Benefits of yoga weight training programme

Yoga has gained immense popularity all over the world because of its multifaceted benefits. In the last few decades, both fitness enthusiasts and medical professionals have accepted yoga as one of the most potent techniques of exercise.

Yoga weight training

Yoga is actually an ancient practice which promotes balance between the body and the soul. There are several methods of practicing yoga and each has its own specific benefits. Even those who practice weight training exercise can benefit from yoga. A weight training program when coupled with yoga, can help the person’s body and the mind in several ways. Here are some of the benefits:

• Consistent yoga practice can help decrease blood pressure. It also improves the blood circulation.
• The various breathing techniques of yoga can help increase the amount of air that we inhale, increasing in turn the amount of oxygen that can be utilized by the body. The increased oxygen in the body allows the organs to function better.
• Yoga can help reduce the heart rate and increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. Together, both these conditions help in increasing cardiovascular endurance.
• Weight training can frequently lead to sore muscles and limbs. This is caused due to the buildup of lactic acid. Practicing yoga helps to avoid this accumulation of lactic acid, which in turn helps alleviate soreness.
• Yoga also helps increase metabolism, helping you to maintain your weight.
• Yoga improves your metabolism, as does weight training. When these two forms of exercise are practiced in tandem, they give your metabolism a major boost and this helps your body to burn more fat, giving you that ripped look.
• Though yoga and weight training are seldom thought of together, yoga can be effectively used for weight training. The body movements of people who perform yoga are more deliberate and easy, giving a specific poise and balance to the person.
• When you incorporate yoga into your fitness routine in addition to weight training, you will experience massive increases in your core strength. A strong core helps you to lift more, train harder, and avoid back injuries that are so common in weight training.
• Weight training can reduce flexibility to a certain extent. The dynamic and static stretches in yoga help to ensure that your body remains supple and flexible.
• Yoga can be used as a very effective cool down routine at the end of a strenuous weight training programme.

Health benefits of Vinyasa Flow Yoga

What is Vinyasa Flow Yoga?

Vinyasa yoga is a form of yoga which is based on ‘breath synchronized movements’. In a yoga session, when you seamlessly move from one pose to another while inhaling and exhaling, it is known as Vinyasa. The literal meaning of the word ‘vinyasa’ is the movement of breath and therefore this technique in yoga is known as vinyasa flow yoga.

There are several vinyasa yoga poses, but in reality, you may practice any pose in this form of yoga. The poses run into each other in a smooth manner in this type of yoga.

The term vinyasa is often used alone as a reference to various different poses. You may go through the technique as a part of a series. For instance, the entire series of poses performed during the Sun Salutation, can be referred to as Vinyasa. You may use the breathing techniques of inhaling and exhaling while performing the poses, to your advantage. You may maintain your own tempo, according to the rhythm of your breathing. Your breathing becomes the basis of your poses and the form and movement are integrated with it.

Poses like the Upward Facing Dog pose, Plank pose, and Four Limbed Staff pose are usually in the spectrum of vinyasa style yoga.

If you follow the poses that you practice carefully, you will find that there are many instances when you effortlessly practice vinyasa yoga, without being conscious of it. Upon practicing vinyasa yoga for some time, you will be able to proceed without any problems. You will also be able to free yourself from any structured sequencing, gaining the maximum vinyasa yoga benefits.

Benefits of Vinyasa Yoga

• When you begin with vinyasa yoga, you will begin to feel the build up of strength in your body. The technique of vinyasa yoga helps build strength and flexibility, especially in the legs and the hips.
• Vinyasa yoga helps to stretch the spine to its fullest extent, allowing the muscles around the spin to relax and strengthen.
• Vinyasa yoga can also help improve your flexibility especially in the areas surrounding the hips, joints, neck, and shoulders.
• The coordination that you have to practice between the breathing and the pose can help increase concentration and the ability to focus on a specific thing.
• In Vinyasa yoga, you do not have to worry about holding your poses. You can retain one posture for some time or you can explore more postures and can keep transiting from one posture to another.

Yoga for stress related health problems

With the kind of hectic lifestyles we have today, it is not unusual to be under a lot of pressure and feel stressed. It is impossible for anyone to not get anxious and stressed when faced with the everyday challenges of life. Sometimes, you may even feel that your day has too few hours or that you need some more time to yourself.

If you are wondering how to reduce stress, yoga is what you should be looking at. Till date, of all remedies, yoga for stress relief is considered the best and most fitting technique to keep both anxiety and stress at bay.

There are many things that you can do in yoga. The breathing, meditative, and physical poses of yoga help in various ways to quiet your mind and bring peace from within. Due to the calming effect that yoga has on people, it is fast becoming a popular relaxation technique, especially in urban settings where the pace of life is really hectic and stressful.

Yoga essentially works on the principle of bringing peace to the body and mind, allowing the body to be in a deep state of relaxation. There are many styles of yoga, but Hatha yoga is considered to be the best amongst them for stress relief. You may also choose any other discipline of your particular choice.

Traditional yoga relies on an amalgamation of diet, exercise and meditation to beat stress. Along with the poses that you practice in yoga, you also have to pay particular attention to your diet. Certain foods increase stress and cause anxiety. However, there are other foods known as ‘sattvik’ foods, which help improve health and help you beat stress.

The poses of yoga can be performed by people from any age group because of which they are highly recommended. Yoga requires coordination between both the mind and the body. Yoga consists of poses of varying complexities. Some can be as simple as lying on the floor and willing your body to completely relax; yet others can be quite difficult and take years to master.

You may not be able to hold a particular pose for as long as it is recommended; however, yoga has a basic rule. In yoga, you should only do as much as your body allows. If you are practicing a pose which your body is not comfortable with, it is best to move to another pose. You should never exceed your own limits that you may have set for yourself.

Breathing is also another important part of yoga. Your vital energies can be controlled using various breathing techniques. You can gain control over both your body and mind using the meditative techniques of yoga along with controlled breathing.

Yoga for irregular menstrual cycles

You will seldom find a woman who is comfortable or at ease with her menstruation cycle. However, not having a regular cycle is something that no woman wants. A lot of women experience irregular periods. There are many causes of such a problem. Usually, irregular periods are associated with hormonal imbalances and stress. Women who have increased sexual activity after a long break may also experience temporarily irregular menstrual cycles. In most women, who are nearing the onset of menopause, menstruation problems are a common occurrence.

For each woman, the cause of menstruation cycle problems is different. In fact, it is critical to determine the exact cause of the irregularity because the choice of yoga poses for treating the irregularities will also depend largely on the cause.

If the irregular menstrual cycle causes are hormonal, specific yoga poses are practiced in order to improve the circulation of hormones. Sometimes, stress may be a contributing factor to menstrual problems. Yoga for menstrual problems caused due to stress will include more of breathing and other stress relieving techniques like meditation.

Yoga Practice during Menstruation

Most problems with menstruation can be dealt with proper and guided yoga poses. However, it is equally important to get a medical perspective and take regular medications as prescribed by a doctor.

There are two categories of yoga poses for irregular periods. One category contains poses that are generally beneficial in enhancing the menstrual flow by stretching the pelvic floor and opening up the vagina. The second category is of those poses which are meant for menstrual problems caused by specific reasons.

Some of the general yoga poses which can be practiced to help treat menstrual problems are the Baddha Konasana or the Sitting Cobbler Pose, Supta Baddhakonasana or the Lying Down Cobbler Pose, the Gaumukhasana or the Cow Pose, Supta Virasana or the Lying Down Hero Pose and the Janu Shirasana or the Head To Knee Pose. Of these, the Cow Pose is especially recommended for those who are suffering from irregular menstruation.

In addition to these the Virasana or the Hero Pose, the Lion, Cobra and Half Wheel Pose can also be performed for disorders of the endocrine system that may be causing an irregularity in the menstruation cycle.

All of these poses help in improving muscle strength, regulating hormones, improving spinal flexibility, and restore alignment and balance in the body. These poses, when performed three to five times a day regularly, can help regulate your menstruation.

Yoga for Mental Health and Mental Illness

The word yoga originates from the ancient Sanskrit script and its literal meaning is ‘union’. Yoga is a physical technique which aims to unify the body, mind and soul. It is a complete workout that helps strengthen the body, calm the mind and purify the soul, bringing you closer to a higher power and allowing you to gain higher consciousness.

Yoga is a complete body workout that helps promote the health of the entire body, strengthening all aspects of the being. There is no particular pose of yoga that can be considered more beneficial than the others. Everything about yoga is scientific (at least in context of the benefits, even if its action or method of working is not yet understood) and each pose benefits specific parts of the body.

If poses are practiced in specific sequences, maximum benefit can be derived from them. Though any kind of physical exercise releases hormones known as endorphins which are natural mood enhancers, yoga in particular allows for increasing mental acuity, concentration and prowess. Mental health has a deep connection with physical health. Good physical health fosters good mental health and the vice versa is also true.

Specific disciplines of yoga like Hasya yoga or laughter yoga are more beneficial for mental health than any other forms of yoga. The studies conducted on the discipline suggest that the deep breathing exercises and stretching exercises allow increased blood flow to the brain, improving mental activity and relieving both stress and anxiety. Regular practice of yoga poses can also treat any specific mental health problem like depression or anxiety related disorders.

Yoga is considered the best alternative mental illness therapy. Yoga and mental health have a lasting relationship. The principles on which the discipline was formed, took into account all aspects of well being.

Meditative techniques of yoga help trigger brain chemicals like the gamma animobutyric acid. Many of these chemicals are beneficial for the body and allow expulsion of stressful thoughts. These chemicals are also beneficial for naturally treat depression. Some of the specific benefits of yoga for treating each and every specific mental illness are:

• By increasing the secretion of endorphins, the body naturally feels more energetic.
• Mental acuity is improved, therefore increasing concentration and improving focus.
• By relieving stress, yoga can help improve the quality of sleep.
• Anxiety levels are reduced and depression can be cured.
• Regular practice of yoga can help improve self esteem and self worth.
• Yoga also helps improve physical health which is again associated with improved mental health.

Yoga poses for stress relief

Yoga and Stress Relief

As the amount of stress that we deal with in our everyday lives goes up, yoga for stress relief emerges as a valuable technique. If statistics are to be believed, stress relief yoga is the number one preferred technique for dealing with stress. Regular practice of stress relief yoga poses can help fight many of the stress related disease like high blood pressure and other cardio vascular complaints.

People who are under chronic stress are more susceptible to heart failure or a stroke. An increase in the blood pressure is usually a precursor to other heart troubles and to avoid any major heart disease, it is recommended that you should remain on medication and continue to follow up with your medical checks regularly.

Stress can take a toll on your life and to manage it, a change in lifestyle is an absolute necessity. A healthy diet, regular exercise, and cessation of smoking are some of the vital aspects of a changed lifestyle. Less consumption of fats, red meats and salts can also help you deal with stress.

Apart from all the precautions that you take from your end, yoga for stress management should be explored as an alternative stress relief technique. The meditative techniques of yoga are a great stress relief exercise. Simple yoga exercises can be performed to stretch the body, improve blood and hormone circulation, and increase lung capacity. While the physical exercise improves the strength, immunity and flexibility of the body, deep breathing techniques improve the lung capacity, allowing for more oxygen to be taken in and utilized in the body.

Stress relief yoga

Meditative techniques in yoga can help calm the mind down, expelling stressful and unwanted thoughts. This is especially beneficial for those who suffer from hypertension and blood pressure. A ten minutes session of meditation can work wonders for you. If you want, you can even chant a prayer while meditating. This will not only help you soothe your mind, but also psychological help you feel closer to god.

Some of the simplest and most effective yoga poses for stress relief are the Balasana or the child pose, Savasana or the corpse pose, and Makarasana or the crocodile pose.

Hatha yoga, one of the prominent disciplines of yoga, is considered to be the best remedy for stress. The conjugation of the poses of Hatha yoga and various breathing techniques can help improve all aspects of a person’s being - physical, mental and spiritual. These postures will help you relieve stress and at the same time promote overall wellness.

One of the most common forms of cardio vascular disease is coronary artery disease. A buildup of cholesterol is the one of the primary coronary heart disease causes. The cholesterol, when it builds up in the arteries, can cause a blockage. The blood flow tends to slow down to quite an extent and the heart has to exert extra pressure to pump blood through the narrower vessels.

The increasing amount of cholesterol also tends to weaken the arteries, leading to blood clots and disfiguring of the arterial walls. Such blood clots could eventually cause a complete blockage of the arteries, ultimately leading to the bursting of the artery.

In a lot of cases, the condition is caused by the natural ageing process. Those who have had someone with the disease in their family are at a greater risk of developing it themselves. High blood pressure, high cholesterol, excessive smoking, obesity and diabetes are some of the other risk factors of coronary artery disease.

Today heart diseases are the biggest health concern all over the world. Though heart diseases were once only associated with the elderly, today even young people are getting susceptible to it. Some of the symptoms of coronary heart disease are chest pains, burning sensations in the chest, pressure in the chest and pain in the arm and neck. This pain is caused because the blood vessels are not able to deliver the required amounts of blood.

Medical science offers expensive and complex surgeries as a coronary heart disease treatment. However, with the treatment, coronary heart disease diet is also very important to keep the cholesterol in check.

Yoga for coronary heart disease

Yoga, an ancient Indian discipline helps you improve your body’s strength. With the increase in both strength and flexibility, it becomes easier to control your metabolic rate and blood pressure. Yoga can also help you draw for yourself a coronary heart disease exercise routine. A yogic diet which is completely vegetarian in nature and is free of tobacco and alcohol can help improve health.

The continued practice of yoga can also help a person cope up with stress and anxiety which can aggravate coronary heart diseases. Yoga in fact can easily help you eliminate the risk factors of coronary heart disease. Not only will yoga help you in coping with coronary heart disease but will generally help you improve your health and increase the efficiency of various systems in the body.

Poses like the mountain pose, warrior pose, hands to feet pose, triangle pose, tree pose, lotus yoga pose, standing side stretch pose, double leg raises, child pose, leg reclining lounge, and cobra pose are especially useful for keeping coronary heart disease at bay.

Yoga for defective vision & vision problems

Many of the eye problems we know of arise because of problems with the muscles of the eyes. The loss of muscle tone and the rigidity caused due to strain on the eyes can cause problems of vision. This can also happen due to the natural ageing process.

As the muscles of the eyes weaken, the lens is not able to focus properly due to the loss of elasticity. When the lens is unable to focus at varying distances, we experience vision problem at different distances.

When there is great stress in the optic nerves, eyesight suffers even more. The intimate connection that is established between the eyes and the brain by the optic nerve, can also become poor. Fatigue of the eyes from sitting in front of the television or computer for too long or the fatigue experienced due to driving are all caused due to this loss of elasticity of the eye muscles.

Yoga for defective vision

Fortunately, there are many ways for natural vision improvement. Yoga for eyes is an effective way to keep your vision healthy. Yoga is the union of the physical, spiritual and mental energies. Together, these energies help to improve health in many ways. The eyes that are made up of brain tissue that is intimately connected to the brain by the optic nerve. If the brain is restless and does not get adequate rest, then the eyes may also be affected.

Yoga eye exercises are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the eye. These exercises can help the muscles of the eye retain their flexibility so that the lens can focus at objects placed at different distances. These vision improvement exercises can also help calm the nervous mind.

Yoga for our eyes can help counter many of the ill effects that our lifestyle has on our health. To improve visual concentration, there is a need to strengthen the concentration and yoga eye exercises can help. The first step in improving eyesight is to improve concentration. Find yourself a place where you can sit peacefully for some time. Ease your body into a comfortable posture and concentrate on a single object for some time. Gradually increase this time over a period of few days.

You may also gaze constantly at the tip of your nose without blinking. Do this for as long as you can hold your gaze without blinking. Once you are done, close your eyes and keep them closed for some time. When you feel that your eyes are very tired, leave your seat and concentrate on a far away object which is pleasing to your senses. Alternatively, you can also concentrate on the portion between your eyebrows. Don’t do it to a point where it becomes uncomfortable.

Yoga exercise for excessive flatulence

There is an old saying that all health problems originate from the stomach. It has been proven scientifically that to continue having good health, it is necessary to have a healthy and efficient digestive system.

Digestion is a complex process involving many different organs. Digestion is also a time consuming process and very often, when a person is not able to digest the ingested food, the partially digested food is retained in the stomach and starts to ferment. When the food starts getting fermented, several gases are released. Due to the release of these gases, a person may experience nausea, belching, acid regurgitation and heartburn. Along with that, you may also experience excessive flatulence. These are all symptoms of indigestion.

Flatulence is a condition in which gas accumulates into the colon. This gas is not absorbed into the gastrointestinal tract and therefore either causes the abdomen to bloat or is expelled out of the body through the mouth or the anus.

Excessive flatulence is caused due to eating too much. Some other causes of flatulence are irregular eating, swallowing the food without chewing it, swallowing too much air while chewing and lack of physical exertion. A person under physical duress may also experience excessive flatulence. The muscles of the intestines should also be strong enough to digest the food properly.

Yoga for flatulence

Of all the flatulence remedies, yoga is perhaps the most significant. Though we all know what causes flatulence, a lot of times, we do not know how to treat it. However, to prevent flatulence or to treat it, yoga poses can be effectively used.

To start with, try a head stand known as the Salamba Sirsasana. Once in that pose, bend your legs so that they are behind your back. While coming into this position, do not bend your elbows. Do not disturb the position of your head.

Once your pose is complete, stretch one leg at a time and lift up your torso while shifting all your weight to the heels. Then, tightening the muscles of your anal region, lift up your pelvis. Concentrate on contracting the muscles in your knees, calf thighs. Hold this pose for as long as you can.

Another great pose for releasing flatulence is the Viparita Chakrasana. This pose should be started with the neck, moving to the shoulders. This pose will not only help you to release excessive flatulence, but also help to strengthen your spine while improving overall flexibility of the body.

Yoga Meditation Techniques for Relaxation

The human body has evolved with an excellent defense system which allows it to naturally remain healthy. The body has a natural relaxation response which tries to counter stress whenever possible. Deep breathing, visualization, meditation, and relaxation are some of yoga’s powerful techniques that can help you relax and fight stress.

Those who begin to practice these relaxation techniques may find it difficult to practice them initially. However, as time progresses, with practice, the body naturally switches into relaxation mode on being put under a lot of duress.

Stress, unfortunately, cannot always be avoided. However, its negative effects can easily be counteracted by using a relaxation technique which helps you elicit a relaxation response from your body. A relaxation response will help you bring your body back into a state of calm. When you deepen your breathing, your stress hormones begin to get reduced and your heart rate also slows down substantially.

Meditation and Relaxation

There are many health benefits of meditation. Regular meditation can help make your body resistant to illnesses. It also helps relieve aches in different parts of the body and can help increase the mind’s problem solving abilities. When the body is relaxed and the brain is functioning well, it will automatically improve your productivity.

The basics of a relaxation technique can be learnt by anyone in a short span of time. However, it takes continuous practice to master a technique and truly harness its powers of relieving stress. It is recommended that all yoga meditation techniques should be practiced for 10 to 20 minutes everyday.

Health benefits of meditation

The best way to start with a meditation technique is to devote half an hour everyday to its practice. The practice can be incorporated into the daily routine in order to make it a habit. It is also important that you do not practice these relaxation and meditation techniques when you are sleepy. If you practice these techniques close to your bedtime, it is possible that you may not be able to get their maximum benefits.

There are a range of techniques available to help you relax but you should always choose one that appeals to you. Each relaxation technique caters to specific needs. Choose a technique which concurs with your fitness level and preferences.

Deep breathing is the simplest way to relax. It does not require an elaborate regimen and can be practiced anywhere and at anytime. You can breathe deeply from your abdomen, taking in as much air as possible. This will help circulate more oxygen to all of your internal organs, eliminating toxins and improving over all health.

Yoga to reduce Stress and Hypertension

Hypertension is more commonly known as high blood pressure. A disease commonly associated with a high stress lifestyle, hypertension is measured as the diastolic and the systolic pressure.

Causes of hypertension

There are many factors that may affect a person’s blood pressure. However, the major causes of hypertension are an increase in retention of water in the body. An increased consumption of sodium is one of the reasons why water can start to get retained in the body. Problems in the kidneys, cardio vascular system and the nervous system and changes in the production of hormones are other causes of hypertension.

People, who have had family members with hypertension, are at an increased risk of developing hypertension themselves. Obesity and diabetes can also pose a high risk of hypertension.
The effects of hypertension can vary from mild to severe. There may be mild to severe chest pains, often accompanied by confusion and disorientation. You may hear a constant buzzing sound or noise. The heart beat becomes irregular and there may be occasional nose bleeds. Some people may feel tired all the time and also experience frequent vision changes.

Medication and treatment can help reduce hypertension to an extent. However, a medicinal cure for stress and hypertension is yet to be found. Alternative therapies like Yoga have emerged as important alternative treatments for hypertension.

Yoga for hypertension

An effective hypertension remedy, the regular practice of Yoga can help bring down blood pressure to a manageable extent. Yoga can also help tackle obesity, which continues to be one of the major causes of hypertension. Many studies performed on those who have been performing yoga since a long period of time have shown that yoga performers are far less likely to develop lifestyle diseases like diabetes and hypertension. Yoga is also capable of reducing stress and hypertension over a long period of time.

If you have hypertension and exercise regularly, you will soon see great benefits. Yoga asanas specifically, can help the muscles relax, allowing the body to let go of all the pent up energies and stress. The other techniques of yoga, like Pranayama, a collection of breathing techniques, can also help increase the inflow of oxygen, improving blood circulation and the working of the different organs in the body.

Yogic meditation, even if performed only for about 20 minutes a day, can help relieve stress periodically. Meditation also helps you improve concentration, while improving mental acuity. All these yogic activities together can help bring in a sense of balance in one’s life.

Yoga for painful hip and hip joint problems

Hip joint pain

For people who are suffering from pain in the joints, exercise is an important aspect to lead a healthy and pain free life. Usually, most joint pains are associated with arthritis. However, hip pain can also be associated with an injury or trauma to the joint. While arthritis is a chronic disorder that takes its toll gradually, trauma to the joint can cause a lot of long term damage.

Regular exercise is an important joint pain remedy. Exercise helps to stretch muscles, allowing pent up stress in the muscles to be released. With regular stretch and light exercise, stiffness in the joints can be remedied. With regular exercise, the joints keep lubricated and therefore function normally. Regular exercise can also help you maintain a healthy weight so that your joints do not have to bear unnecessary weight.

Hip joint pain relief

To treat a painful hip, a cautious approach needs to be taken. If you have been suffering from hip joint problems, it is important to get yourself thoroughly checked by a qualified doctor. Once you have gotten yourself thoroughly checked, the cause of your pain will be clear. If you have any trauma or an injury to your hip joint, the treatment will involve a lot of rest and medications. However, if your hip pain is caused due to the irreversible damage of arthritis, you may need alternative therapies like yoga.

Joint pain yoga has received prominence because of its proven ability to help those who are suffering from debilitating pains in their joints. However, there isn’t any single exercise that can be considered the best. Yoga consists of different stretching exercises called asanas. These different yoga exercises work together to give hip pain joint pain relief and create a gentle movement of the joint which can decrease stiffness in it.

There are many yoga exercises which can help strengthen the muscles of the joint. As the joints become strengthened, their endurance also increases and subsequently pain gets lessened. Some of the commonly performed yoga exercises for hip joints are Tadasana or the mountain pose, Trikonasana or the triangle pose, Parsvakonasana or the extended side angle pose, and Uttanasana or the standing forward bend.

All of these exercises are beneficial for both your back and hip. These enable the muscles to get completely stretched and also help the joints to stay lubricated and healthy. It is best to perform these exercises under the guidance of a qualified yoga instructor.

Yoga to cure Hernia and to prevent as well

What is Hernia?

The body is full of various organs interlaced within a complex network of nerves and blood vessels. While for the most part, our body functions normally with all the organs working on their specific functions, in certain circumstances, it becomes difficult for the organs to work normally.

Think of your body in terms of a cardboard box which contains many different trinkets. The box has a limit to its capacity, beyond which, if filled, the box will either collapse or the trinkets will begin to tear out. Similarly, in the body, especially the abdomen, all our organs are packed into a small space. There is the entire digestive system, consisting of organs like the pancreas, kidneys, liver, stomach, spleen, and intestines. At the back of the abdomen, we have the spine which acts as a tough wall, but up front, there is only the flesh, muscle, and fat.

In the event that the pressure inside the abdomen increases, some of these organs may press hard against the lining of the abdomen and begin pushing out. Eventually when the muscles do get weakened, the organs may begin to jut out of the body. This particular disorder is known as a hernia. There are various types of hernia like the ventral or abdominal hernia, incisional hernia, umbilical hernia, epigastrica hernia and the semi lunar hernia.

How to Cure Hernia?

It is said that prevention is always better than cure. The same holds true in the case of hernia too. However, once you have developed it, there are various exercises for hernia that you can try. Some of the postures and poses in yoga are considered beneficial in treating hernia. Yoga for hernia aims to strengthen the abdominal muscles in order to make them resistant to the internal pressure of the organs. If you are overweight, you remain at an elevated risk of developing hernia. However, with the help of yoga, you can reduce your weight and massage the organs internally, relieving the pressure off them.

Considered an effective hernia alternative treatment, yoga cannot be solely relied upon for curing hernia. A medical practitioner should be consulted before resorting to yoga. However, you may continue using yoga in order to decrease some of your risk behavior. Yoga helps to eliminate some of the risks that can cause hernia. Some of these risks are:

• Chronic constipation
• Chronic cough
• Obesity or excess fat in the abdominal area.

Yoga for hernia constitutes of practices in which there is significant movement and contracting of the abdominal muscles. Practices like the Suryanamaskara, Dhanurasana, Navasana, Matsyasana and Kapalbhatti are good for strengthening the abdominal muscles and decreasing the risk factors.

Yoga for migraine headache cure

A migraine is a vascular headache which is caused when the nerve endings become either inflated or irritated. This may be caused when the blood vessels present on the surface of the brain begin to dilate and expand.

The symptoms of migraine can be quite distressing. Pain, tunnel vision, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sensitivity to light and sounds, and mood drifts are some of the common symptoms that accompany the often mind numbing pains. Though a migraine is not always considered a dangerous disorder, the truth is that every year, more than 20 million Americans complain of migraines. Out of this number, about 75% are women.

The pain of a migraine is unfortunately not only restricted to the forehead. It emanates into the back of the head, the temples, neck, eyes, sinus cavities and if very severe, the whole of the face.

Though doctors have been working to find a migraine headache cure, an effective one is yet to be found. Meanwhile, to seek relief from this pain and its symptoms, medications which primary consist of pain killers might be prescribed.

For each individual, the triggers of the attack may vary. Though harmless, a sudden change in odors, lighting or sound can trigger the often debilitating migraines. Though these are the common migraine headache causes, there may be other biochemical changes that induce migraine. Women may often experience migraines immediately before or after their menstruation. Other causes of migraine headaches are menopause and other hormonal imbalances.

Migraine headache remedy

Common treatment methods for migraines include medications, exercises and stress relieving techniques. However, yoga, which is a combination of physical exercise, meditation, and stress relieving techniques, has gained popularity as an effective migraine alternative treatment method.

Yoga is considered one of the best migraine headache remedies because the yogic lifestyle includes exercise, stress relieving techniques, and a requisite amount of sleep. All of these together help decrease the risk for developing a migraine. When your mind is relaxed, you can prevent a sensory overload and therefore keep the migraine at bay.

Yoga for migraine headaches consists of several breathing techniques and poses. Along with Kapalbhatti, which is a breathing technique that can help cleanse your airways and detoxify your body, you can also practice poses like the Mountain pose, Crescent moon pose, Standing side stretch pose, Hands to feet pose, Triangle pose, Tree pose, Single leg raises, Spread leg forward fold, Leg raises, Child pose, Seated forward bend, Wind relieving pose, Sage twist pose, and finally the corpse pose.

Yoga can act as an effective remedy for your migraine.

Yoga for irritable bowel syndrome

What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Also known as functional bowel disorder, this syndrome affects the large intestines by disturbing its motility. Due to this disturbed state, the large intestine is unable to expel its contents appropriately. Though there is no damage sustained by the intestines in this disorder, it could cause a great degree of discomfort to the sufferer.

When we eat food, it passes through the long expanse of the small intestines. It is at this stage the majority of the digestion process takes place. As the food passes into the large intestines, only trace minerals and water are left to be absorbed, after which the remaining matter is expelled from the body in the form of feces.

A normal, healthy person has a set rhythm or pattern of expulsion of the contents of the bowel with a slight deviance from the pattern now and then. However, when this deviance from the normal pattern becomes frequent, the rhythm of the bowel movement is disrupted, which results in either diarrhea or constipation. This is termed as irritable bowel syndrome.

Causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

The exact causes of Irritable Bowel Syndrome are not known. It is believed that if the colon or the large intestine is sensitive to particular foods and reacts to it, it results in irritable bowel syndrome. It is also believed that stress or the immune system may also be involved.

The use of alcohol, pregnancy, obesity, consumption or excessively fried and fatty foods, caffeinated drinks, chocolates, spicy foods, garlic and onions, tomato based foods, mint and citrus fruits are also common causes of irritable bowel syndrome. Smoking can also induce the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.

Yoga for irritable bowel syndrome

With a combination of yogic postures or asanas, it is possible to deal with irritable bowel syndrome. Yoga is considered an irritable bowel syndrome alternative treatment. It makes you feel relaxed and reduces anxiety. It also helps deal with stress which is considered one of the causes of irritable bowel syndrome. It gives overall health benefits in addition to being an effective cure for irritable bowel syndrome. However, with that, a change in the diet and lifestyle is also important to manage the symptoms and preventing it from occurring again.

Some of the yogic techniques that can be used as irritable bowel syndrome remedies are the easy pose, wind relieving pose, cat pose, corpse pose, half spinal twist, dog pose and finally the relaxation pose.

Yoga as a Preventive Therapy

Yoga is an ancient discipline which attempts to unite the individual self with the pure life force or a higher consciousness. The sole purpose of this discipline is union - the union of body, mind and soul or the union of the individual and the almighty. In accordance with ancient Hindu literature, yoga stresses on the cyclical concept of karma. Karma is considered cyclical because it has a cause and effect relationship in which your actions invite results and the results lead to further action, paving the road of your life and your destiny.

While this is the inherent philosophy of yoga, it can even be viewed in terms of health. A person, who works in order to improve health naturally, will be full of vigor and good health that will help further his causes. His good health will be instrumental in achieving not only an industrious life but also a happy and peaceful one. Whereas, a person who gets trapped in the cycle of ill health, will only have more ill health to reap.

Yoga and You

Today, it is easy to fall into the trap of ill health because of the often hectic lives that we lead and the constant stress that we expose ourselves to. Yoga and meditation can help us break this cycle of ill health and make conscious efforts in order to remedy our health. Meditation helps to increase concentration while also easing tension out of both the body and mind.

Yoga health benefits are many. It is a healthy form of exercise with which you can cure diseases and make your body strong enough to resist potential health risks. Yoga also helps you control the aging process by keeping both your mind and body stress free, and fresh. Yoga also helps to convert both, your psychological and physical force into spiritual energy.

Yoga as therapy

The postures practiced in yoga help activate accumulated energies or ‘Prana’ in the body. These energies, more commonly known as the life energy, when left accumulating, can cause ailments. The yogic breathing exercise known as Pranayama attempts to clear out blockages in the body which prevent the free flow of this life energy. The toxins that act as blockages can be flushed from the body and mind not only through breathing techniques but also by using various postures and techniques. Physically, yoga acts as a preventive therapy that helps to eliminate free radicals from the body, massage the internal organs, realign the body, relieve stress, rejuvenate and reinvigorate both body and mind, and finally increase stamina and immunity.

Yoga exercise for upper abs

Upper abs exercise

Yoga emphasizes on bringing a balance between the body, mind and soul. However, this is not all that yoga emphasizes on. Yoga is also about working on the core strength and increasing immunity. Toning and strengthening the upper abdomen is an essential part of increasing the core strength. Abs exercises in yoga can help tone the muscles while increasing their strength. These exercises also help reduce fat and improve digestion. With your upper abs workout, your immunity will also increase.

These abs exercises needn’t to be performed everyday. You can simply perform them three to four times a week to get maximum benefit.

How to Tone Upper Abs?

Here are some simple exercises that you can perform in order to exercise the upper abdomen.

• Lie on your back on a flat surface, placing your hands under your buttocks in order to support your spine. Stretch both your legs and place them straight in front of you. Now slowly start lifting your right leg until it is at an angle of forty five degrees. While lifting the leg, try to not bend it at the knee. When the leg is raised, start rotating it in a clockwise circle. Rotate the leg about ten times clockwise and then start rotating it counterclockwise ten times. Now repeat with the left leg. Once finished, repeat the same procedure using both the legs together.
• Lie down on your stomach and place your hands under your shoulders. Now supporting your shoulders start to lift your upper body off the ground. To achieve this, you will have to use the muscles on your back. Once you have raised your upper body to its full extent, hold the pose for a few seconds before you start to release.
• Lie down flat on your back, keeping your body straight in a line and place both your hands under your buttocks to support the body. Slowly begin to lift both your legs in the air keeping your legs straight and your toes pointed forward. When your legs are about twelve to eighteen inches from the floor, move your right ankle over the right ankle and let the legs remain in the position for a few seconds. After this, bring back your legs to the initial position and cross the left ankle over the right ankle. Keep alternating like this till you have performed this exercise twenty or thirty times.

Yoga exercise to Reduce and Tone Buttocks

Exercise for buttocks

The buttocks are one area of the body where the gluteal muscles are densely concentrated. This is especially true in the case of women who even after trying hard may not be able to lose this fat. The gluteal muscles are difficult to tone down and as a result one may feel helpless about what to do with them. However yoga and the holistic workout regime that it presents can be used to tighten, strengthen and tone muscles around the area.

Yoga consists of a series of challenging poses which can help in tightening this especially troublesome area. To workout buttocks, it is important to do certain physically challenging exercises so that the obstinate fat in the area can be loosened and finally lost.

When yoga for buttocks is practiced regularly, one may start to see positive results. However, this is a slow process and it will be unreasonable to expect any immediate results. Therefore if you are not able to see results in a few weeks, it is important to continue working out.

How to Reduce Buttocks?

When you are aiming to lose weight, spot reduction of weight is not always entirely possible. In order to lose weight from one part of the body, a variety of measures have to be undertaken in order to lose the over all fat. Specific asanas or yogic poses can target specific areas of the body however, an overall approach is necessary in order to lose fat.

There are several yogic exercises that can help in toning buttocks. Specific postures like the butterfly pose, sun salute, hero pose - both I and II, triangle pose, wind releasing pose, dog pose, angle pose and celibacy pose. Other poses like the chair pose, cat pose and the plank pose can also help work the specific gluteal muscles, enabling loss of weight from around the specific area.

Apart from the yogic exercises, butt clenches which involve contracting and releasing of the muscles situated around the buttocks, are also considered an effective method to tone the buttocks. The best thing about butt clenches is that these can be performed even when you are seated at your desk at work. While walking or doing other activities too, you can work on reducing your buttocks. However, in addition to all these exercises and techniques, it is also important to exercise control over your diet and pay special attention to nutrition.

Yoga exercises for neck pain

Yoga, a practice which aims to bring together the body, mind and soul, is a physical discipline that has quickly gained popularity. Yoga is an ancient discipline that was created and performed in ancient India and has been followed ever since.

Yoga is a successful amalgamation of meditation, breathing techniques, and physical poses (asanas), which are designed to enhance the functioning of the body and the relaxation of the mind. Those who practice yoga regularly, find their immunity enhanced, their body strengthened, and their mind at ease.

Our everyday lives are such that we undergo a lot of stress - both physical and mental. When combined with the lifestyle that we lead, this stress can take a huge toll on our physical and emotional health. As lifestyle disorders keep increasing, there is a pressing need to engage in healing activities that help us work towards both physical and emotional well being.

A result of this constant pressure and stress is severe pain and stiffness in the shoulder and neck region. This pain, though physical in nature, is often attributed to mental and emotional stress. For neck pain relief, not only should the posture be corrected, but the mind also needs to be relaxed.

Neck pain exercises

There are a series of neck pain exercises and poses that stretch and relax the muscles to soothe the physical pain. However, there need to be other corrective measures that can help strengthen the neck, spine and shoulders so that further wear and tear can be reduced. Neck pain yoga is an effective method to address all these concerns. It can help you increase the core strength of the body, correct body posture and alignment flaws, and also reduce stress.

Yoga for neck pain

Some of the popular yoga exercises for neck pain are the locust pose, half wind releasing pose, child pose, wind releasing pose, cat/dog pose, cobra pose, upward bow pose, and downward facing dog pose. Yoga for neck pain may also involve meditation and other calming exercises that help you release mental stress and tensions. Since this stress is often manifested as physical pain, managing stress needs to be a long term plan.

Other exercises like neck stretches, half circle rolls, shoulder hunches, deep breathing to expand the chest, and arm lifts can help keep stress away from the shoulder and neck region. Even when you’re at work, you can simply do these exercises at your desk.

Another great neck pain remedy is to sleep straight on your back for a few days and avoid using a pillow.

Yoga remedy for knee pain

Knees are the joints that are the most used and therefore most susceptible to injury and wear and tear. The knees are located in the middle of the human legs and are vital for both support to the body and locomotion. The knees, composed mainly of bones, tendons, cartilaginous tissue and ligaments, are designed to give ease of movement, as well as stability to the body. They are strong enough to sustain the weight of the body and therefore it is important to keep them healthy.

Strenuous activities such as sports or lifting and carrying heavy weights, can take a toll on the knees. These cause injuries that may not always heal and also make the knees susceptible to further disorders like arthritis. Other common knee problems like tendonitis, bursitis, and sprain can also cause pain and discomfort. When severe, these knee disorders can prove to be debilitating, restricting movement and causing a lot of pain.

Obesity has proven to be one of the highest risk factors of developing knee problems and many times losing weight can keep you away from most knee problems. However, if you have already started to develop discomfort around the knee area, you may need treatment for your knees. A lot of times, simple pain relievers may do the trick. However, in the long run, some disorders may degenerate the knees causing irreversible damage.

Exercise for knee pain

Yoga, of late, has come up as one of the most dependable therapies for knee pain. There are many knee pain exercises in yoga that can alleviate pain and keep the knees healthy. Yoga, in fact, is known as an effective knee pain therapy. Knee pain yoga involves various asanas or postures that help in restoring and increasing the flexibility of the muscles and ligaments around the joint. It also helps in strengthening the joint. The poses of yoga can help you balance the body’s alignment, making the knees stronger and more resistant to injuries.

However, yoga is never practiced when you are in pain or have just sustained an injury. Yoga is practiced once your immediate injury is healed and you are on your way to recovery. To practice knee pain yoga, it is best to first consult your doctor and then practice the therapy under a licensed practitioner who can expertly guide you through the poses. While yoga may prove to be an excellent knee pain remedy, using it incorrectly may aggravate your injury and cause more damage. An amalgamation of exercises for knee pain and increasing overall strength, yoga for knee pain can be seen as a long term remedy for your knee problems.

Yoga poses for knee pain

Some effective poses for knee pain are Parivrtta Janu-Sirsasana (Revolved Head-Knee Pose), Supta Bhekhasana, Gherandasana I & II, Supta Virasana (reclining hero pose), Malasana I & II (Garland Pose), Akarna Dhanurasana (Archer's Pose), Mulabandhasana, Bhekasana (frog pose), Ardha Baddha Padma Paschimottanasana (Half-Bound Lotus Seated Forward Bend) and Hanumanasana (monkey pose) among many others.