Minimize your Migraine

I. Asana

1. Uttanasana (The Standing Forward Bend)

1. Start from a standing position by keeping your feet shoulder-width distance apart and parallel to each other.
2. Press your feet down into the ground and center yourself powerfully.
3. Inhale giving yourself a slight back bend, looking up with your hands on the waist.
4. Exhale and gently bend down from the hips and place your chest and stomach on your thighs.
5. If you are a beginner, bend your knees slightly to accomplish this.
6. Slowly begin to straighten out your legs. However, ensure and check that your chest and abdomen never leave your thighs.
7. Stay in this position for 6-8 breaths.
8. To release, inhale coming back to Tadasana and exhale relax.

2. Marjaryasana and Bitilasana (The Cat and Cow)

1. Begin from the table top position.
2. Cow Pose: inhale as you drop your belly towards the ground. Lift your chin and chest, and gaze up toward the ceiling.
3. Broaden across your shoulder blades and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
4. Cat Pose: exhale and draw your belly to your spine and round your back toward the ceiling. The pose should look like a cat stretching its back.
5. Release the crown of your head towards the floor, slightly bringing your chin to the chest.
6. Inhale, coming back into Cow Pose, and then exhale as you return to Cat Pose.
7. Repeat this movement 15 to 20 times, and then rest by sitting in Vajrasana.

3. Paschim Namaskarasana (The Reverse Prayer Pose)

1. Keep your legs one inch apart and ground the feet.
2. Relax the shoulder and let your hands hang by the side.
3. Begin raising the arms behind the back and join the palms together, keeping the fingers pointing downward.
4. Inhale and turn the fingertips inward towards the spine and rotate until your palms are joined as you turn your fingertips upward.
5. Ensure that your palms are pressed firmly against each other.
6. Inhale and close your eyes, holding this position for 6-8 breaths.
7. Exhale to release the position.

4. Shant Sarovarasana (The Peaceful Lake)

1. Lie down on your back and relax the body completely.
2. Bend the knees (knees touching each other and keeping distance between both feet) with the soles of the feet on the ground.
3. Place your hands on your stomach and relax the body completely. Take deep breaths in and out.
4. Tilt your chin slightly upwards.
5. To end, release the body and slide into Shavasana or the corpse pose.

II. Pranayama

The Bhastrika Pranayama is the most powerful of all pranayama techniques as it combines the Kapalbhati and Ujjayi systems within it. It is specifically suggest-ed by Ayurveda and Yogis to manage and keep migraine attacks to the minimum.

III. Mudra

Mudras are hand movements or gestures and can be very helpful to get rid of your migraine. They can be performed anywhere and at any time! Try these out:

a. Akaash Mudra: join the tips of middle finger and thumb finger to form this mudra.
b. Gyaan Mudra: join tips of index finger and thumb finger to form this mudra.
c. Apaana Mudra: join the tips of middle, ring and thumb finger to form this mudra.

Duration: it is recommended to practise 45 minutes regularly or 15 mins, 3 times a day. Perform them with both of the hands and palms facing upwards.

IV. Lifestyle Tips

• Have apples! A ripe apple, after removing the upper rind and the inner hard portion should be taken with a little salt every morning on an empty stomach in such cases. This should be continued for about a week.
• Drink plenty of water and increase intake of magnesium.
• Meditation is recommended to reduce stress.
• Sound sleep of 7-8 hours to regulate sleeping pattern.
• A hot foot-bath for about twenty minutes will often relieve a severe head-ache. An ice-cold cloth to the head will also bring relief and make the hot foot-bath even more effective.

With these all rounded tips, reduce the frequency and intensity of your migraine or headache in the most simple and natural way. Let us prevent pain and dizziness from getting to you any longer!