Change your diet, change your mood? Science says the answer is yes. Food isn’t just fuel for the body; it feeds the mind and changes our moods. Food scientists are still exploring the big picture regarding food and mood, but it’s clear that certain foods have a feel-good factor. Try these five mood-boosting snacks.
Bananas
Bananas offer serious mood-lifting power, with their combination of vitamins B6, A, and C; fiber; tryptophan; potassium; phosphorous; iron; protein; and healthy carbohydrates.
When you eat a banana, you’ll get a quick boost from the fructose as well as sustaining energy from the fiber, which helps prevent a blood sugar spike and ensuing drop in energy and mood. Carbohydrates aid in the absorption of tryptophan in the brain, and vitamin B6 helps convert the tryptophan into mood-lifting serotonin. Bananas are also a great source of potassium. Although potassium isn’t directly related to mood, it’s needed to regulate fluid levels and keep muscles working properly, which is important for feeling energized, a key factor for a sunny outlook. And finally, bananas also offer iron, which is crucial to producing energy and fighting fatigue.
Best of all, bananas are available year-round and are easy to tote — just make sure to pack them on top!
Get even happier:
Bananas are among the best when it comes to mixing and matching mood-boosting snacks. For a sunny smoothie, blend a banana with one handful of spinach, a tablespoon of ground flaxseed, and half a cup of apple juice. Spinach is one of the richest food sources of folate (vitamin B9) you can find, and flaxseed is full of omega-3s. When combined, these nutrients help maintain stable levels of brain serotonin and may help reduce your risk of depression.
For a sweet treat, try a frozen dark chocolate-covered banana, which you’ll find in the freezer section of many natural foods stores. Or melt your own dark chocolate at home to dip banana slices in for a satisfying, mood-lifting fondue.
Walnuts
Walnuts contain a handful of components that contribute to a good mood, including omega-3s, vitamin B6, tryptophan, protein, and folate.
Higher blood levels of omega-3s have been linked with better mood and lower rates of depression, while lower blood levels of omega-3s have been associated with higher rates of depression and negative feelings. An animal study authored by Harvard Medical School Professor William Carlezon found that omega-3s and uridine (another substance found in walnuts, which plays an important role in helping metabolize carbohydrates) worked in the same way as standard antidepressant medications.
The standard dosage of omega-3 oils recommended by many experts is one gram (1,000 mg) per day. You’ll get about the same amount, as well as a healthy dose of fiber and protein, in just half an ounce of walnuts. About two teaspoons of walnut oil will also do the trick, but you won’t get the all the nutrition you would from the whole nut.
Get even happier:
Crumble walnuts on top of a serving of organic yogurt for a crunchy and creamy treat with a double-dose of tryptophan.
Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are a super source of folate and magnesium, two substances that play a significant role in regulating and boosting mood. Just a handful of sunflower seeds delivers half the daily recommended amount of magnesium.
Magnesium, in addition to regulating mood, plays an essential role in hundreds of bodily functions. Magnesium deficiency is often responsible for feelings of fatigue, nervousness, and anxiety (since it triggers an increase in adrenaline), and it’s been linked to various mood disorders. Sufficient, stable magnesium levels, on the other hand, help us achieve a calm and relaxed state, the perfect precursor to a good mood. It’s so effective, in fact, that scientific studies have shown magnesium supplementation to be beneficial in treating major depression, suicidal tendencies, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia.
Folate (also known as vitamin B9 and as folic acid) is a B-complex vitamin that’s intimately linked with nervous system function. Folate deficiency may result in feelings of irritability, depression, and brain fog, as well as insomnia. Being well rested and keeping a clear head are two of the primary factors in fueling a good mood, so snacking on sunflower seeds is a smart move in more ways than one.
Sunflower seeds are a good source of tryptophan and are often recommended by nutritional experts as a natural method of boosting serotonin levels. They’re also rich in fiber, which helps maintain stable hormone levels — one of the keys to keeping even-keeled.
Get even happier: Try this homemade trail mix to blast the blues: Sift sunflower seeds together with almonds, Brazil nuts, raisins, and dark chocolate chunks. Brazil nuts contain selenium, another natural mood booster.
Dark Chocolate
A number of unscientific studies name chocolate the number-one craved food in America, so it makes sense that indulging in chocolate makes for a happy experience. And, as it turns out, there are some real reasons why that’s so. For one, chocolate contains a number of substances that elevate mood, including fat, sugar, caffeine, phenylethylamine, flavonols, theobromine, and tryptophan.
Caffeine and theobromine are two naturally occurring stimulants found in chocolate. Along with sugar and fat, these substances provide a swift burst of energy and mood-lifting power. Chocolate also contains the mood-boosting compounds phenylethylamine, tyramine, tryptophan, and magnesium. While these substances are found in many other foods, even in higher concentrations, chocolate has an advantage because of its appeal on several sensory levels: it has a rich, mouth-pleasing texture; an intense taste; and an appealing aroma. For many of us, just the idea of indulging in chocolate is enough to elicit a positive emotional response.
In addition to these natural pick-me-ups, when you eat chocolate, a number of reactions occur, including the release of serotonin in the brain and mood-elevating endorphins in the body. This heady combination can result in a temporarily lifted mood and even a fleeting feeling of euphoria, which may explain why some people turn to chocolate when they’re feeling blue.
Finally, cocoa is a natural source of antioxidant flavonoids, which increase blood flow (and thus oxygenation) in the brain, and which may contribute to better brain function. Not all chocolate is created equal, though. For the best health and happiness benefits, go for good-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa level of 70 percent or higher. The more cocoa it contains, the higher the levels of healthy compounds, so the darker the chocolate, the better it is for you.
Get even happier:
Chocolate-covered almonds are a decadent snack full of fiber, vitamin E, potassium, manganese, magnesium, copper, tryptophan, and vitamin B2 (riboflavin). Almonds help lower the glycemic index of the chocolate, preventing a spike in blood sugar and its resultant low energy and mood. In fact, fiber, manganese, copper, and B2 are power players when it comes to energy production — and steady energy is a must for a happy mood.
Eggs
Eggs might not be the first food that comes to mind when you think of a snack, but a hard-boiled egg is easy to make and easy to transport. It’s also a really good-for-you and good-for-your-mood snack. Full of high-quality protein and omega-3s (from hens eating a diet rich in omega-3s), eggs are also an excellent source of vitamin B12 (riboflavin) and a good source of vitamins B2, B5, and D. And one boiled egg contains more than 20 percent of the daily recommended amount of tryptophan.
While carbs are crucial for converting tryptophan into serotonin, protein is an important part of the process, too. A balanced diet that includes high-quality lean protein, like you find in eggs, and healthy carbs also helps stabilize blood sugar and prevent emotional highs and lows. And the Vitamin B12 in eggs plays a significant role in the production of energy and helps alleviate memory problems and symptoms of depression.
Get even happier:
Add your egg to whole-grain toast for a satisfying snack that will give you a boost of long-lasting energy and fuel a feeling of well-being. Complex carbohydrates are an ideal pairing for protein-rich eggs, since they temporarily produce a calming effect by delivering a dose of tryptophan and triggering the production of serotonin. Carbohydrates also aid in the absorption of tryptophan in the brain.
Everyone wants a good memory but no one wants to eat right! Here are the foods that will make you brighter and sharper.
Ever found yourself struggling to remember your colleague's name, your anniversary, that office deadline or even worse your spouse's name?
Poor memory has never been of help to anyone we know -- be it a student or a CEO.
But with so many things happening around us, is it possible to remember every single date, every single detail and every possible person you came across?
Erm, it isn't!
But these 51 foods will surely help you get better at remembering and get your brain ticking without having to take those coffee breaks and reminders!
Read on!
1. Is Dark Chocolate Brain Food?
A few Dark Chocolate squares help sharpen your brain for a short time. Dark Chocolate contains Phenylethylamine that stimulates the brain to produce neurotransmitter Serotonin which helps boost your mood.
2. Natural Sugar enhances alertness
Eating complex carbs like some fruits, veggies, grains, beans enhances alertness and mental ability. Eating simple carbs or too much sugar results into impaired memory and additional pounds.
When you eat complex carbs your brain gets sugar for fuel at a steady pace this in turn will influence your learning and behaviour. Brain craves for natural sugar utilizing almost 20% of your carb intake.
4. Can nuts keep your brain healthy and young?
Nuts and seeds are rich in antioxidant Vitamin E, which helps arrest cognitive decline as you age. Note - The nutrient density doesn't change with size or if they are raw or dry roasted.
After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again !!!
Bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.
Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes.
But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.
Depression
According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.
PMS
Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.
Anemia
High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.
Blood Pressure
This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.
Brain Power
200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.
Constipation
High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.
Hangovers
One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.
Heartburn
Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.
Morning Sickness
Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.
Mosquito bites
Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.
Nerves
Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.
Overweight and at work?
Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.
Ulcers
The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders
because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.
Temperature control
Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.
Smoking
Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.
Stress
Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.
Strokes
According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine, "eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!
Warts
Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!
So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around.
So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"
Fear is rampant in today’s society. You have the power to banish fear from your life, and you should resolve to do so because of its highly destructive nature. If it is allowed to go unchecked it will paralyze your efforts to succeed and eventually cause illness in your mind and body. Moreover, chronic fear generates negative energy that broadcasts out from your mind into the world around you, where it infects society and serves only to attract more fear. For all these reasons, fear must be dealt with effectively.
At the psychological level, fear is our built-in warning system. Just like you have pain in your body to alert you to illness or injury , you have fear in your mind to alert you to a threat to your safety. When fear arises it triggers the release of stress hormones that divert blood flow away from the vital organs to the large muscles. The body does this because it is preparing to fight or run away from something - the classic “fight or flight” response.
A single brief episode of fear serves an important function that might save your life if the threat were a street thug or a tiger. But there are so many threats that prey on the public mind these days that the stress response never abates. The result is that people succumb to a chronic fear-based stress syndrome with dangerous long-term health effects. These include poor digestion, autoimmune problems, glandular disease, retarded healing, poor functioning of vital organs like the heart and lungs, anger, rage, fear, terror, distorted thinking, impatience, erratic emotional states, memory loss, anxiety, and depression.
At the spiritual level, chronic fear is a destructive energetic force ( avidya ) that leads us away from one another and from God. People who suffer from chronic fear tend to pull back from the collective and become increasingly more distrustful, alienated and frightened. Where there is chronic fear among many, avidya energy intensifies and becomes a contagion that will captivate the entire society. This is the purpose of avidya , which always functions to alienate people from each other and increase suffering.
To deal with fear effectively, first recognize it as a warning when it arises - your mind is telling you to pay attention. Do not try to dismiss it or “tough it out.” Instead, slow down long enough to examine why you are fearful and honestly face the threat. Then directly address it by coming up with an effective action plan to deal with it. Do what you need to do to increase your safety (even the threat of terrorism can be minimized by changes in policy and behavior). Once you’ve done this, recognize that you’re in need of healing.
The best antidote for fear is vidya - the virtuous forces that work to lead us into God by promoting the nobility of every person and the oneness of humankind. So to heal yourself from fear, start by doing things that make you feel secure and bring you love and happiness. Reconnect with family and friends. Make a determined effort to reach out to others in heartfelt compassion, and even consider doing a little public service. You’ll feel much better, and at the same time you’ll help shift the societal energies away from avidya disunity and into vidya unity and compassion.
The most effective way to banish fear is to meditate. Even a little daily meditation (15 minutes) will heal you from fear. Meditation has been scientifically proven to produce the opposite of the human stress response: blood pressure goes down, circulation is equalized throughout the vital organs, immune functioning is elevated, breathing and heart rate are slowed, and brain waves relax to produce a peaceful mental euphoria. Meditation has these effects because it brings you into conscious awareness of your soul ( Atman ), which is eternal, blissful, all powerful and impervious to threats of any kind. The fountain of ensuing joy that follows soul contact in meditation is more than sufficient to banish the energy of fear from body and mind.
Meditate in the morning, then use this simple technique to banish fear if it arises during the day in response to a new stimulus. To use it, you must remain aware of your emotions so you can intervene as soon as you feel fear rising. When it does, place your attention on the third eye (the point between the eyebrows). Then draw in a deep breath while you silently affirm “I am soul - eternal, all knowing, ever-new joy.” As you breathe out, silently chant Om . Do this (breathe in with affirmation; chant Om while breathing out) for three slow consecutive breaths. You will feel better immediately. Use the technique as often as fear rises. As you do, you will train your mind to focus constantly on the highest of vidya virtues - your unity with God - at which point, fear will cease to exist.
When you fail to remember something, which you have read, heard or seen and cannot remember despite several efforts then it is called loss of memory power or forgetful-ness. People of all age groups are suffering due to this problem. There are a number of reasons for this problem. For example, mental tension, excessive mental work or not using it at all, busy schedule throughout the day, physical and mental weakness or serious head injury.
Take balanced diet and chew it nicely it improves memory. Remember all the things done throughout the day in the chronological order. This exercise improves the memory power.
Yogic exercises are also helpful in improving memory power and reduce forgetfulness. Practice the yogic exercises with the feeling that the memory power is improving and forgetfulness is reducing.
YOGA ASANA
Yoga asana have excellent strength. Regular practice of these exercises develops the physical and mental capabilities, which improves the memory power, grasping power and intelligence. Sarvangasana and Bhujangasana are the two main asana. Regular practice of these asana cures all the physical and mental related problems and thereby improve the memory power.
SARVANGASAN
Regular practice of this asana supplies pure blood to the brain. It makes the pituitary and pineal glands healthy, activates the brain. It increases the memory power, grasping power and intelligence among the children. It activates the thyroid and pituitary glands, which result in height increase.
This is beneficial for increasing height as it activates the thyroid and pituitary glands. It cures tiredness, weakness and obesity in the children. It makes the eyes, ears, nose and other organs healthy. It improves the digestive system, activates the intestines, liver and increases the digestive fire. It cures enlarged liver, swelling, hysteria, hydrosil, hernia and constipation.
Method:
1. Lie down straight on your back. The legs should be together, join the hands to the sides and rest the palms on the ground.
2. Inhale and raise the legs at 30 degrees upwards, then 60 degrees and then 90 degrees. You can support the back while lifting the legs. If the legs cannot be kept straight at 90 degrees take them back at 120 degrees and rest the hands at the back. The elbows should rest on the ground. The paws should be straight the eyes should be closed otherwise glance at the toes. In the beginning it can be done for 2 minutes and then slowly increase the time up to half an hour.
3. While coming back keep the legs straight and bend backwards slightly. Remove both the hands from the back and rest them straight on the ground. Now, press the floor with the palms and get up in the same position as you had lied down, first back and then the legs should be laid straight on the floor. The duration for Sarvangasan and Shavasan should be the same.
Caution:
Avoid this asana in case of neck and back pain.
BHUJANGASANA
Rejuvenating asana is also beneficial for improving memory power. It cures backache, sciatica pain, slip disc, cervical spondalitis and other spinal problems.
It strengthens the thyroid, para thyroid glands. It is useful in case of asthma.
It strengthens the liver and useful in case of loss of appetite, acidity, diabetes and other stomach related problems. It makes the backbone flexible and healthy. Method: Lie down on your stomach; keep the palms on the ground on both sides of the chest. The elbows should be lifted upwards and the shoulders should be close to the chest.
The legs should be straight and joined together. The paws should be stretched facing the spine and resting on the ground. Inhale and raise the chest and head upwards. The area below the navel should rest on the ground. Raise the head and move the neck backwards as much as you can. Remain in this position for 30 seconds. Repeat as many times as you can.
Caution:
Do not practice this asana in case of hernia.
PRANAYAM
Regular practice of pranayam along with asana is helpful for all round development and improving the memory power.
Bhastrika, kapalbhati and Brahmari Pranayam are the best. They improve the memory power and cures forgetfulness.
KAPALBHATI PRANAYAM
This pranayam supplies pure life energy to the brain. It increases the blood circulation in the brain and removes blood clots thereby improving the memory power. Other than this the toxic and foreign substances from the body are evacuated. It cures cold catarrh, sinusitis, allergy, tension and other diseases. It is very useful in case of phlegm, skin disease, asthma, heart disease, high and low blood pressure, depression, tiredness, laziness, sleeplessness, migraine, joint pain etc. Obesity, diabetes, constipation, indigestion, gastric problem, disinterest and other disease are cured and give vitality. As a result the whole body becomes healthy and disease free.
Method:
Sit in Padmasana and make the pranayam mudra with the hands, close the right nostril with the thumb, and exhale with full strength from the left nostril and inhale from left nostril. Then close the left nostril and exhale from the right nostril and inhale from the right nostril.
In this way inhale and exhale from both the nostrils one by one. In the beginning practice it 20 to 25 times and gradually increase it up to 60 times or more. However practice it depending on the physical capacity.
BHASTRIKA PRANAYAM
Health improves when the brain gets pure life energy. The prana and mind become stable, nervous weakness is cured and memory power improves. It cures the tridosha (vata, pitta, kapha) and problems arising from brain. This cures forgetfulness. It improves appetite. It is beneficial in case of low blood pressure, depression, sleeplessness, knee pain, cold catarrh, headache, diabetes, obesity, loss of appetite and asthma.
It cures thyroid and tonsils and other throat related diseases.
It strengthens the heart and lungs. It is helpful in case of arousal of kundalini and prana Method: Sit in Padmasana. Inhale with full strength and exhale from both the nostrils as strongly as you can. Repeat inhaling and exhaling. Rest when you are tired or exhale completely after practicing this for 30-40 times.
Now place the hand near the nose and close the left nostril. Breathe from right nostril. Breathe in as much as you can, put Jalandhar Bandh followed by Moolbandh. Stop the breathe for some time. Remove the bandh and exhale from left nostril. This is one cycle of Bhastrika Pranayam. Repeat two to three times. Caution: Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity of perspiration due to heat.
BRAHMARI PRANAYAM
It cures brain generated problems, tension, worries, anger, sleeplessness, depression and other problems and improves the memory power. It cures anxiety and is useful in case of restlessness, high blood pressure, heart disease etc.
It cures diabetes, obesity, asthma, nervous weakness, and improve the memory power.
It is beneficial in case of gynecological diseases. It cures vata, pitta, kapha and other problems. It is also beneficial in case of headache, cold catarrh,
Method:
Sit in Padmasana and exhale from the nostrils slowly. Then inhale slowly. Inhale as much as you can and while exhaling produce a nasal sound. As if you are trying to produce the ma sound while chanting Om or like the honeybee whirling around the flowers. Produce this sound and exhale. Try to make this sound as sweet as possible. Close the ears with the thumbs in order to block the external noises and keep the fingers on the forehead. Inhale and exhale and produce the sound. Repeat this exercise for five minutes.
Caution: Do not shake the body while inhaling and exhaling. Do not practice it in case of high blood pressure, piles, acidity or perspiration due to heat.
OMKAR CHANTING
Omkar chanting improves the memory power. It increases the mental strengths. It arouses the Kundalini. It establishes contacts with the extraterrestrial powers.
Method:
Omkar is very significant in our lives. The letters A, O and Ma collectively make this word. The joint powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh are included in this word. Om is powerful and spread in the entire universe but cannot we cannot experience it. Om should be chanted for introspection, produce energy in the body and circulate the strength.
Inhale and chant A, then close the mouth and say O and then close and say Ma.
Stressing on the letter A, O and Ma cures the diseases of stomach, chest and brain respectively.
It is useful for improving the memory power.
Caution:
Do not practice this asana in case of hernia problem.
Obesity is the biggest problem of the modern age. It is the main cause for the serious, incurable and fatal diseases. Blood pressure, heart problem, diabetes and other dangerous diseases are caused due to obesity. The body weight gradually increases when attention is not paid during childhood. This takes the form of obesity. It can be cured permanently with the intake of balanced food, proper life style and regular practice of yoga asana. This will also cure the above-mentioned diseases.
The modern science age has also accepted the miraculous benefits of yog asana. Regular practice of yog asana cures all types of diseases.
A few asana useful to fight out obesity are being given below :
Dwichakrikasan
Method : Lie down straight towards your back and keep the hands below the hips, stop the breath, raise one leg fold up to the knee, bring the ankle near the hip and rotate in a cyclic motion. Repeat this from 10 to 30 times as per the capacity. 2. Similarly repeat the exercise with the second leg.Rotate the legs without touching the ground. Make a circular shape with the legs. Repeat this 10 to 30 times as per the capacity. 3.When tired lie down in Shavasan and rest for some time and repeat the exercise in the opposite direction and rest when tired. 4.Repeat the exercise by rotating both the legs continuously in a circular motion. Inhale, told one leg up to the knee and bring towards the chest, stretch the other leg straight up to the ground. Inhale and rotate the legs as if riding a bicycle. Then repeat this in the opposite direction continuously like a cycle. 5.Those who do not have backache, heart disease or hernia can do the exercise with both the legs and then rest in Shavasan. Repeat this 5 to 10 times according to the capacity.
Benefits:
1. This is the best exercise to reduce weight. Regular practice of this asana for 5 to 10 minutes sheds out unnecessary weight and obesity can be reduced in very less time. 2. It gives proper shape to the stomach. It activates the intestines. It cures constipation, dysentery, acidity etc. 3. In case of backache do the exercise with single leg, it is helpful for backache as well.
Padvritasan
Method : Lie down straight. Raise the right leg and make a circle by rotating the leg clockwise. In this way make 5 to 20 circles without touching the ground. 2.After rotating in one direction, rotate the leg in opposite direction (Anti-clockwise). Rest in Shavasan when tired. 3.After doing this exercise with single leg do it with both the legs simultaneously. Rotate the legs up down, right-left as much as you can. Rotate the legs clockwise and anti-clockwise directions.
Benefits:
1. This asana is also for reducing extra weight. 2. It definitely reduces the fat accumulated at hips, thighs and waist and gives proper shape to the stomach.
Ardhahlasan
Method : This asana is like Uttanapadasan - the only difference is that in Uttanapadasan the legs are raised up to 30 degrees whereas in Ardhahalasan the legs are raised up to 90 degrees. 1. Lie down on your back. Keep the palms towards the floor; legs straight and both the paws should be together. 2.Inhale and slowly raise the legs up to 90 degrees and remain in this position for some time. 3.While bringing down the legs rest the legs on the floor without jerk. Rest for a while and repeat it again at least six times. 4.Those who have back ache, should raise one leg at a time.
Benefits:
1.This asana is especially useful to reduce weight. 2. It makes the intestines flexible and healthy, increases the fire of the stomach and cures constipation, gas and obesity. 3.It is also beneficial in shifting of the navel, heart disease, stomachache and respiratory problems. 4.Raising one leg at a time is specially benificial for backache problem.
