Mandukasana - Frog Pose

It's an anti-flatus, constipation relieving pose, very good for elimination. One of the favourite asanas of Swami Ramdev, and rightly so.

Start with sitting in Vajrasana (legs folded, toes out); make fists of both palms with the thumb inside, put them on either side of the navel; inhaling straighten your spine up; exhaling bend forward completely and then slightly lift the chin up for better compression. The wrists have to remain upright when you bend forward and not flatten out. Breathe normally as you stay here for sometime starting with 20 seconds and slowly building up to 3 minutes.

The place where you put the fists are the ascending and descending colon. By putting pressure you are stimulating the process of elimination. You can do this asana early in the morning to get maximum benefit. People who are suffering from any kind of abdominal ailment like ulcers, colitis etc. should attempt this only after they are relieved of that. Proper elimination is the key to better digestion. So keep practising!!

Truth about Coffee

I know most of us (m glad i m not one of most) love a cup of nicely brewed coffee, so this might come as a rude shock to some. On top of that, now you have all the exotic varieties of coffee (Jamaican, Brazilian, Irish etc) available which makes coffee even more irresistible.

Coffee is a cash crop (yes that's right, it's grown for profits). 1% of all international trade is in coffee. It is the fruit of semitropical evergreen which bears flower. its fruit is called "cherry" and the bean inside the cherry is used to make coffee.

• It is a combination of niacin, vitamins, minerals, caffeine and tannic acid.
• The primary ingredient of coffee is of course caffeine which acts as a stimulant. Coffee also contains other stimulants like trigonellin (an element in nicotine) and other aromatic oils & acids. Decaffeinated coffee is probably more harmful as it involves soaking the beans in a toxic chlorinated solvent.
• The tannic acid in coffee is excellent for tanning leather and also cleanses dirty, greasy kitchen floors, stainless steel tables etc.
• The favorite food for the rats is the coffee bean. When instant coffee is manufactured – hundreds of rats get crushed along with the bean.
• The action of caffeine is also well documented. Caffeine increases blood pressure, pulse rate and the speed of respiration. The liver releases stored glycogen as glucose which raises the blood sugar level, giving a sense of high energy and suppressing appetite. All the organs are activated including the kidney bladder and the peristalsis of the colon. But when the blood sugar returns to normal more often it drops below normal – the person becomes tired, jittery, depressed, and is unable to concentrate – the solution – yet another cup of coffee.
• Caffeine toxicity weakens the organs. A habitual coffee drinker can expect physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms like headaches, hot flashes, palpitations of the heart, constipation, extreme fatigue, depression, radical fluctuations of mood and inability to concentrate.
• Coffee is a powerful physical and mental stimulant that increases thirst and deprives the body of nutrients. It can be called inexpensive, easily obtainable, socially acceptable and a potentially addictive drug.Caffeine also enhances the effects of stress. For more read a study conducted by researchers on this link.
• Regular consumption of coffee can also lead to chronic acidity and constipation. According to many health schools, constipation is the root cause of many ailments. And i better stay away from the complications that may arise out of these lest you all fall asleep :-)
• Coffee also kills appetite

Well, i am not asking you to stop having coffee. But the least you can do is to be aware and reduce its intake and NOT be dependent on it. BTW whenever you have, just put your mind aside and enjoy!!!

Adopted from resources at the Health Awareness Centre

What is Nutrition?

Nutrition is not a play of numbers, components, measures etc. It is much more holistic and simpler. NUTRITION IS:

Meditation, Physical Activity, Relaxation, Food,


Sleep, Healthy Mind, Fresh Air, Sunlight,



Healthy Routines, Recreation, Environment, Hygiene

We can hope to live & die healthy only if we can cater to at least a few (half according to my view point) all the time. We have to assess our lives and see where we stand. Dwelling in big cities, giving much importance to the material; most of us compromise on many aspects. For eg living in Mumbai I can say that we don’t get proper sunlight as we are packed away in air-conditioned offices; can’t even think of fresh air; mental poise too goes for a toss; there is no question of non-deprivation of relaxation, sleep, physical activity and meditation. We feel that we are spend enough on movies, eating out, partying which we call recreation but that is only entertainment. Recreation is when you are physically and mentally involved in something creative which peps you up for work later. Learning music, painting, dancing etc falls under this category. Watching TV, SO DOES NOT!!! We do take care of our external hygiene but what about the waste stored in our bodies? That leaves us with just one choice. To concentrate more on food and improving other aspects as best as we can.

I would like to go into detail of each & every factor responsible for nutrition but for today it is just enough to get the point across.

The effect of such nutrition might not befall immediately and if you are lucky you may never have to face it. But that doesn’t mean we give up our fundamental right to live happily, healthily and die peacefully. What say??

Ingredients of a Cigarette

You think smoking cigarette looks cool?? Have a closer look....... Stop the addiction before it's too late!!!

Health Tip - Meditate on Food

Meditation essentially means having a single thought. When i talk of meditating on food i mean focusing your attention on the food and its attributes. Concentrate on the food that you are having, its colour, taste, texture, the way it feels in your mouth, the quantity, how you eat etc. This not only helps in better digestion and absorption (as it leads to the efficient secretion of digestive enzymes) but also reduces the quantum of food you have, resulting in diet control. As a result you don't feel drowsy after a meal but energetic and light.

When you are doing other activities while having food, wanting to utilize even that sacred time, you end up eating more, you don't chew well and feel bloated after a meal also taking in the extra air as you talk on.

Try it yourself. Savour your food!!

Paschimottanasana - Head to Knee Pose

Apart from the one shown in the picture, there are various other ways in which one can do this posture:

1. Sitting in a chair just bend forward and rest your head on the knees

2. Standing without any support

3. Standing against a wall

4. Dynamically with rowing movements sitting on the floor

This is one of the first asanas mentioned in the ancient texts of yoga. It has immense benefits to the whole body particularly the abdomen area and the back. Improving digestion, circulation, strengthening back muscles, stretching hamstrings etc are just some of the benefits. It stimulates the swadhistan chakra (nerve plexus) located 2-3 inches below the navel.

However caution has to be exercised. when you are bending forward, bend from the waist & not the upper back and shoulders. You have to emphasize on extending the back to its maximum capacity & then relaxing the neck down. Observe that the more you relax in this pose the better it gets. So just let go!!! If you can hold the asana for a longer time say a minute at least, focus first on the physical, then move to the breath and then your emotions. Bring in a feeling of letting go of ego, surrendering yourself, forgiveness and relaxation of effort.

Try not to push and pull too much. People with high BP should not do the standing variations & also be careful with the sitting ones. Those with cervical problems do not bend the neck forward. Keep it in line with the rest of the back even if it means restricting the asana. Pregnant women can modify the sitting variation and make their head rest on a low stool for comfort.

For me, each variation gives me a different experience. The standing ones make me feel energized at the same time relaxing my back, the dynamic one warms me up, the traditional sitting calms me down and strengthens my back. There is so much one can write on this but i'll be happy to answer any of your queries while restricting myself to this paragraph. Test the flexibility of your spine and ENJOY practicing!!

Whistling on 'mute'

Take a deep breath in and on an exhale slowly blow the air out of your mouth as if you are whistling!!!! Your effort should be to lengthen the duration of your silent whistle, so exhale slowly, rhythmically and smoothly. Do about 4-5 rounds of this breath to feel good. The major benefits of this technique are:

1. Increases lung capacity & therefore is a boon for all
2. Immediately relaxes a tensed mind and an overstimulated body
3. Removes dead air (which never gets emptied) from the lungs
4. Enables better inhalation leading to an energized feeling
5. Can be done anywhere except in polluted environments
6. Very helpful for people suffering from asthma

Do it especially when you are feeling breathless, anxious, just before a critical deliverable in office, angry or frustrated. It helps in activating the parasympathetic nervous system which acts on calming & relaxing us.

PS: if you learn to whistle practising this, don't use it on girls :-)
Happy whistling....

Am ‘I’ actually free?

This is the question we need to ask ourselves and ponder on. What does freedom mean to us? Is it physical freedom, not living in the shackles or does the meaning convey a much deeper emotion. Freedom to me is:

Freedom from Anger
Freedom from Vices
Freedom from Fear

Freedom from Ego-centric behaviour
Freedom from Anxiety
Freedom from Impatience
Freedom from Worries
Freedom from Hatred
Freedom from Lies
Freedom from Negativity
Freedom from Dishonesty
Freedom from Corruption
Freedom from Discontentment
Freedom from Violence
Freedom from Superstition
List goes on ………

Ask yourself: “where do I stand on the path of true freedom?” India is free and has awakened but it’s high time that we awaken our spirits and look beneath the surface of FREEDOM.

The day ‘I’ am able to free ‘myself’ from these emotions would be the day ‘I’ll’ celebrate ‘my’ independence day.

Happy Independence Day!!!

Brahmari Pranayama

Brahmari or the humming bee breath is an extremely useful pranayama. To do it, just sit straight either on the floor or a chair, take a deep breath in & exhale making the sound of a humming bee (mmmm........) from your mouth with the lips pursed. You can put your thumb over the ear and fingers over the head. Repeat this at least 4-5 times. You can also do it more number of times (about 10-12) provided you are feeling okay.

There are no contraindications of this pranayama. Even people with high blood pressure, cardiac problems, pregnant women will benefit immensely out of this. However almost all pranayama practice must stop when one is ill.

The beauty of this pranayama i feel that it is heating for the body but calming for the mind. It energizes you and at the same time clears the clutter in your head. It helps in creating a meditative state of mind so is very useful if done before meditation or some very important task at hand as it improves concentration. Also practise it whenever you are feeling confused, agitated, stressed, anxious and see the effect for yourself.

Have fun with the practice!!!

How many glasses of water do I really need?

I have read in gazillion publications, newspapers, articles on water that we need to drink about 8-10 glasses of water daily (some say even more) to regulate elimination of waste & toxins.

In actuality, our body is about 70% water. It is entirely self cleansing. Water is used for transportation of nutrients, regulation of temperature, cellular reproduction, elimination etc. The body decides in what way is the water ingested by you going to be used. Also water is only one of the requirements. We need to drink water when we are thirsty. Our body gets overworked when we consume water beyond the demand of thirst. Excess consumption of salt, spices, fried foods also heightens the demand for water. Salads, fruits, nuts & sprouts, provide all the nutrients and water which are required.

I have experienced in the past few weeks that as I eat more fruits, salads, sprouts & nuts, my requirement for water has gone down. I have less water then I used to. So the fact that you require 8 glasses of water is a myth. Try it yourself & experience.

Healthy Substitutes

Let me give you a list of food items that are normally used by us; which can be substituted with their healthier counterparts.

Iodized salt with rock salt, sea salt, black salt
Processed sugar or sugar free with rock sugar, organic jaggary, honey
Wheat flour with whole wheat, bajra, jowar flours
Polished rice with pounded unpolished rice
Fruit juices with fresh fruits
Cut & packed vegetables with fresh vegetables from the vendor
Stir fried, shallow fried, fried, microwaved with steamed, baked
Processed tea with fresh herbal tea with ginger, jaggary, lemon grass, mint leaves
Sweets & chocolates with dates, figs, raisins
Dals, pulses with sprouts, sprout dals
Garam masala with fresh spices
Red chilly powder with fresh chillies
Processed foods with fresh foods

I have been trying most of these since the past month & I am really feeling better. I don’t know whether it is psychological but its definitely worth a try. Happy eating.....!!!

Salads - Power foods

Always have raw salads with your meals as they have live enzymes which help in digestion. Cooking of food destroys these enzymes. Go for seasonal vegetables which are healthier for the body & lighter on your pocket.

Wash the vegetables properly before you have your salad. Salads are best had freshly cut. A word of caution: its not advisable to have salads outside as it might not be hygienically prepared and the quality of vegetables is also questionable.

The chemical structure of the complex enzyme molecules is changed by application of heat and their enzymic powers destroyed. When raw food is eaten, the food enzymes remain intact. Humans have the ability to manufacture their own cellular enzymes from the nutrients transported to the cells in the fluids of the body. Thus if we supply ourselves with adequate amounts of suitable kinds of raw foods, we will more easily and thoroughly digest our food, we will absorb a large quantity of nutrients to supply cellular needs and we can formulate the required human enzymes as the need arises.

When we eat cooked foods, we fail to supply the materials to manufacture our own enzymes. Enzymes activate and control all the chemical actions and reactions within the cells and regulate the energy output for all physical and mental activity. They are the life and when they are lacking, their absence will soon be felt. Phew.............!!!!

Sources : The Health Awareness Centre - Dr Vijaya Venkat, Fit for Life by Marilyn & Harvey Diamond

The Diamond / Complete Supta Vajrasana

• Stand on your knees. Put your palms on your back & start bending backwards.
• Arch back & put the palms on the floor.
• Lower your head & put your elbows down.
• Try to take the head as close to your feet as possible.
• You can also use the wall to lower yourself down. Put your palms on the wall first & slowly walk them down to the floor.
  
  I still have a lot of scope for improvement in this pose. It’s quite a challenging pose & gave me confidence after I achieved this much. Try it only if you are an intermediate student but after a good session of asanas. It gives tremendous compression in the back so relaxation is very important after doing it. It tones up the entire spinal region & gives good circulation to the pelvic organs. However, it should not be attempted by anyone with an ailment or condition like blood pressure, hernia, cardiac problem etc.
  
  The pose is also given in these books: The Sivananda Companion to Yoga, Light on Yoga by BKS Iyengar

Living with the Himalayan Masters

I finished reading this book recently. It traces the life of Swami Rama (a great sage & founder of the Himalanyan Institute in the USA). I am reviewing this book because I feel it’s a good read for those connected as well as disconnected from yoga. The various incidences, various meetings and stays with his different teachers since childhood have been described such that everyone is bound to appreciate it. Its endearing the way this book touches upon various religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam), various geographical areas (Himalayas, north India, Tibet, north-east, central). Even a mention is there of the flora & fauna in the Himalayas. The enthralling beauty of the Himalayas is for everyone to capture in ones’ imagination with vivid descriptions in the book.

It’s a sneak peek into the lives of the sages who live deep in the Himalayas and are practically inaccessible to the world. They live in small dwellings, often changing after a few days or months. They live a nomadic life & fine-tune themselves to the conditions prevalent at various places. You’ll read about peculiar lives of some sages, the way they survive, what they eat, how they spend time, and miraculous feats they are capable of. A typical day in the life of a Himalayan sage would be like this – getting up at 4 am, meditation till 6:30 am, breakfast of raw milk & fruit given by villagers, meditation or a few practices, meeting with the disciples and common people, evening meal at 6:00 pm, again meditation or reading scriptures. Only 3-4 hours sleep per day. Isn’t it fascinating?

And in all the pages, with detailed narrations, it also shows how Swami Rama was transformed from a rebellious disciple to a great sage. The approach is quite simple, lucid yet powerful. I am quite ignorant when it comes to spirituality and philosophy. But those concepts have been explained with anecdotes from real life which makes the book an interesting read.

ps: i know i have been dilly-dallying about hardcore yoga (asanas) but will soon be doing it once i get hold of my husband to take a few pics.