Amala (Amalaki)

Latin name : Embalica Officinalis

Family : Euphorbiaceae.

A moderate sized deciduous tree, branchlets and rachis villose. Bark light grey, wood red and hard.Leaves small, pinnate, stipules minute.Flower small, monoecious in axillary fascicles. Ovary 3-celled, ovules 2 in each cell. Fruit a depressed globose, fleshy berry 1.4-3.0 cm dia.

Medicinal Characteristics :
Rasa: sour, sweet, astringent, pungent and bitter
Guna : light and dry
Virya : cold
Vipaka : sweet

Action :

• Amala alleviates all the doshas, confers longevity and strength, aphrodisiac, and is useful in fever, urinary diseases, oedema, burning sensation, vomitting, excessive thirst, haemoptysis, fatigue, eye disorders and distension of abdomen.
• It is best among the sour fruits.
• Unripe fruits are used as collyrium in certain diseases.
• the seeds are valuable in certain menstrual disorders.
• A medicated ghee prepared from amala is excellent as a tonic and rejuvenative and is useful in abdominal tumors of the pitta variety.
• It controls the toxin level of the body, reduces plaque formation, builds up the blood cells.
• It fights tuberculosis, chronic coughing and allergic & childhood asthma.
• It prevents hair falling, works as anti inflammatory, effectively suppress swelling,.
• Amala improves our immune system.
• Amala fruits provide a radiant glow on the skin and delays the onset of wrinkles, very effective in eczema.

Uses of Amala :

• Hyper acidity : 1 tsp Amala powder with milk, twice daily
• Diabetes : 1 tsp Amala juice with 1 tsp jamboo beej powder, 1 cup bitter gourd juice, early morning.
• Anxiety : 1tsp amala powder could be soaked in one cup of water over night & add 1/2 tsp peppare powder, 1 tsplime juice, 1 tsp ginger juice.
• Hair tonic : (1) Amla powder paste make with curd water & bessan. apply on the head. (2) Amla fruit piece boil in coconut oil till the solid matter becomes charred excellent in early graying and preventing hair falling.
• Cataract : (1)Triphala : eye wash is very effective. (2) Amala Rasayana : 1 tsp , twice daily.(3) Chyawanprash : 2 tsp , twice daily.
• Piles (bleeding) : juice of Amala with 250 mg guduchi satva, twice daily.
• UTI : Amala juice ofwith500 mg of turmeric powder , twice daily.
• Jaundice : Amala juice with 1 tsp of honey.
  

Shilpa Shetty's Quick Fix Yoga Program

Many times we do not get time to do exercise but here is the technique/workout for complete body in 15 minutes only. Lets do these exercises with Shilpa Shetty.




Following Asanas/Yogas are covered in this video:


Utthanpadasana (Raised Legs Pose) - Asanas on Back

Breathing Pattern:

• Inhale when you raise the leg.
• Hold the posture and the breath.
• Exhale when you lower the leg.
  

Benefits:

• Tones up the thigh muscle and make them taut.
• Strengthens the digestive system, hip, pelvic, and the perineal muscles.
• Helps correct prolapse.
• Knocks out unnecessary fat from the waist zone.
• Moderates the hip elasticity among those women who has just delivered a baby.
• Beneficial for players helping them in maintaining their leg balance.
  

Contraindications:

• High blood pressure.
• Hernia.
• Peptic ulcer.
• Abdominal surgery 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
• Menstruation.
  

Dhanurasana - Asanas on stomach

Benefits :

• This asana is very good for ladies.
• It cures constipation and removes excess fat.
• It acts as a cure for dyspepsia, rheumatism and gastro intestinal disorders.
• It improves digestion and appetite.
• Strengthens kidneys, back muscles, thigh muscles.
  

Contraindications:

• You have back problems, hernia or cervical spondylosis.

Chakrasana Standing (lateral bending) - Standing Asanas

Benefits :

• Good for Spine
• Great for physical fitness
• Reduce fat from waist
  

Veerabhadrasana - Standing Asanas

Benefits :

• Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles.
• Improve sluggish circulation in the lower limbs, and improve venous return.
• Digestion is improved and the pose helps to relive constipation.
  

Contraindications:

• Hypertension
• Neck Problems
  

Padahastasana - Standing Asanas

Benefits :

• Stretches the hamstrings on the back of the legs
• Stretches and lengthens the entire spine
• Massages the internal organs, especially the digestive organs
• Relieves digestive problems such as constipation
• Relieves problems with sciatica
• Invigorates the nervous system
• Increases the supply of blood to the brain
• Removes flesh from the abdomen
  

Vakrasana - Sitting Asanas

Benefits :

• This asana strengthens the spine and activates the nerves.
• The mouth of the Sushumna opens and Kundalini Shakti is sublimated.
• Puma Vakrasana bestows all the benefits gained by performing Ardha Vakrasana.
• This is asana invigorates the muscles of the loins.
  

KapalBhati - Pranayam

Benefits :

• Kapalabhati cleanses the lungs and entire respiratory system.
• The blood is purified and body gets an increased supply of oxygen to all cells.
• Digestion is improved.
• Abdominal muscles are strengthened.
• Prepare the mind for meditation.
• Energize the mind for mental work.
  

Contraindications:

• Suffering from heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Hernia
• Should never be practiced when an asthmatic attack is in progress.
• If pain or dizziness is experienced ,it is preferable to stop the practice till the sensation has passed.
  

Om Chanting

• The 'O…' vibrates through the whole bone structure of the thoracic cage, which proves that the vibration reaches down to the air in the lungs, and that the delicate membrane of the alveoli in contact with the air must also vibrate, stimulating the pulmonary cells and allowing a better exchange of gases.
• This vibration also produces very significant effects upon the endocrine glands. The sounding of vocable during exhalation automatically massages the organs by vibrations.
• These vibrations reach the deep-lying tissues and nerve cells and the circulation of blood increases in the tissue organs involved. The ductless glands, which pour hormones directly into the blood and lymph, are stimulated (the pituitary, pineal, thyroid, thymus, supra-renal and gonads).
• These vibrations also benefit the vagus nerve.
• The organs in the thoracic cage and the abdomen are particularly subject to the effect of the vibro-massage, which the sound 'O…' induces.
• Electro-magnetic waves are produced by the vibrations which multiply all through the body, increasing energy.
• Concentration is improved and the entire body relaxes under the influence of this internal vibro-massage, which frees inhibition and reduces depression and inferiority complexes, unifying or integrating the whole psyche.