Health Tips # 20 - Surya Namaskar & its benefits

We have generally heard about the advantages of practicing yoga, pranayama, and meditation to lead healthy life. Surya Namaskar, or the Sun salutation exercise is one of the top recommended Yoga exercises, and is extremely beneficial in many ways. Read on to know the health benefits of Surya Namaskar. It is a great exercise to stay in shape and also helps to purify the mind of its toxins.

Ideal place and time to perform - is in an Open area, full of natural air (may be terrace) and at the time when the Sun is just about getting up in the morning. The gentle morning sunrays would certainly make you feel good. Put on a simple mat and start doing Surya Namaskar and try to add some pranayama and meditation at the end. You will certainly feel very fresh and enthusiastic throughout the day.

Get trained through a proper Guru, or take the assistance of established good Yoga schools like the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centres or of Baba Ramdev's Yogic centres around the world. Do not rush in to a great self-proclaimed Mystic or a generally popular Yoga school charging thousands for simple exercises. Believe me, there is nothing they can do as value-adds for the already precious and great scheme of Yoga, which has been so beautifully set up by Sage Patanjali, and it is still dutifully being taught for nominal prices by many good Yogis.

Surya Namaskar consists of 12 different bodily postures that ought to be performed in particular sequence. Following are the health benefits of practicing Surya Namaskar regularly.

• Practicing Surya Namaskar is beneficial for the health of digestive system. It stretches the abdominal muscles.

• Regular practice of Surya Namaskar helps to lose excessive belly fat and gives flat stomach.

• Surya Namaskar is the ideal exercise to cope with insomnia and related disorders. Surya Namaskar practice calms the mind, thus helps to get sound sleep.

• Surya Namaskar practice regulates irregular menstrual cycles for women. Practicing Surya Namaskar ensures the easy childbirth. It helps to decrease the fear of pregnancy and childbirth.
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  Surya Namaskar practice boosts blood circulation and helps to prevent hair graying, hair fall, and dandruff. It also improves the growth of hair making it long.

• Regular practice of Surya Namaskar helps to lose extra calories and reduce fat. It helps to stay thin. Practicing Surya Namaskar is the easiest way to be in shape.
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  Sun salutation exercise helps to add glow on your face making facial skin radiant and ageless. It is the natural solution to prevent onset of wrinkles.

• Regular practice of sun salutation boosts endurance power. It gives vitality and strength. It also reduces the feeling of restlessness and anxiety.
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  Daily practice of Surya Namaskar makes body flexible. It improves flexibility in spine and in limbs.
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  It is beneficial to practice Surya Namaskar early in the morning. The early morning sunrays are rich source of vitamin D that is necessary to get strong bones and clear vision

 Cheers!

Source: http://pkhari.blogspot.in