5 surprising secrets for a flat Abs

1.     Stop doing so many crunches:

Most people think that to achieve a flat, toned stomach you need to do a thousand crunches every morning before work, but that’s just not true. The surprising secret is that doing lots of ab specific exercises will only help you tone that area on a short-term basis, if at all. You have to work your entire core, building up its strength and flexibility to get the flat stomach you want. Doing Power Yoga or Hath Yoga will help you do this. Working your core is the key to achieving a flat stomach because it works all of the muscles in your stomach area, such as the rectus abdominis, your internal and external obliques and your transversus abdominis.

2.     Get More Sleep

It may seem as though sleep has nothing to do with your dream of having a flat stomach, but it does. If you don’t get enough sleep then your hormone levels change, which can make you feel hungry and can also make you feel less satisfied once you have eaten. This can lead to overeating. Plus those late nights watching TV or going out with friends gives you more time to snack and reach for unhealthy foods. So, how much sleep should you be getting? The Mayo Clinic advises adults that they should sleep for no less than seven hours a night. If you struggle to get this much sleep make sure you are exercising regularly, that you don’t nap during the day and that  you eat foods that contain tryptophan (an amino acid that helps you sleep), such as milk and yoghurt.

3.     Stock up on whole grains:

A study that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition discovered a surprising secret for a flatter stomach. The study gave participants a healthy diet to eat, consisting of fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, meat and fish. However, they gave one set of participant wholegrain foods to eat and the other set of participants refined grain foods. At the end of the study those participants who had eaten the wholegrain foods had lost more weight from their stomachs than those who ate the refined grain foods. The researchers believe that the participants who ate more whole grains and ate less refined carbs lost more from their waistlines because this change in diet mobilised people’s fat stores because of a shift in their glucose and insulin response. If you want to swap refined grains for whole grains, eat less yeast-based breads, pasta and cakes or cookies and eat more foods such as oats (which contains as many antioxidants as broccoli and spinach), brown rice and wheat berries.

4.     Time Your Meals

If you eat food quickly then you might find that you are eating more than you actually need to. Slowing down the pace you eat meals at will help you to achieve a flatter stomach because you will eat smaller portions. Also a study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that eating quickly did not allow the hormone that makes you feel full to kick in. Therefore, when eating quickly you are far more likely to eat more than is necessary. To stop eating so quickly you should make sure you eat at your dining table and do not eat in front of the TV. Concentrating and savouring what you are tucking into will help slow down the rate you eat at. You could also set a timer and try to consciously slow down so that you eat the last bites of your food when the timer goes off. Also, a study found that soft lighting and gentle music helped participants eat less quickly so you could always dim the lights and put on some soft music too.

5.     Tuck into Some Enzymes

An enzyme that will help you achieve a flatter stomach is called bromelain and it can be found in pineapples. The bromelain enzyme digests protein and is called a proteolytic enzyme. It is useful for those who want a flatter stomach because it aids the digestion of foods that are high in fibre, such as beans or vegetables. By aiding the digestion of these foods this enzyme eases bloating, which is a major obstacle that stands between many people and their flat stomachs. If you want to get a flat stomach and think the bromelain enzyme might help you to achieve this then you should eat some fresh pineapple before a meal to aid your digestion.

बात 13 साल पुरानी है। मै और मेरा दोस्त अपने घर के पास ही बिजली के खम्बे के पास खड़े होके बातें कर रहे थे।
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मोहल्ले का ही एक छोटा सा बच्चा लगभग 5 साल की उम्र का अपने घर से मिठाई से भरा डब्बा फेकने जा रहा था।
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मैंने पूछा की क्यों फेंक रहे बाबु, उसने कहा भैया ये ख़राब हो गया है, और उस बच्चे ने फेंकने के बजाए उसे सामने बहते नाले में हल्के से रख दिया और वापस चला गया।
=
उसके रखने से मिठाई का डब्बा तैरने लगा।
हल्की सुराख़ होने की वजह से उस डब्बे में धीरे-धीरे नाले का पानी घुसने लगा।

सामने ही 2 कचरा चुनने वाले बच्चे आ रहे थे।
जब उन दोनों की निगाह नाले में तैरते उस मिठाई के डब्बो पर पड़ी तो वे अपना कचरे वाला थैला वही फेंक कर उस डब्बे को नाले से निकल कर उसका मिठाई खाने लगे।
=
ये नज़ारा देखकर तो मै सिहर गया।
उसी दिन एहसास हुआ की भूक क्या होती है।और
उसी दिन से मैंने फैसला किया चाहे कुछ भी हो खाना व्यर्थ न होने पाए।
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दोस्तों अपने आस-पास ज़रूर देख लें की कही कोई भूखा तो नहीं है.

Yoga, Ayurveda to control Stress and Sleep Disorder

Fatigue caused by sleep difficulties is now considered one of America’s top health problems. Medical researchers say lack of sleep can lead to health problems ranging from blood sugar issues to high stress levels. Studies show that people who sleep fewer than six hours a night don’t live as long as those who sleep seven hours or more. Sleeping only four hours a night can cause weight gain as well as difficulty maintaining healthy blood sugar and blood pressure levels. The National Sleep Foundation estimates that sleeplessness costs the U.S. economy $150 billion a year in higher levels of worker stress and reduced productivity.

Stress and Sleepless Nights: A Vicious Cycle

The incidence of sleep difficulties is on the rise in America. We are increasingly a 24/7 society, in which high stress levels and time pressures have become a part of normal modern living. Many people would gladly get more sleep if they could, but the information age, which was supposed to make everything more efficient, has only made everything busier.

Americans frequently find themselves too tense or worried to fall asleep at night because of stress accumulated throughout the day. This lack of sleep, in turn, creates even more stress on the job and at home, resulting in a vicious cycle. Many choose to short-change their sleep – sleeping less than six hours a night – making them highly vulnerable to sleep disorders, stress syndrome, and multiple health problems.

Millions are addicted to tranquilizers to reduce stress during the day, and sleeping pills to induce sleep at night. However, you can’t induce a natural state of sleep with products that are unnatural, synthetic, and, in many cases, highly addictive. It is recommended that patients who have difficulty sleeping restore a balanced rest/activity cycle by practicing the meditation, or other stress-reducing practices, to allow the body to deal with the stress of the day. The TM technique has been shown in a number of studies to reduce stress and sleep difficulties. Traditional Ayurvedic herbal formulations have also been shown to help. Ayurveda also offers diet and lifestyle recommendations to support normal healthy sleep and sleep patterns.

The Ayurvedic Approach

The goal of the Ayurvedic approach is to create more ojas – the finest product of digestion – which provides energy, enthusiasm, happiness, clarity of thinking, better coordination between the heart and mind, an experience of connection and better immunity. “Only the deepest, most restful sleep, called stage 4 sleep by researchers, creates ojas,” say Ayurvedic experts. Good-quality sleep provides deeper rest to the mind and senses, and enhances capacity for mental and physical work the next day. On the other hand, lack of sleep increases ama, or toxins, in the body.

Regardless of the cause of your sleep imbalance, Ayurvedic experts recommend that you try to be in bed before 10:00 at night. That’s because after 10:00, a more active, Pitta-quality sleep sets in. If you fall asleep before then, you’ll imbibe the slower, more restful Kapha qualities. Not only will you fall asleep more easily, but also the quality of your sleep will be deeper. Almost anyone can experience deep, restful sleep by doing just this one thing – going to bed before 10:00 at night.

Many of these recommendations are substantiated by research. Sleep researchers, for instance, have documented that a brief period of moderate exercise three to four hours before bed, such as taking a brisk walk after dinner, can really help deepen sleep. Other studies link physical fitness with improved sleep quality.

Creating a Timeless Bedroom

Create a timeless bedroom and keep time pressures away from your sleeping place. If you have to use an alarm clock, put it in a place where you can’t see it. Preserve your bedroom as a comfortable, relaxing haven – a place for warm, intimate and relaxing relationships. Keep heated discussions, intense brainstorming, television-watching, computer work, and monthly budgets out of your bedroom.

Especially avoid violent, suspenseful TV shows before bed. Instead, surround yourself with influences that cultivate your peace of mind while you fall asleep. Before bed, try diffusing lavender essential oil to relax and help induce sleep, sometimes within minutes.

To relax your neck and shoulders, your back and abdomen, you can do some simple, light yoga postures. Soothing music, bedtime prayers, and positive affirmations can also help you to move in the direction of being more peaceful.

If your mind is active, recall your fondest memories, particularly of childhood, where you had soothing, blissful, wonderful sleep, or when you had an amazingly restful vacation. Favor those thoughts instead of ones that cause you worry and anxiety.

What is your sleep I.Q.?

Even if you don’t have difficulty sleeping, you might not be getting enough sleep at night. In assessing your sleep health, you also need to look at how you feel during the day. If you answer “yes” to a majority of these questions, it might be a cue that your stress levels are too high, your life style needs adjustment, or you’re not sleeping enough.

• Do you experience mental or physical dullness?
• Do you have poor muscle tone?
• Do you experience a lack of spontaneity?
• Do you have a tendency to be bored or unhappy?
• Do you have tension, fear, or anxious feelings?
• Do you suffer from decreased cooperativeness, an inability to accept constructive criticism, irritability, temper outbursts, lowered attention span, impaired short-term memory, decreased sex drive, physical complaints such as headache or backache, or do you generally lack motivation?
• Are you addicted to coffee, cigarettes, stimulants, or alcohol or drugs?
• Have you noticed a reduction in general health and joy in living?

Related Health Tips

• Establish a stable regular lifestyle routine
• Get plenty of good-quality sleep.
• Partake in calming activities such as gardening and leisurely walks.
• Reduce travel and avoid stressful situations as much as possible.
• Give yourself an Ayurvedic oil massage daily.
• Protect yourself from dry, cold and windy weather.
• It is best to not read or watch TV while eating.
• Go to bed before 10:00 p.m.

Yoga Guru :: Power Yoga Content

Yoga Guru :: Power Yoga Content

Couple/Partner Yoga

Concept:
Yoga, as you probably know, is the age-old practice of controlled movements and meditation. For individuals, it provides a renewed sense of self. But for the couple that practices together, yoga can strengthen the bond and create a deeper understanding between individuals. Yoga can do so much for relationships. It lets you feel your partner in a way that you normally don’t see them. You get a sense of the push and pull between two people.

Yoga, like any other new experience, places couples into a state of reexamination. When you have been with someone long enough, you may start to feel less like an individual as well as lose sight of your partner’s individuality. Yoga can help fix this common problem. It’s a sensual process where you’re touched and engaged – it’s not overtly sexual, but in a way, it’s really reveals a bit about yourself and the other person. Seeing your partner in a different and unusual way – getting out of the normal routine – can be a turn on.

What is partner or Couple Yoga?
Couples Yoga is an interactive form of yoga that brings more than one person into a playful, mutually beneficial practice. You don’t have to be in an intimate relationship to practice couples yoga, you can be friends with the person or simply two people meeting for the first time with a like interest. The Yogaguru is dedicated to the pursuit of building community through the beautiful practice of couples yoga.

What is special in partner/couple yoga?
Partner Yoga is the act of sharing a Yoga practice with another person to create a pose together. Partner Yoga can be done with a loved one, a family member, or a good friend. Partner Yoga is the Yoga of communication. It teaches the practitioners to listen to their partners and to respond with balance. It is a playful practice that is both rewarding and physically challenging.

What are the benefits of Partner yoga?
Working through a yoga sequence with couple extends a number of benefits:
It builds intimacy, especially between love partners. A deeper level of trust develops between two yogis who explore the spiritual nuances of the craft together.
Partners can assist one another with more challenging asanas or help with guided meditation. Partner Yoga promotes fun, laughter and creativity as well as relaxation, concentration and balance. It can be very rewarding to share your yoga experience with another person, particularly if that person is your partner in life.
Depending on the asanas used, partner yoga can be very intimate and loving and is ideal for couple trying to reconnect and regain closeness in their relationship.
A partner yoga workshop makes a great romantic gift for your partner and can be a fun alternative.
Couple yoga can improve communication between loved ones? Couple yoga can give you the feeling of union with partner. Postures and prayers spoken through the body in a sacred and playful way. It connects partner on a deeper level. Feeling the warmth of your partner's body and touch can help to relax more. The constant physical contact, support and balance help to stay alert and longer in the poses. Leaving you with a peaceful feeling of being fully nurtured, celebrating life together...

Couple/Partner Yoga Workshop
The workshop is open to partners of all types: spouses, significant others, friends, family members, yoga buddies, etc. "Partner" here does not imply a romantic relationship. It doesn't matter, partner Yoga is not intended to be sexual. The workshop is open to all levels of physical ability. Yoga beginners are welcome to the workshop. Different options and modification will be given during the workshop to accommodate your Yoga level: Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced. The workshop is divided into two parts.
The first hour and a half is dedicated to dynamic Partner Yoga.
The second hour and half is dedicated to relaxation & recreational Yoga, a practice that uses Yoga postures to relieve stress in your partner.

Cost:
The cost of the workshop is Rs 2500.00 per pair/couple. This comes out to Rs 1250.00 per person for the two days workshop.

Includes:
Yoga mats, towels to use during the workshop and water will be provided by the Yogaguru. In summer, use of swimming pool in Radisson Hotel and in winter, use of Steam, shower and sauna will be provided as extra recreation activities. Some small refreshment will be provided at the end. Bringing a notebook will allow you to take notes and bringing a camera will help you remember the different poses and allow sharing your experience with friends.

Limited Number of Participants:
There is a limit of 7 pairs/couples (14 people). Please sign up A.S.A.P. to reserve your spot! A minimum of 5 pairs/couples must reserve before ------------------------------- for the workshop to take place.

Any Questions?
Feel free to call for further clarification:
Yogaguru Mohan -9911316600
Yogaguru Shailendra -995842870
Mail us at: theyogaguru@gmail.com

Secrets to keep Prostate gland healthy

The prostate is a male reproductive gland that produces the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. It surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine passes out of the body.An enlarged prostate means the gland has grown bigger. Prostate enlargement happens to almost all men as they get older. As the gland grows, it can press on the urethra and cause urination and bladder problems.
Causes:
The actual cause of prostate enlargement is unknown. It is believed that factors linked to aging and the testicles themselves may play a role in the growth of the gland. Men who have had their testicles removed at a young age (for example, as a result of testicular cancer) do not develop BPH. Similarly, if the testicles are removed after a man develops BPH, the prostate begins to shrink in size.
Some facts about prostate enlargement:
• The likelihood of developing an enlarged prostate increases with age.
• BPH is so common that it has been said, that all men will have an enlarged prostate if they live long enough.
• A small amount of prostate enlargement is present in many men over age 40 and more than 90% of men over age 80.
• No risk factors have been identified other than having normally functioning testicles.
Symptoms
Less than half of all men with BPH have symptoms of the disease, which include:
• Slowed or delayed start of the urinary stream
• Weak urine stream
• Dribbling after urinating
• Straining to urinate
• Strong and sudden urge to urinate
• Incomplete emptying of your bladder
• Needing to urinate two or more times per night
• Urinary retention (complete inability to urinate)
• Incontinence
• Pail with urination or bloody urine (these may indicate infection)
Exams and Tests
After taking a complete medical history, it is good to perform a digital rectal exam to feel the prostate gland. The following tests may also be performed:
• Urine flow rate
• Post-void residual urine test to see how much urine is left in your bladder after urination
• Pressure flow studies to measure the pressure in the bladder as you urinate
• An IVP (an x-ray study) to confirm BPH or look for blockage
• Urinalysis to check for blood or infection
• Urine culture to check for infection
• A prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test to screen for prostate cancer
• Cystoscopy
In addition, you may be asked to complete a form to evaluate the severity of your symptoms and their impact on your daily life. Your score may be compared to past records to determine if the condition is getting worse.
Treatment:
The choice of a treatment is based on the severity of your symptoms, the extent to which they affect your daily life, and the presence of any other medical conditions. If you are over 60, you are more likely to have symptoms. But many men with an enlarged prostate have only minor symptoms. Self-care steps are often enough to make you feel better.
If you have BPH, you should have a yearly exam to monitor the progression of your symptoms and determine if any changes in treatment are necessary.
SELF-CARE
For mild symptoms:
• Urinate when you first get the urge. Also, go to the bathroom when you have the chance, even if you don't feel a need to urinate.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially after dinner.
• Don't drink a lot of fluid all at once. Spread out fluids throughout the day. Avoid drinking fluids within 2 hours of bedtime.
• Try NOT to take over-the-counter cold and sinus medications that contain decongestants or antihistamines. These medications can increase BPH symptoms.
• Keep warm and exercise regularly. Cold weather and lack of physical activity may worsen symptoms.
• Learn and perform Kegal exercises (pelvic strengthening exercises).
• Reduce stress. Nervousness and tension can lead to more frequent urination.
• At last and the most important thing to do is Yoga. Here are the yogic program that will be the answer for your problem:
a. Postures:
Mandukasana 15 times
Pawanmuktasana-15times (right/left and both)
Bhujangasana with 5 varations
b. Breathing exercises(Pranayama): Kapalbhati-10min, Agnisar-7 round, Bahya Pranayama-5 round, Anulom vilom-5 min (for added benefits)
c. Mudra: Aswini Mudra-30 times 3 times a day

Power Yoga for overall improvemebt

Power Yoga
Fitness Mantra of the New Era
By Yogaguru Mohan
(Founder Holistic Healthcare Foundation)

Introduction
Suddenly people have discovered the magic of Yoga and are swearing by the benefits of Yoga. But Yoga has been a very vital part of achieving good health since ancient times. Such is the goodness of Yoga that it helps coping with indigestion, constipation, headache, migraine, insomnia, heart diseases, bronchitis, stress and mental imbalance etc. Yoga even helps build a strong immune system. The good news is that you do not have to spend hours to enjoy the benefits of Yoga. Just try maintaining consistency rather than an intense session once in a blue moon.
Yoga can make immense difference to your lifestyle if you are dealing with stress management, concentration problems or any other health issue. Power Yoga is fast becoming a popular form of exercise to fight obesity and lose weight. Power Yoga can help you burn calories and discover the real power of Yoga, if you want a shapely body or shed those extra pounds.
What is power yoga?
Power Yoga is one of the impressively stimulating Yoga styles. Power Yoga is the ultimate sweat generating, muscle-building vigorous workout. Power Yoga is also known as Dynamic Yoga. As the name suggests, Power Yoga is fast paced and a strenuous exercise. The core of Power Yoga is Ashtanga Yoga.

The term "power yoga" came into common usage in the mid 1990s, when several yoga teachers were looking for a way to make Ashtanga yoga more accessible to western students. The advent of power yoga heralded yoga's current popularity, as people began to see yoga as a way to work out. Power yoga brought yoga into the gyms of America and the world over.

Power Yoga Principle
Typically, you would do one asana followed by strength training. Coordination between breath and movement is the main secret. This improve oxygen intake at the same time circulate oxygenated blood all over the body refreshing and vitalizing every single cells of the whole body together.

Is Power Yoga for You?
Power Yoga can be practiced by anyone who enjoys exercising. However, pregnant women must consult their doctors to take up any form of exercise. Apart from pregnant women, on a general basis, seek help from your doctor or a Power Yoga instructor to know whether it will suit your body or not. There are programs at Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced levels. How fast you move from one level to the next depends on your fitness and flexibility levels.

What is special in Power Yoga?
The stress on fitness makes Power Yoga different from other forms of Yoga.
As against other forms of Yoga, in power yoga there is very little or almost no stopping between yoga poses.
A lot of sports enthusiasts take up Power Yoga because of its ability to balance opposing muscle groups. This lets ease a number of pains and injuries, if not all.
A lot of people come to Power Yoga with impression of a 'good workout routines'. Most of the time, such folks end up realizing that not only has a strong work session been accomplished but what is happening is that life changes start tiptoeing in. This is the magic of Power Yoga.
What can you expect from Power Yoga?
Yoga in any form provides health benefit. Health conscious individuals of any age can enjoy the benefits of Power Yoga. Here are some great benefits that Power Yoga can provide.
It increases lean muscle tissue,
Reduce your body's fat percentage and increased BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
Improve your strength and stamina for everyday activities.
Power yoga, like the traditional yoga, helps reduce stress and relax your body.
It also helps improve concentration, which is particularly good for students.
Removes body toxins through sweat
Heals disorders like acid stomach
Helps getting rid of obesity
Increases the calorie burning capacity of body
Helps coping with asthma, cancer, bronchitis, insomnia and sinus
Helps to deal with hypertension and menstrual disorders
Increase your flexibility of body.
Reduce accidental injuries.
Improves blood circulation and immune system
Improves concentration and self-control
At last but not the least, Power Yoga is not only about achieving excellence with different poses, it is also a method to achieve an excellence of mind. It is a beautiful way to gain a perfectly fit and healthy body. If you have been wondering about how yoga can help you stay in shape, don’t hesitate to try power Yoga.

Yoga Etiquette By Yogaguru Mohan

Yoga Etiquette

Are there Yoga etiquettes? Yes there are. We practice yoga etiquette to show our respect for ourselves, our peers and our teachers. You may take yoga etiquettes as yoga rules. They are based on common sense and courtesy more importantly, it is about programming your mind right. So, be ready to lead a disciplined yoga routine to experience a sort of blessing with loaded benefits in your physical, mental, emotional, intellectual and spiritual body.

1.      Arrive On Time: Arrive at least 10 minutes before the class.

2.      Remove Your Shoes: It is customary to leave your shoes outside the yoga room. 

3.      Switch off Your Cell Phone: Make a habit of doing this as soon as you get to the yoga studio. Keep your mobile always off, unless there is an emergency talk to Yogaguru first.

4.      Respect the Teacher: You sign on to respect the teacher for the next hour, when you enter a yoga class. You may discover halfway through the class that you don't care for this teacher, style, or hour of the day. But you still should continue with the class, follow the teacher's instructions to discover something new.

5.       Come to class sober and be a good role model: Practice your stillness and discipline between the poses.  Notice if you are in front of a beginner.  They will follow you.

6.       Keep Variations Appropriate: Allow the teacher to time the asanas.  Please do not anticipate the next posture and take yourself into it.  In a group we try to create that group energy.  Starting postures together respects ALL levels in the class.

7.       Leaving the Room & Going to the Bathroom during Resting Poses:  Stay until the end of class.  It is important for your health and the energy of the group. It is fine to leave the class for a few minutes to go to the washroom. The best time to go is when there is a period of rest, either in Child's Pose or Downward Dog pose.

8.       Grunting and moaning: Power Yoga is a very physical practice. We all are burning through our karma and we are trying our best.  The use of grunts and moans to accomplish posture or as a self motivator is inappropriate. Frankly, it is a distraction and disturbing to those close to you.  Silence. Silence. Silence Again.

9.       Gum- Yoga is about focus.  Gum is about distraction. Please, don't have gum while you are practicing. It can also interfere with your breathing.

10.                        Yoga Mat & Towel: Buy your own sticky mat and towel for your practice if you can afford. It’ll help you keep your practice more hygienic at the same time your regular practice on own mat helps you to keep your energy vibration better.

11.   Water and drinking: You can bring small water bottle with you. Drink when the class breaks for a drink, drink when you need to and drink when you are thirsty.  Please focus on the posture when we are working- of course if a posture makes you dizzy, SIT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. Have water and rejoin.  The point is, try not to let the water be a distraction.

12.   Don't Skip Savasana: Your final relaxation in Savasana is an important part of your practice. Don't plan to leave the class early.

Shavasana do's and don'ts: Do lay still, eyes close. Do slow down and quite your breath. Do rest.  Don’t drink water while in Savasana. Don’t fix your hair. Don't scratch your leg. Don't wiggle your fingers. Don't fidget.  Do try to cultivate stillness of the body. This is the first step toward stillness of the mind. Honor the silence of the room, especially during Savasana.  Please no talking, moaning or loud noises in the studio.

Yoga for Migraine

Introduction

There seems to be a general misconception that a really bad headache is automatically a migraine. Actuality, the vast majority are musculoskeletal headaches. A classic migraine is a horse of a very different color. It is often located on one side of the head only, sometimes preceded by a type of early warning system consisting of a visual aura, often described as flashing lights or tunnel vision.

Migraines are a particularly severe form of persistent headache. Pain is experienced on one side in particular which builds up to unbearable intensity. It is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting and the need to sleep. Some sufferers have regular attacks of migraine, some experience vision and other sensory disturbances.
Children as young as three can have migraines, more women than men have migraines and migraines can run in families. Unfortunately, it is a fairly common form of illness, though the frequency and severity varies with the individual. Research is ongoing to understand the causes and cures for migraine.

Causes
Migraine or hemicranias is a vascular headache caused by the inflammation and irritation of the nerve endings resulting from the expansion of the blood vessels of the surface of the brain. Migraines can be triggered by many factors, some of which are sensitivity to particular food and drink, over fatigue, over excitement, pressure at work, emotional stress.

One contemporary theory of how migraines occur states that the arteries that feed the brain narrow temporarily due to a variety of factors, stress and muscular tension being two common ones. For a migraine sufferer, there is then a sudden shift in the blood vessels and they abruptly dilate, increasing the blood flow to the head. This sudden shift results in the intense pain of the migraine episode.

According to Ayurveda, migraine headaches are due to a disorder in Tridosha, disorders in vata, pitta, or kapha, migraines frequently occur when systemic pitta moves into the cardiovascular system, circulates, and affects the blood vessels around the brain.


Symptom
There may be spots of light before the eyes which are seen even when the eyes are closed. Headache may be followed by vomiting nausea, and sensitivity to noise and light. There are several variations on this classic pattern. Migraine often starts in childhood. Spots of light are caused by constriction of blood vessels followed by dilatation and distention. The carotid artery and its branches in the brain and meanings when dilated give rise to severe headache accompanied by nausea.


Treatment
Practice of yoga can help reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine headaches. A yoga practice can be of any intensity that you desire, as long as there is a conscious effort to keep it steady and even, and as long as you spend time gradually increasing the activity and then gradually cooling down through the course of a given practice.

Stress triggers headaches. Stress may be unavoidable but how it is managed may defuse the trigger – yoga stretches, breathing exercise, meditation and relaxation all helps to manage stress. Pranayama help sufferers manage relieve and reduce pain. Poor posture produces chronic muscular tension, particularly in the upper back, shoulders and neck. Chronic neck tension often causes headaches. Regular practice of yoga relieves neck tension. An experienced yoga teacher will show you how to adjust and realign your posture to avoid neck tension.

Rest in a quiet and darkened room and place a cool cloth on your head will also help you a lot.


Diet

Diet plays very crucial role in yoga. According to yoga food influences the physical and mental conditions of the individual. So it is said that, ‘as you eat, so you become’. If you not take proper diet you harm yourself physically and mentally. What we digest and assimilate is more important than what we eat. Eating too many times, too much at one time, too much of spices and fats, eating in a hurry are some of the common mistakes which make the diet faulty. Faulty diet aggravates disorders, and may itself be the cause of some disorders. Irregularities of diet and excessive exertion must be avoided. The diet should have low content of fats and oils. Avoid hot, spicy foods, fermented foods, and sour or citrus fruits. Exposure to heat or cold should be avoided.

In yoga all foods have been divided into three categories.

Sattvic food

 It is the purest diet and highly recommended for everyone. This type of food is cooked with the least amount of spices and without much seasoning. It includes cereals, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products, nuts, seeds and honey. It nourishes the body and maintains it in a peaceful state. It also keeps calm and purifies the mind, enabling it to function at its maximum potential.

Rajasic food

It is very hot nature, spicy, bitter, sour, pungent, dry and excessively salty. Such food items are not recommended for mind-body equilibrium. They function as body stimulant and excite the passions, making the mind restless and uncontrollable. They include fish, egg, coffee, tea, meat etc. This type of food creates extra weight and fat, generate feeling of heaviness for a longer period of time after dinner, and arouse passion

Tamasic food

It is stale, tasteless, more or less spoiled food, and containing foul odor, artificial additives. Tamasic food items include alcohol, tobacco, onions, garlic and fermented foods such as vinegar. Tamasic food is at all not useful to nourish either body or mind. They make the body dull, drowsy and lazy, decrease immune power, filling the mind with dark emotions such as anger and greed. It makes one quarrelsome and intolerant.

One should 'eat to live, not live to eat'.


Yogasana:

Yogasana helps you to increase your awareness and train mind to face the challenges with positive approach. While doing even difficult posture you are supposed to be aware the pressure and pain and continue the practice knowing that is ultimately going to strength the area of concern. This ultimately change the mental programming for the better so that a person become better equipped to face the pressure of life in physical, mental as well as emotional level. There are number of postures suitable for the people with migraine for healing experience. Some of them are the followings:

Viparit Karani(Legs up the wall pose
Balasana (Child Pose)
Ardha kati chakrasana,
Ardha chakra,
Shashank asana
Naukasana (Boat Pose),
Dhanurasana (Bow Pose),
Ardha Matsyasana (Spinal Twist Pose),
Vrikshasana (Tree Pose),
Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)
Sirsasana (Head Stand): It maybe practiced for one minute and Sarvangasana for five minutes daily.
Kriyas like Jal neti,
Shatkarma,


Pranayama
Treatment with Pranayama can be started only after an attack is over. Deep breathing exercises and Kapalabhatti Pranayama should be practiced for 10 minute each followed by Bhramari Pranayama 5 times and Om Chanting for 5 times every day.

Shitali Pranayama (Without Kumbhaka): This breathing exercise will lower the body temperature, and make the saliva cool. It also helps to quench thirst, and improves digestion, absorption, and assimilation. It is not suggested to do in winter.

Meditation:

It is suggested to do short meditation for 15 to 20 min after practicing Pranayama. This gives great relief to the over active nerves and help to cool down the pressure on brain ultimately relieving migraine attack.



Researches:

Cut down the frequency of migraine attacks by over 70% with Yoga.

Yoga can cut down the frequency and lessen the intensity of migraine attacks by over 70%. A three-month study conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Rajasthan have found that a combination of certain yoga postures, breathing exercises and chants helped reduce migraine attacks substantially.

At the end of the study period, the team led by Dr P J John found that yoga significantly reduced levels of cortisol (stress hormones) in the 72 subjects enrolled for the study besides improving their heart rate variability (measure of variations in the heart rate).

Reduction of HRV is associated with hypertension, hemorrhagic shock and septic shock. The team has reported its findings in the latest edition of the international medical journal Headache.

"Scientists have been considering serotonin, a brain chemical, to be a crucial factor for headaches. They think low serotonin levels might cause blood vessels to dilate and cause migraine. And yoga is known to improve levels of serotonin. This made us embark on the study and see whether improving serotonin level could actually reduce migraine attacks".

John's team randomly assigned 72 migraine sufferers to one of two groups. One group received education on managing their pain by avoiding migraine triggers and making diet and lifestyle changes.

The other group received yoga therapy, which included gentle yoga postures like ardhakati chakrasana, ardha chakra, shashank asana and ardha matsadrasana, kriyas like jal neti, shatkriya, kripal-bharati and pranayam as well as meditation.

Participants practiced five days a week for one hour. After three months, the yoga group showed an overall improvement in the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks, whereas the comparison group showed either no change or worsened symptoms.

"The average age of the study group was 20-38 years with migraine severity of 7.6 in a scale of 10. Patients who took part in a yoga therapy program, undertaking breathing exercises, neck and shoulder exercises, sideward and forward bending postures started having headaches less often and endured less pain with each migraine attack. It also significantly improved symptoms of anxiety, stress and depression," John said.

According to the team, numerous studies have explored the effectiveness of complementary and alternative medicine in the treatment of migraine but there was no documented investigation of the effectiveness of yoga for migraine management.