yoga Archives

October 21, 2023 By Palak Mittal 3 Comments

Living well with regular Yoga and good Nutrition

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.

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.

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.

We trust that this holistic approach to living well through yoga and good nutrition resonates with you. If you found these insights beneficial and have your own experiences or tips to share, we invite you to do so in the comments section below. For more articles and resources on enhancing your well-being through yoga and nutrition, explore our Healthy Reads. And, if you’re seeking personalised guidance and support on your journey to optimal health, consider subscribing to GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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September 6, 2023 By Mubasheera Chaiwala 2 Comments

Benefits of Practicing Morning Yoga at Home!

Picture 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.

Suryanamaskar – for over all body workout
Jivah Bandh – manages and relieves stress
Simha Mudra – decreases stress and prepares you to face the day by increasing your willpower.
Sheetali Pranayama – is a process which can cool the body down and give a feeling of calmness.
Bhramari Pranayama – is one of the great breathing exercises to release the mind of disturbance, anxiety or frustration and get rid of anger.
Om Recitation – excellent breathing exercises for meditation. Brings stability of mind and improves memory power
Shavasana – removes nervousness, adds a sense of presence. Very important to start our day peacefully.
Tratak Drishti – to increase concentration.
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.
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.

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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.

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August 10, 2023 By GOQii Leave a Comment

प्राणायाम: 6 प्रकार और उनके लाभ

प्राणायाम सबसे सामान्य योग आसनों में से एक माना जाता है जिसे लोग बहुत ही आसानी से करते हैं और इसके कई प्रकार के फायदे प्राप्त करते हैं।

प्राणायाम क्या है?

प्राणायाम को सांस को खींचने, लंबा करने या मोडीफाई करने के रूप में परिभाषित किया गया है। एक अनैच्छिक प्रक्रिया होने के बावजूद, सांस को स्वेच्छा से नियंत्रित और मैनिपुलेट किया जा सकता है। नियंत्रित श्वास आपको अपने दिमाग और शरीर पर बेहतर पकड़ बनाने में मदद करता है।

प्राणायाम करने के लिए आप कोई भी ध्यान मुद्रा चुन सकते हैं। यदि कोई ध्यानात्मक मुद्रा कठिन है, तो आप सुखासन का विकल्प चुन सकते हैं जहाँ सिर, गर्दन और रीढ़ को एक सीधी रेखा में रखना होता है। अपनी सांस पर ध्यान केंद्रित करें, प्रत्येक सांस को महसूस करने की कोशिश करें जिसे आप अपने नाक से अंदर और बाहर छोड़ते हैं। ऐसा करने के बाद, आराम करें और अपने पूरे शरीर का निरीक्षण करने के लिए कुछ समय ऐसे ही व्यतीत करें। पूरे सेशन में अवेयरनेस बनी रहनी चाहिए।

कुछ शब्दावली जो आपको पता होनी चाहिए:

पूरक – सांस अंदर लेना
रेचक – सांस बाहर
कुम्भक – सांस को रोकना।

प्राणायाम कई प्रकार के होते हैं। आज हम उनमे से कुछ के बारे में बात करेंगे।

1. भस्त्रिका प्राणायाम

‘भस्त्र’ धौंकनी पंप है जिसका इस्तेमाल आग बुझाने के लिए किया जाता है। ‘भस्त्रिका’ शब्द की उत्पत्ति इसी शब्द से हुई है। हाई ब्लड प्रेशर वाले लोगों को भस्त्रिका नहीं करनी चाहिए। हालाँकि, वे इसे मॉडिफाइड तरीकों से कर सकते हैं। भस्त्रिका प्राणायाम में व्यक्ति को तेजी से और जोर से सांस अंदर लेनी और छोड़ना चाहिए। उसी समय, उन्हें पेट को ज़ोर ज़ोर से अंदर और बाहर करना चाहिए। जब आप सांस अंदर लेंगे तो आपका पेट फूलेगा और जब आप सांस बाहर निकालेंगे तो आपका पेट सिकुड़ेगा।

लाभ: गैसों का आदान-प्रदान बहुत तीव्र गति से होता है। ऑक्सीजन का सेवन बढ़ जाता है क्योंकि शरीर अधिक कार्बन डाइऑक्साइड बाहर फेंकता है। साथ ही मेटाबोलिक रेट में भी वृद्धि होती है।

2. अनुलोम-विलोम

यह एक अल्टरनेट नॉस्ट्रिल ब्रीदिंग के रूप में भी जाना जाता है, जो धीमी और गहरी रदमीक ब्रीथिंग पैटर्न को फॉलो करते है। इस वेरिएशन को करने के लिए, बायें नाक को बंद करें और दायें नाक से सांस लें। 3-5 सेकंड के लिए अपनी सांस को रोक कर रखें। दायें तरफ के नाक को बंद करके बायें नाक से सांस लें। ऑक्सीजन के अब्सॉर्प्शन को बढ़ाने के लिए इसे 3-5 सेकंड के लिए रोक कर रखें।

लाभ: साइनसाइटिस से पीड़ित लोगों के लिए उपयोगी है। यह प्राणायाम दिमाग और पूरे नर्वस सिस्टम को रिलैक्स करता है।यह फेफड़ों की क्षमता में सुधार करता है, हृदय को मजबूत करता है और रक्त संचार में सुधार करता है।

3. शीतली प्राणायाम

इस प्राणायाम को कूलिंग ब्रीथिंग भी कहा जाता है। शीतली प्राणायाम करने से पहले यह सुनिश्चित कर लेना चाहिए कि वातावरण स्वच्छ हो। जीभ को रोल करें और मुंह से धीमी और गहरी सांस लें। आप अपनी जीभ की सतह पर ठंडक का अनुभव करेंगे। मुंह को बंद करके नाक से सांस छोड़ें।

लाभ: डाइजिस्टिव डिसऑर्डर्स और एसिडिटी से पीड़ित लोगों के लिए यह बहुत फायदेमंद है। यह प्राणायाम दिमाग को भी शांत करता है।

4. भ्रामरी

इसे सेशन के अंत तक किया जा सकता है। भ्रामरी दिमाग को शांत करती है और ब्लड सर्कुलेशन और सेरेब्रोस्पाइनल तरल पदार्थ के सर्कुलेशन में भी मदद करती है। भ्रामरी को हमिंग बी ब्रीथ भी कहा जाता है। ध्यान मुद्रा में बैठकर नाक से गहरी सांस अंदर लें और धीरे-धीरे सांस छोड़ें, जिससे हम्मिंग की तरह आवाज आएगी। सांस लेने और छोड़ने का समय समान रहेगा।

5. सूर्यभेदन

सूर्य दाहिनी नासिका को दर्शाता है और भेदन पियर्सिंग को। नाक के दाहिने ओर से सांस लेना और बायीं ओर से सांस छोड़ना सूर्यभेदन कहलाता है। यह स्फूर्तिदायक प्राणायाम हमारे सिम्पैथेटिक नर्वस सिस्टम को उत्तेजित करता है, और खोपड़ी को साफ करता है और हठप्रदीपिका में उल्लेख है कि इस प्राणायाम से उत्पन्न गर्मी पेट में कीड़े को नष्ट कर देगी।

6. शीतकारी प्राणायाम

इसे हिसिंग ब्रीथ भी कहा जाता है, इस प्राणायाम को ऊपरी और निचले जबड़े के दांतों को एक साथ छूकर और सांस अंदर लेकर किया जाता है। इसे करने के बाद आपको मुंह और जीभ के किनारों पर ठंडक का अनुभव होगा। यह भी एक शांतिदायक प्राणायाम है। इसके नियमित अभ्यास से पाचन क्रिया दुरुस्त होती है और एसिडिटी में रहत मिलती है। अनिद्रा से पीड़ित लोगों के लिए यह एक अच्छा अभ्यास है। यह गर्मी के दिनों में विशेष रूप से उपयोगी है क्योंकि यह शरीर के तापमान को कम करता है। इस प्राणायाम का अभ्यास करते समय इस बात का ध्यान रखना चाहिए कि वातावरण स्वच्छ हो।

डिस्क्लेमर: प्राणायाम शुरू करने से पहले कृपया अपने GOQii डॉक्टर से सलाह लें। आगे के मार्गदर्शन के लिए, आप यहां पेर्सनलिज़्ड हेल्थ कोचिंग की सदस्यता लेकर किसी विशेषज्ञ तक पहुंच सकते हैं |

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