You can help improve the health and productivity of Indiana’s workforce by making worksites healthier places to work! You can start by increasing the number of opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity at worksites.
Follow the steps in the Indiana Healthy Worksites Toolkit for Small Businesses and its companion Action Cards to create an environment where health can happen. Check out more resources on creating healthier worksites.
Indiana Healthy Worksites Toolkit for Small Businesses Action Cards
Poster: Eat Smart at Work Poster: Stay Active at Work
In 2010, Health and Human Services (HHS) and the General Services Administration (GSA) began a collaboration to create the Health and Sustainability Guidelines for Federal Concessions and Vending Operations. The goal of the Guidelines is to assist contractors in increasing healthy food and beverage choices and sustainable practices at federal worksites. Please click here to view the document.
Check out the new web site for the CDC National Healthy Worksite Program. The goal of the National Healthy Worksite Program (NHWP) is to provide information and tools to help initiate and evaluate comprehensive worksite health programs to improve workers’ health, as well as to encourage employers and employees to be health role models.The new web site is organized to provide an overview of the NHWP; resources to become a healthy worksite; information and profiles of the NHWP communities, and links and opportunities to network with others.
To become a member of the Indiana Healthy Weight Initiative’s Worksites Workgroup, or to request hard copies of the toolkit and action cards, please contact Lindsey Bouza at or .
Have you ever thought about how you breathe? What happens if your breathing stops for a minute or two? Yogis and practitioners of pranayama, the art of conscious breathing, know the answers. Pranayama is a vital part of yoga, a related science of Ayurveda. This amazing breathing practice helps the body meet the necessary oxygen needs and remove toxins from the body.
Pranayama-the art of breathing
Spend 15 minutes a day on this healing technique. The body will be grateful
What is pranayama?
This Sanskrit word means “expansion of the life force”, in which “prana” means “breath or life force”, and ” ayama “means”expansion or spread”. According to Ayurveda, pranayama is a breathing exercise and an exemplary technique for maintaining physical health and improving mental health through spiritual values, while being in complete harmony with the universal prana. In the ancient Vedas, there are references to this healing practice.
Pranayama Courses
To learn the basics of pranayama help in specialized courses
The three simple steps of pranayama include puraka (inhale), kumbhaka (hold), and rekaka (exhale). A slow and deep breath promotes the intake of sufficient oxygen, followed by complete retention of the inhaled oxygen, which allows the system to receive it. While holding the breath inside, the attention is focused on any particular part of the body, such as the forehead or heart, to gain inner light. The last step is the exhalation, which is performed through the lungs or abdomen.
The five benefits of Pranayama
Ayurveda considers pranayama as the point at which the human consciousness attains unity with the universal consciousness. This opens the way to the realization of the immortal spirit contained in our body. According to ancient science, there are five most significant health benefits of pranayama.
Pranayama on fresh air
Pranayama tactics in nature — the best way to relax
Pranayama improves the quality of life
Yogic breathing will teach you the art of deep and slow breathing, which helps to lower your breathing rate. The normal breathing rate in adults is about 12 breaths per minute during rest. An increased frequency, for example, 20-30 breaths per minute, is observed only in people with serious diseases. Ayurveda recommends practicing pranayama regularly. All the cells of the body will begin to receive sufficient oxygen, and the respiratory rate will drop to 5-6 breaths per minute. This contributes to deep relaxation and improvement of internal organs.
Pranayama-the technique of proper breathing
In every city you can find teachers of pranayama
Increase in life expectancy
According to yoga, a related science of Ayurveda, longevity is based on the frequency of a person’s breathing. As you know, one of the longest-living living organisms on the planet is considered a turtle. And she breathes at a rate of 4-5 breaths per minute.
Benefits of Pranayama
A side effect of pranayama is weight harmonization.
Heart health-the merit of pranayama
A healthy heart is an incredible treasure that supports the well-being of the entire body. This active body organ works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all 365 days a year. Regular practice of pranayama improves blood circulation and oxygenates the heart and its muscles. As a result-excellent work of our motor and effective removal of toxins from the body.
Pranayama with a teacher
The best practice of pranayama will be explained by the teacher
Improves mental health
Regular practice of pranayama has a beneficial effect on the psyche. A frenzied pace of life and a restless mind take up a lot of time, steal joy and serenity. Pranayama is called positive breathing, because it sows positive thoughts in the mind and frees you from negative feelings and emotions. These healing exercises increase the power of concentration and open the way to memory, spiritual insights, and a sense of inner peace and harmony.
Monument to the practice of Pranayama
This sculpture is called a monument to pranayama
Healthy aging
Pranayama is considered an ideal way to harmonize the three doshas-vata, pitta and kapha. Aggravation of vata leads to poor health, especially when a person gets older. Regular practice of pranayama helps to keep the mind and body under control. Loss of vitality, rheumatism, back pain, poor blood circulation, sagging skin and other signs of aging are treated by saturating the blood with sufficient oxygen.
Pranayama – practice of conscious breathing
Anyone can master the breathing practice
How to start practicing pranayama?
You can practice mindfulness breathing anywhere, anytime. However, for beginners, pranayama gurus still give a few recommendations:
It is best to practice pranayama in nature in a quiet, peaceful environment. Ideally, in the early morning, when the energies of the body and nature are at their maximum level. Make sure that you do not interfere with insects and animals.
Aromatherapy will help you. The use of essential oils in Ayurveda has a beneficial effect on the body. They will help your body to accept the inner strength bestowed by the natural fragrance of the oils. Start with your favorite oils and incense. Then you will find the optimal one experimentally.
Comfortable clothing will not allow you to distract from the practice. For guys, the same clothes as for yoga classes are suitable. Take a closer look at the aladdin and T-shirts with elastic knitwear.
Pranayama Clothing
Comfortable clothing for yoga, meditation and pranama from the catalog of INDIASTYLE
“Breathe in, and God will draw near to you. Hold your breath, and God will stay with you. Exhale, and you will come closer to God. Hold your breath and surrender to God. ” (c) Krishnamacharya. Whether you want to get closer to God or live longer without illness, or whether your goal is to learn how to cope with emotions and a restless mind, in any case, pranayama will have a beneficial effect. Millions of people are grateful to themselves for having once breathed in consciously for the first time. Start now!
