7 Reasons to Practice Pranayama

When did you practice Pranayama or breathing practice last time? Is that just before the last interview to stress out or during playing games? Breathing is a vital process which starts at the time of birth and stops when a person dies. It’s the most powerful force in the universe and in fact the only thing we actually need to survive in this beautiful world. Once your breathing stops you are gone! But, knowingly or unknowingly we pay very little attention to it. When we breathe, we bring life-sustaining oxygen into our body which helps to improve blood circulation to all parts of the body.

Pranayama is the practice of controlling the breath, which is the main source of our Prana, which we also called the vital life force. The word ‘Prana’ represents ‘vital energy’ which is responsible for the life or life force, while ‘ayama’ means ‘control’. Hence, Pranayama refers to ‘control of the life force’. The word ‘ayama’ also denotes ‘extension’ or ‘expansion’. So, Pranayama also refers to extension or expansion of prana. It’s obvious that one can only control the rhythm of pranic energy with Pranayama and attain a healthy body, mind and soul.

Breathing includes inhalation and exhalation, which is also called as Puraka and Rechaka. With each inhalation, we take in vital energy in the form of oxygen and with each exhalation, we remove toxic elements in the form of carbon dioxide from our body. Pranayama or breathing control also involves retention of breath, which we call as Kumbhaka, wherein air is retained internally or externally. Retention of air increases the level of prana or energy in the body, and also regulates the flow of pranic energy throughout the body.

When we practice yoga asanas, it’s more about how we breathe to stay in that posture for a long time. Have you observed that when you stop your breathing, you could hardly stay in that pose! Breathing practices have benefits at all levels for human beings. It helps to bring physical, psychological, mental and spiritual equilibrium in your body.

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Today, we will know 7 most powerful reasons to practice pranayama which can introduce you to the life-changing benefits with zero cost. You can do it anywhere just like sitting on your bed or on a chair and neither a yoga mat nor a yoga cloth is required to practice breathing!

1. Improved mental health

Many of us are suffering from stress, anxiety and depression in our daily life. There are endless reasons starting from competitive work life to relationship. Stress is known to be the one of the main reason to a host of diseases and some of them are life-threatening. But, regular practice of Pranayama teaches your mind to focus and bring your concentration back to your breathing. It changes the way your monkey mind thinks and reacts to the external world, provides a relaxed and calmer mind. Pranayama reduces stress, provides freedom from negative mental emotions such as depression, anger, jealousy, greed, arrogance and much more. Regular practice of breathing controls the fluctuation of mind and prepares you for deeper meditation. It experiences inner peace, improves sleep, sharpens the memory and refines concentration.

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Breathing allows us to bring more fresh oxygen into our body and helps to improve circulation of oxygenated blood flow to all parts of the body. When the blood flows from lungs to heart, heart pumps the blood through the blood vessels and arteries of the body. Improved blood flow brings energy and prana (life) in your body parts and you feel energetic. Pranayama also helps to increase the oxygen supply to the brain and provides complete relaxation to the nervous system.

3. Improved digestion

Each inhalation and exhalation causes the diaphragm to move up and down. When we breathe, we engage our diaphragm. The abdominal organs get stimulated with the breathing practice and move along with the diaphragm, causing them to slide against each other. In this way, pranayama helps to improve digestion and alleviates constipation disorders.

4. Reduces rate of breathing

Regular practice of pranayama helps to master the process of breathing more slowly and more deeply. Reduced breathing rate has multiple benefits for the body like slowing down the heart rate, minimizing the wear and tear of the internal organs, improving blood circulation and lowering the blood pressure.

5. Increases life

Philosophy of yoga says that the longevity of life depends on the breathing rate. Pranayama helps to slow down the ageing process by lowering your breathing rate. Pranayama helps to lessen the rate of breathing from 15-16 breathing to 5-6 breathing per minute. As you lower your breathing rate, you also increase your life.

6. Increased lung capacity

Pranayama increases your lung capacity. This is very helpful for those suffering from respiratory illnesses such as asthma and emphysema to overcome the fear of shortness of breath. Breathing practice fills your lungs with fresh nutrients and enhances the overall functions.

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7. Weight loss formula

Nowadays weight gain is one of the talks of the town. Weigh gain causes due to the fast paced lifestyle where little time is given to the eating habit and our body is suffering from stress. People invest their hard earned money in Gym to reduce weight. Pranayama helps to reduce stress, anxiety and encourages your mind to be attentive towards the considering which foods are best for your body and eating habits. Moreover, several pranayama techniques like Kapalbhati Pranayama help to reduce fat from your abdominal area, increases the metabolism, lower blood pressure and increases the function of thyroid gland.

Pranayama also helps to maintain the natural rhythm of all your body organs and allows them to function properly for major part of our lives. Know more about the different types of Pranayama and their benefits.

Pranayama is the best zero cost natural medicine with no side effect to keep you away from stress and fast-paced lifestyle diseases.

 

Shitkari Pranayama- Steps & Benefits

An effective breathing technique to calm the mind and cool the body. It is a reliever for stomach and lower abdomen problems.

 Shitkari – Cooling down | Pranayama – Breathing

As the name suggests, “Shitkari” means cooling down. A breathing practice which can cool down your body and gives a feeling of calm and coldness. The decrease of body temperature brings a positive impact on our nervous system and endocrine glands. This is a very good breathing practice to control your thirst and hunger. Though the procedure is different, both the Sheetali and Shitkari pranayama have same benefits. This is also called as “Hissing Breath” because while practicing this breathing exercise, we produce a hissing sound.

Benefits of Shitkari Pranayama

• It calms the mind and acts as an effective stress buster.
• Control high B.P. and purifies the blood.
• Helps to cool down the body temperature and nervous system.
• Helpful in fever, indigestion, and hyperacidity.
• Useful in diseases like tongue, mouth or throat.
• Prevents premature graying of hair and hair fall.
• Cures Insomnia and helps to improve the quality of sleep.
• Helps you in controlling thirst, hunger, and sleep.

Precautions

Practitioners suffering from lower blood pressure, asthma, cold, cough, and congestion should not practice. Avoid this breathing practice during the extremely cold days of winter. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.

Steps to do a perfect Shitkari Pranayama

• First sit comfortably in Lotus Pose or simple sitting pose.
• Rest both your hands on your knees in chin mudra.
• Close your eyes, relax your whole body, open your lips exposing the teeth.
• Now, lightly press the tip of your tongue against your lower front teeth.
• Inhale slowly through your tongue with a kind of hissing sound ‘Sssssssiii’.
• After filling your lungs completely, close your mouth and exhale with both nostrils without any retention.
• Now, relax and repeat this for 4-5 times.

 Tips

Shitkari pranayama is best practiced on an empty stomach. People with sensitive tooth should avoid this pranayama. Regular practice of this pranayama decreases the burning sensation which results from stomach acidity.

Enjoy this beautiful breathing technique and remove cold, cough from your body forever with regular practice.

If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

Sheetali Pranayama- Steps & Benefits

An effective breathing technique to calm the mind and cool the body. It is a reliever for stomach and lower abdomen problems.

Sheetali – Cooling | Pranayama – Breathing

As the name suggests, “Sheetali” means cooling down. A breathing practice which can cool down our body and gives a feeling of calm and coldness. The decrease of body temperature brings a positive impact on our nervous system and endocrine glands. This is a very good breathing practice to control your thirst and hunger.

Benefits of Sheetali Pranayama

• It calms the mind and acts as an effective stress buster.
• Control high B.P. and purifies the blood.
• Helps to cool down the body temperature and nervous system.
• Helpful in fever, indigestion, and hyperacidity.
• Useful in diseases like tongue, mouth or throat.
• Prevents premature graying of hair and hair fall.
• Cures Insomnia and helps to improve the quality of sleep.

Precautions

Practitioners suffering from lower blood pressure, asthma, cold, cough, and congestion should not practice. Avoid this breathing practice during the extremely cold days of winter. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.

Steps to do perfect Sheetali Pranayama

• First sit comfortably in Padmasana or simply sitting pose.
• Rest both your hands on knees in chin mudra.
• Now bring your tongue out and fold both sides of the tongue like a tube or a straw.
• Take a long, deep inhalation through the tube made a shape in the tongue.
• After Inhalation, close your mouth and exhale with both nostrils.
• Now, relax and repeat this for 4-5 times.

Tips

Sheetali pranayama is best practiced on an empty stomach. Stick your tongue out and roll the lateral edges upward so that your tongue forms like a tube. Now, you can inhale through that curled tongue, as if you are breathing through a straw. If you are not being able to form a tube, then do not force yourself. It depends from person to person. After continuous practice, you can include retention variation with bandhas or lock.

Enjoy this beautiful breathing technique and keep yourself calm, cool and focussed.

If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

 

10 ways Yoga changed my life & it can change yours too!

When I started doing yoga and meditation, I felt like my body is inflexible and I am not made for yoga. Forget about practising headstand, when I was thinking about it, I felt like falling again and again. But, over the years I realized that yoga is made for people who are inflexible. It’s not about whether you have a flexible or inflexible body, it’s all about the start we need to do. I always believe that yoga and meditation are not about moving your body parts but it’s all about knowing yourself and your body. It is the alignment of body, mind, and soul. Yoga helps to unite these three aspects of our life. It gives me the strength to rejuvenate and concentrate on my goals. Here are the 10 ways yoga changed my life and it could change yours also.

1. Stress Relief

Nowadays many of us are going through stress. There may be many reasons starting from work-related pressure to relationship issues. But, regular practice of yoga helped me to lower the stress hormone levels in my body. When stress decreases, it lowers blood pressure and heart rates. It helped me to ease the symptoms of anxiety, depression and much other stress-related problems I was suffering due to job-related issues.

2. Boost the immune system

Before practising yoga and pranayama, I was getting sick once in every month with cold, cough and fever. Injuries took time to heal. These problems were happening due to my lower level of the immune system. But, when I started practising yoga, slowly and steadily I boosted my immune system and now I rarely get sick due to cold or a cough. Moreover, my digestion capacity also improved significantly.

3. Improved Breathing

Regular practice of yoga taught me to be aware of my breathing. Slower and deeper breaths helped me to improve my lung function and increase the amount of oxygen intake into my body. While exhaling, it helped me to flush out the toxins from my body.

4. Flexibility

As I mentioned above, I was carrying the most inflexible body with me. Today, I can practice advanced yoga poses without any difficulty. But, it didn’t happen overnight. Regular practice and focused mind helped me to achieve this milestone over time by lengthening my ligaments, tendons, and muscles. It gives me a better posture by improving my body alignment.

5. Increased strength and stamina

We all like to be strong and rich in stamina. Yes, yoga practice built my muscles stronger and increased my strength from head to toe. It helped me to improve my core stamina and arm strength to enter into practising the advanced poses.

6. Weight Management

Well, in this case, I am the happiest and satisfied person. Yoga not only helps you to reduce your body fat and weight but also help you to be fit and not allowing you to deposit extra fat with zero cost.

7. Improved blood circulation

Yoga helped me to improve circulation of blood in my body. When I started practising different inversion poses like headstand, shoulder stand, and handstand, oxygenated blood flow to my body’s cell got improved.

8. Comparison with others

When I was in my childhood, I used to compare myself with others. There were many reasons starting from the study, the way people look at to the way they behave. But, when I started practising yoga and pranayama, I realized that I am unique in myself and there is no reason to compare my life with others. My body and my life are totally different from the rest of the world. When you stop comparing yourself with others, you get maximum time to build yourself to be a better human being.

9. Patient & Self-control

I was always in a hurry to achieve anything and everything. But with the yoga practice of yoga, I realized that just like each asana takes time and effort to master, everything else in life also come to you at right time with your dedication and hard work. When I took an oath to bring yoga into my daily life, I brought discipline into my life. It taught me how to control my mind, body, and soul.

10. Peace of mind

Regular practice of yoga helped me to be mindful and increased the awareness of being present at the moment. Yoga means union, union of your body, mind, and soul. It helped me improve my memory, concentration power and most importantly I learned to be at peace with myself. Meditation provided me with a platform to go deeper into the spirituality and to understand who really am I? I started listening to this gadget (body). This is the most efficient gadget in this world.

Yoga is not about performing or practising most difficult postures, it’s all about enjoying the journey while recognizing and nourishing the light within. Regular practice of yoga helped me to change my life for a better cause, it can change yours too!

Enjoy this beautiful gift from God and bring balance, physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium in your life.

If you feel this article is helpful to you, then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

Bhastrika Pranayama- Steps & Benefits

A powerful breathing technique which is most useful to generate heat in the body and most beneficial for people suffering from cold and Kapha(water dominated). This exercise is done through the chest and engages the lungs. Here, we forced both inhalation and exhalation whereas in Kapalbhati Pranayama only exhalation is forced. Bhastrika Pranayama is pronounced as bha-STRI-kaah prah-nah-YAH-mah. The ancient yogis called this breathing exercise as “the yoga breath of fire”. It helps to balance the three doshas in your body i.e. Vata, Pitta and Kapha.

Bhastrika – Bellow | Pranayama – Breathing

As the name suggests, this breathing technique reflects breathing like a bellow. The other name of this pranayama is called bellow breathing.

Benefits of Bhastrika Pranayama

• It improves our blood circulation, immune system and keep us away for heart-related diseases
• Calms mind, relieves stress and provide relaxation to body and mind
• Improves your concentration and helps to stronger the lungs
• Relieves depression, anxiety, stress, and hypertension. Cures arthritis and obesity
• Helps in allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases, tonsil, thyroid and helpful for cold

Precautions

Practitioners suffering from lung diseases, high blood pressure and heart problems should perform this practice slowly. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.

Steps to do perfect Bhastrika Pranayama

• Sit comfortably in the Padmasana or Sukhasana pose with eyes closed.
• Take few deep breaths through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. You can hear a hissing sound while exhaling.
• Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Exhale is an excellent way to remove all the toxins you have accumulated from your body and inhalation helps to get fresh oxygen.
• Now, relax and repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

Tips

This is an excellent breathing practice since we get the maximum amount of oxygen due to full inhalation and exhalation process during the practice. This can be done in a slow, medium or fast way as per your convenience. This should always be done towards the start of the practice or pranayama. It is beneficial when done during colder months since it generates heat in your body and helps to remove Kapha.

Enjoy this beautiful breathing technique and remove cold, cough from your body forever with regular practice.

If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

 

Anulom Vilom Pranayama- Steps & Benefits

Anulom Vilom (Alternate Nostril Breathing) is one of the most effective pranayamas to purify your body and mind. It cures the tri-dosas or impurities i.e. Vata, Pitta, and Kapha and is very useful in releasing stress and anxiety. In developing yoga practice, learning breath control exercises play an important role. According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, pranayama is one of the classical eight limbs of Yoga. It helps to cleanse, balance, purify your life force or prana and helps you to stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit. This breathing practice is also called Nadi Shodhan pranayama as this clears your blocked energy channels.

In this breathing practice, inhalation (Puraka), retention (Kumbhaka) and exhalation (Rechaka) are used. This can be practiced with or without Kumbhaka. Beginners should practice without Kumbhaka and with regular practice, they should bring that into their practice.

In Anulom Vilom pranayama, breathing can be done only through one nostril which is alternated, the other nostril is closed using the fingers. The thumb finger is used to close the right nostril and the ring finger is used to close the left nostril.

Benefits of Anulom Vilom Pranayama

• It removes toxins from your body and improves blood circulation
• Helps to keep diabetes under control and improves function of lungs
• Relieves stress, depression and calms your mind
• Helps to cure a headache, migraine, neurological problems, heart blockage and gastric problems
• It balances the two main energy channels i.e. Ida and Pingala. Then it awakens the central channel called Sushumna Nadi
• This breathing practice helps to clean the pranic channels and makes sure prana flow freely in the entire body
• An effective breathing exercise for weight loss

Precautions

This pranayama should be done on an empty stomach, preferably in the early morning after bath. You can also practice this in the evening with a gap of 4-5 hours after the meal. Do not overdo the practice and increase the duration of inhalation and exhalation beyond your limit. Those suffering from heart disease or blood pressure should avoid retention of breath during the process. Women should avoid this during pregnancy and periods. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.

Steps to do perfect Anulom Vilom Pranayama

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spine straight.
• Keep your left hand in Chin Mudra and rest on your right knee.
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb in Vishnu mudra. Inhale slowly through your left nostril, inhale as much oxygen as you can so that your lungs get full of air.
• Remove your thumb from right nostril and exhale from the right while closing your left nostril.
• Now, inhale through your right nostril and close your right nostril and exhale from left nostril.
• Repeat this procedure as long as you feel comfortable. Remember it’s your body and you must not force it. Relax and repeat it for 3-4 times.

Inhalation, Retention, and Exhalation

Beginners can start this exercise with the ratio of 1:1 for inhalation and exhalation. That means, if you inhale for 4 seconds through one nostril, then the exhalation from the other nostril is also 4 seconds. With slow and steady progress, the ratio can be changed to 1:2, which means if inhalation is 4 seconds, then exhalation is 8 seconds.

After regular practice when you include Kumbhaka or retention of breath into your practice, the ratio will become 1:1:1. For example, 4 seconds of inhalation, 4 seconds of retention and 4 seconds of exhalation. With the same progress as above, the ratio can be increased to 1:2:2, 1:4:2. Please note that advanced practitioner should only practice 1:4:2.

Enjoy this beautiful breathing technique and purify your mind and body. If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

Yoga for Cough & Cold

Summer season comes to an end and those rain breezes give us coolness and a moment to find happiness and relaxation. But, for people with weak immune system, monsoon season comes with the fear of a cough and cold. Coughing from time to time helps our body to clear particles and secretions from the lungs and helps to prevent infection. Though a chronic cough is not serious, when it extends over the week, brings unpleasant experience for the patients. That includes a headache, dizziness, muscle strain, body pain, insomnia and excessive sweat.

If someone around you is infected with the cold or cough virus, then there is a chance that you can get it too because this virus is airborne. The virus passes through your nose and throat. Once your immune system gets the signal, it sends out white blood cells to attack the viruses.

But, we are blessed with an ancient system of yoga practice. Yes, you read the right word yoga. Regular practice of yoga balances the body’s energy system or nadis and boosts your immune system. It also helps in reducing the stress hormones. Apart from yoga, pranayama or breathing exercises also helps in absorbing more oxygen into the lungs, prevents a cough and cold.

So, let start the practice with some useful breathing exercises to prevent a cough and cold.

1. Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)

This is an excellent breathing practice since we get the maximum amount of oxygen due to full inhalation and exhalation process during the practice. Regular practice of this breathing exercise helps to improve your concentration and stronger the lungs.

• Sit comfortably on your mat. Take few deep breaths through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. You can hear a hissing sound while exhaling.
• Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Exhale is an excellent way to remove toxins from your body.
• Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

2. Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breathing)

It has a cleansing effect on the lungs, balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. Moreover, it removes sleepiness and energizes the mind for mental work.  Regular practice of this breathing exercise removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system thoroughly.

3. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

This breathing practice helps to enhance the supply of oxygen throughout your body. It improves blood circulation and relaxes your body and mind. It also helps to cure a headache, migraine and neurological problems. Anulom Vilom pranayama cleans the pranic channels and makes sure prana flow freely in the entire body

4. Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean Breathing)

This pose helps to improve Increases lung capacity and with each exhalation maximum toxins get released.

• First, sit on the Padmasana or simple sitting pose. Inhale deeply with both nostrils along with contraction inside the throat which makes the breath long and thin.
• The friction of air should be felt inside the throat when it is contracted and you can feel a hissing sound of breath.
• Now exhale out very slowly. Now, try to touch your chin to the upper side of the chest (Jalandhar Bandha or throat lock).
• Hold the breath inside for maximum 10 seconds (Kumbhaka).
• Now exhale out slowly with left nostril, by closing right nostril with your right-hand thumb. Exhale must be done by left nostril only.

After finishing the above deep breathing exercises, now you can practice the below effective yoga poses to fight a cough or cold and to improve your immune system.

1. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

This pose stretches your neck, stimulates the thyroid glands and reduces the stiffness of muscles and joints. Regular practice can energize your body, remove anxiety and reduce stress level.

2. Ustrasana (Camel pose)

This pose stretches the stomach, abdomen, and intestines. It is very helpful in strengthening the backs and shoulders.

Photo Credit: Lovemyyoga

 

• Kneel on your mat placing your hands on your hips. The knees and shins should touch the ground.
• Now keep your knees and shoulders in the same line, and the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling.
• Inhale slowly. Arch your back and draw your tailbone in towards your pubis. Now, gently slide your palms over your feet and straighten your arms.
• Keep your neck free and neutral. Make sure it is not to be strained.
• Hold the position for as long as you can and then come back to the original position.

3. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

It Strengthens the whole back body and abdominal muscles, opens up the chest, neck, and shoulders.  Those who suffer from excessive problems of spinal cord and disc should not perform this pose.

Photo Credit: Doyouyoga

 

• Lie on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by the side of your body.
• Fold your knees, take your hands backward and hold your ankles.
• Inhale and lift your chest off the ground and pull your legs up and back.
• Look forward and stay there while paying attention to your breath. Now, your body looks like a curve.
• Continue to take long deep breaths as you relax in this pose. Bend as far as your body permits and don’t force your body unnecessary.
• After few seconds, as you exhale, gently bring your legs and chest to the ground. Release the ankles and relax.

4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This pose helps in improving digestion and circulation of blood. It also reduces stress, depression and stretches the chest, spine, neck, and hips.

Photo Credit: Everyday health

 

• Lie on the floor with knees bent and directly over heels.
• Place arms at sides, palms down. First, inhale and then exhale and press feet into floor as you lift your hips.
• Make a fist with your hands under lower back and press arms down. Lift your hips until thighs are parallel to the floor, bringing chest towards the chin. Stay for few breaths.

5. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This pose increases flexibility, elevates mood and strengthens arms and shoulders. It also improves circulation of blood flow and oxygen and removes fatigue and stress.

6. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This pose stretches the back of the legs, calms the mind and nervous system. It also regulated blood flow and improves digestion. Practice this pose to give your body a better relaxation.

Photo Credit: Doyouyoga

 

• Lie down flat on your back in supine position.
• Position your buttocks closer to the wall as much as possible and then Inhale slowly and deeply.
• Rest both your legs on the wall while keeping them straight.
• Tilt your toes towards your body until you feel the pressure on your hamstrings.
• Stretch both your hands on either side of your body.
• Hold the position with regular breathing for at least 2-3 minutes.

Jal Neti: In addition to the above yoga poses and deep breathing practices, Jal neti is also very effective to give relief in a cough, cold or effects of sinusitis. Jal neti is a nasal cleaning technique which uses warm water with rock salt to clean the mucus accumulated in your nasal passage. When the passage gets cleaned, chances of infection gets reduced.

Regular practice of yoga improves your immune system and enhances your ability to fight the viruses in a better way.

Yoga asanas to cure Cough and Cold

Summer season comes to an end and those rain breezes give us coolness and a moment to find happiness and relaxation. But, for people with weak immune system, monsoon season comes with the fear of a cough and cold. Coughing from time to time helps our body to clear particles and secretions from the lungs and helps to prevent infection. Though a chronic cough is not serious, when it extends over the week, brings unpleasant experience for the patients. That includes a headache, dizziness, muscle strain, body pain, insomnia and excessive sweat.

If someone around you is infected with the cold or cough virus, then there is a chance that you can get it too because this virus is airborne. The virus passes through your nose and throat. Once your immune system gets the signal, it sends out white blood cells to attack the viruses.

But, we are blessed with an ancient system of yoga practice. Yes, you read the right word yoga. Regular practice of yoga balances the body’s energy system or nadis and boosts your immune system. It also helps in reducing the stress hormones. Apart from yoga, pranayama or breathing exercises also helps in absorbing more oxygen into the lungs, prevents a cough and cold.

So, let’s start the practice with some useful breathing exercises to prevent a cough or cold. You just need a yoga mat and lots of willing power to start the practice.

1. Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)

This is an excellent breathing practice since we get the maximum amount of oxygen due to full inhalation and exhalation process during the practice. Regular practice of this breathing exercise helps to improve your concentration and stronger the lungs.

• Sit comfortably on your yoga mat. Take few deep breaths through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. You can hear a hissing sound while exhaling.
• Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Exhale is an excellent way to remove toxins from your body.
• Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

2. Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breathing)

It has a cleansing effect on the lungs, balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. Moreover, it removes sleepiness and energizes the mind for mental work.  Regular practice of this breathing exercise removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system thoroughly. Know more

3. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

This breathing practice helps to enhance the supply of oxygen throughout your body. It improves blood circulation and relaxes your body and mind. It also helps to cure a headache, migraine and neurological problems. Know more

4. Ujjayi Pranayama (Ocean Breathing)

This pose helps to improve Increases lung capacity and with each exhalation maximum toxins get released.

• First, sit on the Padmasana or simple sitting pose. Inhale deeply with both nostrils along with contraction inside the throat which makes the breath long and thin.
• The friction of air should be felt inside the throat when it is contracted and you can feel a hissing sound of breath.
• Now exhale out very slowly. Now, try to touch your chin to the upper side of the chest (Jalandhar Bandha or throat lock).
• Hold the breath inside for maximum 10 seconds (Kumbhaka).
• Now exhale out slowly with left nostril, by closing right nostril with your right-hand thumb. Exhale must be done by left nostril only.

After finishing the above deep breathing exercises, now you can practice the below effective yoga poses to fight a cough or cold and to improve your immune system.

1. Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

This pose stretches your neck, stimulates the thyroid glands and reduces the stiffness of muscles and joints. Regular practice can energize your body, remove anxiety and reduce stress level. Know more

2. Ustrasana (Camel Pose)

This pose stretches the stomach, abdomen, and intestines. It is very helpful in strengthening the backs and shoulders.

Photo Credit: Lovemyyoga

• Kneel on your mat placing your hands on your hips. The knees and shins should touch the ground.
• Now keep your knees and shoulders in the same line, and the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling.
• Inhale slowly. Arch your back and draw your tailbone in towards your pubis. Now, gently slide your palms over your feet and then, straighten your arms.
• Keep your neck free and neutral. Make sure it is not to be strained.
• Hold the position for as long as you can and then come back to the original position.

3. Bow Pose (Dhanurasana)

It Strengthens the whole back body and abdominal muscles, opens up the chest, neck, and shoulders.  Those who suffer from excessive problems of spinal cord and disc should not perform this pose.

Photo Credit: Doyouyoga

• Lie on your stomach with your feet hip-width apart and your arms by the side of your body.
• Fold your knees, take your hands backward and hold your ankles.
• Inhale and lift your chest off the ground while you pull your legs up and back.
• Look forward and stay there while paying attention to your breath. Now, your body looks like a curve.
• Continue to take long deep breaths as you relax in this pose. Bend as far as your body permits and don’t force your body unnecessary.
• After few seconds, as you exhale, gently bring your legs and chest to the ground. Now, release the ankles and relax.

4. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

This pose helps in improving digestion and circulation of blood. Moreover, it also reduces stress, depression and stretches the chest, spine, neck, and hips.

Photo Credit: Everyday health

• Lie on the floor with knees bent and directly over heels.
• Place arms at sides, palms down. First, inhale and then exhale and press feet into floor as you lift your hips.
• Make a fist with your hands under lower back and press arms down. Lift your hips until thighs are parallel to the floor while you bring your chest towards the chin. Stay for few breaths.

5. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana)

This pose increases your flexibility, elevates the mood and strengthens arms and shoulders. Moreover, It also improves circulation of blood flow and oxygen and removes fatigue and stress. Know more

6. Legs Up the Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)

This pose stretches the back of the legs, calms the mind and nervous system. It also regulated blood flow and improves digestion.Therefore, practice this pose provides your body with a better relaxation.

Photo Credit: Doyouyoga

• Lie down flat on your back in supine position.
• Position your buttocks closer to the wall as much as possible and then Inhale slowly and deeply.
• Rest both your legs on the wall while keeping them straight.
• Tilt your toes towards your body until you feel the pressure on your hamstrings.
• Stretch both your hands on either side of your body.
• Hold the position with regular breathing for at least 2-3 minutes.

Jal Neti: In addition to the above yoga poses and deep breathing practices, Jal neti is also very effective to give relief in a cough, cold or effects of sinusitis. It is a nasal cleaning technique which uses warm water with rock salt to clean the mucus accumulated in your nasal passage. When the passage gets cleaned, chances of infection also gets reduced. Know more

Regular practice of yoga improves your immune system and enhances the ability to fight viruses in an effective way. Enjoy the practice and if you feel this article is helpful to cure a cough or cold, then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

Kapalbhati Pranayama- Steps & Benefits

A powerful and popular breathing technique which is most useful to lose weight, bring your entire body to perfect balance and improves overall well-being. In developing yoga practice, learning breath control exercises play an important role. According to Patanjali Yoga Sutras, pranayama is one of the classical eight limbs of Yoga. It helps to cleanse, balance, purify your life force (prana) and help you stay healthy in mind, body, and spirit. Kapalabhati Pranayama is pronounced as Kah-Pah-luh-BAH-tee prah-nah-YAH-mah.

Kapal – Forehead(Skull) | Bhati – Shining | Pranayama – Breathing

As the name suggests, this breathing technique reflects filling your skull with the brightness of enlightenment.

Benefits of Kapalbhati Pranayama

• It improves the function of the lungs, kidney, and other respiratory systems.
• Effective in reducing weight by increasing the metabolism rate
• Improves the function of the reproductive system. Cures erectile dysfunction naturally
• It removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system thoroughly
• Useful in curing respiratory diseases as asthma, allergies, and sinus
• Stimulates abdominal organs and helps to cure constipation, acidity, sinus, and diabetes
• Improves blood circulation and oxygen supply to the body

Precautions

Practitioners suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems or a hernia should avoid or perform this practice slowly. Women should avoid this practice during pregnancy and period. If you have any medical concerns, talk with your doctor before practicing yoga.

Steps to do perfect Kapalbhati Pranayama

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Now take a deep inhale through both of your nostrils until your lungs get full of air.
• Now exhale through both of your nostrils forcefully so that your stomach will go deep inside. As you exhale you will feel some pressure in your stomach.
• During the process of exhaling, you will feel a hissing sound, at this moment try to think that all toxins and disorders from your body are coming out of your nose.
• You may keep one of your hand on the stomach to feel the abdominal muscles contract. Pull the navel in.
• Begin slowly, looking for 60-70 contractions per minute. Slowly and steadily increase the pace, aiming for 90 to 100 contractions per minute. Don’t force your body, do it comfortably and stop if you feel faint or dizzy.
• After this process, inhale deeply through the nostrils and then exhale slowly through your mouth.
• Relax and then repeat the above process for 3 to 4 repetitions.

Tips

Keep your focus on your low belly and exhalations throughout the practice. Do not contract your abdomen while you inhale, the only movement should happen in your lower belly. When practiced correctly and regularly, this pranayama will cleanse, energize, and revitalize your mind, body, and spirit.

Enjoy this beautiful breathing technique and bring physical, mental and spiritual equilibrium in your life.

If you feel this article is helpful to you then share your experience with us by commenting below. We would be happy to hear from you!

 

Pranayama and its Benefits!

The practice of using the breath to calm down the monkey mind and to be mindful of breathing is called Pranayama which is comprised of two roots from Sanskrit words- Prana and ayama. Prana means vital energy or life force which we called ‘Breath’ and ayama means expansion or ‘extension’. Pranayama means the extension or expansion of prana.

The pranayama is a method whereby the life force can be activated and regulated to go beyond one’s normal boundaries or limitations and attain a higher state of vibratory energy and awareness. Pranayama utilises breathing to influence the flow of prana in the nadis or energy channels of the pranamaya kosha or energy body. If you practice it regularly then it helps to cure anxiety, stress, depression, stomach disorders, heart problems and other diseases. 

You just need 25-30 minutes to complete the below 5 pranayamas which are very helpful and highly recommended. But before that let us know some basic requirements for a pranayama practitioner.

• The best time to practice pranayama is early morning when the body is fresh and mind is free from regular distractions. If not possible, another good time is just after sunset.
• Take a bath or shower before starting the practice or at least wash your hands, face, and feet. Do not take a bath for at least half an hour after the practice to allow the body temperature to normalise.
• Loose, comfortable clothing should be worn during the practice. The body may be covered with a blanket or sheet when it is cold or to keep insects away.
• Practice before eating in the morning or wait for at least three to four hours after meals before starting the pranayama.
• Practice in a quiet, clean and pleasant room, which is well ventilated. Avoid practising in direct sunlight as the body will become overheated, except at dawn when the soft rays of the early morning sun are beneficial.
• Try to practice regularly at the same time and place each day as regularity in practices increases strength and willpower and helps to improve the pranic force.

Let’s start the practice sequentially.

1. Bhastrika Pranayama (Bellows Breath)

This is an excellent breathing practice since we get the maximum amount of oxygen due to full inhalation and exhalation process during the practice. This can be done in a slow, medium or fast way as per our convenience.

Note: Practitioners suffering from lung diseases, high blood pressure and heart problems should perform this practice slowly.

Procedure:

• Sit comfortably on your mat. Take few deep breaths through both nostrils and fill the lungs with air and then exhale. You can hear a hissing sound while exhaling.
• Inhale deeply and exhale completely. Exhale is an excellent way to remove toxins from your body.
• Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

 Benefits:

• It improves our blood circulation and keep us away for heart-related diseases.
• Calms mind, relieves stress and provide relaxation to body and mind.
• Improves your concentration and helps to stronger the lungs.
• Relieve in stress, depression and hypertension. It also cures obesity and arthritis.

2. Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breathing)

It has a cleansing effect on the lungs, balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. Moreover, it removes sleepiness and energises the mind for mental work.  An excellent way to lose body weight if you practice this regularly.

Note: Practitioners suffering from high blood pressure and heart problems should perform this practice slowly. Women should avoid this practice during pregnancy and period.

Procedure:

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Now take a deep inhale through both of your nostrils until your lungs get full of air.
• Now exhale through both of your nostrils forcefully so that your stomach will go deep inside. As you exhale you will feel some pressure in your stomach.
• During the process of exhaling, you will feel a hissing sound. At this moment think that all the toxins and impurity from your body are coming out.
• Repeat this procedure for 5 minutes.

Benefits:

• It improves the function of the lungs, kidney, and other respiratory systems.
• Improves the function of the reproductive organs and cures erectile dysfunction naturally.
• It removes toxins from the body and helps to clean the internal system thoroughly.
• Useful in curing respiratory diseases as asthma, allergies, and sinus.
• Helps to cure sinus, constipation, acidity and diabetes.

3. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

It helps to cure diabetes and blood pressure, improves concentration, patience and relieves anxiety. The oxygen supply throughout the body can be greatly enhanced.

Procedure:

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Keep your left hand in Chin Mudra and rest on your right knee.
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb in Vishnu mudra. Inhale slowly through your left nostril, inhale as much oxygen as you can so that your lungs get full of air.
• Remove your thumb from right nostril and exhale from the right while closing your left nostril.
• Now, inhale through your right nostril and close your right nostril and exhale from left nostril.
• Repeat this procedure as long as you feel comfortable. Remember it’s your body and you must not force it.

Benefits:

• It improves blood circulation and relaxes your body and mind.
• Helps to keep diabetes under control and function of lungs can be improved.
• Helps to cure a headache, migraine and gastric problems.

4. Bahya Pranayama (Outside Breathing)

In this pranayama, we keep the breath outside during the practice.  It helps to cure problems related to reproductive organs.

Note: Practitioners suffering from a heart problem and blood pressure should not practice. Women should not practice during the period.

Procedures:

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Take a deep breath and exhale completely.
• Hold your breath and touch your chin to the chest (Jalandhar Bandha). Pull your stomach in and up under the rib cage such that the stomach and back seem to touch each other from the inside (Uddiyana Bandha). Then lift the muscle from groyne area (Mulabandha).
• Hold all these bandhas for few seconds and then inhale deeply to release all locks.
• Repeat this procedure for 3-5 times.

Benefits:

• Helpful to cure acidity, constipation and gastric problem and beneficial in diabetes
• Reproductive organs, urine, and sperm related problems get cured

5. Bhrahmari Pranayama (Bee Breathing)

This breathing practice helps in releasing stress, frustration, and anger. It is the best breathing exercise in calming your mind. In this type of pranayama, we make a humming sound while exhaling. It matches the typical humming sound of bees.

Procedures:

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Place your index fingers on the forehead and with the remaining fingers close your eyes.
• Start inhaling through both the nostril deeply and slowly.
• Keep your mouth close and exhale by making a humming sound of like bee does. While making the humming sound chant ‘Om’.
• Realise that you are removing all the toxins and impurity from your body.

Benefits:

• Effective to cure high blood pressure and hypertension
• Helpful for pregnant women during childbirth.
• Helpful in problems related to nervous system.

Pranayama is the best medicine to keep you away from stress and many lifestyle diseases.

Yoga and Pranayama for Beginners: 11 Basic poses for Beginners Yoga

When we see someone twisting her body parts and showing us some difficult postures through Instagram/YouTube/Facebook, at that time we think that practising Yoga is difficult and it’s not my cup of tea. “When I can’t even touch my toes, how can I practice Yoga?”. But you are absolutely on the wrong side my friends. Yoga is not about twisting your body parts or showing some difficult postures but it is a medium to unite your body, mind and soul. It helps to increase balance, strength and flexibility of your greatest gadget called the body.

Yoga is a simple process and today I picked 11 Pranayama and yoga poses for you to practice which we called as “Beginners Yoga”.

(Photo Credit: Pocket Yoga)

Note: If you have a history of a disease or are recovering from an injury, consult your physician before starting. Please note that everyone’s body is different. So, there is no competition in Yoga practice, it’s a journey and you must enjoy it. Never force your body and practice it slowly, steadily and comfortably.

Here you go… 

Start your yoga practice with an invocation to bring the calmness and sense of spirituality. In the Yogic science, an invocation is usually in Sanskrit used to connect sound with forms. We called this as a yoga of sound. A simple invocation can be started with:

Asato ma sadgamaya
Tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
Mrityor ma amritangamaya
Aum Shanti Shanti Shantihi

Lead me from untruth to truth

Lead me from darkness (ignorance) to light (knowing)

Lead me from death to deathlessness

After the invocation start your practice with two simple pranayamas (meditation).

1. Kapalbhati Pranayama (Skull Shining Breathing):

It has a cleansing effect on the lungs, balances and strengthens the nervous system and tones the digestive organs. Moreover, it removes sleepiness and energises the mind for mental work.

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Now take a deep inhale through both of your nostrils until your lungs get full of air.
• Now exhale through both of your nostrils forcefully so that your stomach will go deep inside. As you exhale you will feel some pressure in your stomach.
• During the process of exhaling, you will feel a hissing sound, at this moment try to think that all toxins and disorders from your body are coming out of your nose.
• Repeat this process for 5 minutes.

2. Anulom-Vilom Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing):

It helps to cure diabetes and blood pressure, improves concentration, patience and relieves anxiety. The oxygen supply throughout the body can be greatly enhanced.

• First sit on the Padmasana or Sukhasana (simple sitting pose), close your eyes and keep your spines straight.
• Keep your left hand in Chin Mudra and rest on your right knee.
• Close your right nostril with your right thumb in Vishnu mudra. Inhale slowly through your left nostril, inhale as much oxygen as you can so that your lungs get full of air. 
• Remove your thumb from right nostril and exhale from the right while closing your left nostril.
• Now, inhale through your right nostril and close your right nostril and exhale from left nostril.
• Repeat this procedure as long as you feel comfortable. Remember it’s your body and you must not force it.

After practising both the pranayamas, now you are ready to practise yoga which is simpler in nature but very helpful to your body and mind. Keep your practice slow and steady, don’t move forcefully.

3. Mountain Pose (Tadasana):

A simple yoga which helps in improving your focus and concentration.

• Stand tall with feet together, shoulders relaxed and arms at your sides.
• Take a full deep breath and raise your hands overhead, palms facing each other and arms are straight towards the sky.

4. Tree Pose (Vrikshasana):

A perfect posture to improve your balance and strengthen your back and legs.

• Place your right foot high up on your left thigh. The sole of the foot should be flat and placed firmly. Keep your left leg straight and find balance.
• While inhaling raise your arms over your head and bring your palms together.
• Ensure that your spine is straight and take few deep breaths.
• Slowly exhale and bring your hands down and release your right leg.
• Repeat the same procedure with the other leg.

5. Downward Facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana):

This pose helps to stretch your hamstrings, chest and lengthen the spine. It provides blood flow to the head.

• Sit on your heels, stretch your arms forward on the mat and lower your head.
• Pushing your hands and strengthening your legs, slowly raise your hips.
• Press firmly through your palms and rotate the inner elbows towards each other.
• It will look like an inverted V-shape.

6. Triangle Pose (Trikonasana):

It promotes deep breathing, stretches legs and muscles around the knee. Stimulates function of abdominal organs.

• Start Standing with your feet wide (one leg) apart.
• Open and stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder height.
• Move your right foot out 90 degrees and your left toes in about 45 degrees.
• Keep your feet pressed against the ground and inhale. While exhaling, bend your right arm and make it touch the ground while your left arm goes up.
• Keep your waist straight and your body is bent sideways. Take deep breaths.
• Repeat on the other side.

7. Cobra Pose (Bhujangasana):

This pose increases flexibility elevates mood and strengthens arms and shoulders.

• Lie on your stomach with your feet together and toes flat. Place your hands downwards below your shoulders on the mat, while inhaling, lift your waist and raise your head.
• Pull your torso back with the support of your hands. By putting equal pressure on both palms, keep your elbows straight.
• Move your head back and ensure that your shoulders are away from your ears. Exhale while coming back to the ground. Relax and then repeat the procedure 3-4 times.

8. Warriors Pose (Virabhadrasana):

This pose opens your hips, chests and lungs and improves balance and flexibility.

• Start Standing with your feet wide (one leg) apart, turning right foot out 90 degrees and left the foot in slightly.
• Bring your hands to your hips and relax your shoulders, then extend arms out to the sides, palms down.
• Bend your right knee 90 degrees, keeping knee over ankle; straighten both your hands. Stay for few breaths
• Repeat on the other side.

9. Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana):

This pose helps in improving digestion and circulation of blood. It also reduces stress, depression and stretches the chest, spine, neck and hips.

• Lie on the floor with knees bent and directly over heels.
• Place arms at sides, palms down. First, inhale and then exhale and press feet into floor as you lift your hips.
• Make a fist with your hands under lower back and press arms down. Lift your hips until thighs are parallel to the floor, bringing chest towards the chin. Stay for few breaths.

10. Sitting half spinal Twist (Ardhamatsyendrasana):

This pose stretches shoulders, hips, and back. It also helps to calm the nervous system and tones abdomen.

• Sit up with the legs stretched out, keeping the feet together and the spine erect.
• Bend the left leg and place the heel of the left foot beside the right hip.
• Take the right leg over the left knee and place the left hand on the right knee. Keep the right hand behind you.
• Twist your waist, shoulders and neck towards right look over the right shoulder.
• While keeping your spine straight, continue long breath in and out.
• While exhaling, release the right hand first, then release the chest and waist. Release your neck and sit relaxed. Repeat on the other side.

11. Childs Pose (Balasana):

This posture is helpful for relaxing the muscles of your body. It restores vitality physically, mentally and emotionally by reducing stress and anxiety.

• Practice this pose with closed eyes, listening to the sound of your breath.
• Sit in Vajrasana pose (bend your knees and sit on your heels). Keep your hips on your heels. Lower your head on the mat and bring your hands forward by your side.
• Press your thighs against your chest and breathe lightly. Touch your head to the ground.

Use this pose throughout your practice whenever you need a break or get tired.

The above 11 yoga and meditation postures help you to align your body and mind. Please take a note to breathe consciously throughout the practice and do necessary modifications wherever it’s required.

You are the in-charge of your own body. Sthira Sukham Asanam…