Care your Heart through Yoga
The heart which has been always been the symbol of life and love, of joy and happiness. Neverthless, it continues to beat stoically, in the face of all odds. The poor toiling heart, which has so much abuse heaped on it, slows down, speeds up, malfunctions and eventually breaks down.
Causes and Risk factors for Coronary Artery Disease
- High level of blood Cholesterol
- Hereditary
- High level of LDL cholesterol ( Bad cholesterol)
- Low level of HDL cholesterol( good cholesterol)
- Age and Sex: male are prone and more commonly suffered at middle and older stage.
- Cigarette smoking
- High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes mellitus
- Obesity
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Mental stress
- Improper food habits i.e. junk and fast foods
- Chronic inflammation i.e. damages the arterial walls.
- Oxidative stress or damage by free radicals
- Metabolic syndrome
- Homocysteine helps to create blockage in the arteries.
Yoga and Heart Disease
In spite of tremendous technological develpmenets in the moderm medical system. It failed either to control the disease process or prevent the disease effectively. Yoga can give a fruitful result. The technique of Yoga very well prevent and manage the CAD condition. This has een confirmed through several research studies that yogic techniques or the yogic lifestyles are acting as potent adjuvant in the management of CAD condition. The role of Yoga in reversing the stress reaction has also been proved beyond doubt. Tha’s why the physicians of modern medicine alsl prescribing yoga for their patients. Regular practice of Yoga helps to deplete the atherosclerotic plaques and further formation.
Yogic Practices for Heart Care
- Meditative Sukhasana leads to dramatic reduction in pulse, heart rate and blood pressure.
- Meditative postures like Siddhasana, Vajrasana and Padmasana are also very useful for heart.
- Uttanpadasana improves venous drainage without pressure
- Bhujangasana stretches the chest region and gives a gentle massaging effect to the heart.
- Dhanurasana tones up the spinal nerves and thus helps in maintaining normal blood pressure
- Gomukhasana stretches the chest region and therby provides massaging to the chest and heart.
- Nadishodhana Pranayama facilitates the free flow of prana thereby regulates blood pressure and blood circulation
- Yogic Sukshma Vyayama incrases micro circulation and helps to develop a collateral circulation, in case of blockage of the arteries.
- Head and Neck Excercises
- Ekpadasana
- Garudasana
- Tadasana
Ideal Diet for Heart
- Early Morning 1 tsp of soaked methi seeds + 2 almonds
- Breakfast: Herbal tea. Milk( 100 ml) + water (50 ml) with ginger and mint leaves = daliya
- Lunch: unpolished rice, @-3 chappatri + whole green gram+ green vegetables + Salads
- Snacks: herbal tea, idllis
- Dinner: Unpolished rice+ Sprouted moong+ chappati + vgeatvl;es + salads
- At bed timec milk is prefeered.