When you get a compliment'smart thinking or you are intelligent or that was intelligent of you, you definitely feel good. These comments fill us with confidence, admiration and pride and we want it to happen to us again and again. But owing to a busy schedule and long working hours it might not be possible. Having said this, it does not mean that a person cannot stay intelligent throughout. This can be easily achieved by regular meditation. Regular meditation and yoga helps the mind to be more reflective and efficient.

Here are reasons how yoga and meditation lead to an intellectual learning and growth:

 Utilizes the brain: almost everyone uses one half of their brain more and this leads to imbalance. Meditation is believed to sync the left and the right hemispheres, thereby allowing neural connection and great processing power. When logical left and creative right brains start working in harmony, then solving problems becomes easy; and it also increases creativity, deep thinking comes to be known of and concentration and focus magnifies. Highly successful people usually display whole brain synchronization.
 Functional capabilities of brain enhance due to meditation: research backs it that meditation increases the gray matter thickness of the brain regions, thus making the brain smarter, bigger and faster. This is very similar to doing physical exercise which makes the muscles denser and stronger. The increase in functional capabilities of brain is based on the concept of neuroplasticity, which states that our intelligence is not based on genetics and there are some things which can be done to improve the way our brain works. Meditation is a good brain enhancer with an ability to increase intelligence.
 Beneficial brainwave patterns can be seen: meditation can help to guide the brainwaves into beneficial frequencies. The frequencies: alpha, theta and delta when guided can show case a myriad of benefits including idea generation, creativity, cognitive functioning, and intellectual capacity. Meditation helps to transform these beneficial states of mind and help boost the iq.
 Develops intuition and insights: these are generally obtained through listening and developing to the inner voice. Thus meditation forms to be the basic key to tap these latent abilities. The intelligence can be mapped through tests and quizzes and is valuable at each level to stimulate insights and creativity. As per some people, inner intelligence, is considered to be the most important and best success in the world. Successful people including steve jobs have stated that their super revolutionary ideas and business acumen came through their intuition.
 Meditation helps in improving both short and long term memory: the key memory areas hippocampus and frontal lobe show increase in activity during meditation. By stimulating these areas, the short and long term memories are improved.

Can Yoga Improve Your IQ?

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!

Since ages, meditation has been placed on a pedestal for its far reaching benefits. While on one end, it is known to bridge the gap between one's outer and inner self, on the other hand it is believed to be a pathway to enlightenment. Meditation has been scientifically proven to affect one's health positively. For a balanced lifestyle and a sorted outlook in dire circumstances, you must make meditation a part and parcel of your daily life.
The benefits of meditation can be laid down as follows:

1. The way you respond to pain can be altered through meditation: meditation makes you stronger and perhaps, more tolerant to body pains and aches. It empowers you to somewhat control how your brain feels the actions and processes in your body. People who face conditions like fibromyalgia, migraine or osteoarthritis can fight against the discomfort for a longer span of time through regular meditation.

2. Meditation can improve your cardiovascular health: a healthy heart can make you enjoy more than a couple of advantages. Meditation is known to regulate blood pressure levels; while your heart rate decreases, the amount of blood circulated into your heart increases, thus ridding you of acute stress. A happy heart has more potential to exercise to further maintain its well-being.

3. It will shun away your fears: the threat of a fear or a phobia can resist you from delivering to the best of your abilities. Fears are crippling. Meditation dwells on the principle of maintaining equilibrium between one's mind and body. A person is therefore endowed with the ability to deal with his or her personal problems. Meditation enables you to keep your fears on a leash.

4. Creativity and determination can be your key features: a person who meditates regularly will have wider access to his or her talents. Meditation is known to hone your softer skills by making you more creative and innovative. It gives you clarity of thought and thus you will find yourself more focused on your goals.

5. It makes you relax more and worry less: meditation soothes the brain neurons. It prevents you from being anxious. Meditation makes you so very engrossed in the moment that fretting over the future will slip your attention altogether. You live a happier life if you meditate regularly.

5 Benefits of Meditation

Ayurveda addresses the physical, mental and emotional well-being of a person. According to ayurveda, emotional instability is caused by miscommunication between the head and the heart. Here are ten ayurvedic tips to uplift your emotions and calm your inner self. 

 Go to bed on time: a good night's sleep is essential not only for your physical health, but also for your mental health. Try going to bed by 9 pm on a regular basis. This will give you a restful night's sleep and allow you to awake feeling refreshed.
 Wake up with the sun: an early start to the day keeps you from feeling dull and tired and boosts your energy levels. This also prevents build-up of toxins in your body and helps keep circulation and internal communication lines clear. 
 Go outdoors: start your day by taking a walk outdoors early morning. This releases positive neurohormones that elevate your mood and activates the body's energy centres. 
 Avoid constipation: clearing the waste created by your body on a daily basis is crucial to having a calm persona and not suffering from low mood swings. Drink plenty of water and make it a habit to eliminate your bowels at a particular time of the day to prevent constipation. Eating food rich in fiber or eating a few prunes, figs or cooked apples before going to bed can also help prevent constipation. 
 Eat food that is easy to digest: food that is easy to digest does not cause bloating and other indigestion-related problems. It also prevents the buildup of toxic chemicals and boosts immunity. When your physical health is good, your mood gets elevated as well. 
 Try herbs and spices: spices and herbs help the body absorb nutrients and prevent the buildup of toxins in your body. Try including flavouring agents like turmeric, amla, peppermint oil, coconut oil and cumin in your food to make yourself feel happier. 
 Get a massage: a massage relaxes the body and eases stress. It also releases toxins, improves circulation and invigorates the body. Use any oil you like for a massage as each has its own unique properties. 
 Exercise: regular exercise is one of the cornerstones of good physical and mental health. Aim for at least half an hour rigrous exercise or break it into smaller intervals as per your time suitability. Yoga can also be very beneficial when it comes to elevating your mood. 
 Pranayama: pranayama is the yogic way of breathing. This teaches you to breathe slowly and consciously so as to release pent up anger, stress etc and calm the mind. 
 Meditate: regular meditation at the beginning or end of each day can also help calm the body and mind.

10 Ayurvedic Secrets to Uplift the Emotions and Create Inner Calm

Yoga is a complete workout of body and mind, and is a combination of stretching along with deep breathing and meditation. It is a way of keeping yourself fit without doing strenuous workouts and lifting heavy weights.

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian medical science, which treats an illness or a disease using natural ingredients. Ayurvedic treatment has been proven to be the most effective in cases of asthma, paralysis, joint pain, headache and gynecological issues. The following points emphasize the relation between Yoga and Ayurveda:

1. Aim at ensuring mental peace: Yoga and Ayurveda both are extremely powerful in treating medical issues as well as in delivering mental peace. Ayurveda uses diets, herbs, shrubs, meditation and pranayama for treating purpose. Both of them are interrelated branches of India's ancient knowledge.

2. Based on similar principles: The principles of Trigunas i.e. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas and the principles of panchamahabuthas i.e. fire, water, air, space and earth are the base of Yoga and Ayurveda. Both of them are based on the basic principles of the body, such as working procedures of the body and effects of food and medicine on our body.

3. Share common beliefs: Both Yoga and Ayurveda have a common belief regarding healthy body as the two believe that a healthy and balanced mind result in a healthy body. Both of them have the similar metaphysical anatomy and physiology that consist of 7 primary chakras (centers of energy), 5 bodily sheaths, 72,000 nadis (subtle channels) and the Kundalini Shakti (energy). Yoga and Ayurveda both believe that in order to fulfill the four aims of life it is necessary to keep your body healthy. The four aims are:
i. Dharma (duty)
ii. Artha (wealth)
iii. Kama (desire)
iv. Moksha (liberation)

4. Similar treatment measures: For the purpose of treatment, Yoga and Ayurveda, both use meditation and pranayama practices. For improving the mental and physical health, both of them use body purification procedures, herbs & natural ingredients and chanting of mantras. The body purification procedure is known as 'Shatkriyas' in Yoga and as 'Panchakarma' in Ayurveda.

Many Yoga practitioners add Ayurvedic remedies to your daily routines because Yoga and Ayurveda together are powerful mediums that maintain your body, breath, senses, mind and chakras. Together Yoga and Ayurveda work excellently and cure you naturally with no side effects.

Yoga and Ayurveda Connection

Yoga is a great way to get rid of diseases and health conditions from heart problems to sciatica and depression. There exists a body of research suggesting that yoga is the best healing therapy for improving spine alignment and joint health. But on the flip side, research also suggests that yoga can t cure cancers though it can help one deal with chemotherapy.

But you can certainly try yoga for these diseases and conditions



Digestive disorders: There are a number of asanas and pranayamas like the child pose or bala asana and kapalbhati pranayama, which can alleviate indigestion, gas and flatulence. These also help in bowel movement. The Boat pose which is done by stretching your legs and arms straight out parallel in front of you and then raising legs so toes are above eye level is very good for stomach disorders and so is the downward dog pose.
Heart disease: Bhujangasana or cobra pose stretches the chest, massaging organs inside, including heart, and allowing more blood flow to it, thus stimulating and strengthening heart muscle. Kapalbhati pranayama is also very good for the heart since it increases the absorption of oxygen in the blood. Yoga is proven to be an excellent heart risk improvement practice according to current research too.
Depression: Anulom vilom pranayama is extremely effective in tackling anxiety and depression. It slows down breathing and is effective against hypertension too when done regularly over a long time. The deep breathing done while doing this pranayama helps slow heart rate and allows the lungs to absorb more oxygen.
Diabetes: Surya namaskar or the twelve sun salutation poses help control diabetes as it promotes the production of insulin. The corpse pose is good too.
Headaches: Migraines and headaches are common problems that can be handled using yoga. Poses like Sirsasana that increase the flow of oxygen to the brain can alleviate migraines easily.
Thyroid disorders: Yoga asanas like shoulder stand, inverted pose, plough pose and the fish pose all help in making the thyroid gland work optimally again. The cobra pose and Ujjayi pranayama also work wonders by re-balancing metabolism and working on the throat reflex pathways to cure thyroid imbalance. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor and ask a free question.
Body pain: More than 50 percent adults will face body pain due to a number of reasons in their lifetime. Simple stretching or yoga stretches can both help in the prevention of body pain. Tadasana is very good for aligning the vertebral column and getting rid of body pain. Surya namaskar stretches are very helpful too.

7 Common Diseases That Yoga Postures Help In Managing It

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