A gentle push towards health: Yoga.

Context:

Having seen a stack of daily thick and thin health problems in my family, i am taking a prevention measure and watching the progress of my inside, i found it  useful enough to be shared.

So this is what my context here is about, it is a daily morning health session in my  8x4 feet balcony from 10 to 11 am that keeps us physically as well as morally fit.

Now you can also benefit  by just stumbling upon my page, i am sharing the useful information right here.

Have you ever thought  just  may be......, pain can be a friend??

It was 6 in the eve all the people around me were shouting basket basket, i had the ball in my claws and dribbling it through all opponents when i reached near the basket and bent my legs to jump for putting the ball to win the game, i felt a pain in my back resulting into a lower jump and finally a lost basket ball match.

Btw this does not mean i was the hero of game other times and used to always score a basket however i had a chance that day.

Well, my concern here is about that pain in my back cause it kept on repeating every time i bent myself for what so ever reason.Annoyed, i decided to tell my family about the pain and when i started to grumble about it , Chill !! you are lucky.... said my dad.

 when i asked the reason, i was told this:

Pain can be considered as friend many a times. 
 Look its simple, pain is usually the indication that something inside our body is Mal-functioning.What if our body stops transmitting these kind of indications to us, perhaps we wont be able to realize that there is some kind of problem inside and it may continue to grow.As a result we may not take required steps or may not consult the doctor and eventually end up with a large complication.

So always consider the pain as an intimation that it is time to take necessary steps towards healing the trouble. If at all  the pain is repeating one never avoid it ,find out the reason get the right treatment.

However, it does not mean that we should wait for any such kind of signals from our body to  build better health. As we've always known prevention is a better opt.

"So, you are lucky you have turned up at right time. You still have time to take necessary steps to heal the problem and avoid any upcoming." and a patt on my back .

Great ! i said , so wats the solution?

d:tomorrow 10 to 11am be with me.

tennn! i cant wake so early dad you know this.(thanking dad in my mind cuz i thought its far better than dad's waking time)

d:cool so keep loosing those matches.

awwkkk i will wake up dad.

Next day at 9.15am i opened my eyes on alarm,watching my dad giving me a look. So obviously ,somehow 10am i was fresh and ready.

Dad took me to our 8x4 feet balcony which is always kept clean and vacant. I started looking outside the grill ,birds were still chirping and being a winter morning the sun was also mild on my face. I felt comfortable ,slowly started feeling drowsy again,  immediately dad said "Sit down on that mat".

I sat on the mat and dad followed me. Now next were the words  dad uttered that made me progress my health. 

Dad said:

 Solution or even prevention from small and big health problems is Yoga and proper diet.

Yoga ? i asked in surprise and said ,dad i am just 22 and not even married ..

d: it does not matter if you are 12 or 72 ,you go to gym to lift weights or not,you are hefty or skinny.. 

Yoga is for every one who really cares for health.It's just a mistake that few of us realise its importance late or some of us dont.

Yoga nourishes mind,body and soul. If you are regular in yoga and  have a proper diet,you can call yourself safe from a lot of  diseases.

!!  It really touched me, it was the first time i guess that i not wanted to make my health only for basket ball match or anything such but for my own will.

i : Alright then dad where is the 3-pointer, i mean which is the place i need to start with yoga for best.

d: right here!

Below is what i found useful to share on yoga and general health:
 

Before reading ahead i would suggest people who are indeed keen to improve and maintain their health or want to be aware of science of health i.e yoga, to continue.

Others can always come back and read furhter when they get interested in learning about yoga.  

1.Glimpse on history and introduction of yoga:

Also called yog, this beautiful body beneficial science is in existence almost since Hindu culture began.Yog has its description also mentioned in Indian holy books like Vedas and Geeta.

Among its important practices are aasans and pranayama, aasans are the positions and pranayama specifies different ways of inhaling and exhaling air(breath).

Yoga is said to nourish all important elements of human, namely: Mind,Body and Soul .

Also yog when practised with dedication and devotion is said to give Moksha.

2. Instructions you may find helpful before, while and after yoga:

-Practise yoga on empty stomach,or keep a good gap of 2 hours after meal and milk.

-Prefer practising after bath.

-Prefer wearing loose clothes.

- Do use a woolen cloth or a bedsheet on the floor , do not be in direct contact with the floor.

-Have a glass of water after yoga.

-Keep eyes closed while practising to improve concentration.

-Breathing:While bending forward exhale and while bending back inhale.

-Pregnant ladies and elderly people/people with high blood pressure prefer light  aasans and pranayama.

-Choose a quiet and cool place , relax yourself,take a deep breath, close your eyes and imagine all parts of your body to be relaxing from head to toe then start.

General:

Have a diet that contains fresh fruits.

Eat considering the weather and eat moderate.

Spend 10 to 15 minutes in sheer peace daily.

3. Aasans for common problems:

      + for back pain: Markta-asan / Makarta-asan.
      + for fat reduction: Dwichakrika-asan.
      + for stress busting: Makara-asan.
      + for tiredness: Bala-asan.
      + for diabetes: Suryanamaskar.




 

Markta asan

Benefits:

Beneficial for back ache and stomach ache.

Method:

Step1: Lie straight on the ground,open your arms on the ground to match the level of your shoulders.

Step2: Fold your legs from knees as much you can.

Step3: Bend your knees towards left so that it touches the ground and turn your face towards right.

Step4: Bend your knees towards right so that it touches the ground and turn your face towards left.






 

Benefits:

Reduces fats and helps better functioning of kidney.

Method:

Step1: Lie straight on the ground with arms lieing straight heading towards the feet and your palms touching the ground.

Step2: Hold your breath,lift your leg completly and move it in a manner similar to paddling cycle.

Step3: Now lift the other leg and repeat.

Step4: Paddle 10 to 15 times.

Step5: Repeat above in the opposite direction of direction you chose earlier to paddle ,10 to 15 times.

Benefits:

Beneficial for stress busting and mind relaxing.

Method:

Step1:Lie down with your stomach facing the ground

Step2:Stretch your legs about 1 feet away from each other.

Step3:Hold the right arm with left hand and vice versa, now keep these folded hands below your forehead.

Step4:Rest your forehead on your hands , leave your body loose and let the mind rest.

Step5: Keep in this position for 5 minutes.

 Benefits:

Removes tiredness of body and gives fresh feeling.

Method:

Step1:Lie down with your stomach facing the ground

Step2:Keep your left hand beneath your head on the ground such that palm of left hand will be below the palm of right hand.

Step3:Move your neck(face) towards right and rest your head on your hands.

Step4:Bend your right leg a bit from the knee , making a position in which a child sleeps.

Step5: Keep in this position for 5 minutes

Benefits:

Beneficial for diabeties and complete body strengthening.

Method:

Step1:Exhale deeply

Step2: Shove your butt up,  put your arms  straight  aligned with your head on the ground.

Step3: Now, lower your body down so that forehead, chest and knee touch the ground and butt tilted upwards.

Step4: Inhale.

Step5:Move the upper portion of your body so that the head raises up and back forms concave arch.

Step6 :Repeat steps above  10 to 20 times.

*  Suryanamaskar has 7 postures above is 1 of most important.

 

4.  Pranayama practise:

Pranayama means extending the prana or breath.

Pranayama is meant to release out impure air from our body and fill our inside with vital and fresh air.

Another important benefit of Pranayama is it improves concentration, so if practised before meditation, it doubles the benefit.

 Two important pranayamas among many, namely:

i. Anulom vilom:

Benefits:

Helps in Sinus problems and normal cold.

Method:

Step 1:  Close your eyes.

Step 2.  Close your right nostril with your right thumb and inhale slowly through the left nostril. Fill up your lungs to the maximum.

Step 3:  Hold your breath.

Step 4:  Now close left nostril with middle and ring finger and exhale through the right nostril very slowly.

Step 5.  Now Inhale  through the right nostril and exhale through left nostril.

Repeat this 7 to 8 times.

ii. Kapal Bhati:

Benefits:

Helps in blood purification and better oxygen supply in body.

Method:

Step1:Sit in crossed leg position with your back straight.

Step2:Rest your hands on your knees 

Step 3: Inhale deeply through both nostril, expanding abdomen and exhale such that it contracts abdominal muscles.

how to exhale here exactly:Pull the abdomen in by quickly contracting the abdominal muscles and exhale through the nose.

Step 4: Inhale again calmly.

Repeat 15 to 20 times.

All above really help, you cant experience the benefits unless you indeed practise, so just give a shot and also kindly spread the word.

If you guys are keen for the rest of the details like different aasans and pranayama of yoga that cover problems other than covered here, just lemme know of it and i shall be helpful.

Note : Kindly practise if you feel comfortable while performing, else take help.

Well, hopefully i was able to inculcate the importance of yoga to ahleast few of us.

Smile :)

* Thanks to the book ‘Yog sadhna’ of swami ramdev for information about yoga.

* Images are hand drawn, reference from same book, thanks to diksha singh.