The Benefits Of My Good Friend “Viparita Karani!”

Now before I get into why you should be intrigued in my good friend “Viparita Karani” let me start off by explaining who she is. First off “Viparita Karani” is not a person, but of course the first time I heard of “Viparita Karani” my response was “Who is that? Is she a famous designer?” (LOL) Well she’s not a designer either!!! From there I did my research and learned that Viparita Karani is a restorative yoga pose meant to calm your body and restore your mind.

Pronunciation (vip-par-ee-tah car-AHN-ee)

viparita – turned around, reversed, inverted

karani -doing, making, action

Did you know you’ll start to feel a difference just after 5 minutes of performing Viparita Karani? I find it to be very true. Before being introduced to Viparita Karani, I’ve never taken yoga classes in my life. But the moment I seen an example from photos on how to perform this pose, I decided to give it a try! Why? Because this pose looks very easy and it just involves breathing while balancing your legs up the wall and back flat on the floor with flexed feet! Why? Because I was stressed out to the maximum, I had anxiety most likely from balancing work and school, and for my constant lack of sleep. Why? Because I was curious to see if it actually works!! And just five minutes into the pose I already felt more relaxed and relieved from stress. It helped me concentrate on my homework a lot better, and if you have a hard time concentrating like I do, Viparita Karani just might be what you need. Anyways, I started to consistently perform this pose whenever I felt anxiety sneaking up on me, and just like that Viparita Karani became my best friend! No wonder this is known to be a favorite pose by many yoga students according to jayayogastudio.com

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A post shared by Varsha Lulla | Yoga & Wellness (@yogalicious_yog)

Source: http://www.jayayogastudio.com/blog/2016/6/10/pose-of-the-week-viparita-karani

Now enough about my experience with Viparita Karani, now it’s time for me to help you release some of your tension and stress. Here are the steps on how you perform Viparita Karani:

1. First, you’ll begin by sitting on the floor while being close enough to the wall (make sure you have enough space on the wall and between the ceiling and the floor).
2. Then, you are going to bend your knees while laying your back down on the floor with your legs up. (Feel free to place a pillow or cushiony object under your head or lower back for more comfort).
3. Next, you are going to push yourself towards the wall, make sure your legs are firm and straight until they touch the wall.
4. Now that your legs are touching the wall, make sure your legs are perpendicular to the upper body and toes are pointing downward (you must try to keep your balance).
5. Make sure to flex your feet. Your neck, shoulders, and chest should be relaxed. Your arms should be relaxed on the side of you. 
6. Finally, close your eyes and stay in that position anywhere from 5-20 minutes. Don’t forget to take deep breaths while performing this act!

Sources: https://www.tummee.com/yoga-poses/viparita-karani/steps

https://www.doyouyoga.com/6-benefits-of-legs-up-the-wall-pose-48440/

Now here are a list of things Viparita Karani are good for:

-Anxiety

-Mild Depression

-Mild Backache

-High Blood Pressure

-Stretches Hamstring and Lower Back

-Swollen ankles

-Insomnia

-Menstrual Cramps

-Varicose Veins

-Blood Flow To Your Core

-Calms your nerves

-Improves Digestion

-Headaches 

Source: https://www.yogajournal.com/poses/legs-up-the-wall-pose

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There we have it! Now that you all know how to perform Viparita Karani, and are aware of the great benefits we receive from this self healing process, I highly recommend that you take some time out of your stressful day from school and work to perform Viparita Karani. Give it a chance, and I promise you will feel a difference within the first few minutes. The main root of this message is that Viparita Karani is absolutely free! You don’t have to pay money to release stress, anxiety, and mild back pain. (Although massages are nice LOL) All you need is yourself and a wall!! It worked for me!! Now is your chance to see if it works for you!! 

Design Meets Healthy Living: Three Personal Favorites

 

I am hooked on my devices: the iPhone, the iPad, and even the Sync system in my car. I also love great design. I think that great design paired with desirable technology can inspire healthy lifestyle choices. Bottom line, if it looks cool, or makes you look cool, you are more likely to do it.

Here are three of my favorites.

 TERA Fitness Mat

Where do put home exercise equipment? While I prefer to go to yoga class and practice with a group, a trip to the gym is not always possible. However, it can be difficult to feel the same motivation when you are alone. I was excited then, to learn about  TERA, an interactive fitness mat that actually senses your movement and responds by training you. BONUS: It is also a beautiful wool area rug.  

 Fitbit Bracelet

Do you have any idea how far you walk in a single day? The fitbit bracelet tracks your activity level and even how well you are sleeping.

Lifefactory Water Bottle

Do you drink enough water? I drink about 12 glasses a day, and as silly as it sounds, it is because I love my water bottle. I love how it looks, how it feels in my hand. Another plus, this bottle is non-toxic glass protected by a stylish silicone sleeve—basically, the bottle is unbreakable.

 

 

“Weird” New Trick Really Works!

When is the last time you were minding your own business, surfing the web and chatting up your posse on FB when – POW! – you were assaulted with breaking news about a “WEIRD” new diet secret that will allow you to lose inches, neigh yards, of disgusting fat – overnight! Without exercise! While you sleep!

Well our good friends at US Diet Guide would have you believe there has been yet another “miracle” drug that when “Taken reguarly (sic) for at least 1 week, this weird fruit-based ingredient has been clinically proven to not just rapidly erase fat but produce a host of other benefits.” Finally! I’m SO tired of exercise and eating right, I’d much rather just go ahead and “erase” my fat to achieve the body of my dreams. What took them so long to discover this “weird, cool secret?” Any why is it always a secret? And what makes it so weird?

The site also claims, “…the Garcinia Cambogia Formula encourages weight loss and increases energy whilst the Miracle Coffee Bean helps rid your body of toxins and allows your body to work and burn calories more efficiently.” So, basically, it makes you poop. Great, that is just how I want to lose weight, through my butt. That is so much easier than going for a walk and winning the stare-down with that last cupcake. (And really, whilst? Is Princess Kate using it or what?)

I have read enough scientific studies (those would be studies based in science, not studies touted by Dr. Oz, TV doctor to the rich and hefty (sorry, Oprah, I love you, but Dr. Oz is a joke)) to know that our bodies are complex organisms for which there is no “miracle” weight-loss “cure.” And the scientific studies don’t all agree with one another either, in fact most of them disagree with one another which makes for a lot of reading for me, but they do all agree that there ain’t no “miracle” weight-loss cures that come in a convenient 30-day supply. Managing our weight is more complex than taking a pill or drinking a shake or, sadly, even just pooping a lot. What works for some may not work for others, but taking a pill that jacks up your metabolism or suppresses your appetite for a few hours doesn’t work for anybody. It just makes you a hyper-crabby-pants-a-hole by the end of the day. The saddest part of this whole thing is the weight-loss industry is bilking the public out of millions of dollars every year by preying on people in their quest for unattainable bodies. (Money they could be spending on buying my next book.) So, next time you’re tempted to try some “weird” new weight-loss trick, try taking a walk instead. Weird, I know.