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TO most of us yoga is a series of exercises that help to strengthen our bodies and make us flexible. Yoga is much more than that. It is a powerful tool in correcting and healing all imbalances that translate into stress and ailments. Complete wellbeing and emotional happiness form the real core of yoga. Yoga acts as a curative and preventive therapy. Sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutras defines yoga as the complete control of the activities of the mind. The feel-good hormone generated by yoga help you stay focused, positive and upbeat. BENEFITS Complete wellbeing and emotional happiness form the real core of yoga Some
simple yogasanas Parsva Tadasana: Stand with feet one foot apart and place eft hand on the left hip. Lift right hand up and bend to the left as much as you can. Hold this pose for 30 seconds. Inhale and come up on exhalation and repeat on the other side. For strength, balance and grace Uttanasana : Stand straight with feet parallel and hip-distance apart. Fold or bend forward. Hug shin in and feel the weight of hips pressing down towards the feet. Draw the belly in and roll the rib cage towards the toes. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat once more. Ab-centring Bhujangasana: Lie down with the abdomen to the floor. Place both palms on the floor close to the ears. Inhale and raise head off the floor till the trunk is off the floor. Keep the weight on the arms. Hold for 30 counts, exhale and come back to normal position. This tones the abdominal organs and stretches the spine and back. The bridge pose: Lie on the back. Bend nees and draw the heels towards the buttocks. Keep the feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise the hips up, arching the lower spine and lift the navel portion towards the sky. Inhale as you lift up and hold the breath and pose. Relax down while breathing out. Repeat for five to six times. Curative power Paschimottasana or seated forward bend: Sit on the floor. Keep legs stretched in front and extend calves and heels away from the pelvis. Pivot forward from the hips and clasp heels by pressing thighs into the floor. Hold this pose for 30 seconds and come back to start position. Repeat three to five times. It improves the digestive system, relieves menstrual cramps, and increases agility in hips, legs and lower back. Naukasana:
Lie on the back. Stretch out arms and legs, raise the legs and torso and hold this pose for 15 counts. Release and repeat for three reps. Relaxation is an essential part of yoga practice. Shavasan (corpse pose) aids relaxation, respiration and concentration. It is normally practised after completion of all asanas and helps to normalise the physiological and psychological functions in the body. The practice of yoga is not complete without pranayam or breathing exercises that help the body absorb the vital energy through the act of inhalation and exhalation. Pranayam evitalises the body and brings clarity of the mind. Basic breathing consists of kapalabhati, anuloma viloma, brahmari and Om chanting. Regular practice of yoga and pranayam will help body and mind to work in harmony and will liberate you from worries, tensions, phobias and fatigue. These are just a few asanas (must be done under proper guidance) for strengthening the spine, firming and toning of the abdomen, better oxygenation, to control diabetes and asthma, for better flexibility and to maintain skin tone. — The writer is one of the leading holistic health gurus and has a health portal
Too much salt may trigger auto-immune diseases Increased salt consumption may be a key culprit behind rising rates of auto-immune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, researchers have reported after reviewing papers looking at the role of a specific class of cells linked with inflammation. Reporting in the journal Nature, the researchers said high-salt diets increased levels of a type of immune cell linked with autoimmune disease. And mice genetically engineered to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) got much worse when they ate what amounted to a high-salt Western diet compared with mice, who had more moderate salt intake. Nursing home residents taking sleep aids such as Ambien are more likely to fall and fracture a hip than residents not being treated for insomnia, new research suggests. According to the study's lead author, the known dangers of older benzodiazepine sedatives, such as Valium and Xanax, among elderly patients have led many doctors to turn to the newer medicines, known as non-benzodiazepines, but that doesn't mean they're any safer. Less-frequent pap smears may miss cancer precursors Certain types of cervical abnormalities that can lead to cancer may be missed when young women go years between pap smears, a new study suggests. Last year, the government-backed US Preventive Services Task Force said women under 21 don't need to be screened for cervical cancer and pap smears can be done once every three years after that. Even in Canada, wealth influences treatment Poorer people have a harder time getting a doctor's appointment in Canada, a new study suggests — even though the country's universal health insurance pays doctors the same amount regardless of the type of patient they see. Researchers, who called primary care practices pretending to be a bank employee or on welfare, were 80 per cent more likely to be offered an appointment when taking on the wealthier persona. Medical tourism offers travel firms untapped growth A dentist's office may not be everyone's idea of a perfect holiday destination. But a growing number of Europeans are travelling abroad for medical treatment to save money, or maybe to combine a visit to the doctor with some sightseeing, creating a fast-growing market that is still largely untapped by traditional tour operators. Fight tobacco marketing, boost vaccinations to curb cancer Fighting the tobacco industry's tactics in the world's poorest countries and ensuring the best vaccines get to those most in need are key to cutting the number of cancer deaths worldwide, according to a report by specialists in the disease. Experts reporting from a meeting of cancer organisations across the world said smoking and other forms of tobacco use are the main drivers of a growing global burden of cancer. "Brain pacemaker" may ease severe anorexia Scientists have for the first time reported successful use of a brain-stimulating implant to help patients with severe anorexia whose condition had not improved with other treatments. Doctors implanted a device similar to a pacemaker in the brains of six severe anorexics and found at least half put on weight and showed improvements in mood. Under previous therapies, none had shown progress. Poor kids can be overweight and obese Children whose families are on food stamps are just as likely to be overweight and obese as other low-income youth, a new study suggests. Researchers found poor children tend to have diets high in processed meats, saturated fat and sugary drinks and low in whole grains and fruits and vegetables - regardless of whether they receive federal nutrition assistance.
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It is never too late to begin yoga practice, whatever your age or ability. And in time and with regular practice
you begin to experience the subtle change in yourself. It is this self realisation that helps one to
evolve and transform into a wholesome and vibrant being.
Yoga helps the body and mind stimulate, heal,
rejuvenate and regenerate leading to a calm and relaxed mind and body.
For
spine suppleness
Virbhadrasana: Keep legs 3 to 4 feet apart sideways. Raise arms, palms facing down to shoulder height. Turn right foot sideways, 90 degrees to the right and left foot inwards. Bend the right knee with thigh parallel to the floor and left leg stretched out. Stretch arms and stay in this pose for 1 minute and repeat on the other side. 
Sleep aids tied to hip fractures in the elderly