Yoga Cures: Simple Routines to Conquer Over 50 Common Ailments and Live Pain-Free (34 page)

High Lunge Arms Down

Come into a low lunge. Press down through your feet to a standing lunge, reaching your arms behind you and

bringing your shoulders in line with your hips. Relax your arms down by your sides, open your palms to face front, and sink your hips low. Stay here for three long, deep breaths.

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High Lunge Arms Up

From your high lunge with arms down, inhale and lift your hips and arms up. As you exhale, sink back into your high lunge, arms down. Repeat this same breath and movement pattern twice more.

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Warrior 2

From your high lunge, spin your back heel so your foot is planted on the ground, turn your right toes to face your front and your left toes slightly in so your hips and shoulders are facing your left. Open your arms straight out and away from your torso, right arm in front of you, and left arm behind you, palms down. Look over your front hand.

Bend your right knee so your thigh is parallel to the ground. Stay here for ten long, deep breaths.

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Warrior 2, Lift Arms Up

From your warrior 2, inhale and lift your hips and arms up. Exhale and lower back to warrior 2. Repeat this same breath and movement pattern twice more.

Repeat the routine on the other side.

Migraine

The throbbing pain of an intense headache, sometimes accompanied by nausea, chills, fatigue, loss of

appetite, numbness, vomiting, and sensitivity to light—no one wants to suffer through a migraine.

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Triggered by stress, certain foods, or some personal trigger, the attack begins in the various nerve

pathways and affects blood flow to the brain and surrounding tissue. A regular yoga practice can help

reduce the number of migraine episodes you experience, and help keep them from occurring in the first

place. When they do strike, these simple poses and techniques can ease the pressure and tension in your

head and make you more comfortable.

THE MIGRAINE YOGA CURE

Since a lot of migraines triggers have to do with stress, maintaining this simple routine at least three times a
week will help. When a migraine does strike, this routine will ease pressure in your head, balance out your
nervous system, and calm you down, encouraging the pain to move away.

Down Dog

From all fours, tuck your toes, lift your hips, and press back into down dog. Reach your heels toward the ground.

Relax your shoulders toward the ground and relax your head and neck. Stay here for five long, deep breaths.

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Child’s Pose

Gently come onto all fours. Relax your hips and sit back on your heels. Rest yourforehead on the ground and breathe deeply into your back. Stay here for five long, deep breaths.

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Temple Massage

From your child’s pose, sit up on your heels. Press your index fingers into the center of your eyebrows, then trace an arch up your forehead and out to the sides of your temples, pressing evenly as you go. Repeat this movement three more times.

Monkey Mind

“Monkey mind” is yoga slang for someone whose mind is all over the place, like a monkey, one second

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