How does face yoga work?

Face yoga involves specific facial movements works that increase the blood flow and, as a result, bring a luminescent glow to your face. Each facial exercise listed below will give a chiseled look to your face along with many other internal benefits, which might not be evident immediately but will be there for all to see in the long run.

Jaw drop

• Sit in a comfortable position with your spine in neutral position
• Look up, stretching the front of your neck and get your chin to face the ceiling
• The front part of the neck is stretched while the back part of your neck will be compressed; shoulders are relaxed and should not be pulled towards your ears
• Look at the ceiling, drop your lower jaw. Then start stretching your lower jaw, first to the front and then slowly and firmly lift it up, so that the lower lip overlaps your upper lip a bit. Hold for 10 counts; drop it down again and create as much gap as possible between your lips. Repeat this movement 10 times.
• To counter this stretch, perform Jalandhar Bandha [chin lock] by pressing the chin to the chest and lengthening the back of the neck.
• This helps to develop a beautiful jaw line, strengthen the neck muscles and also helps reduce double chin.
• It also helps lower high blood pressure, ease snoring, sleep apnoea and respiratory problems.

Jaw rotation

• Assume the position of jaw drop
• Rotate your lower jaw clockwise slowly; make as big a circle as possible; perform 10 rounds
• Rotate your lower jaw anti-clockwise; make is as big a circle as possible; perform 10 rounds
• Maintain the stretch throughout the rotations
• Relax
• Perform Jalandhar Bandha [chin lock] by pressing your chin to the chest so that you can neutralise the stress on your neck

Jivha mudra [The Tongue Lock]

 Jivha Mudra is performed by simply touching the tongue to the upper palate and keeping it there with slight pressure.

1. Sit comfortably in Sukhasana or any position you are comfortable in
2. Place your palms on the knees, lean forward a little
3. Place your tongue on the upper palate
4. The mouth is wide open and you feel a good stretch on the upper jaw and the throat region (stretch your lower jaw slightly down and back to feel optimal stretch)
5. Focus your gaze at the tip of the nose – Agochari  Mudra [nose tip gazing]. Also called Nasikaa Drishti [gazing at the nose tip], one of the oldest recorded yogic practices
6. Hold the mudra for 10-20 seconds with normal breathing [continue to breathe from the nostril and gradually increase the holding time] and release
7. Relax and close your eyes for few seconds
8. Get ready for Simha Mudra.

Your eyes might not be used to staring at the tip of your nose and hence may result in a slight headache initially. Closing your eyes will help dissipate the headache.

Caution

• Keep pressing the tongue as much as possible from the root and press it firmly against the upper palate to stretch the upper jaw.
• Do not throw your cheek bones wide apart in the process of stretching.
• This will create wrinkles below your nose which may become permanent with regular practice.

Simha mudra [Roaring Lion Pose]

 This is the posture the lion assumes just before attacking its prey.

1. Sit in a comfortable position, place your palms firmly on the knees
2. Pressing your palms on the knees, lean forward slightly; hold this position and inhale
3. As you exhale, open your mouth wide; stretch your tongue out from its root as if you are trying to touch the chin with the tongue
4. Also, while exhaling, stretch your fingers wide apart with your palms firmly pressed against the knees
5. Bring your gaze in-between your eyebrows – Shambhavi Mudra (eyebrow centre gazing) – and keep your gaze fixed until you are holding the posture.
6. The stretching out of the tongue can be accompanied with a roaring sound. Hold this for 20-30 seconds while breathing normally and then release.
7. You can breathe from the mouth as well as nostrils.

Caution

• Be careful not to bend only the neck while leaning forward; the whole upper body is bending forward as one unit
• Do not bend forward if suffering from any kind of backache
• Avoid in case of severe vertigo

Both the above mudras are to be performed alternatively at least in three sets. Practice up to three minutes a day. These should be performed on an empty stomach.

All these exercises increase blood circulation allowing more oxygen and nourishment to reach your facial skin. Regular practice of these can make you look healthier, more energised and younger within a span of 2 – 3 months.

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Estimates suggest that Polycystic Ovary Syndrome [PCOS] affects 5 – 10 per cent of women of reproductive age. The symptoms of PCOS are any or all of the following: hair fall, irregular menstruation, acne, pimples, baldness, dandruff, miscarriage, facial hair, weight gain, high blood pressure and sugar imbalances due to insulin resistance. PCOS also increases the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, anxiety disorder, depression and uterine cancer.

But every problem has an inherent solution. The good news is that a regulated and disciplined lifestyle can reverse this problem. “PCOS is growing like an epidemic due to faults in the lifestyle, especially, in young girls. It can be completely kept under control without any complications through yoga, right diet and a healthy lifestyle,” says Dr Sudeshna Ray, Mumbai-based gynaecologist.

PCOS increases the risk of heart attack, diabetes, stroke, anxiety disorder, depression and uterine cancer

Let’s look at how yoga can help to manage PCOS

To treat PCOS, it is important to focus on the postures which help direct oxygen rich blood to the reproductive organs. Hence, all the asanas which are meant to stretch and expand the lower back and hips will fall in this category.

Prasarita Padotanasana

[wide legged forward bend]: Stand with your feet wide apart [4 – 5ft], bend forward to place your palms on the floor, inhale, raise your head up to get a concave back, bend your elbows, exhale and place your crown in between your palms. Maintain the posture with normal breathing for a while. Here’s a video to help you do the pose correctly.

Benefits of Prasarita Padotanasana:

• Stimulates your liver, kidneys, calves, hips, groin, knees and spine.
• Calms the mind and releases muscular stiffness.

Upavista Konasana

Sit with your legs stretched in front of you and spread as far apart as possible. Start bending forward as per your comfort, while exhaling. Your aim should be to finally touch your head to the floor and your hands to your toes.

Watch the video below of Upavista Konasana

Benefits of Upavista Konasana:

• Stretches and strengthens your hips, lower spine, and muscles from the upper chest to the pelvis.
• Helps the pelvic floor get increased blood supply.
• Eases the pain of sciatica, regularises menstrual flow, stimulates ovaries, and stretches hamstrings.
• Recommended during pregnancy as well.

Baddhakonasana

Sit with your feet in Namaste position [soles touching] for 1 – 2 minutes. Slowly bend forward and get into a comfortable, relaxed position as shown in the picture. Watch this video on how to do Baddhakonasana

Benefits of Baddhakonasana:

• Helps direct blood flow to the abdomen and pelvis thereby stimulating the abdominal organs, ovaries, uterus, bladder and kidneys.
• Helps with sciatica, menstrual irregularity, high blood pressure, asthma, infertility, depression and fatigue.
• Recommended for pregnant woman.

Apart from the ones mentioned above, asanas like utthita trikonasana, utthita parsavakonasana, paschimottanasana and adhomukha svasana are also beneficial. Additionally, the practice of Surya Namaskar alone can bring tremendous benefits and help keep weight in check. Surya Namaskar is a series of 12 postures which stretches and flexes the complete spine, works on the arms and the legs and internal organs and glands.

According to some schools of thought, it is best to avoid inversion postures if you have PCOS.

the practice of suryanamaskar alone can bring tremendous benefits and help keep weight in check

Managing the stress that comes with PCOS

Stress can be a cause of PCOS and also a result of it. Activating your parasympathetic nervous system with restorative postures, correct breathing and pranayama can help manage stress. Pranayamas promote deep relaxation and hormonal balance bringing adrenal and cortisol levels within control.

Ujjayi Pranayama [victory breathing]

Performed at the basic level, one needs to sit upright, and inhale and exhale while constricting the throat. You will hear ‘sa’ sound during inhalation and exhalation.

Benefits of Ujjayi Pranayama:

• Expands your lungs fully so that you utilise your lung capacity to the optimum.
• Generates vital energy, tones and soothes the nervous system, and balances high BP.

Nadi Shodhan Kriya [alternate nostril breathing]

This is popularly known as anulom vilom. You block your right nostril with your right thumb, inhale from the left nostril, then block left nostril with right ring and little finger, release right nostril and exhale. Then inhale from the right nostril, block right nostril again with right thumb, release left nostril and exhale from left nostril. This is one cycle.

Benefits of Nadi Shodhan Kriya:

A few cycles of anulom vilom where you are breathing mindfully can calm your mind, increase oxygen level in the body, relieve fatigue, strain and weakness and also lower high blood pressure.

Mudras for PCOS

These are hand gestures that can be held while doing pranayamas or at any other times during the day.

1. Gyan Mudra or Jnana Mudra is the mudra of wisdom. This mudra is performed by joining together the tips of the thumb and the index finger. Performing this mudra helps to increase will power. It also balances the function of the various glands and stabilises hormonal disorders. It is beneficial in sleeping disorders. Do this for 15 minutes daily.

2. Yoni Mudra is performed by joining the thumbs and the index fingers of both hands and interlocking the other fingers. Thumbs will face the ceiling and index fingers will be facing the floor. This mudra is specially designed for woman and helps to relieve PMS, periods irregularity and excess bleeding during periods. Do this for 30 minutes followed by 5 – 10 minutes of Pran Mudra.

3. Pran Mudra is performed by joining the tips of little fingers and ring fingers with the tips of the thumb. It helps reduce tension, anger and irritability. Also relieves skin rashes, improves eyesight and removes impurities from blood. Do this for 10 minutes daily.

Follow the whole series whenever convenient during the day.

Lifestyle management is the key to PCOS management. Hence, look at each aspect of your life, manage it positively and you will be relieved of this health concern.

If you have any further questions about how to manage PCOS with yoga, I will be happy to answer them for you. You may post your questions on ‘Ask Shammi’ segment on www.shammisyogalaya.com.

A version of this article was first published in the February 2016 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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Subtle triggers leading to postural misalignment

1. Long hours of sitting on a chair—not sitting upright, sitting in a way that one hip is constantly more stressed than the other, sitting for hours without movement, tilted sitting or sitting on a soft sofa
2. Driving for long—sitting far back from the wheel or stretching too much for reaching the pedal
3. Lifting heavy weights casually or with undue stress on the wrong muscles
4. Bending forward abruptly to pick up something from the floor
5. Poor posture while working on computers continuously
6. Sitting on a heavy wallet in the back pocket [though credit cards have taken care of this problem to some extent, constantly sitting on a wallet even without much stuff in it can lead to sciatica]
7. Sleeping on a very soft mattress as well as sleeping in a wrong position.

These triggers have made sciatica, which was not heard of a till few decades ago, a common problem today.

We need to approach this problem in two steps

Step 1: tackle the issue in its chronic state and then restore your body to normalcy

Step 2: work on strengthening the back and the core, as both are intricately and proportionally related

The following five postures can help correct postural misalignment and ease out this chronic condition:

Matsya Kridasana

1. Lie down on your tummy with your legs stretched out and your head turned to one side [look to the left side]. Place your palms over each other and rest the right cheek on your hands.
2. Bend your left knee; bring it as close to the chest as comfortably possible for you. Move the right side of your chest on the floor by sliding your right arm out of the way.

3. Be in the posture for 3 – 5 minutes with normal breathing; change the side and follow the same sequence.

Marjarasana

1. Get down on your fours [the palms and knees on the floor]; palms in line with the shoulders; knees in line with the thighs; toes stretching out or curled in.
2. Inhale and start stretching your spine downwards, your neck will be outstretched and your chin will point upwards.
3. Exhale and get your chin to the chest, drop your hips down towards the floor and push your upper back as high as possible.
4. Continue to perform the movements alternatively for 5 – 10 rounds.
5. Relax.

Vyagrasana

1. Get down on your fours; stretch your left leg behind so that it is parallel to the floor; bend your left knee and take the foot up in the air; tilt your head behind. You are trying to get your head and toes close to each other.
2. Exhale and bring your head and left knee close to your chest.
3. Repeat five rounds and change to the other side.

Pawanmuktasana

1. Lie down on your back.
2. Bend your right knee and place your right thigh on the chest.
3. Wrap your arms around your bent leg.

4. Hold the position for 20 – 30 seconds with normal breathing.
5. Release and repeat on the other side.

You can choose to bend your other knee and place your foot on the floor in case of discomfort.

Supta Padanghusthasana variation

1. Lie down on your back.
2. Raise your left leg up towards the ceiling and move it to the right side.

1. Turn your head to the left.
2. You can hold your left leg with the right hand or can use a belt or scarf to keep your leg in place.
3. Repeat on the other side for the same length of time.

Note

Slowly keep flexing your toes in and stretch your heel out to optimise the stretch at the back of the leg.

It is important to assess the severity of the problem first. If you are able to perform these postures without much discomfort, practice 3 – 5 rounds of these 2 – 3 times a day for 15 days. This should help settle the pain.

Once you are healed from the chronic pain of sciatica, it is advisable to work on preventing the recurrence of the same. Asanas like Ardha Shalbhasana, Bhujangasana, Ushtrasana, Dhanurasana could help prevent relapse.

You can watch videos of all these asanas on Shammi’s YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/homeyoga123

This article was first published in the May 2016 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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