The entire humanity is now used to a fast paced, stressful life without time to think about their physical and mental health. Your body can adapt to this kind of lifestyle for a while. After which, one fine day, it might breakdown, with or without warning. Emotional stability is lost, and physical trauma is felt, and everyday activities may seem to be scary. Yoga comes to the rescue for all your problems. Be they physical or mental.

The real essence of Yoga lies around improving the life force at the base of the backbone. It attempts to achieve holistic goodness through various physical and mental workouts. Coming to the physical level, the procedures comprise of several postures or yogic asanas which can keep the body healthy, while on the mental level, there are some breathing techniques which helps in disciplining the mind. The benefits of Yoga are almost endless, and this is the reason why it has received international acclamation even when it had originated in India centuries ago.

How can Yoga aid you to live a better life?
No matter whether you are from the West or East, regular practice of Yoga can will offer tons of benefits which include:

Improvement of flexibility: This is the most significant benefit of Yoga where you can improve your posture with each practice sessions. Inflexibility can bring about a lot of movement issues; tight hamstrings can flatten the lumbar spine while tight hips can cause strain to the knee. Daily Yoga can relieve the connective tissues while improving posture.
Builds muscle strength: Strong muscles are not just meant for making you look good; it can protect you from conditions such as back pain, arthritis and falls among aged people. With regular practice of Yoga, you can see your muscles becoming stronger and flexible within a short span.
Prevention of joint and cartilage breakdown: While practicing Yoga, all the major joints of the body runs through a roller coaster of motion. This can prevent degenerative arthritis and squeeze the parts of the cartilage which are not usually used.
Improve the health of the bone: Several postures of Yoga demand you to bear your own weight such as the downward and the upward facing dog which also helps in making the bones in the arms stronger. Plus, Yoga is known to lower the cortisol levels which can boost the level of calcium in the bones.
Protection of the spine: The spinal disks which help in absorbing shock crave for movement through which they get the nutrition. Yoga can get you optimum backbends, twists and forward bends to keep the disks in a supple condition.
How has Yoga helped in improving health condition?
Timothy McCall, MD, wanted to come to India to research and investigate on the benefits of Yoga in 2002. Weeks before that he developed tingling sensation along with numbness in his right hand. He was scared and thought that it was something serious like multiple sclerosis or a brain disease but found that he had a nerve blockage in the neck and chest.

Even though it was incapacitating to some extent, this ailment was a blessing in disguise as he could allow Yoga experts to evaluate the cause of the problem and treat it and his experiment reaped benefits. He practiced Pranayama which is a breathing exercise, different moves and chanting to restore vital energy to the affected parts. This had not only helped him to get rid of these problems but also made his body even more flexible, improved his postures and relieved him of various symptoms.

Basic Yoga asanas that can help maintain health 

Sukhasana
Shavasana
Balasana
Vajrasana
Bhujangasana
Trikonasana
Uttanasana
Pashcimottanasana
Eka Pada Rajakapotasana
Ushtrasana
More real life examples can be cited where people suffering from chronic illness have gotten a complete relief by practicing Yoga. Across the world, this ancient Indian therapy has been acknowledged as an effective alternative therapy. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.

Yoga - Practice It Daily For A Stress Free Life!

A number of health problems are rooted in mental instability. Frequent bouts of anger and frustration can lead to stress and related problems. One of the most efficient ways of dealing with this instability and stress is meditation.
Vipasana is an ancient meditative technique that promises to allow a person to see the true nature of things. In Buddhist tradition, it literally translates to insight to the true reality of nature namely impermanence, suffering and the realization of non self. It focuses on self observation and the connection between mind and body and aims to eradicate mental impurities.
Vipasana meditation can be broken down into four stages.
Discovering Vitakka and Vicara: The first stage of Vipasana explores the connection between body and mind. This is done by concentrating on inhaling and exhaling and the feeling of air passing over the skin in front of the nose. Vitakka and vicara refer to the concentration and thought required to feel the connection between mind and body.
Disappearance of Vitakka and Vicara: In the second stage, the connection between mind and body is felt effortlessly. Thus, in this stage both vitakka and vicara fade away. This is known as anapana meditation and helps develop control over the mind.
Happiness: When a person reaches the third stage of vipasana, he stops focusing on emotions like pity, sadness, exuberance and only feels happiness. This frees the mind of negativity and hence purifies it.
Equanimity: The fourth and final stage is characterized by mindfulness and leads to clarity. At this stage, a person feels the desire for freedom and understands nature to be ever changing.
Vipasana is taught at a ten day residential program. Here, participants must adhere to a code of discipline that includes absolute silence and abstaining from any form of communication, sexual activity and substance abuse. Participants are taught the basics of the meditation technique and how to practice it but to benefit fully from it, regular meditation is necessary. Advanced vipasana students may attend 20, 30, 45 and 60 day courses to practice vipasana. An introduction to vipasana is also given to children in the form of short 3 day courses.
Ultimately, vipasana enables the practitioner to experience peace and harmony within oneself and with the rest of the world. It frees the mind from craving and hence also helps people abstain from social evils like stealing and killing. Thus, vipasana has the capacity to change minds and character and helps practitioners lead fulfilling, healthy lives. 

Vipasana - See The True Nature Of Things

"Adopt these most natural ways to fight Hypertension-
1. Exercise. 30 min everyday is enough.
2. Eat Bananas. Its potassium counters sodium from salt.
3. Cut Salt. Avoid processed foods and you will cut salt.
4. Don't Smoke. Avoid Alcohol
5. De-stress. It will keep BP in control.
6. Meditation or Yoga. Both are very balancing.
7. Skip Caffeine. Coffee is bad for your BP.
"

7 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

3 Yogic positions for a better sex life

Doing yoga on a daily basis can give your sex life the boost that you may be looking for while improving the overall quality of both you and your partner's sex life. The dividends that you and your partner reap can range from an increase in flexibility, stamina and sensitivity to improved self-confidence. Thus, in addition to an improvement in the sexual aspect, you can expect improvement in physical and mental aspects too. So, here are some sex positions that you can try to make yourself relaxed and lithe, enabling your body to function properly.

1. Wide-legged straddle pose - This pose is beneficial for improving blood flow to the pelvic area, leading to an increase in sex drive.

To do this, find a comfortable spot to sit in. When you've done this, spread each leg at a 45-degree angle. While stretching your upper body, take in a deep breath. When letting out the air, bend forward and to touch your toes. All the while, keep the spine stretched to its maximum.

2. Squat pose - This yoga position works by improving your pelvic joints and targets your inner thigh muscles, abdominals, and your pelvic floor. The pose is also found to be beneficial in stimulating your spleen and sex glands (gonad).

For this, you need to stand with your feet wide apart and your toes facing outward. Join your palms together in front of your heart, and slowly bring them down in the direction of the mat, stopping just before you touch the floor. Position your biceps behind your knees so that they are spread out while helping your spine to maintain its stretched position.

3. Chair pose - In this pose, your pelvic region is targeted and helps you to establish a better control over your sexual organs. It works by lifting your pelvic floor as you go about lowering your tailbone.

Begin by bringing your feet together before assuming a sitting position. Keep your tailbone stretched when you lift your pelvic floor to stretch the spine.



3 Yogic Positions for a Better Sex Life

Did you know that yoga poses help you in achieving greater flexibility rather than develop it? If you are suffering from stiff hamstrings, painful lower back and locked-up hips and tried many yoga poses without any help, then you may not have tried the right poses. When the body is stiff, it feels like you are trapped within your own body. Flexibility exercises can help in alleviating joint stiffness that may have developed due to a wide array of reasons. Here are the main asanas that are great for joint flexibility.

1. Big toe pose or Padangusthasana: This yogic pose can calm the nervous system and relieve stress and anxiety and stimulate your kidney and liver to optimize their functions. With regular practice, your calf muscles and hamstrings would stretch and your thighs would become stronger. If you are suffering from indigestion and insomnia, then big toe pose is a must try and it also helps in alleviating the symptoms of menopause.

2. Bound angle pose or Baddha Konasana: This pose offers a host of benefits that include stimulating your abdominal organs, prostate glands, ovaries, kidneys and bladder. It also stimulates blood and oxygen circulation throughout the body and improves the heart condition. It is a therapeutic treatment for high blood pressure, anxiety, mild depression, fatigue flat feet, asthma and infertility. With consistent practice, you will be able to stretch your knees, groin and inner thigh.

3. Child's pose or Balasana: This resting pose calms the mind and improves digestion to a great extent. It helps in elongation of the lower back by opening up and stretching this part of the body where all the weight is dumped while you sit and work all day long. This pose is perfect for opening up the hip and reducing hip pains and improving their flexibility.

4. Cow face pose or Gomukhasana: When performed regularly, this pose helps in deep stretching the hips, thighs, ankles, armpit, shoulders, triceps, chest and deltoid. If you had been suffering from a chronic knee pain, this pose can help relieving it. It also aids in strengthening the spine and abdominals, and its folded variations are a great way of decompressing lower spine and clearing the hip joint.

Increased flexibility is one of the topmost benefits of yoga that would surely equip you with the freedom of movement and relaxation. However, it is always important to consult an expert before you try these poses, as they can evaluate your medical history and select the ideal yogic postures that would work best for you.

Improving Joint Flexibility Through Yoga

Yoga is the healing system par excellence. It can help all of us stay healthy without medicines and surgeries. It is also the go-to modality for spiritual and mental peace. The selection of yoga asanas for different age groups is extremely critical in yoga. How asanas are done, at what time and for how long are some of the basics that matter a lot too.

Here are a few easy-to-do asanas for three different age groups:
Age: 9-19
Before the age of seven, children should not do yoga. This is because their heart s capacity to pump blood is limited and it may not be able to handle the heightened load during practice.

1. Virabhadrasana: This asana strengthens the muscles of the legs and makes leg and back muscles flexible. It tones the abdominal organs too. It helps children be active and fit.
Method:

Stand straight with your legs wide apart.
Turn your right foot out by 90 degrees.
And turn left foot in by 15 degrees.
Lift both arms sideways to shoulder height with your palms facing upwards.
Now breathe out and bend your right knee.
Turn your head to your right. Push your hips down and hold the posture.
Breathe in while you come up.

2. Naukasana: This asana works on the muscular, digestive, circulatory, nervous and hormonal systems, and gets rid of belly fat.
Method:

Lie down flat on a mat on your back.
Breathe in and hold the breath.
Raise your arms, shoulders, head and trunk off the ground.
Balance body on buttocks and keep the spine straight.
Keep arms in the same line as your toes with palms facing downwards.
Age- 20-34
1. Sukhasana: This asana is excellent to calm and soothe. It eliminates anxiety.
Method:
Sit with your legs stretched in front.
Bend your knees and fold your legs towards your middle.
Cross your legs and keep the arches of the foot on the thighs.
Sit with your hips in a neutral position.

2. Trikonasana: This is a very good pose for the spine and pelvis. It cures a backache and is good for digestion.
Method:

Stand erect, inhale and step to the right with left heel turned inward.
Exhale and reach out over your foot with your right hand, bending to the right.
Feel the stretch.
Raise the left hand vertically upwards.
Turn your head to look up towards the left thumb.
Age- 35 and above
1. Vajrasana: It improves blood supply to upper torso and head and builds stamina. Excellent for digestion and can be done on a full stomach.
Method:

Stand on your knees with the lower legs stretched backwards, with toes crossing.
Now lower your body to sit on your heels with buttocks resting on them.
Keep your hands on knees and head straight.
Breathe in deep and concentrate on the breath.
2. Halasana: Cervical spondylosis, back pain and shoulder stiffness can all be cured through this asana. It is very useful for menopausal women too.
Method:

Lie on your back with knees bent and legs together.
Place your hands underneath the back supporting it.
Exhale and swing your knees and thighs over your torso.
Raise your hips and abdomen to support the position.
Straighten your legs parallel to the ground.

Yoga Asanas For Different Age Groups!

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