The health benefits of yoga appeal to many, but actually practicing yoga can be very intimidating. Seeing pictures of people contorted into advanced poses makes the idea of actually doing yoga seem unrealistic.
However, you can start practicing yoga with just one pose a day.
There is one pose in particular that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The Viparita Karani, also known as the feet up pose, is easy to get into and hold, and also offers many health benefits. The pose takes very minimal time and is a relaxing way to start a day, end a day, or get a slow day moving faster.
To get into the Viparita Karani, just lie down perpendicular next to a tall structure and throw your feet up against it as seen in the picture above with the tree. Putting a folded towel under the lower back can make the pose more comfortable for some people, although I choose not to.
Why put your feet up? According to Yoga Journal, the pose can help relieve the following health problems: anxiety, arthritis, digestive problems, headaches and migraines, high and low blood pressure, insomnia, mild depression, respiratory ailments, urinary disorders, varicose veins, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, and tired or cramped legs and feet.
Putting your legs up can also strengthen both your immune system and lymphatic system. These systems have a huge impact on your ability to fight disease and infections, so it is critical to keep them running smoothly.
Biohacker Andrew Clark from BulletproofExec.com uses the pose as a mid-day energy boost for its ability to recharge his adrenal glands. Adrenal function is crucial to our health because they help the body function when stressed.
Elevating feet is something people do intuitively, proven by the popularity of the recliner. We are on our feet so frequently throughout the day that reversing the flow of blood even for a short amount of time is incredibly beneficial.So throw those feet up for fifteen minutes every day, and see how it can positively affect your health!
Clark, Andrew. "October 11, 2011 Mastering the Mid-day Recharge (In 15 Minutes)." The BulletProof Executive. 11 Oct. 2011. Web. <http://www.bulletproofexec.com/mastering-the-mid-day-recharge-in-only-15-minutes/>.
Wathen, Grace. "Lymphoid System & Immunity Exercises." LIVESTRONG.COM. 29 June 2011. Web. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/481432-lymphoid-system-immunity-exercises/>.
There is one pose in particular that gives you a lot of bang for your buck. The Viparita Karani, also known as the feet up pose, is easy to get into and hold, and also offers many health benefits. The pose takes very minimal time and is a relaxing way to start a day, end a day, or get a slow day moving faster.
To get into the Viparita Karani, just lie down perpendicular next to a tall structure and throw your feet up against it as seen in the picture above with the tree. Putting a folded towel under the lower back can make the pose more comfortable for some people, although I choose not to.
Why put your feet up? According to Yoga Journal, the pose can help relieve the following health problems: anxiety, arthritis, digestive problems, headaches and migraines, high and low blood pressure, insomnia, mild depression, respiratory ailments, urinary disorders, varicose veins, menstrual cramps, premenstrual syndrome, menopause, and tired or cramped legs and feet.
Putting your legs up can also strengthen both your immune system and lymphatic system. These systems have a huge impact on your ability to fight disease and infections, so it is critical to keep them running smoothly.
Biohacker Andrew Clark from BulletproofExec.com uses the pose as a mid-day energy boost for its ability to recharge his adrenal glands. Adrenal function is crucial to our health because they help the body function when stressed.
Elevating feet is something people do intuitively, proven by the popularity of the recliner. We are on our feet so frequently throughout the day that reversing the flow of blood even for a short amount of time is incredibly beneficial.So throw those feet up for fifteen minutes every day, and see how it can positively affect your health!
Clark, Andrew. "October 11, 2011 Mastering the Mid-day Recharge (In 15 Minutes)." The BulletProof Executive. 11 Oct. 2011. Web. <http://www.bulletproofexec.com/mastering-the-mid-day-recharge-in-only-15-minutes/>.
Wathen, Grace. "Lymphoid System & Immunity Exercises." LIVESTRONG.COM. 29 June 2011. Web. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/481432-lymphoid-system-immunity-exercises/>.