10 Foods That Are Hurting Your Brain

 
Enjoy this article c/o Power of Positivity
www.powerofpositivity.com
 
 
 
 
In our world today, we constantly get bombarded with images and commercials advertising delicious, tempting, unhealthy foods.

 

Our society seems more focused on making ends meet, even at the cost of having an overweight, nutrient-deficient, lethargic population. Many of us work long hours, and don’t feel like making healthy foods when we get home. We want something quick, easy, and readily available to us, which usually means TV dinners and fast food.
 
Staying on track with a diet can seem utterly impossible when you walk into a store filled with more toxic, chemical-laden, nutrient-poor foods than healthy, nutritious, nurturing foods. However, even though having some things in moderation won’t really damage your health, consuming them on a regular basis can cause serious, even fatal, diseases. To have optimal health, you should avoid the following foods at all costs, or at least eat them very sparingly.

Here are 10 foods that are hurting your brain:

 

1. Tuna  

In a study performed earlier this year, University of Michigan researchers reported that mercury levels in yellowfin tuna had increased almost 4 percent annually from 1998 to 2008. Regular exposure to mercury can cause serious, sometimes irreversible, brain and nervous system damage. Our oceans have become contaminated with a dangerous cocktail of environmental pollutants, which the marine life inevitably absorb. When we consume seafood nowadays, most of it will contain several toxic heavy metals which our bodies simply don’t digest or absorb properly.
An analysis by health experts at the magazine Consumer Reports found that a 140 pound woman would exceed safe mercury exposure by consuming just 4.5 ounces of tuna per week. A 48 pound child who eats more than one-third a can of tuna per week, or the equivalent of the amount on a single tuna sandwich, could suffer permanent brain damage from mercury exposure.
If you do choose to eat tuna, go for canned light tuna rather than albacore, as this kind contains less mercury. Better yet, you could cut out seafood entirely, or go for shrimp, scallops, sardines, or wild and Alaskan salmon, which all have low levels of mercury.
 

2. Partially hydrogenated oils

If you see hydrogenated oils on a label, please do yourself a favor and put the product back on the shelf. Hydrogenated oils have no place in the human body, and some studies have even found that the oils leave scars on the internal walls of the arteries due to nickel often used in the hydrogenation process. That’s right; partially hydrogenated oils contain a catalyst of some sort in order to heat the oil up faster, and nickel, platinum, or even aluminum are used in the process. Heavy metals such as these have been linked to Alzheimer’s and other mental problems, so anything with partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided at all costs.
Hydrogenated oil is only one molecule away from plastic, so think about the adverse effects you could experience from consuming this toxic man-made concoction.
 
 

3. Sugar

Of course. naturally occurring sugar from fruits and starches is perfectly fine to consume, but when it is extracted and added back into processed foods, then it becomes a problem. Refined sugar, for one, doesn’t contain any nutritional benefits, so it’s just empty calories at the end of the day. In various studies, refined sugar has also been linked to an increase in anxiety, depression, and addiction, and a decrease in learning and memory. 

4. Fructose

Naturally occurring fructose found in fruit will not harm your health; it only becomes an issue when you eat fructose out of its natural state, such as in boxed or canned foods. Consuming too much processed fructose can lead to insulin resistance, obesity, diabetes, a fatty liver, high blood pressure, and much, much more. Not to mention, fructose can cause neural activity to stagnate for up to 20 minutes, according to a 2011 study on the impact of glucose and fructose on the brain.

 

5. Saturated fats

Most people know that a diet high in saturated fat can clog the arteries and contribute to heart disease and strokes, but did you know that a diet heavy in saturated fat can impair cognitive function as well? A study published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology found that consuming large amounts of saturated fat can lead to reduced cognitive function and also a dulling of the dopamine reward system, increasing dependency and addiction to unhealthy foods.
According to Stephanie Fulton, a professor at the University of Montreal’s Department of Nutrition, “Our research shows that independent of weight gain and obesity, high-fat feeding can cause impairments in the functioning of the brain circuitry profoundly implicated in mood disorders, drug addiction, and overeating — several states and pathologies that impinge on motivation and hedonia.”

 

6. Processed foods

Processed foods usually have a laundry list of chemicals, some of which have been linked to mental and behavioral disorders. Aside from the dangers of the ingredients, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation in 2012 found that consuming a diet high in fatty processed foods can even lead to damage in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates hunger and thirst levels.

 

7. Fast food

More and more studies have been published about the detrimental effects of fast food on the body, and it shouldn’t come as a surprise why fast foods can cause so much damage. These “foods” have been stripped of almost all nutrients, and altered drastically from their natural state. A better way to describe them would be “food like substances,” because these culinary inventions really don’t resemble food at all. Fast foods lack many vitamins and minerals, including iron; iron deficiency might lead to poorer scores on tests in students who regularly consume fast food.

 

8. Microwave popcorn

Another highly processed food, this one causes even more damage due to the way in which one must prepare it. Not only does the popcorn contain toxic chemicals and additives, but popping it in a microwave strips the food of any nutrients that might be left, increases white blood cell levels, and creates carcinogens. Not to mention, the radioactive emissions generated from the microwave can lead to a slew of mental health problems.

 

9. Cookies and chips

Another form of refined, processed food, cookies and chips have pretty much zero nutritional benefits, but add on unnecessary calories. If you want a snack, go for some fresh fruit or vegetables to avoid all the chemicals and extra sugar in these highly addictive foods.

 

 

 

 

 

10. Corn syrup

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, consuming drinks or foods with high fructose corn syrup disrupts the part of the brain that tells us when we’re full, which leads to eating or drinking unneeded calories. Also, consuming free fructose (not in fruit) has been proven to be just as addictive as drugs, which means food marketers all over the place know this, and use this to take advantage of us.

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How Meditation Affects the Gray Matter of the Brain

Article c/o David R. Hamilton, Ph.D.
The Huffington Post

I like to meditate. It makes me feel at ease and I am convinced that the sense of calm it produces helps me to handle the daily challenges of my life. There are, of course, times when I don't keep up my daily practice of sitting quietly for 10 or 15 minutes, but these are the times in my life when I experience more stress.

Stress affects everyone. I don't know a single person who doesn't get stressed. But unfortunately, it plays a major role in illness. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in fact, up to 90 percent of doctor visits in the U.S. may be stress related. Meditation is an antidote to stress, just as an aspirin can counter a headache. A regular practice can be a major boost to health.

It calms the nervous system. It's good for the immune system. It's also good for the heart; it helps produce nitric oxide (not nitrous oxide -- that's laughing gas!) in the arteries, dilating them and reducing blood pressure. It also smooths heart rhythms.

But thanks to an explosion of brain research we now know that it also physically impacts our gray matter.

One study to show this was led by scientists at the Center for Functionally Integrative Neuroscience at Aarhus University in Denmark. Comparing MRI scans of the brains of meditators with the brains of non-meditators, they showed that meditation causes actual physical changes in the gray matter of the lower brain stem. Meditation makes the gray matter grow.

In another study, scientists Giuseppe Pagoni and Milos Cekic, from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University in Atlanta, compared the volume of gray matter in the brains of people performing Zen meditations with another group who were not meditators.

The volume of our gray matter normally reduces as we get older and this is what the scientists found in the group of non-meditators. But for the meditators, their gray matter hadn't reduced at all with age. According to the scientists, meditation had a 'neuroprotective' effect on the meditators: It protected the brain from some of the effects of aging.

This mirrors some 2008 Harvard research that analyzed the genes of meditators against non-meditators. It was the first study of its kind to measure the genetic impact of meditation and found that 2,209 genes were differently activated in long-term meditation practitioners compared with non-meditators. And even looking at novice meditators, they found that 1,561 genes were affected after only eight weeks of meditation practice. They concluded that the genetic effects of meditation may have long-term physiological consequences, one of which was a slowing down of the rate of aging.

We have all heard the stories of people under extreme stress whose hair turns white in a matter of weeks. We know that stress can speed up aging. So why should it be a surprise to us that a technique to combat stress should be able to slow aging?

There are many different forms of meditation. A study at Massachusetts General Hospital examined the impact of the Buddhist 'Insight' meditation on the brain. Insight meditation is a technique of moving our attention over the body or focusing on our breathing. The study found that it caused an increase in thickness of the prefrontal cortex in the brain, the part just above the eyes and associated with attention.

Several areas of the brain are active when we meditate, but most pronounced is the prefrontal cortex because when we meditate we are focusing our attention on something -- whether that be the body, our breathing, a word, a candle or even a spiritual ideal. When this area is active, just like a muscle being exercised, it grows.

Neuroscientists use this analogy to describe the way the brain changes. When we exercise a muscle it becomes larger and denser with muscle mass. In a similar way, when we exercise any part of the brain, which we do when we meditate, it becomes larger and denser with neural mass -- gray matter. The phenomenon is known as neuroplasticity and describes how the brain actually changes throughout life.

When I attended university I learned that the brain is hardwired once we reach young adulthood. The analogy used is that when we are young, the brain is a bit like dough, which can be kneaded into various forms, but when we reach young adulthood we put the dough in the oven and it comes out with a bread crust on it. The brain is then 'hardwired,' we were taught.

But this analogy has since been abandoned. We now know that we never put the dough in the oven.
Our gray matter is ever-changing as we experience life; as we learn, walk, run, dance, and when we concentrate, as we do when we meditate.

Our gray matter is changing until the last seconds of our life. It grows even with our last breath.


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Why People's Opinions of You Aren't Real

 

 

 

From keynote transformative speaker Kyle Cease, enjoy this short video showcasing the natural perceptions we have of ourselves and how to change them... 

 

 

 

 

 

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12 Things Your Soul Wants You To Remember

Enjoy this great article c/o thespiritscience.net

Although it may feel like it, your soul is not separate from you. In truth, your soul is your true existence. We are simply shadows of all that we are, and so it’s easy to forget who we are, where we come from and all that we can be. Sometimes we need just a little reminder.

1. You are exactly where you a supposed to be
No matter the circumstance, no matter the ride that got you to where you are in this very present moment. The choices, the outcomes, the paths you could have taken and didn’t. Your soul wants you to know, that everything happens for a reason, and nothing happens by chance. Have faith, it will all work out.

2. Everything is temporary

Nothing lasts forever, the good the bad and the ugly, nothing is permanent. So be impermanent. Be like water and flow with the ups and downs of life.

3. Everything you need is already within you
Know yourself, sit with yourself and understand yourself. Everything you need, your strength, courage, compassion and love, all exists within. You have the choice as to which you need to find and bring out into the world.

4.You’re OK just as you are
The main goal of life is to not force change upon yourself or undergo a major transformation.
It is to be at peace with who you are at any given moment despite what you have done or not done; said or not said.  Transformation is a choice we all have, but it is not to be forced due to under satisfaction. True transformation comes first with acceptance.

5. Self worth is measured by you, and only you
If you constantly seek outside yourself for approval and validation, you will never be happy. We are all different and we all perceive things in different ways but your reputation is not something you can really control. Your reputation is not really in your hands, so stop trying to please everyone around you and start pleasing your own self.

6. When times get tough, change your perspective
All emotions of worry, strife, guilt regret and sadness come from not living in the present moment. It is only by experiencing the present moment to the fullest that we can shift our perspective and understand that life’s hiccups on a grand scale are minor.
To put it in perspective your incarnation in this lifetime and when it is done, will be summed up in an hour.
So that leads us to…

7. Live in the present 
Don’t dwell in the past or dream of the future. Find your passion and take action. The next moment in your life is not more important than this moment right now. Do today what you dream of later, and understand that your past actions were meant to occur so that you can learn and grow. So let them go, let them be and appreciate all that you have right now.

8. Release your fears
There are only two truths in the entire universe, the first is Love and the second is Fear. In equal opposition to each other.
In order to dwell in a state of true and pure love, the essence of existence and life itself, one must not carry fear.


9. Release your need for control
Holding on to the fallacy that you can have control over the outcomes of life is an illusion that you have created for yourself. We do not know what the future will bring and we cannot perceive to understand the consequences of each action and reaction, therefore we must Love without attachment, live without expectation and perceive without judgment.


10. Remember where you come from

When you know the beginning, you will know the end– When we understand that our consciousness is eternal we understand that we are in fact energy.

An energy, a soul, a consciousness that is always evolving, learning and growing. With each incarnation comes new lessons, and new experiences. We come from energy and to energy we will return.

11. Accept
By placing your disposition into a state of acceptance, acceptance of all that is good and bad. You release your need for control, you release your fears and you release your expectations in order that you can live in the present moment.
Without acceptance, nothing can flourish. This is true prayer, not asking for what you want– the desires of your heart, but accepting all of life’s blessings and giving gratitude for everything in return. A cycle of love that continues growing.

12. You are never alone
It is said that Albert Einstein believed that there was indeed an alternate reality or another world, beyond our own vision. As the physical eyes were only capable of viewing the 3D spectrum in a limited amount of colors.
What is beyond the veil of our physicality is energy. Immense energy, sometimes you can feel it, other times you may pick up slight irregularities. We are never truly alone. You are always surrounded by the unseen, and if and when you choose to call out, trust me, you might just be surprised with an answer.

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Boost Your Brain Through Your Gut

Healthy Gut, Healthy Brain

MEET YOUR SECOND BRAIN

Understanding just how closely the gut and the brain are related is essential.

Think of the last time you felt sick to your stomach because you were anxious, scared, or over-the-moon elated. Scientists are learning that this intimate relationship between the gut and the brain is bidirectional: Just as your brain can send butterflies to your stomach, your gut can relay its state of calm or alarm to the brain.

 

The vagus nerve, the longest of 12 cranial nerves, is the primary channel between millions of nerve cells in our intestinal nervous system (sometimes called the enteric nervous system) and our central nervous system, which comprises the brain and spinal cord. “Vagus” is Latin for “wanderer,” an apt name for this nerve that runs outside the brain and through the digestive system. The vagus extends from the brain stem to the abdomen, directing many bodily processes that don’t require thought, like heart rate and digestion.

 

At the same time, the bacteria in the gut directly affect the function of the cells along the vagus nerve. And some of the gut’s nerve cells and microbes release neurotransmitters that speak to the brain in its own language.

 

The neurons in the gut are so innumerable that many scientists are now calling them the “second brain.” This second brain not only regulates muscle function, immune cells, and hormones, but also manufactures an estimated 80 to 90 percent of serotonin (the “feel-good” neurotransmitter).

This means the gut’s brain makes more serotonin — the master happiness molecule — than the brain in your head. Many neurologists and psychiatrists are now realizing that this may be one reason antidepressants are often less effective in treating depression than proper dietary changes.

 

FOOD MATTERS

Perhaps the most significant factor related to the health of the microbiome — and thus, the brain — is the food we eat. It is also the greatest challenge to the microbiome and brain. Food matters enormously, trumping other factors in our lives that we may not be entirely able to control.

 

5 WAYS TO BOOST YOUR BRAIN THROUGH YOUR GUT

I am frequently asked how long it takes to rehabilitate a dysfunctional or underperforming microbiome.  Research shows that significant changes in the array of gut bacteria can take place in as little as six days after instituting a new dietary protocol, like the one I present in my book (the highlights of which I’m sharing here). But everyone is different; your Brain Maker rehab will depend on the current state of your gut and how quickly you commit to making changes.

 

1. EAT FOODS RICH IN PROBIOTICS

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeast that support good digestive health. Long before probiotics became available in supplement form, the health benefits of fermented, probiotic-rich foods like kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt were well recognized. The Chinese were fermenting -cabbage 6,000 years ago.

 

2. GO LOWER-CARB; EMBRACE HIGH-QUALITY FATS

A diet that keeps your blood sugar balanced keeps your gut bacteria balanced. A diet high in rich sources of fiber from whole vegetables and fruits feeds good gut bacteria and produces the right balance of short-chain fatty acids to keep the intestinal lining in check. A diet that’s intrinsically anti-inflammatory is good for the brain.

Diets high in sugar and low in fiber fuel unwanted bacteria and increase the chances of intestinal permeability, mitochondrial damage, a compromised immune system, and widespread inflammation that can reach the brain. It’s a vicious cycle; all of these further disrupt our protective microbial balance.

 

3. ENJOY CHOCOLATE, COFFEE, WINE, AND TEA

You can rejoice in the fact that, as far as your brain’s health is concerned, you can embrace chocolate, coffee, and wine in moderation, and tea to your heart’s desire.

Research abounds concerning dark chocolate’s benefits. In one study, Italian researchers demonstrated that in elderly individuals suffering mild cognitive impairment, those who consumed the highest level of flavonols (one category of polyphenols) from cocoa and chocolate showed heightened cognitive function.  On that note, Spanish researchers have found that LPS levels, a marker for both inflammation and intestinal permeability, were dramatically reduced in individuals who consumed red wine in moderation (one to two glasses per day).

 

4. CONSUME FOODS RICH IN PREBIOTICS

Prebiotics are food-borne fuel for the beneficial bacteria that live in the gut, and they occur naturally in raw garlic, cooked and raw onions, leeks, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, and jicama. Estimates suggest that for every 100 grams of prebiotic carbohydrates we consume, a full 30 grams of good gut bacteria are produced.  Prebiotics have many additional benefits, including the ability to reduce inflammation in inflammatory-bowel disorders, enhance mineral absorption, and promote a sense of satiety. Animals given prebiotics produce less ghrelin, the hormone that signals the brain that it’s time to eat.

 

5. DRINK FILTERED WATER

Consuming plenty of water is important to intestinal health, but it’s critical that the water doesn’t contain gut-busting chemicals like chlorine. Environmental toxins can disrupt the microbiome and disturb brain physiology.  I recommend using a household water filter. There are a variety of home water-treatment technologies available, from simple filtration pitchers to under-sink units with a separate spigot. Make sure the filter you buy removes chlorine as well as other contaminants, and be sure to maintain and change it regularly.

Finally, ditch plastic water bottles and choose reusable bottles made from stainless steel or glass instead.

 

 

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Being Too Nice Can Bring You To Depression

By Elzbieta Pettingill
Guest Writer for Wake Up World




There is such a thing as being too nice, too giving and too caring. To overcome depression you must stop the habit of bending over to gain people’s approval. I know, it’s easier said than done. But no one said it’d be easy.

 

Those who are affected by depression tend to be people-pleasers. And yet, ironically, quite often their actions are viewed by others as selfish and self-centered. For over three decades I believed in that crap myself. I believed I was selfish and self-involved. I was convinced I had nothing to offer. I also thought that it didn’t matter what I thought. That my opinion was less important than anyone else’s. It seemed as if I was always living someone else’s life.

 

Finally, after two major brain seizures caused by a suicide attempt, I stopped living someone else’s life and looked deep within…

 

Someone Else’s Life

I was the child who was “too young to understand things” and therefore to make decisions. My life was run by the grown ups, who weren’t able to see the serious damage caused by the primitive belief such as; “children should be seen but not heard.” Then later, I became an young adult, clinging to any guy who’d find anything whatsoever appealing in me. At that time my looks seemed to have the only value in the eyes of others.

 

I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t who I am. I was a “slave” to anyone who was willing to have me in their life. The fear of rejection always steered my thoughts into the direction that led others to benefit from it more than I did.

 

How tiring was that!? How exhausting it is having to constantly put others before your own self! And how little reward you get at the end of it…

 

All this, so you can keep deluding yourself that someone cares about you, at least enough to stick around. For a while, at least… ’til they get tired of it.

 

Then what do you do when the inevitable happens and when they leave? You blame yourself, of course. Consciously, or subconsciously, your already low self-esteem gets reinforced. It spirals downward in a lightening speed and you get even more depressed, thinking that there is no tomorrow for you…

 

Well, there is. And it’s a bright one, too!

 

You’ve heard the phrase: “You teach people how to treat you” but you’ve ignored it so far. Maybe because when you did try to stand up for yourself it always seemed to have backfired. You might even had finally snapped and told others to f--- off, which they deserved to hear, only to find yourself being labeled as too aggressive and not “lady-like.”

 

Well dear, who the f--- gives a damn? Who cares what others think and, or say? Let me just remind you – it shouldn’t be you. There is only one person in this entire world whose opinion should matter to you, and that is YOU and you ONLY.

 

There is only one person in this entire Universe that needs your pleasing, and that person is you.

There is only one person who needs your caring the most, and yes, you’ve guessed it – it’s you again.

 

 

Just remember this: if you care too much – others will care too little… If you remain too available – others will always remain too busy for you. Without even being apologetic about it, people will always make you wait for them, making you feel as if your time is not nearly as valuable as theirs. You get the picture…

 

You will encounter resistance from those around you when you start making those long-overdue changes, but that’s OK. Have fun with it. See that sense of amusement on their faces and that sense of disbelief… Stare back at them without blinking.

 

Be prepared to deal with the consequences of having the courage to do what’s right for you. In your mind let go of the fear of not having that job in case your boss decides to fire you. Maybe it means it’s time to do something else for a living.

 

Be ready to let go of your significant other if s/he continues to refuse to treat you in a new, more loving and respectful way.

 

Make yourself OK with being alone for now. Make yourself comfortable with being with… YOU. Get to know yourself. Find out exactly what your needs and desires are and then become unstoppable in fulfilling them! Be selfish. You’ve been accused of it so many times before, now it’s time for you to show others (and yourself) how selfish you can really be! Show them that you mean business…

 

 Renounce the guilt. Let go of it. Completely. It’s time to release it.

 

Be your number one. Be bold. Be spontaneous. Learn to be yourself in every situation and around everyone.

 

This is how you start to love yourself…

 

 

 

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Best Yoga Poses for Stress Relief

Instead of reaching out for antidepressant pills, bring out your yoga mat and try these poses the next time you feel low and depressed and see your mood perk up instantly.

 

Child Pose (Balasana)

The child pose or balasana is undoubtedly the most relaxing yoga pose that helps in calming the mind and rejuvenating the body with energy. It is also an effective yoga pose for relieving lower back pain, hip strain and shoulder and neck stiffness. It has a healing and restorative power that helps in providing mental and emotional relief. Sit on the yoga mat kneeling while bringing your knees together and resting your buttocks on your feet. Now, slowly lower your torso over your thighs exhaling so that your forehead touches the mat and your hand rest on the floor. Hold the position for  30 seconds to 1 minutes breathing regularly and come back to the starting position. This makes one repetition. Repeat it 3 to 4 times.

 

Standing Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

The standing forward bend is the ideal yoga pose to reduce stress. It helps in preserving proper functioning of the nervous system by improving blood supply throughout the body. It also helps in stretching and relaxing the spine and increasing flexibility. It tones the abdominal muscles and organs, and is the perfect yoga pose for weight loss. Stand with your feet closed and arms resting on the side. Raise your hand above your head while inhaling and bend your torso forward while exhaling. Touch the ground with both your hands, keeping your legs straight. Hold the pose for 30 seconds with normal breathing rhythm. Come back to the starting position. This makes 1 repetition. Repeat it 5 to 10 times.

 

Down Dog (Adho Mukha Savasana)

The down dog or the downward facing dog pose is an amazing stress-relieving yoga pose that helps in waking up the senses and reduces fatigue and tiredness. It helps in improving bone density and preventing bone diseases such as osteoporosis in women. It rejuvenates the body by improving blood circulation, and this yoga pose can also help in relieving neck pain by reducing stiffness of the upper body. Get down on your knees and hands so that your back remains straight and parallel with the floor. Now, push up your hips by straightening the knees and elbows so that your body forms an inverted V shape, Hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute while breathing normally. Return to the starting position exhaling slowly. This makes 1 repetition. Repeat it 5 to 6 times.

 

Bridge Pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana)

The bridge pose (Setu Bandha Sarvangasana) is the best yoga pose for stress and anxiety. It helps in stretching the muscles of the back and the leg and is an effective exercise for toning the thighs and hips. In addition, it also helps in controlling high blood pressure and reduces backaches, headaches, sleep disorders and fatigue. Lie flat on the yoga mat and bend your knees to rest your feet close to the buttocks. Your feet should be placed hip width apart. Now, lift your hips upward by pressing the arms on the floor and lift your breastbone as well while keeping your head fixed facing to the ceiling. Remain in the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute and come back to the starting position. This makes 1 repetition. Repeat it 5 to 6 times.

 

Extended Triangle Pose (Utthita Trikonasana)

The extended triangle pose is the ideal yoga pose for stress management that helps in full-body stretching. It helps in increasing flexibility, improving digestion and relieves the problems of anxiety, depression and fatigue. It addition, it also increases bone density and reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis. It also helps in toning the oblique muscles and is  effective to reduce fat. Stand straight with your feet approximately 4 feet apart, raise your arms on both sides and keep them parallel to the floor,. Now turn your right foot out by 90 degrees and bend your torso to the right side while exhaling, and hold your right calf with your right hand while pointing your face and left hand towards the ceiling. Hold the position for 30 seconds and come back to the starting position while inhaling. This is 1 repetition. Now repeat the entire movement on the left side. Repeat it 5 to 6 times on both sides.

 

Cat Pose (Marjaryasana)

The cat pose is the best pose for stress relief that helps in stretching the spine and toning the muscles and organs of the abdomen. It helps in improving overall health by relieving digestive problems and is also one of the most effective yoga poses to relieve PMS. Get on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips. Now, exhale and pull your spine inward to form a curve pointing towards the ceiling. Bend your head toward the floor, but make sure your chin should not touch the breast. Hold the pose for 30 seconds and come back to the starting position. In most cases, the cat pose is combined with cow pose which you can do by inhaling and dropping your belly towards the mat while pointing your head upward. These 2 poses are to be repeated 5 to 6 times holding each pose for 30 seconds alternatively.

 

Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana)

The extended puppy pose is one of the most simple yoga exercises that helps in relaxing the body by stretching the spine and shoulder, thus reducing stiffness. It is useful for correcting body posture, increasing flexibility and rejuvenating the mind and the body. This pose helps in toning the hips and back and is one of the best yoga poses to lose weight after pregnancy. Begin on all fours and slowly lower your chest towards the floor by sliding your arms forward but make sure that your elbows don’t touch the ground. Drop your head so that it touches the floor. Keep your neck relaxed and hold the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute while breathing normally. Now, come back to the starting position while exhaling. This makes one repetition. Repeat it 5 to 6 times.

 

Corpse Pose (Savasana)

Last but not the least comes the corpse pose or Savasana, the ultimate yoga pose for stress relief. No yoga session is complete without the corpse pose which is the most calming and relaxing of all poses. It transports the body to a state of deep rest and relaxation. This yoga pose helps in promoting sleep, lowering high blood pressure and calming the nervous system. Lie down on the yoga mat with any cushion or pillow for support. Keep your feet slightly apart and relax your knees and toes. Place your arms on the side of your body, your palms open and facing the ceiling. Close your eyes and breathe slowly and deeply to relax your body and mind. Stay in this posture for 10 minutes and end your yoga session in a relaxed and rejuvenated way.



Beat work stress and anxiety effectively with these relaxing and healing yoga poses and enjoy a happy and cheerful life with family and friends.


Article c/o www.thefitindian.com

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