Practicing yoga helps towards maintaining good health

Have you ever thought of relaxing your toe? Have you ever thought of saying ‘thank you’ to your ankle or knee, which carries all your weight throughout the day? This is what yoga teaches us: To show gratitude towards our own body, which is our constant companion throughout life. 

On 21st June, the fifth International Yoga Day was celebrated by the Ministry of Health and High Commission of India in Mauritius, at SVICC Pailles.

Despite being a working day, over 2,000 yoga enthusiasts from around Mauritius rolled out their colourful mats before bending, twisting and turning their bodies in complex postures to perform the ancient Indian spiritual practice, yoga. 

The current Acting President Barlen Vyapoory inaugurated the event in presence of Indian High Commissioner Tanmaya Lal. Yoga was soulfully conducted by director of IGCIC Acharya Pratistha.

“Being a yoga practitioner myself, I encourage all Mauritians to perform yoga, which is India’s biggest and best gift to the world. The beauty of it is that its origin is from India, but its application is universal,” he said.

IGCIC partnered with several yoga groups and yoga teachers for the celebration. 

Yoga for health 

Mauritians have been facing lots of health problems in recent decades. Diabetes has become a permanent resident of the country due to our unhealthy eating habits. According to the experts, the use of white flour and soft, cold drinks as inevitable parts of our food habits has fueled the disease. Health experts have been clamouring since long that “switching to ‘farine du blé’ and water instead of white flour and Coca Cola can prevent many ailments,” but it seems that absolutely no one is paying any attention.

Where physical activity is concerned, only 23.7% of Mauritian adults aged 25-74 years reported undertaking sufficient physical activity to meet the National Guidelines of 30 minutes of leisure time activity (moderate to vigorous) per day to maintain good health. So let’s see how yoga can help Mauritians to fight different ailments. 

Diabetes mellitus - There are an estimated 257,442 people between the ages of 25 and 74 with diabetes in Mauritius. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the Mauritian population aged 20-74 years is at 20.5%. 

Yoga Vakrasan is the ‘aasan’ for prevention and cure for diabetes. Vakra means twisted and asana means posture. Vakrasana or twisted pose massages the abdominal organs, helps facilitate digestion and regulates the secretion of digestive juices. Do it along with ‘kapalbhati’ and ‘anulom-vilom pranayama’ every day on an empty stomach. It is claimed that doing these yoga exercise for six months can cure the disease permanently. Make sure to avoid white flour and soft, cold drinks meanwhile. 

Hypertension - The other disease which has captured the Mauritian nation is hypertension. The prevalence of hypertension is 28.4% overall with 27.0% for women and 30.3% for men. Blood pressure lowering medication is being taken by 15% of the adult population. 

Yoga - Less salt and a lot of water is the key cure for hypertension. Especially two glasses of water immediately after waking up. ‘Bhastrika pranayama’ is golden yoga exercise for hypertension. Pair it with ‘kapal-bhati’ and ‘anulom-vilom pranayama’. It is claimed that if done properly, hypertension can be cured in one week.

With the high-end living life style and work pressure for adults and studies pressure for teens, hypertension is a worldwide phenomenon. Yoga can free you from this disease as well as give you power and mental stability to combat day to day stress. 

Obesity - The health problem that is number 3 on the Mauritian chart is overweight and obesity. The prevalence of obesity is 19.1% overall with 11.9% for men and 25.6% for women. There are an estimated 398,417 people between 25 and 74 years of age who are overweight/obese in Mauritius.

Yoga for obesity - Tiryak-Tadasana is a standing pose that makes you bend left and right to the extent possible with your arms above your head, ‘Trikonasana’, trikona meaning triangle is the second best yoga for obesity. With this asana, it provides stamina, balance, energy and develops focus. Pair it again with kapalbhati and anulom-vilom pranayama. 

Amnesia – ‘Bhastrika pranayama’. Pair it with 10 min of ‘kapalbhati’ and ‘anulom-vilom’. Eating almonds is also beneficial for amnesia.