Breathe well with Yoga Hatha

September 20, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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If you are looking for ways to improve your posture and breathing at the same time then you should start making Yoga Hatha a part of your daily regimen.

Yoga Hatha is found to strengthen the muscles that you use for breathing which is a good thing for those who suffer from asthma and other respiratory sickness. This allows those with asthma to participate in physical activities and sports without provoking an attack to take place.

Hatha Yoga was first introduced in the 16th century by Yogi Swatmarama, a yoga sage from India. He was the one who paved the way to calmness and peacefulness through exercises that enhance the mind, spirit and body. Hatha is derived from the Sanskrit words meaning sun “ha” and moon “tha”. This immediately shows that balance is the focus of this yoga.

Yoga Hatha involves relaxation exercises and the ancient Indian Science that uses strengthening and stretching exercises and aerobic conditioning in order to help aid your posture and breathing. Studies have shown that doing yoga can be very beneficial for those who have asthma. Yoga asanas which are static postures and yoga vinsayas which are dynamic exercises can strengthen the muscles in your legs, arms and trunk. Yoga Hatha is also found to increase bone mineral density which allows the bones of asthmatics – especially children, to gain strength.

Learning how to breathe properly is a good benefit especially when an asthma attack is triggered. It is important to breathe slowly and properly. The less air you breathe per minute, the more carbon dioxide will build up. This will help expand the bronchial tubes to allow more air to get into your lungs.

Slow breathing prevents the drying of the airways that is known to trigger asthma attacks. By breathing slowly, you get to relax and remain focused in your everyday activities.

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Power breathing

September 16, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

It has been reported that stress is the dominant cause of sickness all over the world. It can be due to multi-tasking, performance pressure, heavy workload, and it can be your breathing.

Every time you feel pressured, overloaded, or rushed, physical tension is building up in your chest making your chest muscles contract. The force makes you breathe shorter and take in shallow breaths.

If you have been taking shallow breaths constantly, this can cause you fatigue, emotional tension, mental weakness and health issues like asthma, colds, indigestion and anxiety. Aside from that, rapid shallow breathing increases the tension in your neck and shoulder and also increases the risk of hyperventilation.

Aside from that, studies show that when the body’s cells are starving for oxygen, there is a 60% chance that these cells would become cancerous. There are a lot of studies made that would prove and attest to the fact that one of the most significant factors of your health is how well you breathe.

Therefore, the importance of breathing correctly should be acknowledged. The rate, depth and quality of your breathing can help increase your energy levels, clear your mind, block pain, calm your nerves and even improve your health.

Here is a breathing exercise to help improve on the depth of your breathing:

Allow your belly to move in and out as you breathe. When you breathe, make sure that it is deep in your abdomen and not in the shallow of your chest. This will allow the diaphragm to draw the air in and out of the body.

Here is another exercise that you can use to improve on the frequency of your breathing:

In order to calm your body and gain focus in your mind, you have to take long, rhythmic breaths. Breathe in for about 5 seconds, hold it for 2 seconds then breathe out for 5 seconds. This is a good frequency in order to start having a positive breathing habit.

Breathing is a stress relief tool that is very efficient and is the most potent of all stress management techniques. Remember, stress relied is not all about escaping. The key to get rid of stress is to create a peaceful and calm sense inside of you.

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Breathe well while working out

August 26, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

yoga11Ever felt like you are going through too much fatigue and that you have over exerted your efforts during a work out session? This is not because you have done too much. It could be because you are not breathing well.

Starting your exercise with proper breathing is important. If not, you will just end up panting like a dog on a hot day throughout the whole exercise. Not only that but you will not be able to accomplish the right amount of exercise in one session properly.

One of the most common errors that you people usually make is that they do not breathe correctly while doing their exercises. Breathing incorrectly during work out sessions can cause high blood pressure. This is why most people can not get the most of their workouts and actually end up feeling so tired after every session. Here are some tips to help you avoid fatigue after your exercises through proper breathing:

When you are doing a particular exercise, identify which parts make you exert the most efforts. When you reach that part, breathe out. For example, if you are doing sit ups it is best to breathe out every time you lift your body from the floor.

It is important that you should never try to hold your breath while exercising. People often make the mistake of holding their breath especially when it comes to weight lifting. Holding your breath can make you feel dizzy and can lead to fatigue. It can also lead to high blood pressure. When you exercise it is important that your muscles get enough oxygen.

During the rest part of the exercise, breathe. If you are doing more dynamic exercises, then you should be doing fast paced rhythms when it comes to your breathing. Doing controlled exercises like Yoga and Pilates allows you to do fuller and slower breaths.

Proper breathing while conducting your exercises makes the whole work out session less strenuous and gives you the energy to actually do even more. Knowing how to exercise correctly with the right diet is the best way to get closer to your goals.

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Alternative ways for Asthma relief

August 16, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Asthma can be a chronic concern to most people from childhood till the adult stage. Asthma is a breathing disorder that is caused by the inflammation and narrowing of your lung’s airways. Some of its symptoms include cough, rapid breathing, wheezing and breathlessness. And these symptoms can worsen with poor breathing techniques. When air can’t get in then the patient will also have a hard time breathing out thus causing the patient to have an asthma attack.

If you have asthma, you can help yourself by manipulating your breathing patterns with relaxation and deep breathing exercises. This will help you control your respiratory muscles and in turn will contribute to the improvement of your condition. When trying to learn breathing exercises it is important to consult a respiratory therapist first because not all breathing exercises can be safe for you.

Aside from breathing exercises, you can also seek help from the healing properties of nature by employing alternative treatments with the use of Garlic and honey. Garlic is considered to be an effective ingredient when it comes to natural asthma remedies. You can try it out by boiling garlic in milk. This is said to be very helpful when you are experiencing asthma symptoms and is recommended especially for those who are in the early stages of asthma. All you have to do is boil ten cloves of garlic in half cup of milk and drink it before you go to sleep.

Another possible remedy for you will be with the help of honey. You can get a glass of very hot water and add a teaspoon of honey in it. Drink this mix very slowly before you go to bed. Another concoction involving honey is to use one teaspoon of honey and mix it with a teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Then consume after mixing the two ingredients thoroughly.

Another home remedy you can use to relieve yourself from asthma is by the use of grapes. These grapes must have seeds and must be fresh. You need to soak the fresh grapes in water and place them in a cool place like the fridge. Then you can chew on the grapes before going to bed. This is said to help prevent any symptoms of asthma to take place.

With all this natural alternatives you can now reduce the risks of you having an asthma attack throughout the day or week. Do not forget to consult your doctor regularly.

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Pacifying Anger

August 7, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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It is natural for any human being to feel angry from time to time. Anger is a significant emotion of resentment or hostility which is triggered by incidents or situations. It is, in any sense, a normal human emotion.

People get angry because they are emotionally hurt, they are betrayed, and sometimes anger is an easy way to respond to embarrassment and humiliation. Anger may sometimes be a sort of a defensive mechanism to hide what people are really feeling inside.

Although it is a normal emotion for all human beings, it is viable that you learn how to control anger and how to express them appropriately. Angry people tend to become violent and this may result to a social and personal catastrophe such as wrecked relationships with family, friends, coworker, lover, and the likes. It may sometimes result to loosing jobs. Aside from that, it may also cause the deterioration of one’s mental and physical health.

People who have anger issues usually consult professionals for counseling and medications. But, anger may be avoided or healed in a natural way. Aromatherapy, for example, has been proven worldwide to be very efficient in pacifying anger. The aroma of rose flowers is the most classic remedy. For people with problems in anger management, it is advised to stay away from foods which are hot and spicy. According to one doctor, when you are angry, try plugging your right ear with cotton and try to hear things only with the other ear for hours. This will help clear a part of the brain and cool down anger.

Some psychologist would also advise you to imagine that the person you are angry with has already been punished. When thinking of that person, let go of yourself and think of a humorous punishment that will allow you to chuckle or laugh. Yoga and meditation are two of the most effective ways to control anger. Proper breathing exercises and meditation help you acquire peace of mind and help you to think rationally.

Anger should be managed and expressed appropriately to avoid its negative effects to relationships, employment, and health. Before loosing yourself to anger, think of its consequences. Always control anger before it controls you.

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Breathing and Holistic Living

August 3, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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Holistic living is turning out to be the newest and most practical craze of the health industry. Luckily you do not need a degree from a well known University to know what it takes to live a holistic life.

Living a holistic life simply means that you are enjoying positive health and wellness through natural remedies. Applying holistic remedies can give you a sharper and more alert mental state, give you more positive emotions like zest, love and joy and be more spiritually aware.

One way to bring out positivity is to give attention to your breathing. There are a lot of practices wherein you are to apply conscious breathing to create balance in your life. One of these practices is tatwa breathing.

Based on the fact that out body is made of the five elements – earth, fire, air, water and ether – Tatwa breathing is more known as elemental breathing can help bring about balance, in this practice; you start by taking a couple of deep breaths. Then take four short breaths and end it with one long breath. Repeat for five times. Take note that your breaths should be connected without any stopping in between. All in all it will take less than a minute or two to practice.

Having balance between the five elements within the body can help you experience wellness. This practice is very simple to do and you do not have to spend anything to do it. You can do it anytime and anywhere in any position. And what’s more is that nobody will be aware that you are practicing it.

Five to ten minutes of this practice and meditation can be refreshing during a hectic day. You can make it a habit to do this before lunch or before you start a meeting. This helps increase your work quality and productivity with less effort and ease.

Practicing Tatwa breathing every time you feel any signs of negativity drawing near can help you control stress and go through the day with a positive outlook in life.

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Tantra Breathing

July 21, 2009 By marie 1 Comment

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You have heard that there are a lot of benefits breathing exercises can do for you. Breathing can affect every cell of your body.

Here is Tantra, another method of breathing exercise that can help you free yourself from stress. This technique should be done in the morning on an empty stomach:

  • While sitting, make sure that your spine is as straight as possible. Keep your feet flat in the floor with your knees directly over the center of your feet. Keep your hands on the top of your legs. Close your eyes gently and visualize your ribs.

  • Begin the Tantra breathing routine by filling your lungs up with air, making your ribs expand. Feel your lungs emptying as you exhale and your ribs coming back down.

  • The first few times you do this do it only for five minutes then eventually do it for ten minutes once you get used to it.

In the ancient Indian language, the word Tantra means “to weave”. Basically, Tantra weaves together your inner energy with your outer energy. They are mostly known for their contribution to improving a person’s sex life.

It is important to get expert guidance from an authentic Tantra teacher before you pursue higher levels of Tantra breathing. This is because you are inviting powerful forces of self realization into your life when you practice Tantra breathing. When these Tantra techniques are practiced with the right supervision, the practice can have the potential to change your life.

Deep Tantra is very calming and you will be feeling a boost in your energy. This is because slow, steady and quiet breathing can deliver a soothing internal massage to your nervous system. Use Tantra breathing to experience relaxation and enhance the natural state of your being.

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Healthy Habits

July 3, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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One way to help increase your tolerance over sickness and stress, is to implement healthy habits in your lifestyle whether you’re looking for health benefits, less stress or just for leading a happier life from day to day.

Maintaining a new healthy habit can be harder than it seems. Luckily, there are a few tricks that can make this easier. Here are some things that you must consider:

Simplicity

Do not take up a habit that will end up giving you stress as you master it instead of relieving stress. For example, if pilates can be straining and difficult for you then do not force it because it will only frustrate you. Choose something easier like walking.

Lifestyle

Do not force something that does not fit your lifestyle. If you are a morning person, then it is best not to choose a morning workout as your stress management habit. It will be too difficult to maintain. And if you are the type who gets exhausted by nighttime, a meditation session before bedtime is also not the best choice for you. And if you have to take care of your children, do not take a practice that requires privacy and silence.

Strengths

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses can help you find a good stress reliever that will fit you perfectly. If you are a verbal person then you can try journaling as a stress management habit. If you have a creative imagination then you can choose visualization.

Once you have made a careful evaluation of yourself and your lifestyle, choosing the right habit can be much easier. Remember that if you want to make it easy to stay with a healthy habit, it must be something you enjoy and those habits must fit in well with your personality.

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VICTORY BREATH

July 3, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

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In yoga, breathing is considered to be the foundation of all life and that it sustains the connection between your body and your spirit. Breathing is also an indicator of health and mood.

Victory Breath or Ujayii breathing is a yoga exercise that makes your breathing sound like the ocean. Practicing this has a calming effect on the central nervous system which helps increase mental alertness and clarity – making the exercise very effective to those who are suffering from anxiety and depression. The exercise also builds heat in the body and promotes a sense of calmness in the mind.

Here are steps to doing the Victory Breath exercise:

  • Inhale through your nostrils while constricting your back throat so that the breath will make a soft yet audible sound. Think of ocean waves rolling over the shore.
  • Exhale also through your nostrils while pulling your belly towards your spine. Empty your lungs completely and begin again.
  • Continue to keep on breathing deeply and allow your belly, ribcage, and the upper chest to expand with each inhalation. Make sure that you breathe audibly. And remember that your breath should sound hollow like the ocean.

The exercise is called Victory Breath since it gives you strength and power. This exercise can be challenging to the lungs which at the same time challenges them to work harder.

If you have asthma however, be careful with this breathing exercise. People with bronchitis, sinus or lung infection should avoid doing this exercise until they have been full recovered.

So if you ever want to pull out from your busy schedule and want to have a chance to cool down – even from your cubicle, breathe. Through practicing Victory Breath, you can manage your emotions, gain clarity and take greater control of you life.

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Deep Breathing for Weight Loss

June 29, 2009 By marie Leave a Comment

Time for relaxBreathing might be second nature to us but a lot of people do not know how to practice deep breathing. This is because when we breathe, we do it unconsciously and it results to shallow breathing. Deep breathing makes us more aware of our bodies then this allows us to focus in the steps we need to take to make our bodies the shape and size we want them to be.

Deep breathing for weight loss is possible. Just like food, oxygen is considered as fuel for the body. Plus oxygen has no calories. So breathing well can provide you a sense of satisfaction without the calories that come along with the food. Regular deep breathing helps increase the metabolism which will help you burn more calories and effectively utilize the food to provide you more energy. That increased energy can increase your ability to exercise and reduce weight.

Deep breathing can also assist your body when it comes to fat burning. This is because deep breathing changes the way that oxygen is delivered throughout the body which creates a change in the way that the body works – including improved fat burning. When deep breathing is done to minimize stress, the fat burning abilities of the body increases because the stress factor goes down.

One example of a breathing exercise is done while lying down totally flat on your bed, couch or floor. Allow yourself to relax for a second or two before taking a deep breath. Take a deep breath through your nose while pushing your belly up. Stick your chin on your chest to watch your belly rise. Once you’ve got as much air as you can hold, stop and hold your breath for twenty seconds – You will be able to feel your lungs stretching out. Practice doing this for 5 minutes regularly and you will be able to feel relaxed and refreshed with that extra oxygen that you gifted your body with.

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