Wednesday 31 December 2014

Yoga for better health

NOTE: Kapalbhati will result in loss of excess fat not only from the abdomen but all over. If you do not want to reduce your weight please avoid practicing it.


I suffer from Chronic Fatigue and an eating disorder which keeps me from living a normal life. 10 years ago I discovered 4 exercises of Yoga thanks to Swami Ramdev which together have helped me live a better quality of life. The four Yoga exercises are Kapalbhati, Anulom Vilom, Bhramri and Udgeet. These exercises were practiced by Indian yogis and find mention in the Vedas. All the exercises should be done in the morning in open air. Wear something that is not restrictive to abdominal movement.

Kapalbhati
This is a good exercise for weight reduction with many more benefits. It helps increase the oxygen levels in the body. Higher oxygen levels strengthen the immune system and help fight disease. It is a simple exercise but should be done for at least 10 minutes in 2 equal sets of 5 minutes each. Sit cross legged in Gyan mudra. Gyan mudra is a hand position. Make a circle with the thumb and index finger. Place the palms face up on your knees. If for some reason you find it difficult to sit cross legged, sit in another suitable way, for instance in a chair. Make sure both nostrils are unblocked. If a nostril is blocked, pinching the index finger at the tip helps unblock it. If this does not work lying down on the side of the open nostril will unblock the other nostril. Once both nostrils are working, inhale and breathe out quickly, and keep repeating this. You need to concentrate on breathing out with a short burst and breathe in normally. The breathing out is similar to coughing only air is let out through the nose. The shoulders remain still. Only the chest and abdomen move. Every stroke should be completed in 1 second. When you are starting off, do one set of 100 counts. Increase this every day by 50 counts until you reach 300 counts in five minutes. Continue this for a week or 10 days then increase to 2 sets slowly. If you feel any discomfort stop the exercise till you feel fine. Please consult a trained Yoga instructor or your doctor before you start Kapalbhati. Kapalbhati should not be practiced by individuals with hypertension or other heart issues. Avoid it if you have issues with you abdomen. Women should not practice it during menstruation and pregnancy. It is a powerful exercise and if done regularly will help you reduce weight and boost your energy levels and reduce the need for sleep. I have experienced weight reduction of a pound in one single session of 25 minutes. However do be careful and consult an expert. You may reach me via email raaj2599@gmail.com.

Anulom Vilom
This is relatively a safe exercise. Sit cross legged in Gyan mudra. With the thumb of the right hand close the right nostril. Breathe in through the left nostril. Now close the left nostril with the middle and ring fingers, release the thumb from the right nostril and breathe out. Keep the left nostril closed and breathe in through the right nostril. Close the right nostril with the thumb and breathe out through the left. This completes one round. Anulom Vilom is done slowly while focusing on the breath. Breathe in and out at a slow regular pace. You should be doing about 12 rounds per minute. Another variation of Anulom Vilom is that you breathe in through one nostril in 10 counts, hold your breath for 10 counts and breathe out in 10 counts and keep repeating this. Anulom Vilom can be done in 5 minute sets or continuously for longer duration. I do and recommend one set of Kapalbhati and one set of Anulom Vilom. Always start with Kapalbhati. Anulom Vilom is great for relieving stress and can be safely done for long durations if stress levels are high. It will relax and help you focus.

Bhramri
Once you have completed two sets of Kapalbhati and Anulom Vilom each. Close your ears with the thumb place your index finger on the eye brows and close your eyes with the other three fingers. Now breathe out through the nose saying Om with the mouth closed. This creates a vibration in the mouth and throat. Repeat this 5 times after you have completed Kapalbhati and Anulom Vilom. Bhramri helps the thyroid anxiety and stress. It helps control anger and anxiety, improves concentration and memory among a host of other benefits depending on the individual practicing it. If you have trouble sleeping practicing Bhramree at night will help you sleep. Do it at the end of your exercise session 5 times but may practice it for longer duration for more benefit.

Udgeet
Sit in Gyan mudra breathe in and say Om through the mouth 5 times. Breathe in deep and slowly release the air through the mouth over 5 to 10 seconds while saying Om. This calms he mind, relieves tension and soothes the nerves. Udgeet may also be practiced for long durations to reap more benefit.

When done together these four exercises will improve energy levels and reduce weight, reduce stress and anxiety, improve digestion, strengthen the ab muscles, improve vision, and keep you safe from coughs and colds. They will also strengthen your immune system. In addition these exercises help control anger and improve concentration. I can list hundreds of more benefits but instead would urge you to try the exercises for 40 days and feel the change for yourself. However, I recently came across this excellent yoga program by Kris Fondran. I would recommend it to anyone looking for more exercises for overall fitness, than what I have discussed in this article. For under $20, I think it is great value for money.  

1 comment: