HOW YOGA CAN HELP TO PREVENT AND CURE ASTHMA AND ALLERGIES

People suffering from asthma and allergic processes, know how limiting are these episodes in their lives in which the bronchi are hypersensitive and react to a variety of causes that usually do not cause problems. For example, house dust or pollen of certain plants are the trigger for episodes of breathing problems, cough, chest tightness and inflammation of the respiratory system. Inflammation of the bronchial wall also produces thick mucus, which contributes to make the breathing process a great effort leading to asthma .

Although conventional medical treatment for asthma and allergy exists, basically consists of managing the symptoms with medication. Bronchodilators expand the bronchi and immune suppressants block the allergic reaction. They can´t cure asthma and allergies permanently, only control them to a certain level. Often happens that the effectiveness of the drugs is reduced over time so it is needed higher doses and stronger drugs, but this increases the side effects.

Yoga helps to reduce completely the asthmatic and allergic reactions, not just control them on a physical level but also on a mental and emotional level. Asthma and Allergies are closely linked to stress and directly connected to the emotional and mental state. Yoga is a powerful tool that helps to mitigate asthma. The main function of Yoga is to restore the inner peace that is our natural state. Peace is not the absence of conflictive situations, because that is not under our control. True peace is the peace which can be maintained even in the midst of conflict, regardless of the circumstances.

How can Yoga help me if I suffer from asthma, allergies or respiratory problems?

- You will learn specific exercises and positions to adopt during an asthma episode.

- You will learn breathing and relaxation techniques that will give you the possibility to maintain emotional control during these episodes.

- Learn to breathe to maximize lung capacity.

- Increase stamina levels of the respiratory system.

- Release excess of mucus from your respiratory passages

- Release tension and tightness from the chest muscles

- Reduce the level of stress and fear caused by these situations.

With Yoga practice, lungs capacity are increased, blood and organs are cleaned, improves overall health and rise up our energy level increasing our vitality. Yoga also improves self-confidence and you will feel ready to do those things that perhaps you have been putting aside for quite a while. There are yoga asanas that are especially beneficial for those suffering from asthma, there are certain yoga postures that soften and open the blocked energy centers in these situations like triangles or trikonasanas, or bujhangasana cobra, bow or danhurasana, inverted poses , candle or viparita sarvangasana karani mudra, or matsyasa or fish, half-twist or ardha matsyendrasana and others will help greatly to decrease and with constant practice completely stop those annoying episodes.

Breathing properly is a source of health. It gives energy to our body and mind. It is the key and the door to effective relaxation. Pranayama or breathing exercises as kaphalabati stimulates abdominal tissues of the lungs, chest muscles relaxes and energizes the entire body. Anuloma Viloma or alternate nostril breathing produces a calming effect, and if it is performed in a meditative state, provides harmony and inner peace. Yogic breathing exercises, expands your lung capacity and the ability to revitalize the respiratory and circulatory system. Increasing cell vitality, your entire metabolism gets better oxidation through natural and simple exercises and the digestive process will be enhanced as well.

Yoga will make us conscious of our diet. A proper diet will help to reduce these episodes especially where asthma has an allergic origin. Avoiding meat and salt and giving priority to fresh vegetables and fruits with vitamins A, C and E (in yellow and red fruits a beneficial antioxidants are abundant). Reducing or eliminating dairy products and drinking plenty of water will contribute to dissolve this problems and also avoiding smoke contaminated areas will improve our health.

Nature provides remedies that will help us and Yoga lead us to connect with her. Eucalyptus leaves are known for its expectorant, anti-inflammatory antibacterial properties and is recommended for asthmatic patients. It can be used as aromatherapy or rubbing eucalyptus essential oil (other oil-reduced), on chest and back of the person, helps to improve breathing and reduce inflammation.

Yoga has purification techniques (kriyas) to keep the body clean and healthy. These purification techniques are cleansing routines to help the body eliminate toxins, and to operate as a suitable instrument for the expression of vital energy. The yogic nasal cleansing (Jala Neti) is one of these techniques known for millennia and is used to clean nasal cavities. This technique is very simple, practical, safe and useful for Westerners, allowing an increased breathing capacity (quantity and quality), helping to prevent and improve many types of disorders such as allergies, nasal congestion, colds, asthma, sinusitis , chronic nasal blockage, mouth breathing, clean the accumulated smog and ultimately feel the fresh air and pure connecting with breathing and increasing vital energy throughout the body. Practice of Jala Neti will contribute in alleviating mental stress and headaches. A regular practice of Jala Neti helps to balance temperature and humidity conditions that the nose needs to function properly. Undoubtedly, Jala Neti is the most effective, economical and simple way to prevent and treat a number of disorders that are originated in the respiratory system. Consists of passing through the nostrils a saline solution of warm water. In the process, mucus and bacteria are carried away by the generous flow of water.

Yoga means union and teaches us how to connect with our inner selves and with nature. Those ones who have the privileged to live by the ocean, we have available a source of life and health! Walking down the sea side and with sea water up to the ankles or knees, is an exercise that reactivates blood circulation, eliminating the feeling of heaviness in the legs, relaxes muscles and strengthens the foot and ankle muscles and reduces stress. The ocean breeze is a gift of energy for our body. It stimulates our vitality, helping also to relax our body and mind. The air and molecules of water suspended on it are rich in ozone and iodine, so it is suitable for those who suffer from asthma, allergies or chronic migraines. It also has antibiotic properties. Perform sun salutations on the sunset by the ocean unifies our beings with mother nature and provides us a healthier life.

Wishing you the best of Health and Joy in your Life.

Amalia Shakti

Yoga & Diet

The practice of yoga is usually followed by a change in eating habits. When your body and inner-self start feeling good, you tend to pay closer attention to what you put into your body.

Besides being responsible for building our physical body, the foods we eat profoundly affect our mind.

There are so many popular nutritional systems but there is no easy diet to fit everyone needs. There are also some myths asserting what foods are "good" or "bad" for a yoga practice. A "good" diet may appear very different from one person to the next, but you will know your diet is working well for you when what you eat feels good to your body both as you eat them and long after the meal is over, when you feel healthy, sleep well, have strong digestion, energy and clarity and feel your system is supported rather than depleted your yoga practice.

Nutritional requirements fall under five categories: protein, carbohydrates, minerals, fats and vitamins. One should have a certain knowledge of dietetics in order to balance the diet. There’s no written rule in yoga that says  you have to be vegetarian, but yoga does try to elevate our consciousness to a stage where we feel love and compassion for all living beings—including animals. Eating them isn’t exactly compassionate. Our bodies don’t really need meat for its functioning. Eating meat puts our body into overdrive to digest it making us feel heavy and meat eating people are more prone to an aggressive behavior. Another reason is that Yoga practices aim at cleansing the system to gradually bring the body to a peak of efficiency and sensitivity, meat carries the very same toxins yoga aims as flushing out. Hence, reducing or eliminating meat from your diet not only has immense health considerations but also secures oneness with all living creations of the earth and ultimately the creator.

Many of us worry about getting enough protein if we switch to vegetarian food, also that everything will be tasteless. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Vegetarians get lots of protein in legumes, grains and so on. The quality of the protein is more important than the quantity alone. Dairy products, legumes, nuts and seeds provide the vegetarian with an adequate supply of protein.

There is a cycle in nature known as the "food cycle" or "food chain". The Sun is the source of energy for all life on our planet; it nourishes the plants (the top of the food chain) which are then eaten by animals (vegetarian), which are then eaten by other animals (carnivores). The food at the top of the food chain, being directly nourished by the Sun, has the greatest life promoting properties. The food value of animal flesh is termed as "second-hand" source of nutrition, and is inferior in nature. All natural foods (fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and grains) have, in varying quantities, different proportions of these essential nutrients. As source of protein, these are easily assimilated by the body. However, second-hand sources are often more difficult to digest and are of less value to the body's metabolism.

Yoga has been always connected with Ayurveda (the Science of Life). Central to Ayurveda is the concept of different body types, each of which thrives on different kinds of foods. Vata types, for example, need grounding foods like oils and grains. Pitta types are supported by cooling foods, such as salads and sweet fruits. Kapha types benefit from heating and invigorating foods. Just a few people are strictly one type, and most in fact are a combination of at least two types. Each individual must therefore find a personal balance of foods to fit his or her own unique constitution.

Sattvic foods are considered to be the most pure form of food and are the center of yoga diet. Fruits, vegetables, grains etc. are considered to be sattvic foods as they are easily digested and provide proper nutrition to the body. pure, simple, natural foods which are easily digested and promote health. Processing, refining and overcooking destroy much food value

An alkaline diet also helps to calm the mind and create equilibrium between mind and body. It is a diet that emphasizes, to a varying degree, fresh fruit, vegetables, roots and tubers, nuts, and legumes. Almost all foods that we eat, after being digested, absorbed, and metabolized, release either an acid or an alkaline base (bicarbonate) into blood. Fish, meat, poultry, shellfish, cheese, milk, and salt all produce acid. Consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables decreased.

Alkaline diet helps the body weight control. As soon as the acidic environment is eliminated, there will be no need for new fat cells to form, and the remaining fat in your body is no longer needed to store acid wastes, and therefore simply melts away.

Though overeating can sabotage your practice by making you groggy and too full to go deeply into the postures, fasting and underrating can have a more debilitating effect. For vata or pitta types, skipping a meal can cause not only low blood sugar and dizziness, but may lead to further health complications such as constipation, poor digestion, and insomnia.

It's a matter of being mindful and intelligent to discovering your personal path to balance and growth. Balance is the key, both in your overall personal diet, and in designing each meal. You must take into consideration a number of factors: the balance of ingredients in the dish, your available time to prepare the meal, the season of the year, and how you're feeling today.

The true Yogic diet is actually more selective. There is a subtle effect that food has on the mind and astral body. Therefore avoiding foods which are overly stimulating and preferring those which render the mind calm and the intellect sharp will help in our Yoga practice and our inner growth. One who seriously takes to the path of Yoga would avoid ingesting meats, coffee, tea (except herbal), alcohol and drugs.

Any change in diet should be made gradually. As you continue to practice yoga, an intuitive sense of what is right for your own body will emerge, so you can adapt a food system to support your practice. Intuition and balance are the keys to finding supportive foods and you will gradually learn to recognize exactly what your body needs and when you need it The Yogic diet will help you attain a high standard of health, keen intellect and serenity of mind.

Enjoy your meal!
 

Namaste

Amalia Shakti

If you are planning Quit Smoking Yoga Can Help you

As a Yoga teacher I often meet students that join my classes and have smoking habit. They usually ask me – “Can you smoke and still practice yoga?”

The ideal situation is to be smoke free, of course! But if you smoke; then it should not stop you from starting a Yoga practice. In fact as you do more yoga; you will find that this habit cease to bother you and you may overcome it!

If you are planning to quit smoking, yoga can provide you a permanent solution. Yoga teaches us that people develop addictions to correct an internal "imbalance". Any smoker can tell how important a cigarette becomes for stress relief, social coolness and to introduce and conclude every day events like meals and going to work. In the depth of the habit, the only way to feel completion after a task or gain emotional balance.

With Yoga practice comes self-awareness. The way a cigarette smells, the amount of seconds it takes to inhale and the thoughts during a craving are all part of a pattern that is subconscious. With self-awareness, one can no longer deny the addiction and cannot enjoy a cigarette without feeling self-betrayal.

Yogic approach to the smoking habit is trying to break this vicious circle and install a virtuous one. This can be done from the moment you learn to breathe and feel the many benefits of good. Thus, the smoker begins to see the contrast between a positive yogic breathing and a superficial polluted breathing of fresh air and the harmful smoke.

We must acknowledge that ‘Health’ is just one of the benefits that you experience through the practice of Yoga. In Yoga, the replacement of addiction occurs with deep cleansing of the lungs, which begin to breathe clean air, rejuvenating your body and giving it more vitality. The goal though, is something deeper. In the Patanjali Yoga Sutras, Yoga is defined as ‘Yoga Chitta Vritti Nirodhah’ which means ‘Yoga is the cessation of all modifications in the mind’.

Generally Smokers are people with higher stress levels and smoking is their way of dealing with that stress. Now, when you start practicing yoga, your stress levels are significantly reduced, meaning that you don’t really need the habit anymore to feel ‘relaxed’. Trough Yoga you will change for the better in ways that are now unimaginable to you.

Yoga cultivates determination and willpower in a smoker which are the primary strengths needed to quit smoking

After one chooses to give up smoking, yoga helps with the inevitable anger and depression associated with the quitting process by encouraging the individual to deal with these emotions in a peaceful way.

Yoga will provide you the necessary confidence that forms the base for the will which is required to quit smoking cigarettes. It works wonders on the lungs that are smoked by regular puffs and increases the lung capacity. When one starts doing Yoga, one's attention is directed towards one's body. In due course what seemed as an effort to do the Yoga asanas, becomes a natural way of life. One then becomes conscious of his health with regular Yoga practices. Yoga de-stresses one and has a direct impact on one's mind gradually bringing about stability in emotions.

Yoga increases the mental strength and general immunity in person trough different techniques like:

• Pranayama, conscious control of the breath is very effective in handling the withdrawal symptoms owing to nicotine addiction.

• Jala Neti, is an effective cleansing technique helps one to give up smoking. It effectively works on the physical as well as the psychological levels.

• Asanas, specifically, back bending Yoga poses works wonders on giving up the habit. Back bending exercises which expands the lungs and open up the heart area are real boons.

• Savasana or the corpse pose relaxes the body and the mind. This pose prepares one for meditation which can effectively check thought patterns connected to smoking.

Most people who quit smoking worry about gaining weight, Yoga helps one to quit smoking without weight gain, all are advantages! Yoga  turns out to be a holistic approach to quit smoking.Whether you are new to yoga and have smoking habit, or if you regularly practice yoga and you are planning to quit smoking, I look forward to meeting you on the mat.

Namaste

Amalia Shakti

Yoga for Golf

Yoga helps cultivate flexibility, strength, balance, conditioning in the core of the body, and helps to quiet an over-active mind…everything you need to improve your golf game!

Yoga for golf is the best method of increasing your flexibility and staying loose, making your entire body respond effortlessly to the demands of your golf swing.

And what's really great about yoga is the benefits to your mind as well. So while you're doing the right thing by improving your flexibility you are also gaining the side benefit of a peaceful state of mind.

As a Yoga Golf coach, I studied the mental game of golf and I know of no better approach to improving your golf game than yoga practice. With the help of yoga you can develop the mental discipline that golf demands.

I will Design your own yoga practice program to not only get in shape but improve the strength, flexibility and the range of motion that you need to make your swing more fluid and lower your score. I can help you to increase inner calm, improve your posture, learn to stay focused without tension, learn to really read and feel your body making the right swing, stay balanced, release negative thoughts and help you develop a positive state of mind.

Maybe you have experienced something like this...

You go play golf and you're not in the best place to make a good swing off the first tee. You're not really stretched and the results show. It inevitably takes 3 - 5 holes to feel loose! Yoga helps immediately.

Using yoga dramatically improves your overall flexibility, so in those times we rush to the first tee, we don't have to feel stiff and out of focus!.

Mental chatter does not help either. I can guide you though yoga and you will overcome the stress of negative self-talk that disrupts the flow of concentration in your game. You will reduce your possibility of injuries.

Golfers of any skill level will benefit from Yoga practice achieving body awareness in their golf swing.

I teach private and group specialized yoga lessons for golfers. My classes blend essential breathing techniques with physical postures to create a safe and comfortable atmosphere for you to explore your path of yoga.

Workshops and classes are available for: special events, business meetings, retreats, golf schools and golf teams training.

Amalila Shakti

Yoga Life Coach - Yoga for Golf Coach

e-mail: lia.berzal@gmail.com