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January 11, 2025 By Mubasheera Chaiwala 1 Comment

5 Yoga Poses To Detoxify Your Liver

detoxify your liver

The liver is the only organ in the human body that can regenerate itself! Its primary function is detoxification. Other organs like the intestines, kidneys, and lungs work together with the liver to ensure that toxins are transformed into less harmful substances and excreted via urine, stool, sweat, or breath. Regular cleansing of these organs is essential to keep them functioning smoothly. So, how do you detoxify your liver? It’s simple! Correcting your lifestyle is the key, and that’s where yoga comes into the picture.

How Can Yoga Help Detoxify Your Liver? 

Certain yoga asanas stimulate the digestive system and massage internal organs like the liver. They strengthen and make abdominal muscles more elastic, aiding the proper removal of waste materials. Including twist variations in your yoga practice can detoxify and rehydrate your spinal column while releasing tension from poor posture. Proper alignment in these poses can also reduce back pain and improve digestion.

Here are 5 yoga poses to detoxify your liver and improve its function!

1. Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend)
detoxify your liver

  • Sit up with your legs stretched out straight in front of you on the floor.
  • Keep your spine erect and toes flexed toward you.
  • Slowly raise both arms straight above your head and stretch upward.
  • Exhale and bend forward from the hip joint, moving your chin toward your toes, keeping the spine straight.
  • Place your hands on your legs, wherever they reach, without forcing the stretch.

 2. Ardha Chakrasana (Half Wheel Pose)
Ardha Chakrasana can be performed in various ways, each offering unique benefits.

  • Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose), raising your hands as you inhale.
  • Place both hands on your lower back.
  • Inhale deeply and gently backbend your upper body, allowing a comfortable stretch.

 3. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

  • Lie down on a mat in a prone position, keeping your feet together.
  • Place your hands on the floor at chest level.
  • Gently raise your upper body, extending and deepening the stretch to create a graceful arc in your back.

4. Shashankasana (Child’s Pose)

This posture is simple and adaptable. Variations can be chosen based on comfort.

  • Sit comfortably in Vajrasana with your palms on your thighs.
  • Inhale and raise your hands straight upward, stretching.
  • Exhale and bend forward.
  • Touch your nose or chin to the ground.
  • Keep your arms stretched out with palms on the ground.

 5. Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing)
Though not an asana, this Pranayama practice is included due to its immense benefits. Proper breathing is vital for bodily processes, and Anulom Vilom ensures optimal oxygen intake.

  • Close your right nostril with your thumb and inhale slowly through the left nostril.
  • Remove your thumb and exhale through the right nostril.
  • Close your left nostril with your middle finger, inhale through the right nostril, and exhale through the left.
  • Repeat this process.

These poses are simple and can be performed at home. However, always practice within your body’s limits and avoid forcing movements. Consult your doctor before beginning any yoga practice, especially if you have pre-existing conditions.

We hope these yoga poses to detoxify your liver help you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on yoga, check out Healthy Reads or join an expert on a live, interactive session on GOQii PRO within the GOQii App. 

#BeTheForce  

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

September 6, 2023 By Mubasheera Chaiwala 2 Comments

Benefits of Practicing Morning Yoga at Home!

morning yogaPicture this: you’re starting your day with a sense of inner calm, strength, and clarity, all thanks to the practice of morning yoga at home. Before we unravel the numerous benefits that come with this enriching practice, let’s first take a moment to delve into the heart of yoga and what it signifies.

What Do You Understand About Yoga?

What is it? Is it a form of exercise? Is it meditation? For me, yoga is a way of life. I believe the whole idea behind it is total discipline. It is physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual development. It helps you balance health from a physical, mental and emotional standpoint.

Benefits of Morning Yoga

You can practice yoga in the morning and night as well, although, morning yoga is the best as it cleanses your mind and body. It energizes all day and keeps you disciplined. Let’s explore the benefits of morning yoga!

  • Yoga improves flexibility and posture but it’s much more effective in the morning. The fresh air helps us relax our body and make it more flexible.  
  • We have more energy in the morning and morning yoga enhances it to last all day. Which means more intensity and focus! 
  • Setting up a morning practice is beneficial as it creates a ritual – it sets the tone for the day. By practicing morning yoga, there are no distractions or tasks that will get in the way – so no excuses for cancelling your session in the morning. 
  • That fresh morning air helps you deliver more oxygen to the body, breathe better and cleanses your system naturally. 
  • It also helps your digestive system as metabolism rate is higher in the morning. It increases digestion and keeps all indigestion problems at bay. 
  • Morning yoga boosts your brainpower and makes your brain more active to study or work. 
  • It enhances happiness and positivity as it boosts mental clarity and relaxes you. The release of endorphins that early in the morning make your body a more physically comfortable place to live in. 
  • Disease-fighting white blood cells in the body are able to do their best when our blood flow and lymphatic system have efficient circulation. By moving in a way that feels good first thing in the morning, we essentially ‘wake up’ all the body’s systems, which enhances the flow of circulation and gives the immune system an immediate boost. Gentle inversions like Viparita Karani, Cow Pose and Child Pose are especially effective for stimulating the immune system.
  • As a parent, taking time out for your own well being is difficult. Getting up early and practicing morning yoga puts your health first. Only if you are healthy, can you take care of others. A morning yoga practice is a way to know you’ve done something for yourself that day  
  • Apart from all of the above, morning yoga regulates your sleep rhythm, balances your hormones and helps you build a healthy and consistent routine. 

Asanas You Can Practice 

Try these yoga poses daily in the morning to increase blood circulation, enhance and stimulate the immune system, improve body function and strengthen your cells, tissues, glands and organs! Also, these poses will help you beat stress, anxiety and depression.  

  1. Suryanamaskar – for over all body workout
  2. Jivah Bandh – manages and relieves stress
  3. Simha Mudra – decreases stress and prepares you to face the day by increasing your willpower.
  4. Sheetali Pranayama – is a process which can cool the body down and give a feeling of calmness.
  5. Bhramari Pranayama – is one of the great breathing exercises to release the mind of disturbance, anxiety or frustration and get rid of anger.
  6. Om Recitation – excellent breathing exercises for meditation. Brings stability of mind and improves memory power
  7. Shavasana – removes nervousness, adds a sense of presence. Very important to start our day peacefully.
  8. Tratak Drishti – to increase concentration.
  9. Anulom Vilom Pranayama – is the best way of balancing the Tri Dosas in our body. Our body gets ill when Tri Dosas are not in balance. Vaat, Pitta and Kaffa are known as the Tri Dosas (Tri means “three” and the meaning of dosas is impurities). All three are the cause of all diseases. So, it is important to balance them. The way to do that is to practice Anulom Vilom Pranayama regularly. It is the simplest and best way for this.
  10. Kapalbhati Pranayama – generates heat in the system to help dissolve toxins and waste matter. It adds luster and beauty to your face and helps your skin glow!  

If yoga is practiced regularly in the morning, it will help you face the day with balance and a practical approach. Ensure that you do not eat at least 2-3 hours before you begin your practice. So try morning yoga and do share your feedback and changes with us in the comments below! 

To learn more about Pranayama, read this article: https://goqii.com/blog/pranayama/. 

To begin practicing yoga subscribe for LIVE interactive sessions with our Yoga experts on GOQii Pro within the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce 

August 23, 2023 By GOQii 71 Comments

Dos and Don’ts of Yoga: Rules to Practicing Yoga Safely

When we asked some of our new players what their interpretation of Yoga is, their response was on the lines of ‘People twisting and turning their bodies like pretzels while chanting and sitting like a statue’. Is that what it really is? We took this question as an opportunity to explain what yoga is and what are its basic dos and don’ts.

What is Yoga?

It is a system- a holistic system of refining the body, the mind and the spirit in unison. Ultimately, it is well-being, peace and bliss. Yogic postures help strengthen the endocrine system and also bring the emotions under control through concentration and relaxation.

The ability to remain in relaxed equilibrium has an important psychological effect. For the basics on yoga and what it is, you can check out this article: Yoga for the beginners: some myths and benefits

Yogis, through their physical training, gradually learn to keep their psychological equilibrium unaltered to preserve a perfect psychological calmness in whatever environment they happen to find themselves in.

Yoga is the only way by which the highest objective in life can be attained. To decipher the great science and the benefits which it claims, it is essential to understand few basic dos and don’ts which we often tend to neglect.

What You Should Do

  • “Early to bed and early to rise makes man healthy, wealthy and wise,” is an universal adage. Yoga practitioners should go to bed early, sleep well and get up early in the morning. Next, attend to their morning routine of freshening up and begin yoga in fasting mode. It can also be practiced 1 hour after a liquid diet, 3 hours after refreshments or 5 hours after full meals.
  • One could practice it before bath but after practice one should wait for some time and then take a bath.
  • It should be practiced on a leveled floor in a room where doors and windows are kept open for air and light.
  • It is helpful in many ways to practice yoga in a place where you can receive the rays of the early morning sun.
  • One should not practice it directly on the ground, on cement or mortar floor. Instead, spread a carpet, a blanket or a clean cloth, sit on it and practice by facing east or north in the morning, west or south in the evening.
  • One should practice yoga calmly without any haste or exhaustion. If one is tired he or she should rest for a while in a comfortable posture.
  • One should try to practice it everyday, preferably at the same time.
  • While practicing yoga, one should concentrate on the practice alone and try to keep away from other thoughts.
  • During the practice of asanas, the dirt in the internal organs of the body is directed towards the urinary bladder. Soon after completion, one should pass out urine.
  • If you feel like attending nature’s call while practicing, go ahead and do it immediately. One should not hold it back forcefully for a long time. One should also not try to suppress sneezing, coughing, etc. If one feels thirsty one can drink a little water as well.
  • If one sweats during practice, he or she should slowly wipe it out either by a cloth or with the palms. It is better if it dries up automatically.
  • Pranayama should follow the asanas and meditation should follow Pranayama.
  • Always lay on your back after finishing postures. 2 to 5 minutes with relaxed breathing.
  • Movements should be slow in every case. Sudden movements should be avoided.

What You Should Avoid

  • Women should refrain from regular practice during their menses or pregnancy. However, for them there are specific set of asanas that can be performed.
  • Don’t have a full tummy while doing yoga, wait until 2 to 3 hours after large meals.
  • Don’t touch (shower) or drink water for 30 minutes after practice.
  • During illness, after operations, when there is a bandage either for sprains or fractures, one should refrain from practice. They can resume after consulting experts.
  • Don’t perform strenuous exercises after yoga.
  • One should avoid practice in unclean/smoky places and in areas with foul smell
  • Yoga should not be practiced in stormy winds either

Just knowing the asanas in its correct form along with the basic knowledge of Dos and Don’ts would add much more value to your yoga practice! If you found this article helpful, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

To practice yoga the right way, join a live, interactive GOQii PRO class, where you’ll be guided in real time by a certified expert. Book a class from the GOQii App now! You can also find more articles on Yoga here.

#BeTheForce

June 28, 2023 By Bhumi Mehta 3 Comments

Yoga Therapy To Fight Viral Infections

yoga therapyGet ready to boost your immunity and conquer those pesky viral infections! Monsoons and the ever-changing weather can leave us feeling drained and vulnerable to sore throats, colds, and fevers. But fret not! Yoga Therapy comes to the rescue with its comprehensive approach.

How Does Yoga Therapy Help? 

Yoga Therapy works on five different levels i.e. Physical Body, Energy Body, Mental, Intellectual, Emotional and Spiritual level. Let’s explore how it helps you! 

1. Physical Body

Here are some Yoga Asanas you can practice to remove the physical symptoms of the infection.

A. Uttanasanayoga therapyHelps in clearing out the sinus passages, thereby clearing out blockages and allowing for more complete breathing. It invigorates the nervous system and relieves stress and tension.

B. SetubandhaasanaOpens up the chest. It also sends fresh blood to the head, which helps open up the sinuses further. This asana also activates the thymus glands, one of the main organs of the immune system.

C. Viparit Karni The Legs Up the Wall Pose is a great pose to practice to counter respiratory ailments. When you practice this asana, you might find relief from headaches or backaches that accompany a cold. Practicing this asana calms the mind and makes you strong as your body deals with the cold and helps in reducing fatigue, which usually follows common cold. This asana helps the immune cells to move through your body.

D. Adho Mukha SvanasanaIn this asana, your heart is placed higher than the head. There is a reverse pull of gravity that happens when you do that, and this aids in the proper circulation of the lymph and the blood. The mild inversion allows a free flow of white blood cells throughout the body and also helps to drain out the sinuses.

E. Ustrasana This asana opens up the chest and clears out all the passages. It is essential to try and breathe as much as you can while you are in this pose. This will help open up all the blocked areas that are causing the cold.

F. Matsyasana When you assume this asana, your chest is raised and your throat is opened up. This improves your breathing and might help alleviate a cold. During colds, one can support the upper thoracic back with a cushion, bolster, or yoga blocks, aiding optimal recovery.

2. Energy Body

Pranayama is practiced to eliminate mucus and any agitations in breathing. Practices for this are as follows:

  • Kapalbhati Pranayama: Helps unclog the respiratory tract. Improves blood circulation and uplifts the mind. 2-3 rounds twice a day gives you renewed energy to combat common cold.
  • Bhastrika Pranayama: Involves forceful exhalation that aids in clearing the nasal passage.
  • Nadi Shodhan Pranayama: Helps open up a blocked nose. It also facilitates better flow of oxygen to the lungs and keeps your mind calm and peaceful.
  • Ujjayi Pranayama: Helps increase lung capacity, as well as releases toxins with each exhalation.

3. Mental Level

Simple Dhyana Meditation is practiced to keep one relaxed in the physically stressful time. Just sitting in a quiet place with closed eyes for a few minutes and meditating can help boost the immune system and help fight any kind of infection.

4. Intellectual Level

Observing part of the self while practicing Yoga increases the awareness of self. This awareness eliminates agitations of mind, which brings self love and compassion

  • Shavasana: This is a deep resting pose. Sometimes, when you have a cold, all you need to do is to rest your body. It energizes it and helps it fight better against the cold-causing viruses. It shifts the focus on oneself, and increases awareness, which helps relax the mind and body.

5. Spiritual Level

Mediation, Prayers and Chanting can help you boost your immunity and keep you mentally strong during the time when the body is suffering with an infection.

Practicing the yoga therapy based module for viral infections not only strengthens the immune system of the body, but it also improves mental health, which is very important to heal and recover. Staying strong mentally helps our body fight any infection better. Yoga Therapy works on our overall health. It gives one a strong body, a strong mind and a strong spirit to overcome most things. 

If this article helped you, let us know in the comments below. Find more articles on Yoga here. You can also practice yoga safely under the guidance of an expert by joining a live, interactive GOQii PRO class. Book a class now through the GOQii App.

#BeTheForce  

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