How to be Fit & Healthy Through Yoga

How To Be Fit & Healthy Through Yoga and Exercises.

• Health is wealth.  If our health is good, then our body and mind will become very smart and productive in whatever we do. Earlier, nobody gave heed to the health and fitness matter.

• Now, the new generation gives great attention to matters of health all over the world. The idea has spread wildly in every age group.  In order to improve health, all kinds of methods are being suggested and practiced by people, whoever can afford them.  Earlier, people used to go to the Gym for fitness.  In this method, people become fit and somehow healthy. 

• In ancient India, people practiced yoga and meditation regularly.  In this way, people not only become healthy, but they also feel calm and relaxed instantly after doing yoga.   Now a days Yoga is taught  by Indian Yoga teachers all over the world.  You can do yoga at home or outside, preferably in a park in the morning and evening.

• In India, our Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi came up with the concept of  Yoga Day during his speech at the 69th session of the UN General Assembly on September 27, 2014. After listening to the concept, all 193 members of the United Nations agreed to observe this day as International Yoga Day on December 11, 2014.  Since it is observed by all members of United Nations in the world. 

• In India, our Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi started the first International Yoga Day on June 21, 2015. 

• "Yoga is a powerful practice that benefits people of all ages and backgrounds. It can be done anywhere, anytime, fostering physical and mental well-being." 

• It has many benefits, such as physical fitness, mental health, over-all health and also improves certain ailments of the body.

• Another ancient exercise is Tai Chi, which originated in Chiana. It is basically a martial art.  But it also has many health benefits.  

• Now a days people are more conscious about their health. So in the early morning, we see large numbers of not only young boys and girls but also young men, women and senior citizens busy in various health activities in the park.  Some people can be seen having rounds in parks. Some old people are busy laughing after joining the laughing club.  Children at school and elsewhere are encouraged to play games.  

• But at the same time, we cannot deny that many people, especially those with sedentary habits, are careless.  They are not interested in any physical activity.  Some people are so busy doing large businesses, but they have forgotten that health can not be bought with  money and indeed, health is far more important than money.  They have no idea that the bright sun and  fresh air are also certain things that are so precious that no amount of wealth can match their value.

• Great efforts in the matter of health are being made not just through exercise and other activities; but much attention is being given to the necessity of taking a balanced diet.  For this, mass media plays a vital role.  We read in newspapers elaborate articles on food and diet, besides other health-measures.

• At the same time, great research is going on all over the world in the matter of the degree of usefulness of different food items and means of fighting different diseases. 

• It has been learned that there are free radicals, that hasten the process of aging.  This mainly happens because of the oxygenation of human tissues. Hence, antioxidants can check this tendency of aging and disease occurrence.  

• It is said by the scientist that vitamins A, C, and E and some minerals, such as zinc, act as antioxidants.  Such elements are found in several food articles, like fruits and vegetables. A few cups of tea, may be two or three cups a day, can be useful to an average man. But excess tea can be harmful as it contains small quantities of caffeine. 

• Excessive intake of fat, salt, coffee, wine, meat, etc. is not good for health. A vegetarian diet is said to be the best diet.  Smoking is certainly injurious to health and should be avoided.
  
  

• New research is always going on in all fields, including health. According to a report published in the press, "Broccoli is not only loaded with vitamins and minerals; it may carry a substance that kills bacteria that helps give Brocoli its distinctive taste, which some love and others hate, and also kills Helicobacter pylori bacteria, blamed for most cases of stomach cancer. 

• Regular, vigorous yoga and exercise improves blood flow, lowers the pulse rate, reduces the risk of diabetes, and helps  prevent and manage osteoporosis and vascular disease.

• After two or three decades of successful health messages like these, which have persuaded millions to take up jogging, cycling, swimming and aerobics.

• Regular practice of Yoga supports self-healing by promoting relaxation and enhancing mental clarity. Meditation sharpens concentration and attention. 

• Physical exercise builds physical resilience, allowing us to bounce back from challenges. Aerobic exercises boost heart health and overall vitality. Combining yoga, meditation, and physical exercises creates a powerful synergy.  Yoga and meditation reduce stress,  release tension. Regular practice invigorates the body, mind, and spirit.

• In  conclusion, prioritize your well-being by embracing yoga, meditation, and physical exercises. The yoga should be learnt yoga from a trained yoga teacher. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, yoga and meditation offer profound health benefits. We should remember, consistency matters. Incorporate these practices into your daily life and witness the transformative impact they can have on your overall health and happiness.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fitness Through Healthy Eating 

For more than five thousand years, Indians have been practicing ancient Indian healthy habits. But with the modernization of the global world, which focuses on success in different fields such as science and technology, and modern education, we have moved away from ancient Indian healthy fitness habits. 

In today's modern world, due to mental pressure to achieve the goal, and an unhealthy lifestyle, we have all forgotten to pay heed to our health, fitness and nutrition, which are very important for healthy  living. As a result, people are suffering from different kinds of ailments in every age group, whether they are children, young men, women or the elderly.  Keeping in mind all these health issues, we have to bring back the ancient practice of healthy living and healthy eating for a healthy life.

Healthy eating is very important to remain fit and healthy. In fact, the ancient Indian way of eating is indeed helpful in improving overall fitness. If it is not clear whether you are hungry, consider doing either of the following before you begin to eat in the morning:

1. Drink Amala juice (Gooseberry in English) with warm water on an empty stomach in the morning.  It boosts the immune system and promotes overall health.

2.  Drink Allovera Juice with water on an empty stomach in the morning, flushes out the toxins from the body, boosts digestion, and is beneficial for overall health.

3. A brisk walk in the morning is beneficial for physical strength, flexibility and overall health.

4.  Do yoga regularly in the morning at home, preferably in the park, for a healthy body, mind, and soul.

5.  Sit in sunlight in the morning for at least 30 minutes  for a healthy immune system and the body.

• These healthy habits will help to clear your palate, allowing you to better assess your hunger level.

• If you are hungry but you sense your digestive fire is weak, consider having an Ayurvedic appetizer. An appetizer increases your appetite while stocking the digestive fire, thereby improving the digestive capacity. Especially if made fresh and with high-quality ingredients, a couple teaspoons of chutney (an Indian recipe) can add a beneficial supply of antioxidants and zest to your meal. In addition, it can bring elemental balance to your meal by introducing most, if not all, of the six tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, pungent, and astringent) required. Not only will you find your cravings subsiding, but your meal will also be more satisfying.

 

• Try nibbling on a thin slice of fresh ginger root with lime juice and a sprinkle of rock salt to get your digestive juices flowing. Alternatively, consider preparing the chutneys (an Indian tasty recipe) with the following ingredients:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons of fennel seeds.

• 1 1/2 teaspoons of cumin seeds.

• 3 teaspoons of ground coriander.

• 2 tablespoons, minced fresh ginger root.

• 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.

• Salt as per taste.

• 1 cup of dates, pitted.

• 3/8 cup of orange juice.

• 1 1/2 cups of raisins.

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to the desired texture.  This Chutney can be eaten with bread and rice.  It is very helpful for digestion and improve overall health.

Healthy Balancing (Chutney) Recipe 

• 1 teaspoon of lime juice.

• 1/3 of orange juice.

• 3/4 cup of chopped peeled ginger root.

• 1/2 cup of raisins.

• Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to the desired texture.

This Chutney can be eaten with bread and rice.  It is very very energetic, helpful for digestion and improve overall health.

Reduce  Stress to Increase Digestive Power Ayurveda, Yoga and Herbs 

• Ayurveda teaches that our bodies contain the wisdom to move balance. A smoothly functioning nervous system aids in the efficient digestion of food. Practicing meditation, breathing exercises, and yoga postures as part of your regular daily routine is exceedingly beneficial for the reduction of anxiety and stress in the body. Consequently, these interventions help to optimize digestion.

• An additional intervention involves making a written or mental record of your energy level and emotional state before and after eating a meal. Healthy food choices will sustain your energy and impart a calm, pleasant mental state. Being able to reflect back on your food choices from today is a good way to discover which ones were nourishing to the body and which were the product of detrimental eating habits.

  A Tasteful Way to Balance Emotions

• Our digestive system speaks to our physiology using tasteful language. The point of the conversation is to access the energetic qualities that the food will bring to physiology. The physiology recognized six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent, and astringent. Each taste has a particular effect on the physiology. Every aspect of nature, including taste, is composed of a unique elemental, or biological, distribution. According to Ayurveda, a meal must contain all six tastes in order to keep the physiology in perfect balance. 

• Ayurveda also evaluates food qualities such as temperature (Hot or Cold), density (Light or Heavy), and texture (Oily or Dry) to assess the energetic impact on our bodies.

• According to Ayurveda, taste  conveys and induces emotions. Sweet taste transmits nurturing emotions, which soothes an airy depression.  Pungent taste stimulates the nerves, helping a person break out of an earthy depression.  Sour and salty tastes bring warmth to the physiology, which is why people with an airy depression often reach for food with the power of these tastes.  Bitter and astringent tastes diffuse intensity and add lightness to the physiology; these two tastes, along with sweet taste, benefit individuals who suffer from burning depression.  All of us need all six tastes in various amounts to maintain a balanced physiology.

 Herbs as a Healthy Diet

• In Ayurveda, with a proper diet and lifestyle, there is no need for medicine.  With an improper diet and lifestyle, medicine is of no use.  The importance of nutrition in bringing balance and health to physiology cannot be over emphasized. Food imparts the healing properties of nature.  Food is one of the main ways to keep our physiology in balance and maintain our physical integrity and optimal functioning.

• The body's natural inclination to heal remains active even in the face of disease. Herbs, a particular category of food, are of great help when the healing forces of the body are at their peak.  Herbs can be enlisted to help the physiology achieve its desired goal: wholeness. Herbs support the various systems of physiology and assist the mind-body in moving toward balance. A favorable diet provides the foundation on which the herbs can work; without this foundation, the herbs will have only a limited impact.

• Whether synthetic or natural, most medicines are inspired by nature. 

• Plants have a natural state of balance. They are composed of active and inactive substances. Properly prepared herbs utilize the entire intelligence of the plants.  Herbs work more slowly, but they correct underlying imbalances rather than remove systems.

• How an herb affects the physiology of an individual is intimately related to that individual's physiological imbalances. You should always speak with a health professional who is knowledgeable about the subject before you commit to an herbal regimen. The right herb, taken correctly, can be immensely powerful in helping your physiology move in the desired direction.

• When we are in a state of imbalance, we suffer from a lack of mental clarity and a degree of physiological unrest. Herbs have the ability to bring mental clarity, increased insight, and physical strength so that an individual can engage in undoing stress and depression. Attaining physiological balance allows the unfolding of the finer aspects of our being courage, insight, compassion, and happiness. These qualities will lead a happy and healthy life.

• The people who buy the ayurvedic products, some will benefit from it, others will not, and some will actually be harmed by it. Taking herbs without knowledge is dangerous. Just because something is natural doesn't mean that it cannot have ill effects. Poisonous plants are natural too.

• Herbs are Mother Nature's primary medicine; Ayurveda understands the energetic qualities of herbs in depth. As medicine, herbs are used to fine-tune our nutritional intake. Like food,  they demonstrate their efficacy over time, usually in less time than food, of course.  Herbs also make our immune system strong and healthy.  Unlike food, however, herbs are intended to be used for a limited period only.

Herbal medicine should always be taken with the prescription of an Ayurvedic Doctor.  If you take a prescription from an Ayurvedic Doctor who examines your body first and then prescribes the medicine, it will be really helpful to overcome the disease. So we always keep in mind that we should not take any herbs or herbal medicine without the prescription of an Ayurvedic Doctor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digestion of Food

Digestion of Food and How to Improve the Digestion Through Good Eating Norms.

Food plays an important role in Fresh and wholesome food brings wisdom and nourishment to us. Our body incorporates this wisdom and become infused with the liveliness of food. Nourishing the body also calls for becoming cognizant of the mechanisms at play when we eat.  When we look at the causes of stress we find that digestion is implicated.  The roots of declined physiology can often be traced back to the following suboptimal digestion, physiological imbalances, or an overload of toxins.  Therefore, we must gain an increased awareness of not only what we eat but also how we eat, why we eat, when we eat, and how we feel after we eat.  Regarding the nourishment of the physical body, Indian ancient wisdom advices the following: Ok

• Optimize Digestion:

From the Ayurvedic perspective, a primary concern is the ability to process what we put in our stomach and this encompasses the four steps of ingestion, digestion, assimilation and elimination.

• Maintain Body's Balance

Once the digestive process is optimised, next task is to utilise food in a manner that promotes physiological balance.

Let's investigate how to optimise digestion:

• Ingestion: A Heady Experience 

When we realise that we embody the food we ingest, we begin to understand why, for the Vedic sages, the process of eating is a beautiful and sacred rituals. According to Ayurveda, digestion begin in the eye of beholder. There is no argument that the food itself feeds the cells in the body, but it is full sensory experience of eating that makes more exciting  the physiology.

Digestion starts when we look at our food.  Indeed the metabolic process begins when the food enters our mouth. Western scientific research estimates that 30 to 40 per cent of the total digestive response to any meal is triggered by the brain.  Haven't you observed noticeable changes in your saliva when you see scrumptious meal sitting on the place before you?  You may have witnessed a change in your digestive system just thinking about food.  Our perception of food prompts our digestive system to get to work.  Salivating is a sign that your body is preparing to break down the food it's about to eat.

Eating is indeed a heady experience.  Seeing, smelling, and tasting food begins a cascade of reactions in the physiology.  Our sensory awareness of the food stimulate nerve receptors in the oral and nasal cavities that really message to the brain.  In turn, the brain primes the digestive organs and mobilized the intestine.  The secretion of saliva, gastric acid and digestive enzymes announced that the party has begin.  A rush of blood floods the organ of digestion and as if dancing to a happy tune , the intestines do  the grumble, the rhythmic dance that ensures the proper movement of food through the digestive tract.  

• Awareness: The Flame of Digestive Fire

Awareness is the spark that lights up your digestive fire.  Without awareness even the purest foods that carry most vital messages can go unnoticed.  The physiology assess the message that are brought in by the food; it. prepares for the event. We need to eat and taste in order to heal.

When your mind does not digest, the digestive system is hurt.  Eating put us in a relationship with the food we consume.  The mind must attend to the food that the body ingests if anything meaningful is going to be extracted from the interaction.  What would happen if you were talking with a friend and he or she didn't pay any attention?  At best, you'd walk away feeling unheard and unsatisfied; at worst, misunderstood and angry.

So it is with the process of digestion.  Paying attention to the task at hand makes everything go to better, whether the task is eating or talking a friend.  When we eat at high speed, or we make eating one of the several task we perform simultaneously, we do not digest efficiently.  Habitually engaging in attentive eating, or attention-deficit eating can message up the workings of your gut by squelching your digestive fire.

• Eating as a Scared Ritual

Now that we have taken the steps to ignite our digestive fire, the next issue is to focus on maximizing the assimilation of the food we ingest.  When we realise that the physical body is the vessel of the spirit, the mundane task of eating takes on a deeper meaning.  Nourishing the body in order to nurture the spirit requires making act of eating a scared rituals. This means that the process of how we eat is as important as what we eat. A nice table setting can enhance the ritual of eating; gobbling food as we walk down the street or race somewhere in our car does not.

• The Effect of Mood on Food

We have already discussed how food affects the  mood.  Now let's discuss how mood affects food, that is, how our emotional state at the time we eat affects our ability to digest.  Digestion is hard work for the body.  It is even harder if it does not have the full support of the physiology, especially the brain and the nervous system.

The nervous system has a tremendous impact on the functioning of the digestive 

system for optional digestion and assimilation of food, the digestive system needs the nervous system to send messages to the pancreas asking for the production and release of digestive enzymes and harmons like insulin and glucagon.  The nervous system also interact with the circulars system enlisting it in the endeavour.  As if sending troops on a mission, the circulatory system must divert blood and remote it towards the trunk of our body in order to aid the intestine in the absorption of nutrients.

Stress makes a mess of digestion. We are evolutionarily programmed not to digest when we are under the influence of stress.  Our primitive ancestors would not eat when a dangerous wild animals was prowling about, for this would threaten their survival.  In modern times, however the stress comes in more subtle form: as bits of information from TV, the newspaper and thoughtless or argumentative conversation.

Relaxation ensures assimilation. We are wired to best assimilate food when we are in a calm environment.  The Ayurveda advises that food should be consumed in an environment that enhances relaxation.  As much as possible, create an agreeable, quite atmosphere.  A pleasant dining experience will give you a good guy feeling.  At the very least, do not argue, work, read or watch TV while you eat; rather focus on your food and experience of eating.  You will digest more efficiently if you pay attention to what you are doing. Pay attention to the taste and texture of the food.  Eating food that is pleasant to both sight and palate.  Eating should be a source of joy.

A settled mind means a receptive tummy.  Try not to eat when you are upset or mentally distracted.  Offer a smile to the food as gesture of gratitude for the nourishment it will provide.  If this doesn't come naturally to you, we suggest that you pretend fake it till you make it.  The nervous and digestive system work well together only if they are given the opportunity to do so.

• The Important of Sitting While Eating

Always sit down to eat. Sitting down to eat informs our mind that we are focused on the food we are about to consume, rather than on myriad other activities.  Taking a few minutes to sit and and look at your food and induces a relaxation response in your physiology.  This response triggers a release of biochemicals that aid in the digestive process.  Additionally, the act of folding our hips directs our blood to the top half of the body, where it is needed for digestion, rather than to the legs, where it would otherwise go. In fact, this is the logic behind prescribing a yoga asana to aid digestion after the meal such as Hero pose (in Hindi - Bazra Asana).

Finally, do not eat right before going to bed.  If you eat late at night, the food will not be digested properly.  During the night the body works hard to clean up the physiology.  When the body is in shutdown mode, the digestive process are far from efficient.  

• Stocking the Digestive Fire

The Vedic sages used the term Agni (Fire) to describe the transformative power of digestion.  Agni is our ability to change one substance in to another while extracting energy from it.  If your Agni is low, your ability to absorb and digest is low.  Agni exists in the mind as well as the body tissues, so it pertains to the ability to digest and assimilate thought as well food.  Physical Agni, however is the principal Agni, the other form of Agni are related to it and can be determined to some extent by the state of the main source.

Low Agni accounts for all toxic build up in the physiology.  This is very important when we are considering how to intervene in a case of depression.  In general, depressed mentality reflects a physiology with low Agni.  Agni burns up the food and confers vitality.  If the body is not clogged with trash, digestion will be optimal.  You can eat the perfect food at the perfect time in the perfect sitting, but if the digestive process are not optimal, the food will not be metabolized.  In these instances, large molecules undigested food clog the digestive track and interfere with the free flow of natural intelligence in the body. When we diminish food the nutrients can be distributed throughout the body and communication among the physical body and system is unimpeded.  The eventual result will be a healthy glow and a vibrant spirit.

Following are some tips for digestion:

1.  Eat When You Are Hungry:  

Hungry is Mother Nature's prompt that it is time to eat.  Learn to recognise the natural signals, and eat only when you are hungry. The sages advise you not to engage in emotional eating.  You probably already knew that, but did you know that if you eat when you are upset, nervous, or unhappy, the food is not digested efficiently.

2.  Eat  Only 75 Percent Full:  

After the meal, did you feel like the stuffed turkey? Nothing works efficiently on overload, including your digestive system.  If you stop before you are full you will have room to breath and oxygen works wonders in the metabolic process.

3.  Do Not Eat Until the Previous Meal is Digested:

Digesting a meal can take anywhere from three to six hours.  Digestion consists of a natural assembly line. If you know something on the line while the previous items are still in process, you will create a jam.  Give yourself time thoroughly digest your food before eating again.

4. Avoid Large Amounts of Liquid Before, During or After Meal:

Don't squelch your digestive fire.  Sipping is fine during meals, but large amounts of liquid dampen the digestive process.

5. Make Lunch the Largest Meal of the Day

You are part of natural world.  When the sun is at it's highest, your metabolic process are at their strongest.  Eat the largest meal at that time.  At night the body is shutting down, preparing for rest.  Eating large meal late turns your body in to indigestion.

6. Avoid Iced Drink and Carbonated Beverage "

Your digestive enzymes and other vital factors were intended to operate at body temperature. Iced drink hamper the digestive process. Iced water is neither nice not wise.  Enzymes also function best within a narrow PH range.  Carbonated beverage are, in general, highly acidic. By alerting the PH of the physiology, they impair the breakdown of food.

7.  Chew Your Food Well:  

Your teeth play an important role in the digestive process.  By breaking food down into smaller pieces, chewing increases the surface area of the particles.  Enzymes and other biochemicals then have more area on which to work and the food is broken down into nutrients more efficiently.

8.  Avoid Large Quantities of Raw Food:

Raw foods do have a higher nutritional content than cooked food, but they are difficult to digest.  In order for our physiology to benefit from the extra nutritional value of raw foods, it must produce a more scorching digestive fire. This, we only succeed in taxing our digestive system if we eat raw foods in excess.

In the end, we can say that we should always pay attention while eating.  We should also learn how to eat, what to eat, what not to eat, and how much we should eat.  If we follow the norms of eating, our digestion will automatically improve, and we may be able to lead a healthy life.