Well, I know this topic is not that which eases our mind but it’s important to know about it.

Constipation can results into symptoms like abdominal discomfort, feeling of incomplete evacuation, hard stools, rectal or anal bleeding.

Constipation occurs where the food in the stomach and intestine is taking an inconsistently long time to be digested. The contractions that push the food forward is called the peristalsis movement. When the chyme (semi-digested food) is not pushed forward but remains in the intestine it starts fermenting, causing gases and bloating to occur. The water content has all been absorbed so it becomes dry and peristalsis becomes even more difficult and even painful at times.

When we travel our eating, sleeping habits become irregular, bringing with it changes in our digestive system which can sometimes cause constipation. It can also happen due to some medications, low fibre diet, hormonal disorders, stress, pelvic disorder, less water intake. When that happens we must increase our water intake immediately so as to keep the colon well hydrated to make sure that the chyme doesn’t dry out.

Another reason could also be a sedentary lifestyle. It is important to keep up with moderate activity as we grow older our metabolism gradually slows down and with it the digestive process. Our body is like a machine that we need to keep well-oiled in all departments to keep working properly.

Here are Simple solutions that can help to prevent and cure it.

1. Good Fibre: Increase fiber intake so that there is sufficient fibre for bile to mix with and digest the food. Soluble fibre softens the stools and insoluble fibre adds bulk and roughage to the stools. Eg Legumes, Oats, rice bran, whole fruits, green vegetables ,figs , nuts and seeds.etc. Apple and guava works best as per my personal experience.

2. Adequate hydration is must: Increase your water intake makes possible for the insoluble fibre in the colon to move forward more effectively.. Water ensure a good production of digestive juices in the stomach and intestine and smooth passage of food thorough the intestine. It even makes stools softer to ensure they are passed out easily. Drink about 3-3.5ltrs per day to keep cells hydrated.

Use the bathroom as and when needed. Do not hold back.

3. Regularize lifestyle and eating and sleeping patterns. Have good sound sleep and avoid stress. Destress yourself with some meditation or deep breathing techniques

4. Avoid all the packaged foods, and foods loaded with refined flour. Trans fat, sodium and other preservatives are low in fibre or lack fibre completely.

5. One of the best home remedy is to soak 2 figs or 4-5raisins overnight and then have it in the morning with a glass of luke warm water. Prunes also acts as a great laxative.

6. One tbsp of castor oil or cold pressed virgin coconut oil works best if had before going to bed . It helps in smooth passage of stools next morning.

7. Our ancient study says—Triphala powder—one tbsp in glass of luke warm water helps in detoxifying and cleansing the colon and rectum.

8. Exercise about 30-45min daily. This improves blood circulation which promotes better digestion and hence clear bowel movement. Avoid exercise immediately after meals.

Let me share some basic yoga asanas which can be done daily to regularize your bowel movement. Yoga helps revitalise your body and also increases the flow of blood and oxygen in the system, thereby, improving your digestive system.

Ardha-Matsyendrasana (Sitting Half Spinal Twist Pose)

How to do it:
* Sit down on the ground with your legs extended in front of you; toes pointed toward the ceiling.
* Bend your left leg, under your right one, placing your foot next to your right buttock.
* Place the right foot firm on the ground, near the left knee.
* Extend both your arms, and twist your upper body to the right. Place the right arm on the ground behind the back, and your lefthand on the right ankle in front of your body.
* Sustain the pose for at least 30 seconds. Gradually, increase the time to 1 minute.
* Release and repeat on the other side.

Benefits: This pose stimulates the pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, stomach, and ascending and descending colons, hence, improving bowel movements and providing relief from constipation.

Pavanmuktasana (Wind-Relieving Pose)

This is one of the easiest and most effect Yoga pose if you are felly gassy.
How to do it:
* Recline on your back and hug your legs into your chest.
* Pull the head up and try to put your nose in between the knees.
* You may rock genty if you wish too. Release after 10 to 15 seconds.
* Alternatively, you can extend one leg out.

Benefits: As the name suggests, this posture helps release gas from the body, a common trouble of constipation. The posture can help cure several digestive disorders, including dyspepsia. It also helps in relieving acid reflux which is caused by indigestion.

Shishuasana/Balasana (Child Pose)

This position means that you crouch down over your knees on the floor, pushing onto your lower abdomen.

How to do it:
* Start by kneeling on your knees, with your knees touching.
* Sit down so your bottom is touching your feet and your hands are on your knees.
* Place your hands on the floor in front of you and slowly start to move them forward, lowering your body down until your stomach is on your knees and your arms are stretched out in front of you. Your hands stay touching the floor or you can take them back to hold your feet.
* Now relax, taking slow deep breaths in and out of your nose.
* Hold for about 30 seconds and let the weight of your body go so that you are relaxed in this pose, and your knees push into the abdomen to provide relief.
* Then slowly work your way back up.

Benefits: Relieve any pain that you may get when constipated.

Malasana (Garland Pose)

How to do it:

* Squat down with your feet as close together as possible, and slightly pigeon-toed or pointing outwards.
* Your heels should be on the floor – you can always place a folded towel underneath them if this isn’t possible at first.
* Separate your thighs so that they are slightly wider than your body, and then lean forward between your thighs.
* As you do so, place your elbows on the inside of your knees with your palms together in a prayer position and gently push against your knees, which helps to lengthen the abdomen.
* Hold for 30 seconds, breathing gently through the nose before releasing.

Benefits: This pose will help you to relax and stretch the intestines.

So, in case your bowel movements are irregular stop worrying and start practising! Just give few minutes of your daily time, along with healthy diet and good sleep…and you can actually look forward to a healthy digestive system and a happier you!!