Health is wealth-Part II

Thank you all for reading my previous blog & providing some healthy feedback. Your candid feedback compelled me to write more about pranayamas in this 2nd blog. In case, you haven't read the previous blog(Health is wealth-part I), then you may want to go back & read it first hand, so that you can relate to things that I will be discussing out here.

In my previous blog, I had shared some advantages of inculcating basic pranayamas in our daily routine. In this continuing blog, I will be sharing a few pranayama techniques that we can begin with & stay healthy for the rest of our lives, at least for the most of it.

Before we start learning the pranayamas, we need to know one very important piece of information, i.e., we need to be empty stomach when we perform any of the Yogasanas or Prayanamas & in any of the positions if you feel any type of discomfort, then stop immediately . In such situations, I would advise you to consult an expert first & only then you may want to continue with the below mentioned breathing exercises. Best time for pranayamas would be early in the morning, right after you wake up. If we don't get time in the morning, then we can do it in the evening as well. However, keep in mind that we do it after say about 4-5 hours post lunch.

1. Bhastrika Pranayama:

This is the simplest form of pranayama. All we need to do is sit on a flat surface in cross legs position(In case, you are unable to fold your legs or are not able to sit on the ground for any reason, then you can sit on a simple chair with straight back). Once you are in the position, just close your eyes & take a deep breath, inhale & exhale from your nose. Fill your lungs with every  breath you take & try to make it as deep as possible. Perform this for 5-7 minutes daily & you can keep your blood pressure, acid refluxes & stress under control. It even helps the heart to pump blood in the right manner & beats in the correct rhythm. It is also very helpful in providing good amount of oxygen to our brain & keep it functional for many many years.

2. Kapalbhaarati Pranayama:

Sit in the same position as mentioned above. Now take a deep breath through your nose & keep exhaling slowly slowly from your nose. The correct way to do this is by gently pulling your stomach in every time you exhale. Think of your stomach as a hot water bag, every time you press the belly of it, the water will gently come out from the knob area, same effect. 5-10 minutes of this on daily basis will give you a relief in constipation, gastric problems, acidity refluxes, indigestion, etc. It also helps in building good resistance power, especially for internal body organs such as lever, kidney, intestines, etc.

3.Anlom-Vilom pranayama:

For this pranayama, again be in the same position as mentioned above & this time you have to switch between your nostrils to breathe in & out. The correct way to do this is by blocking your right nostril first & inhale from your left nostril, then block your left nostril & exhale from your right nostril & vice versa. Repeat this for 3-5 minutes on daily basis. This will help you in improving your respiration, improving your eye sight, will also help you to stay away from migraine, sinus & other cough related problems. It also helps you to stay clam & stress free in all situations. Keep in mind that this particular exercise should always begin & end with your left nostril.

P.S. : In any of the above mentioned pranayamas, start with spending only 2 minutes at the beginning & if you feel any type of discomfort, light headedness or dizziness then stop immediately & consult an expert. In most cases, it takes at least 3-5 days to get used to it.

So these are only 1st three of the basic pranayamas although very important ones that I have shared here. These are few things that I do & I have found them quite effective. I hope you all would do it with caution & DO NOT over do it because anything in excess is not good. So take one step at a time & be patient. Let it grow on you slowly & steadily.

● Besides pranayama, also try to keep a watch on what you eat. Avoid fried, spicy or sour food as much as possible. Once or twice in a month is fine, it won't do much harm. Also when you eat, dont just gulp it in, chew the food properly & then gulp it down when it becomes liquidy.

● Drink minimum 12-14 glasses of water through out the day as our body would function in the right way only if we keep it fully hydrated.

● Don't starve yourself to get in shape.

Have 4-5 small meals instead during the day. Carry light food with you like chikki, groundnuts(moongfali), cashews, almonds, a packet of biscuits made of whole wheat, or even a packet of Parle G worth 5 bucks would do. Other tangy & tasty light food consists of baked khakharas, baked banana chips(Not fried), chapati rolls, etc.

● If you are tired of an age old acidity & are seeing no change in it then here's what you can do for a quick relief. 1st of all, ensure that you sleep for atleast 8 hours in a 24 hour window. Secondly, perform the above mentioned pranayamas regularly. However, for a quick relief, you can buy aloe vera juice from the market & have 2tsp of aloevera juice approximately half an hour before meal. If still you are not relieved then have 2 more tsp of it 20 minutes after meal. This should do the trick.

● Walk for atleast 20 minutes in a day. Try  to take some time out for basic stretching exercises, thrice a week.

Alright, I think I shared too much of information today. Feel free to leave your comments , feedbacks, suggestions, etc.

Stay happy, stay healthy.


Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely mine & and do not reflect disrespect of any nature to any medical practice/practitioner, etc. or blind belief in any of the above mentioned thoughts, views, ideas, opinions, techniques, exercises, etc. I am only sharing what I believe & not asking/forcing anyone to follow the above mentioned thoughts, views, ideas, opinions, techniques, exercises, etc. without any consultation from certified experts.. In case, you do then it will be solely at your own will.