युक्ताहारविहारस्ययुक्तचेष्टस्य
कर्मसु।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा।।6.17।।
(One who regulates his sleep, diet, recreation and work for him Yoga is the destroyer of all miseries)
– Bhagavad Gita
Namaste,
Life in the time of Covid -19
Now that the entire country is in lock down due to the novel corona virus, many of us are going through high levels of stress. In fact right now the entire world is going through a pandemic, which is quite scary with no cure in sight. The only way we can stop covid-19 from spreading is by maintaining social distance, staying home and taking a healthy approach to strengthen our immune system the natural way.
But staying home also has its complications. With less movement, no exercise, eating more, changes in sleep or eating patterns, difficulty in sleeping or concentrating with all the negative news around, endless worry, stress , anxiety levels are high, leading to weight gain, high BP, diabetes etc ..
Stress can affect the immune system, Taking steps to reduce your stress in a healthy way is important. Manage stress to live a healthy and happy life
Fear! We create fear in ourselves; don’t let your fears become your truth and reality. It is important to not let fear control your life. Avoid social media that makes you feel panicked. Erase the negative force and embrace positivity.
Why wait to fall sick?
Why wait to allow stress to take away your happiness & Health?
Keep it simple – Sleep well, Eat well, Exercise at home do freehand exercise -Squats, Push-ups, Mountain climbers… whatever works for you
To relax and Rejuvenate, Energise your mind and body
Do Yogasanas, Do Pranayama, Meditate.
Adapt Yoga as a way of life. Physical inactivity during the confinement period can cause indigestion and constipation problems. Practicing yoga during the period can help overcome digestive issues naturally.
Once you come on the mat you will definitely benefit from it. You cannot go wrong with any yogic practices; whichever asana you do there are always numerous complimentary benefits to it. People with medical conditions should practice /seek under the guidance of experienced certified teachers.
I am sure many of you are practicing yoga at home but let’s focus specifically on our respiratory system. Let’s clean our nasal cavities, increase the efficiency of our diaphragm, reduce the risk of lung infections, and improve our breathing capacity.
Yogic practices to improve lung capacity, easy to perform and helpful to keep our mind cool and calm in these times of Stress.
- Shwasana Marg Shuddhi (Nasal Cleaning Practice) – Cleans Nasal cavities, Increases efficiency of the diaphragm, breathing becomes easy.
- Setubandha Asana ( The Bridge Pose) – Exhalation capacity improves, improves flexibility at Lumbar region, better bowel movements
- Parvatasana (The Mountain Pose) – Improves blood circulation particularly at the chest and abdominal region. Breathing capacity increases & becomes effortless
- Prana Prachhardana Kriya ( Deep Forceful Exhalation) – Reduces Risk of Lung Infection, clears the respiratory passage, lung capacity improves
- Kapalabhatti (Forehead brightener) – Good remedy for functional types of Couch & Cold, Increases efficiency of the diaphragm
- Anuloma Viloma ( Nadi Shudhhi Pranayama) – Cools down body and mind, breathing becomes regulated, Mind becomes calm, Good for BP patients
- Bhramari Rechaka (The humming Pranayama) – Soothes the Nervous System, Normalizes BP, Acidity is reduced
- Omkar Japa Sadhana – Balances the Mind
- Meditate – (Focus on your Breath, Give Positive affirmations to self) – Reduces stress levels and alleviates anxiety.