Yoga and Hypertension

YOGA AND HYPERTENSION

MEANING OF HYPERTENSION:

Hyper means excessive or more than normal and Tension means an act of stretching or mental and emotional strain. Thus, it is a condition in which the blood pressure is abnormally high & can lead to a state of great emotional tension.
The rise in blood pressure is caused due to narrowness of the arteries & the heart has to work harder to push the blood through. When pressure is normal, an adult person registers 120 systolic and 80 diastolic mm of mercury pressure. Abnormalities of arteries or circulatory system can increase this pressure to more than 140 systolic & 90 diastolic and if it remains constant at these levels then the condition can be termed as Hypertension.
A consistent excessive blood pressure causes various diseases such as lack of strength, tiredness, headache, nervous tension, insomnia, confusion, decreased memory restlessness, difficulty in breathing, bad temper, visionary troubles, coldness in the hands and feet etc. Hypertension is a major cause of heart attacks.
THE HIGHER BLOOD PRESSURE CAN BE BROUGHT DOWN BY OBSERVING THE FOLLOWING RULES:
1. Get your health fully checked up by a doctor every six months after you cross the age of 40.
2. One must get blood pressure checked every 2 or 3 months.
3. Reduce your weight, take food which is balanced and which has no fat. Cut down consumption of sugar, jaggery, salt oil, ghee etc.
4. If you have any problem with urinary system consult your physician.
5. Try to remain free from mental tension during stressful situations. Mature your mind & don't over react to day to day situations.
6. Control your reactions to avoid arguments. Do not rewind your past mistakes, worries, tensions repeatedly. Stay in the present moment. Be aware of yourself always.
7. The most positive step you can make is to practice yoga, pranayama, meditation daily to relax the mind, as these will not only remove symptoms but also prevent further disease.
8. In addition, the last is to keep smiling, specially, whenever you are under stress. Try this formula… whenever you smile, you do not think. The tension will go away. It really works.
CAN THOSE HAVING BLOOD PRESSURE PRACTISE ASANAS?
Yes, they can surely practise Asanas. The special Asanas and Pranayama that can offer help readily are Shashankasana, Sukhpurvaka, Sivananda Pranayama, Pranayama and Shavasana
SHASHANKASANA:
1. This Asana is performed while sitting in Vajrasana. Keep back, neck and head in a straight line.
2. Sit with your legs folded behind in a manner similar to position occupied by Muslim friends while they sit for ‘Namaz’.
3. Take a deep breath and raise both the hands in one line with head up.
4. Now releasing breath and keeping the head steady in between the shoulders come down right up to the ground so that both the palms of the hands, the elbow and the forehead touch the ground.
5. Be sure that while bending down in this manner both the buttocks will remain set between both the heels. They should not be raised.
6. As you go on bending forward, go on releasing the breath.
7. Breathe normally, when the head touches the ground.
8. Remain a witness of inhaling as well as exhaling of breath.
9. While you come up, breathe in.
In this asana, the forehead is touching the ground. This part of the head goes lower than the heart so for a little time blood circulation in head is also increased. Heart has to work less in pumping the blood to the brain.
SUKHPURVAKA PRANAYAMA:
For the practice of Sukhpurvaka Pranayama, one should sit steadily. Keep the palm of the right hand facing the face. Bend the first two fingers next to the thumb inside. Now put the right thumb on the right nostril and last two fingers of the same hand should be used to press the left nostril.
Al­ways start breathing with left side & finish this pranayama also with the left side.
TECHNIQUE:
1. Breathe in through the left nostril. Close the left nostril and breathe out through the right nostril.
2. Breathe in through the right nostril. Breathe out through the left nostril.
3. This becomes one round.
4. Make few more rounds like this.
Do this pranayama everyday, morning and evening, at least for 5 to 15 minutes.
SIVANANDA PRANAYAMA:
Lie down on the ground with face upwards. Bend both the legs from the knees. Knees should be kept pointing towards the sky and the heels of both the legs should be brought up to the buttocks but not touching them. Keep the distance between the legs same as the distance between the two shoulders. Keep both the hands loose and a little apart from the body and thighs. Keep palms of the hands facing upward. Concentrate your mind on the solar plexus (navel).
1. Now start breathing deeply and slowly. You should be aware that you are inhaling and exhaling.
2. Remain a witness to the breath so that the breathing in and breathing out do not happen without your knowledge.
3. You must remain happy in this watchfulness. The more that you can maintain this awareness, the more you will have control over your respirations and then you will also be able to control the blood circulation system.
4. You can practise Sivananda Pranayama for a period of ten to fifteen minutes in the morning, noon, evening as well as late night, whenever your stomach feels light, about three hours after meals.
5. You can increase this period to half an hour so that you will get mental soundness. It is very useful panacea for blood pressure, mental tension and irregularity of the stomach.
SHAVASANA:
1. Lie down with the back on the ground.
2. Relax the hands and the legs.
3. Listen the beating of the heart.
4. Be a witness to the breath coming in….. going out.
5. Observe your body from head to toes - starting with the feet and slowly moving up to the head. Start becoming aware of the toes, feet, knees, ankles, leg muscles, buttocks, waist, back belly, chest, both the hands and the arms, shoulders and face, all these must feel relaxed. You must experience the relaxation of these parts. You must go through the bodily relaxation, mental relaxation and in the end feel that the blood circulation system works quietly in a perfect manner. It reduces muscular, emotional and mental tensions in a very systematic way.
OTHER MEASURE:
The safest way to cure hypertension is to remove the real cause.
Drink tons of water (normal temperature).
A tablespoonful each of fresh amla juice / lemon and honey mixed together should be taken every morning.
Before breakfast have a tablespoon of mixture made with equal amounts of onion juice and honey.
The evening meals should be taken at least two hours before going to bed. Light evening meals are recommended.
Sleep for 8 - 10 hours.
Must avoid overstrain, worries, tension, anger and haste.
Develop a calm and cheerful attitude and develop a contended frame of mind.

For more information contact:
Dr, Rita Khanna
2nd floor, Plot#22, Suman Housing Colony, West Marredpally Secunderabad-500026
Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344
Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
WWW: http://yogashaastra.blogspot.com/
The Yoga Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Yoga Exercise – Triangle Pose (Trikonasana)

This is an Asana which person of any age can practice without any fear or worry. This pose strengthens the legs, makes the hips more flexible and relieves backache.

How to do it:

Step1: Stand straight with both the legs together

Step2: Inhale deeply, jump or step your feet two to three feet apart

Step3: Exhale, extend the arms out to the side, in line with the shoulders, palms facing the floor.

Step4: Now turn your left foot out to the left about 90 degrees and turn your right foot slightly inwards (about 15 degrees)

Step5: Inhale, and stretch the right arm up toward the sky, and bring it near the head so that the hand remains at right angle to the ground. The palm of the right hand should face towards the left.

Step6: Exhale, bend sideways towards the left, slowly, and touch the left ankle joint with the left hand. If possible, the right palm should rest completely on the floor.

[In the beginning, it may not be possible for the left hand to reach the left ankle, do not worry about it, one can hold anywhere from the leg also. Make sure, the right hand is over the head (not over the face) & it should remain parallel to the ground, keep the knees straight, feet firmly on the ground]

Step7: The face should point forwards but the body should not bend forward. Breathe slowly. Maintain the balance in this position and take normal breathing for 5 seconds or according to the body capacity.

Step8: While retuning back, Inhale and repeat the same exercise with the opposite side.

Step9: Repeat 3-4 times. Lie down relax in Shvaasana

Variations:
Place your mat against the wall. With your back to the wall, spread your feet apart. Do the pose with your heels and buttocks touching the wall. The wall can give you support, help your balance and assist with the alignment of your body in one plane.

Caution:
Don’t do the pose while suffering from back conditions, diarrhoea, headache, low blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, do the pose against the wall and don’t extend the top arm but rest it on your hip.



Benefits:

In the Trikonasana there is a lateral movement of the spine. So it makes the spinal column elastic and in addition makes the body and mind equipoise.
It gives exercise to the muscles of the legs and thighs; it helps in the reduction of fat accumulated on the belly.
The practice of Trikonasana makes a good effect on blood circulation and digestive system.
It has its own special effect on the internal secreting glands so it is good for ladies in menopause and pregnant women may enjoy doing the supported version against the wall for relief of backache.
Trikonasana is considered therapeutic for anxiety, flat feet, infertility, neck pain, osteoporosis and sciatica.


PS.
Please do not consider this article as offering medical advice. Consult your healthcare practitioner when beginning a yoga program. A yoga teacher can best help you learn the poses.

For more information contact:
Dr, Rita Khanna
2nd floor, Plot#22, Suman Housing Colony, West Marredpally Secunderabad-500026
Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344
Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
WWW: http://yogashaastra.blogspot.com/
The Yoga Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

DEPRESSION

Mind:
“If mind loses, a man loses, if mind feels it has won, man wins”
Human mind is subtlest element. It is also greater than the greatest. Its vastness has never been measured. It has no adjuncts of sound, touch, form, liquidity or smell, even then if anything seen here gets out of place; mind takes up a big dispute. On a trained level, where mind is intelligent it is clear aware and conscious where as a raw-mind can be confused and misleading. The same idea, the same thought, the same action may occur in two different people, but the interpretation, enactment and culminating results will depend entirely on the level of mind, intellect and ego of each of the persons.
Lord Shri Krishna has said in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita that mind is the source of happiness or unhappiness experienced by a human being. In Sanskrit, and according to the classic and authoritative Raja Yoga of Patanjali Maharishi and generally in the Vedic knowledge, the mind as a whole is called the "Anthakarana" or internal organ. It consist of four functions, Manas or conscious mind, Chitta or subconscious, Buddhi or intellect, and Ahankara or false ego.
Four functions of mind:
Mind: Manas is the first function of the mind. It is the lower mind, which processes thinking, and which is the operator of the ten senses, the Karmendriyas and Jnanendriyas. . Manas questions and doubts, which can cause great difficulties if this tendency becomes excessive. As Fire cannot be separated from its nature of burning. Similarly mind cannot be separated from its nature of sustaining ups and down. This process of likes and dislikes, this is good and that is bad vacillates the mind. This pendulum like movement is the cause of unrest and disquiet.
Subconscious mind: Chitta is the memory bank, which stores impressions and experiences. The sub­conscious mind collects all the real and imaginary works, thoughts and events. And while it can be very useful, Chitta can also cause difficulties if its functioning is not coordinated with the others.
Intellect: Buddhi is higher mind. At a more gross level Buddhi is the aspect of mind that knows, decides, judges, and discriminates. Intellect is an element where rise and falls of decisions and counter-decisions arise, ebbs and tides form, where one either doubts or has faith, where such a mind can decide about the propriety and impropriety, where that mind can decide and draw conclusions.
At a more subtle level, Buddhi is discovered to be the function that separated the individual from the true Self in the first place.
Ego: Ahamkara is the sense of "I-am-ness," the individual Ego, the I-maker. It is the strong wave of awareness that declares, "I am!" When one holds that his thinking only is correct. His decision only should be upheld. His conscious only could be correct. This type of stubborn and dogged nature indicates ego. Though it provides identity to our functioning but Ahamkara also creates our feelings of separation, pain, and alienation as well. Our wishes, desires and hopes are unlimited. Whenever our desires are not satisfied, the ego of our mind feels hurt and responds by a reaction.
Meaninglessness
We are not accustomed to accept the situation as it is. We are not satisfied with whatever we have, whatever we get, and whatever we obtain. We keenly desire to have what we have not; what we have not been able to obtain and which we cannot get. We may not be even aware of the existence or otherwise of an item yet we make unfruitful efforts to obtain the thing of our dreams! It immediately renders human mind clouded. Mental aberration is a condition of clouded mind. This hypnotized condition cannot take into account the propriety or impropriety, the goodness or badness of any action. All these mental problems are the creators of depression. In such a situation a man nurtures dislike for himself, takes himself as an improper person, feels that he is useless and of no avail, he is wrong, he is sorrowful, he is helpless and he is absolutely useless. A slightly clouded sky will get cleared with sunrise. But a sky, which is full of tornado and typhoon, will create terrible destruction before it gets cleared.
Results
Mental pain resulting from such displeasure results in anger, this creates hypertension and if the vehemence or spars of anger is too fast or terribly quick, it can even result in brain hemorrhage. Most important aspect to be ascertained under all such circumstances is the sudden evolution of such a depression. The occasions like, the sudden loss of a family member, failing in an examination, gathering a setback in a love affair, ups and downs in a business, incidents of honour and disrespect; disturb the mind and cause terrible depression in the mind and the mental tension that results could cause a serious paralytic attack. A man surrounded by the pain of separation and who has gone deep into the eyes of mental depression also falls a prey to the various wrong habits. The man who gets caught by the demoniacal paws of mental deterioration suffers from two types of depression viz Physi­cal and Mental. A person can suffer pain in the hands and feet, he may feel lazy, he will show no interest in any type of work, he will have no interest in meeting and mixing with people. The bodily pain, heaviness in the head, peevish nature, schizophrenic, not feeling hungry, sleeplessness, and one feels his life a burden and life feels fully depressed.
As people keep green plants and flower vases in their verandas, sitting rooms, bathrooms and sleeping rooms but these flower vases have to be kept once every two to three days under an open sky for the whole night to give them dew bath, fresh natural air, draw from moonlight under the open sky and a look at the shining bright stars. Similarly every week at least for one day they are to be brought in bright sunshine under the open sky. It is thus clear that the plant, which gets hot under the sun, which gets cold under the moon, remains healthy and strong. Similarly if one closes himself within walls of a house, he would create dejection and gloom in the long run, which is the cause of depression.
Frustrated creativity
Whenever a patient suffers a bipolar or mental depres­sion, he hardly knows what he does or he does not even know what is happening all around him. However, when the bout of depression subsides, the patient becomes very sorry and feels as if he were living a lifeless non-vital life. It is possible that he may not find interest in any food or any work. This is quite natural because for a mind, which is depressed, one cannot expect concentration. The depressed person has his thinking capacity very much reduced, he feels his strength has reduced, he feels that he is useless to the society, he is helpless, he is hopeless, not only that but his conjugal life as well as sexual life gets entirely depressed. He may only think of death or suicide. It is quite possible that such a person may resort to suicide.
The entire nature is made up of three qualities of Sattva, Rajas and Tamas (purity, activity and ignorance). These attributes are responsible for behavioral patterns, which can be changed by practices of spiritual activities such as Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation. One has to make efforts himself by his willpower and reconditioning to purify his life to alleviate depression
Reconditioning
Following is advised:
1. By approaching a psychiatrist, for timely advice and treatment.
2. To consume fresh vegetables, fresh juices of fresh fruits, sprouted grains, skimmed milk without cream and the like.
3. One should go for a long walk in the early morning hours in clear atmosphere.
4. One should sit for meditation early morning, at noontime, in the evening and at night for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Deep breathing, Shitali, Shitkari, Sukhpurvaka Pranayamas should be regularly practiced.
5. A study of good books, company of people of matured thought and positive thinking, company of people who can infuse faith, self-study ,inspire and leave deep impression would be of much help.
6. The patient should go on repeating to his mind “I am quite well, I am quite healthy, I am quite composed.” This thought is as powerful, or even more powerful, than hundreds of tranquillisers and antibiotics. Once you get the idea into your head that you will be all right, you will be.
7. He should continue thinking that all around is beautiful, all around is auspicious, and then everything will turn out beautiful, healthy, sound and happy.
Depressed patient can perform all the flexibility exer­cises and all the Asanas. However,more emphasis should be on Suryanamaskara, Sravangasana, Matsyasana, Halasana, Vajrasana, Ushtrasana and Shavasana. In addition practice of Pranayama and meditation will clear all depression and will surely generate new willpower.

For more information contact:
Dr. Rita Khanna2nd floor, plot#22, Suman Housing colony, West Marredpally, Secunderabad-500026 IndiaMobile: 09849772485 Ph:-04065173344 Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com
Dr. Rita Khanna's YogaShaastra StudioA Yoga & Naturopathy CentreOver 20 years of Teaching Yoga The Studio is open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.