Yoga

Switch off the TV, set that coffee mug aside, and practise these yoga postures for energy. Not only will these yoga poses help you fight fatigue, they will also provide you with high energy to tackle your hectic day's routine. Poses like the Sitali Pranayama, Bhastrika, and the practise of Ujjayi breathing will help adjust your body's levels of cotisol – a hormone that contributes to your energy levels. Here's looking at how you can practise these yoga poses and how they will rev up your system from the inside out.

Sitali Pranayama
Method:Sit in a comfortable erect position and make sure your head, neck and spine are in line.
Take deep breaths for a few minutes and close your eyes. Open your mouth simultaneously by enchanting ‘OM’ loudly.
Now curl the tongue and hang it outside your mouth. Now inhale deeply as if you are sipping through a straw. Focus on your breathing.
This exercise will have a direct impact on your abdomen and lower ribs.
In the end, complete the asana by closing the mouth and breathing normally through your nostrils.
You can perform 10 reps of this asana, for 2 minutes each.

Advantages of Sitali Prayanama: Originated in the Himalayas, saints called this yoga posture or asana Sitali, because it means 'coolness of the breath'. This prayanama aids in making your breath damp and moistens it to allow water saturated air to pass through your body, which keeps you fresh and energetic all day long.  

Bhastrika
Method:Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight.
Close your eyes and start exhaling and inhaling via nose by focusing on the abdominal muscles.
As soon as you release your abdominal muscles you’ll realize that your diaphragm contracts before you start to inhale.
Hear the sound of your breath and perform this asana for 5 times at a stretch. Give it a pause. Breathe normally. And start again.
Complete one to two rounds on a daily basis and increase the number of your breaths by 5, each week.
Keep in mind that bhastrika should not be performed by people who suffer from heart diseases, chronic constipation or ulcers without taking due consent from your doctor.

Advantages of Bhastrika: This asana beats the morning melancholy and gives a boost to your immune system by using the morning sun's rays as a source of gaining energy. Bhastrika, also known as ‘bellows’ in Sanskrit leaves you with a tranquil feeling all over your mind and body.

Ujjayi Breathing
Method:Sit in a comfortable position. Make sure that your shoulders are not hunched.
Take deep breaths and expand your abdomen fully while you inhale and contract your abdomen fully while you exhale.
This asana works on the lower rib cage.

Advantages of Ujjayi Breathing: Ujjayi is a Sanskrit word that combines uj, which means 'up', and jayi, which means 'victory'. Ujjaying breathing helps you get acquainted with your body's breathing rhythm. Practise it anytime - when you are walking back from the office or before or after your morning run. A few breaths of this yoga pose can give you the much needed energy shot that your body needs.

Image and Article Credit: http://healthmeup.com

Yoga

Stastics show that 1 out of 20 women are breast cancer survivors or are in the middle of dealing with this breast disorder. Breast cancer symptoms vary extensively — from lumps to swelling of the breasts to changes in the skin on breasts — and many breast cancer sufferers, at times, have no obvious symptoms at all. So the question is – how to prevent breast cancer?  Other than altering your lifestyle and limiting your alcohol intake and staying physically active, there are a few yoga asanas which will keep your breasts happy and healthy! 

Importance of a Healthy Lymphatic System

Breast health is sustained by the body's lymphatic system. The lymphatic system helps in keeping potentially harmful substances at bay and ensures a clean flow of blood to the breast cells and tissues by fighting infections. And yoga, by maintaining coordination between breathing and movements, helps in circulation of blood and supplies vital energy all through the lymphatic system.

Yoga Asanas for Breasts #1: Diagonal stretch

In the diagonal stretch asana, the lymphatic system is set in motion by energetic movement and powerful breathing.

Method

• Sit in a comfortable position and place your thumbs on the palms of the hands, right at the base of your little fingers.
• Make sure that you rest your fingers in straight line. Now, slowly pull your arms to the sides, making sure they are parallel to the ground. Your palms should face downwards.
• Now raise your right arm and bring down the left arm.  Breathe in as the right arm goes up and breathe out as the right arm goes down. Continue this exercise for 1 to 2 minutes.

Yoga Asanas for Breasts #2: Reach for health

This asana is similar to a martial arts exercise.  The 'snapping back' movement in the asana helps in activating the lymph and breast tissues.

Method

• Sit comfortably on your heels and take the pressure off your knee joints by placing a firm pillow in between your buttocks and legs.
• Now, make a fist of your hands by tucking the thumb inside. Bring your hand to the level of your chests by pulling your elbows back.
• Now extend your arm in a frontward direction in its full length by inhaling powerfully. Now open your fingers as though you were about to grasp something. Then close them by making a fist of your hands and snap the arm to the side of your body as your breathe out.
• Repeat this with other arm and continue for 2 to 3 minutes.

Yoga Asanas for Breasts # 3: Frog pose

This asana ups the flow of energy to all parts of the body.

Method

• Stand in a comfortable position and place your heels together. Now squat down comfortably and keep your heels off the ground.
• Now touch the ground with your finger tips straightening your spine as much as possible.
• Now breathe in and straighten the legs by bringing the head close to the knees. The finger tips should continue to touch the ground.
• Now breathe out and return back to the squatting position.
• Perform this asana for one minute comfortably, and gradually increase the minutes.

Image and Article Credit: www.healthmeup.com