Category Archives: Yoga

Yoga Exercises For Diabetes

Yoga is a form of exercise that helps to deal with health problems and many ailments. Diabetes is one such ailment that is curbed with the help of yoga poses. Diabetes deals with altering the lifestyle and changing the attitude towards health. One should take care of such conditions through simple exercises like yoga poses.
Today there is an emerging idea that Type 2 diabetes is caused due to obesity and being overweight. In fact with growing facts, diabetes would be the seventh leading cause of death by 2030. Yoga exercises for diabetes have been by far the best way to deal with the problem. However one should perform these asanas after consulting a health specialist.
There are many poses in yoga beneficial for diabetes. Let us see what they are:
1.Sun Salutation or Surya namaskar: this is a yoga pose that offers salutation to the Sun. It has been effective for all who have diabetes. Surya Namaskar follows a particular set of 12 poses and is very good if you really follow the exercise well and correctly.

2.Bhujangasana: This is also called the Cobra pose and is very good for diabetes. Lie flat on the stomach and keep the legs straight, keeping the feet together. Point the palms as well as toes directly below the shoulders and now slowly lift the head, abdomen and neck with the help of arm support. Remain in the pose for some seconds and hold the breath. Then come back to initial position.

3.Sarvangasana : this is one of the popular yoga exercises for diabetes. It involves lifting the legs gradually by keeping them vertical taking care that it does not shake. Breathe out and lift the legs. Once you come to the final position, you may breathe in a normal pattern. People who have high blood pressure as well as heart disorders should take care not to try this pose.
4.Dhanurasana or Bow Pose : This is a yoga pose that is extremely beneficial for all those who have diabetes as it helps to take care of the intestines and pancreas. Lie on the stomach on the ground. Bend the legs towards the hip. Now you may hold the ankles and reach the hands back. Ensure that your arms are straight and your spine has the shape of an arch.
5.Paschimottanasana : Also called the forward seated bend, this helps to increase the functions of the pancreas, kidney and liver. It is one of the difficult yoga exercises for diabetes and maintains you well. Extend the legs totally when you are sitting. Breathe out and move forward to touch the toes with the help of the fingers and the knees with the head. It is mastered with practice.
6.Shavasana : this is a very important part of yoga exercises for diabetes. All yogasanas should get over with Shavasana or Corpse pose. It is very good for relaxation of mind and body.
Yoga and Diabetes
Yoga helps to stay in shape and brings down body fat and control blood sugar. Diabetes is a condition that is caused due to malfunctioning of the pancreas. When the pancreas does not secrete enough insulin then the sugar accumulates in the body and causes conditions like diabetes. With the help of yoga one can curb this accumulation and also maintain the blood sugar level well. Yoga and diabetes thus go hand in hand and provide one with easier and more beneficial methods of dealing with health problems.

Yoga Bolsters – Restorative Yoga Poses Support

Yoga Bolsters are mainly used to lift and support the body to promote deep, restorative type poses. The firmer a yoga bolster is, the less sinking feeling you will get when you lie on it. What is important is that the yoga bolster runs the entire length of your spinal column. You should feel muscular and tension relief as your chest, abdomen and back begin to relax and your rib cage begins to open more. In this way you can feel your breathing and monitor inhale and exhale.

Yoga Bolsters come in different sizes and materials. Depending on the exercises you would like to perform you choose your ideal Yoga Bolster. Smaller and thinner Yoga Bolsters are also called Pranayama. They are round and ideally quite firm. Yoga Bolsters also come in larger sizes, often round but sometimes rectangular as well. They support your body during restorative yoga poses such as savanasa and reclined hero.

EMP Industries is an Australian owned and based company that is specialized in Yoga, Pilates, Massage, Meditation, Wellness and general Fitness goods. The EMP online store offers customers around the world a convenient and secure shopping platform. If you are interested in ordering a Yoga Bolster, please click here to view EMP’s extensive range of yoga bolsters: 100% organic cotton or budget version available.

EMP Industries is also famous for offering Yoga Mats, Pilates Mats, Yoga Blocks, Yoga Blankets, Stretching Straps, Yoga Sandals, Stretch Bands, Exercise Balls, Yoga DVDs, Dance DVDs,Pilates Rings, and many many more. EMP sells its products to the end customer but also offers wholesale prices for bulk buyers (usually prices start dropping when you order more than 10 items of one product). That is the reason EMP Industries counts most large yoga and pilates studios in Australia as their customers!

How To Awaken Supernatural Powers Through Yoga Or Taoism

Your mind is a valuable tool that most people don’t use to its fullest. If everyone used it to the maximum capability, there would be no more war, illness or anger. We simply access a small portion. This is not true of every civilization or person. Some use means to increase their awareness and access the supernatural powers of their mind. It proves that we all are capable.

Taoist of China had a background that acknowledged mysticism and control of the elements. Like many early civilizations, they practiced shamanism. Specific people of the village had the ability to communicate with nature.

In 2600 BC, even though these people were still relatively unsophisticated by our standards, the Yellow Emperor Huag-Di, used the power of natural herbs to create Chinese Medicine. He also became the highest deity two thousand years later when Taoism began.

Taoism contained the belief that if a common man pursued Tao, the eternal road or ideal of life, they could perform as Gods. They reached the higher levels by performing good deeds and quieting their minds to access the information of the universe. There is magic all around according to the Taoist.

People choose to live limited lives and those that perform miracles, also choose that way of life. For those that suffer from lack, in their health, finances, love or happiness, according to the Tao it is their choice. It is the words they feed their internal being. By quieting the mind, eliminating these internal conversations and replacing them with quiet focus on the higher mind, everyone is capable of performing magic in their lives.

The powers don’t come overnight but through years of study and discipline. It is a matter of letting go and letting the flow of the universe create the ideal conditions for the person to accomplish the goals. Much like Christianity and the mantra, “Let go and let God,” the belief system is similar. Just like quieting the mind and focusing on the belief that all matters are handled easily by God, the Tao believe the Universal power and the natural order of good comes to those that follow the training.

While some of the magic comes from magic and spells, much of the Tao or Dao power comes through meditative practice. The Taoist believes in four states of Dhyana and eight different levels of concentration. By attaining the highest levels of concentration, no information is unavailable or task that is impossible.

Just like the Taoists, those that practice Yoga at the highest levels also can create miracles while in the higher levels of concentration and meditative states. Some of the powers include distant viewing, healing and even the ability to fly. While most people will not have the lifetime of practice to focus on flying without an airplane, they can change their life through the meditative states.

Even though both Taoism and Yoga have a religious base, you don’t have to follow the religion to follow the meditative practices. In Yoga, it is a belief that those that have a pure mind focused on good find the transformation to the higher level a pleasure. Those who focus on evil, find it a living hell. The intent of the person and study of the principals help those that reach higher levels of consciousness to achieve this without experiencing negative forces. Anyone that uses a moral code aimed at goodness for all, and faithfully cleanses their mind of harmful thoughts should make safe passage to higher levels.

Yoga Practice For Pain Management

Many people have been wondering about yoga, if it can help cure pain. If theres a specific Yoga instructor just for handling pain. If there are specific Yoga postures dedicated to pain alleviation. If Yoga has some limitations on the kind or intensity of the pain.

Yoga advocates and students are increasingly attesting to the positive results of their Yoga classes which they attend 2-3 times a week. But, similar to typical dietary programs or treatments, yoga has its limitations.

So, as far as yoga is concerned, it’s more of making the newbie perform yoga consistently with diligence. Just like prescription medications, yoga does not offer any definite cure for all complained pains.

Definitely Yoga assures a distraction from the pain and teaches the student to handle it better without negative repercussions.

Constant performance of yoga leads to a turnaround in way of life and makes the practitioner scrutinize their day-to-day activities, even their dietary habits. Yoga differs from the usual exercise programs or the recent wellness fads. Archeological findings have shown the existence of Yoga for more than 5 thousand years. That is definitely not the lifetime of a fad.

Now, to the question of an instructor with focus on pain relief. A yoga teacher that would be effective for pain management should be well informed in the employment of props. That instructor should know very well that yoga stances are tailor-able to students’ specific requirements. So if you feel the slightest rigid Im the teacher and only I know whats best attitude, drop that teacher immediately.

A critical component for a yoga instructor is compassion and the facility to assist students experiencing different illnesses. If this characteristic is not discernible nor felt at all, this instructor cannot fulfill your requirements. Yoga is adaptable to meet specific requirements of its students. Any instructor who hasn’t experienced any previous pain would not be able to feel with the student enough to recognize and accept. This makes a leading or famous Yoga teacher, despite capability of doing all postures with a perfectly toned body like an Olympian, not the best one to have any understanding of the pains youre having.

For those who are going through constant aches, several styles can be adjusted to your particular needs. There is the Restorative yoga, Therapeutic yoga, Iyengar yoga, Yotherapy or Tri-yoga. Take note that these styles depend on the instructors perspective of the principles of each style.

There are times when doctors dont recommend yoga when there is severe pain, like in severe arthritis. The reason behind this is that any posture is bound to hurt your joints. If you find yourself in this situation, where even the mild styles would be forbidden, you should ask that the reason for that advice be explained to you. If ever you’re not satisfied with the answer (or explanation), feel free to get a second opinion from another teacher.

If you want to act on the pains or aches you are going through, consult your doctor. And if your doctor gives the okay, have a go at other options with a Yoga teacher who’s been known to cater to students suffering from aches and pains.

Jan 2 The Evolution Of Yoga Pants

Hatha yoga flowered in the West in the late sixties and early seventies when several prominent yoga masters traveled to America. They traveled the length and breadth of the country, introducing a new generation to an ancient practice. It didnt take long for their students to recognize the benefits of yoga and it continued to grow in popularity. Today, yoga is a household word.

There was no such thing as yoga apparel in those early days until entrepreneurial students started a cottage industry. Back then, the only pattern they had to work from was their pajamas. Pajamas were an interesting choice, since the word comes from a Hindi word that means leg garment, though pajamas were never actually worn by yogis in India, who traditionally wore nothing but a loincloth, if that.

Loose fitting, cool cotton pajamas provided a pattern, but in order for the pajama style pant to be functional as yoga apparel, some changes had to be made. Thicker drawstrings and heavier elastic replaced thin waistbands and heavier cloth was used instead of the flimsy cotton and synthetics used in the manufacture of sleepwear. The frequent choice of unbleached cotton reflected the growing trend towards natural, organic foods, as did the use of natural, earth-toned dyes.

Yoga pants were so comfortable that people wanted to wear them everywhere. Pockets were added and the market for them grew beyond the yoga community. Some of those small one sewing machine companies grew into larger boutique manufacturing companies. In an effort to compete in an ever-growing market, they refined their designs and the materials they used. Today, yoga apparel has become so popular that even fashion labels like Victorias Secret carry a range of yoga pants and tops.

The serious student of hatha yoga puts functionality ahead of fashion when they choose their yoga pants. Whether its one of the natural and synthetic blends like cotton/lycra or the natural fibers like hemp and organic cotton, theres never a problem finding yoga pants that are functional and look good, as well. Yoga pants that impede or restrict movement in any way are not really yoga pants theyre a fashion statement. When youre stretching into the standing tree pose (vrilshasana), you dont want to have to stop to adjust your pant leg and when youre lying on the floor, stretching your legs behind your head into the plow position (halasana), you dont want to feel like you have to hitch up the back of your pants. Yoga pants should move as fluidly and flexibly as the body of the practitioner and stay put around the waist.

With typical Western ingenuity, yoga was embraced and adapted to suit its new home, but basically it remains the same. There was little if any improvement needed to be made to the ancient art of hatha yoga. All that was needed was for us to create a range of apparel that suited the modern age. It may be a humble contribution to yoga, but its a welcome one, because yogas benefits are too numerous to be kept to the select few who prefer a loincloth to a pair of yoga pants!