Health problems are nothing but pent up stress built with speed and unattended issues of life. These collected emotions also create fear, insecurities, despair and a sense of hopelessness, pain, disgruntle, grudges, etc. When they get collected in our emotional bank, they crowd our mind and create heart problems.
An open body is an open mind, yoga says. So, stretching with slow breathing and focusing on breathing out as you stretch certainly eases out knots of the body and mind, and thus eases the pressure on the heart. When the blocks of body are eased, the blocks in the mind are alleviated. The circulation becomes slow and easy and your heart relaxes. So, asanas like Shavasana, Vajrasana and Sukhasana, are extremely good for the heart. You can also do Sukshma Vyayama to activate it further along with asanas like:
Janu Sirsasana and Paschimottanasana: They ease stress from the back and also provide good stretching to leg muscles. It induces the feeling of ‘Let Go’.
Setu Bandhasana: In this asana lower stress knots in the back are released.
Ustrasana: It helps in opening of the chest area and good torso stretch.
Bhujangasana: In this asana spine gets elongated, neck is stretched, chin looks up, eyes look up into the sky, into openness and infinity enabling you to release stress.
Standing tadasana: Do tadasana, but without lifting your heels. You can improvise by crawling hands on the wall and reaching out inch by inch, crawling and stretching up. Stretching up generally eases the entire stress of the body and mind.
In addition, those who have high blood pressure can benefit greatly from pranayama (yogic breathing exercises). It has long been understood that maintaining a regular exercise schedule and healthy eating routines lowers blood pressure. Following breathing exercises needs to be done.
Take a deep breath rhythmically at the count of three, hold your breath for three counts and slowly exhale at the count of six. It is good for High BP. Do it five to 10 times.
Anulom Vilom: For best results, perform anulom vilom for at least seven to 15 minutes. Anulom vilom is extremely helpful for people with hypertension and heart troubles caused by narrowing of the arteries. This exercise significantly lowers the blood pressure, easing pressure on the heart.
Bhramari: Bhramari must be practiced for at least five to seven minutes. Bhramari Pranayama, focused concentration (Shiv Dhyan) and slow deep abdominal breathing with extended exhalation leads to calmness, reduces hyperactive sympathetic activity and enhances parasympathetic activity.
Shitali: Shitali aids in blood purification. Additionally, it lowers blood pressure and relieves tension. Perform it five to seven times.
Chandra Bhedi: Through consistent use of this Pranayama, blood pressure is lowered and the body feels calm and relaxed. Spend five to seven minutes on it.
Pranayama has the ability to restore, revitalise and reenergise the entire body. Conscious breathing lowers blood pressure (as well as the amount of the stress hormone cortisol) that is present in the body. Night becomes a perfect opportunity to heal, become whole, repair, and restore. If this healing doesn’t happen properly, which means not dedicating enough hours, not at the right time of the day (in the right hours of sleeping), then our repair, elimination of toxins, and impurities won’t happen. Thus, leading to disorders and diseases.
If the impurities aren’t flushed out well, there is a good chance that toxins become heart problems.
Apart from all of the above, letting go is equally important. Don’t let disappoinements tie you down. When you let it go, you become productive and creative. Creativity allows people to think outside the box and go against the established norm. Creativity leads to innovation; innovation leads to evolution... Evolution of mankind.
Release the stress within you and the heart in you will get unleashed.
Creativity Maximized... Get Mickeymized!!!
(Mickey Mehta is a global leading holistic health guru and life coach; website: www.drmickeymehta.com)
