Fitness & Nutrition From Yoga Health Guide

TAKING a Bikram, or hot yoga, class can be daunting: the room is heated to more than 100 degrees (and may rise to 115) and modesty is on standby, with yogis wearing the workout equivalent of bikinis. The practice is named for Bikram Choudhury, the 63-year-old yogi who created a set of 26 postures and 2 breathing exercises repeated identically in every class. The humidity in the room is meant to make people sweat out toxins and stay limber.

“Bikram helps with the A.D.D. that we all have,” said Dara G. Cole, 35, co-owner and manager of Bikram Yoga South Slope in Brooklyn. “The heat and the intensity of the postures demand a quality of attention and focus that expand your ability to concentrate.”

Riji Suh, 27, discovered Bikram when she was looking for something with the same intensity and high she got from running. She trained with Mr. Choudhury in Los Angeles and now teaches Bikram and other types of yoga at studios in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Matsyasan

Time: 1/2 minute
Steps:
• Park yourself with legs an in Padmasan - knees bent, feet on reverse thighs, heels towards the stomach.
• Lie on your backside. Placing hands close to the head for support
• Boost your back over the ground, keep the top of your head on the ground over a padded surface, e.g., a towel.
• Maintain your hands an your feet.
• Average breathing.

Benefit: Makes the neck stretchy and muscular, increases the size of the spine cage, widens the windpipe and thus helps profound breathing. Relieves the neck after sarvasang

Pavan-Muktasan

Time: 1/2 minute each leg

Steps:

• Stretch out downward on your backside
• Take breaths in.
• Then fold the left leg from the knees.
• Hold the fingers together and bring the folded leg to touch the stomach.
• Lift the head and touch the nose to the knee. The other leg remains straight. Hold the breath.
• Come to unique pose and leave the breath.
• Follow the equal for the other leg.
• NOTE: This asan can also be done with both the knees folded.

Benefits: Removes gas from the abdomen and reduces abdominal fat. Increases the flexibility of the knees and hips.

Halasan

Time: 2 minutes

Steps:

• Lie on your back, arms beside.
• Raise legs an in Sarvangasan (you may take help of hands on the hips), then lower them overhead, knees straight, ankles stretched, toes piercing and touching the ground.
• Arms keep on ground as in the beginning, palms on the ground.
• The attitude resembles the shape of a plough

Benefits: Makes the spine flexible, creates energy, and blood of the strength of the back. Aids the functioning of the thyroid and thymus glands thus helping retain the individual's youthful physical characteristics for a longer period.

Sarvangasan

Time: 2 minutes

Method:

• Lie on your back, arms alongside. Raise both legs together - taking support of hands on the hips and the elbows on the ground.
• Straighten the body - feet, knees, hips and back form one vertical column from the base of the neck to the tip of the toes, feet stretched, toes pointed, chin pressed against the chest.
• Normal breathing.
• Lie on your back, arms alongside.
• Raise both legs together - taking support of hands on the hips and the elbows on the ground.
• Straighten the body - feet, knees, hips and back form one vertical column from the base of the neck to the tip of the toes, feet stretched, toes pointed, chin pressed against the chest.
• Normal breathing.

Benefits: Promotes healthy secretion of the circulatory, respiratory, alimentary and genito-urinary systems. Keeps the spine flexible preventing the bones from early ossification. Supplies large quantity of blood to the spinal roots of the nerves, thereby giving them sufficient nourishment.

Ardha Matsyendrasan

Time: 2 minutes each side.

Method: Bend left knee, place left foot under right hip. Bend right knee, place right foot on left side of left knee. Hold left knee or right foot with the left hand - keep right knee on the left of left arm. Turn tunk to right, look back over right shoulder, right hand on ground or on waist as close to left thigh as possible.

Repeat with left knee bent and trunk turning to left.

Note: You may also hold hands through the gap below the raised knee.

Benefits: Increase the elasticity of the spine, and massage the abdomen and internal organs

Yogasanasa - Yoga Exercises

Natural Methods For Reducing Anxiety

Things change when anyone starts to feel panic attacks, or anxiety everyday. Not every anxiety sufferer has panic attacks, most sufferers do not respond to medication. This is a mind disorder and the chances to treat it completely using medicine are reduced. This is the main reason most people seek further help. Natural cures for anxiety proved to work better than tablets so you can take such as natural treatments.

Anxiety disorders can change your social and personal life and make quite boring. Panic attacks are so terrible. Here are a few methods to reduce your anxiety and panic attacks:

Relaxation:
Anxiety disorders are the result of high stress and ongoing worries. Yoga techniques will help you, however yoga methods require lots of time but it is better option. You can also listen to music, it is highly recommended.

Exercises:
People who suffer anxiety, panic attacks and depression, should do regular exercises. Exercises are true stress relievers that will keep your mind healthy on the long run. Try to make habit to do exercises at least 10 minutes early in the morning and 10 - 15 minutes before going to sleep as well.

Getting enough sleep:
Human needs at least 6 hours of sleep every night. But 8 - 10 hours of sleep will help you reduce you anxiety by 50%. To get proper sleep, you will feel less tensioned over the day but you will be able to stop future panic attacks.

All of these techniques are significant for a healthy body and mind; you will be able to reduce your anxiety problems.