Women’s Health Blog

Patanjalis Yoga Sutras is a text that covers many aspects of life, beginning with a code of conduct and ending with the goal of yoga, a vision of ones true Self. The PantajalisYoga Sutras is probably the most authoritative text on yoga. It defines yoga as a focusing of the attention to whatever object is being contemplated to the exclusion of all others. Yoga isnt only about postures, or meditation, it is a way of life, or religion. In this influencing scripture there are eight steps to awakening or enlightenment through yoga. These eight astanga or limbs of yoga are: yamas, niyamas, asanas, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi.

The yamas consist of lessons in moral and social conduct in our environment. It teaches us to restrain from lying, stealing, and greed. Non-violence and consideration toward all living things is the key. Communication with sensitivity towards others and moderation in all things we do is revered.

The niyama focuses on attitudes towards ourselves: compromising, cleanliness, serenity, devotion, and asceticism. One should study and reverence to a higher intelligence. There is an acceptance of our limitations in relation to God. It is key to have removed the impurities from the mind and body.

In the asanas, one focuses on posture practice, positioning the body while incorporating the breath to achieve a greater awareness in the mind. One is alert and relaxed without tension, while observing the reactions of the body and breath to various postures. This minimizes the effect of the external influences on the body, such as diet and climate.

Pranayama, or the restraint and control of the breath, helps with concentration, energizing and balancing of the mind and body.

Pratyahara is the relaxation of the senses, where no distractions actually activate the mind.

Dharana, or concentration, is the ability to direct the mind toward a chosen object and focus in on it alone.

Dhyana, or meditation, is the ability to develop focused interactions with what we seek to understand.

Lastly, but most importantly, Samadhi is the ultimate state of Self-realization, or union with the Source.

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Todays society is much faster paced that ever before. People have more stress problems which lead to more health problems, mental and physical. There are more concerns with toxicity in the food we eat and the air we breathe. Millions of Americans today live a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with obesity. The body, the cavities of our soul, was not meant to deteriorate in such a way that leads to disease. Yoga was developed over 5,000 years ago in India and it included spiritual beliefs, physical techniques, and scholarly philosophy.

There is a growing trend to practicing Yoga for many different reasons, which include attaining the yoga body or physique, relaxation and peace of mind, or to prevent injury and ailments. Americans mainly practice Hatha Yoga, which focuses on postures and stretching the body.

Yoga, which is derived from the sacred Sanskrit language of India, meaning *union* or *to yoke or harness*. Yoga is a way or path to transcendence and liberation from the self and the ego by purifying the mind and body. Practicing yoga leads to a union with the mind and body or the individual and universal consciousness. In other words, yoga is the union with the Individual Self and the Universal Self. Yoga predates all other religions and has influenced and inspired many other traditions and philosophies. Yoga is better understood as a union of the physical, physiological, mental, emotional, and intellectual bodies, which leads to a purposeful and balanced life.

There is simply no other discipline quite like yoga because it utilized the body, mind and spirit, all in one practice. Yoga is indeed a spiritual path that is based on ancient sacred philosophy, but one does not need to make an ethical decision when practicing yoga, rather finding your own path is wholly accepted. The holistic benefits of yoga are suitable for the young or old, sick or well, with any religious background. The secrets of yoga are inwardness, concentration, and purification of mind and body with cleansing thoughts and food. Indian philosophy states that within man is the spirit that is the center of everything. *Internal equilibrium is the basis and the ground for the higher illumination,* The cultural Heritage of India (Vol. I) – published by The Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Kolkata, India

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Most people turn to herbs to try and slow down the aging process their bodies are going through. These herbs are highly beneficial to your bodys health. Some of them have even been known to stimulate blood circulation and boost the bodys ability to eliminate and remove wastes out of your system and absorb nutrients. Anti-aging herbs, in particular, help a lot in enhancing your bodys vitality so that you feel healthier and stronger. If you happen to lead a highly stressful life, these herbs help relax your mind and body. Your skin also gets to enjoy the advantages these herbs have to offer. When taken gradually, you will see an improvement in your skins softness and moisture.

The more popular anti aging-herbs are lycium fruit, schizandra fruit, reishi mushroom, gynostemma, polygonum root, cordyceps mushroom, longan fruit, aloe vera, wild American ginseng, wild asparagus root, and Siberian ginseng. Several Chinese herbs have also gained popularity in the aging sector of the population. Moreover, a lot of the tonic herbs are known to make you look and feel younger. Blood tonic herbs such as peony and dang gui are the topmost choices. People who have taken them say that they feel years younger.

Years before, extracting the nutrients from these herbs was a long and arduous task. Modern technology has changed all that. It has encapsulated these plants and made it easier for people to ingest. Distributors are now able to manufacture and process these plants so that they can distribute it to the masses. These herbs are rich in antioxidants so that they eliminate toxins in your body and keep your skin smooth. Now, you can feel beautiful not just on the inside, but on the outside as well.

If you want to extend your life and enjoy your youth even when youre way past your prime, you need to familiarize yourself with caloric restriction. The premise behind this is to reduce your daily caloric intake and increasing the number of nutrients you give your body. If you have the necessary vitamins and minerals and are vigilant in giving your body its daily dose, you can feel the benefits in a matter of time.

For your diet, it is imperative that you include fresh fruits and vegetables because they have a way of cleansing your body from all harmful toxins. Healing is not just exclusively available through technology. Mother Nature has kindly supplied us with an apothecary of anti-aging herbs and nutrients so that we get everything our bodies need. Garlic, ginseng, ginko, and peppermint are only a few of the herbs we can easily get from markets everywhere. Aging isnt a disease that needs to be healed. Its merely a process of life. What you need to take care of are the problems you may get as you age.

As you get older, you need to think more of what your body takes in. You no longer have the body of a teenager. Hard work is required so that you are able to enjoy your health. Wrinkling, drying skin, brittle bones, and gray hair are only a few of the problems you need to worry about. If you are serious about slowing down your aging process, you need the right kind of exercise and the ideal diet to be successful.

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You don’t need to fall into the stress mode of life. You can use breath to relax, rather than stress, your mind and body. Yoga helps you to relearn that natural state that your body and mind want to be in: relaxation.

Deep breathing is both calming and energizing. The energy you feel from a few minutes of careful breathe is not nervous or hyper, but that calm, steady energy we all need. Slow, steady, and quiet breathing gives a message to your nervous system: Be calm.

Whole books have been written on yoga breathing. Here is one 5-minute Breath Break. (Read through the instructions several times before you try the practice.)

1. Sit with your spine as straight as possible. Use a chair if necessary but don’t slump into it. Feet flat on the floor with knees directly over the center of your feet. Use a book or cushion under your feet if they do not rest comfortably on the floor. Hands are on the tops of your legs.

2. Close your eyes gently and let them rest behind closed lids.

3. Think about your ribs, at the front, back, and at the sides of your body. Your lungs are behind those ribs.

4. Feel your lungs filling up, your ribs expanding out and up. Feel your lungs emptying, your ribs coming back down and in. Don’t push the breath.

5. The first few times you do this, do it for 2 to 3 minutes, then do it for up to 5 to 10 minutes. At first, set aside a time at least once a day to do this. When you learn how good it makes you feel, you’ll want to do it at other times as well.

Just as one stressful situation goes into your next challenge, relaxing for a few minutes every day gradually carries over into the rest of your daily life and activities.

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As you grow older, you will notice changes in your mind and body. At this time, you are reminded to take charge and keep yourself active and in shape. Getting older is inevitable. It is something out of your control or else your body starts to lose the nutrients it requires. With age, your body loses the vitamins it needs to stay strong. Taking daily supplements is a good idea but you also need exercise to supplement your efforts.

Daily activities play a tremendous role because you will have the tendency to slow down. The slowness causes the bones to stiffen, thus the other parts will slow down as well. Try to keep the ability to function through a healthy regimen. Your exercise program can be done with a group to make it more fun. You will enjoy doing it with others so that you dont eventually get lazy. The importance of exercise will help you lose weight and tone up.

When starting a new exercise program, you need to take it slow so you dont overexert your muscles. The muscles will be tight, so you should really watch your pace. Always begin and end exercises with stretching. It takes time to see the full effects, but with enough patience, you will enjoy the benefits. Of course you should first consult a doctor before you get into anything strenuous. Your diet too plays a vital role in maintaining your body. Excess weight can cause many things to go wrong with your system.

Diabetes is the frontrunner when it comes to paying the price with excess weight and with overeating. Be sure to get the right amount of carbohydrates, fats, and, protein in your daily fare. Staying fit is the key to preventing problems. You want to keep those muscles flexible because these protect the bones. Moreover, when you exercise, you will be able to reach your ideal weight.

Facts show that as you start to age, your body fat increases to even more than 30%. That big amount can put a strain on your muscles, joints, and bones. When you lug around this much weight, you are bound to experience problems as a result. Contrary to what people believe, you do not automatically enter into a downward spiral of performance and appearance. Yes, physical degeneration accelerates when you have a negative outlook.

You have control over your aging process. You just need to work on it so that you are able to dramatically slow down your ticking clock. When you dont care about appearance, you will lose muscle and gain fat. The loss weakens all body systems and organs along with the immune system, making you more susceptible to life threatening diseases. And if left unattended, muscle tissue loss accelerates when you go past the age of 50, leaving in its wake weakness and disability.

The thing is, it doesnt have to be like that at all. A proper exercise program with strength training is not some frivolous pastime. This is a form of preventative medicine that makes you enjoy your health for as long as you can. Your body was meant to move, and if you work on what were you were always meant to do, you can have a body that runs like a well-oiled machine. Your general health is your own responsibility, and its time to take that first step on your own path to being the best you.

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Being a healthy eater requires you to become both
educated and smart about what healthy eating
actually is. Being food smart isn’t about
learning to calculate grams or fat, or is it
about studying labels and counting calories.

Healthy eating is all about balanced and moderate
eating, consisting of healthy meals at least
three times per day. Healthy eaters eat many
different types of foods, not limiting themselves
to one specific food type or food group.

Eating healthy requires quite a bit of leeway. You
might eat too much or not enough, consume
foods that are sometimes more or less nutritious.
However, you should always fuel your body and
your brain regularly with enough food to keep
both your mind and body strong and alert.

A healthy eater is a good problem solver. Healthy
eaters have learned to take care of themselves
and their eating with sound judgement and making
wise decisions. Healthy eaters are always aware
of what they eat, and know the effect that it
will have on their bodies.

When someone is unable to take control of their
eating, they are also likely to get out of control
with other aspects of life as well. They could
end up spending too much, talking too much, even
going to bed later and later.

You should always remember that restricting food
in any way is always a bad thing. Healthy eating
is a way of life, something that you can do to
enhance your body or your lifestyle. If you’ve
thought about making your life better, healthy
eating is just the place to start. You’ll make
life easier for yourself, those around you, and
even your family.

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