Exercise made easy

While many of us believe the only way to get fit and stay active is by working up a sweat during heavy, physical exercises such as running, football, athletics, basketball and boxing, we are in fact, missing out on the many benefits of lighter activities such as yoga.

First and foremost, yoga is a life-enhancing discipline, adept in uniting the mind, body and spirit, but it also works at keeping the body free of diseases. As co-ordinator of exercise programs in Tanzania, Jayaram Thakkar, has introduced a free service to help local people, especially the poor, rid themselves of various diseases without medical treatment. Working to tackle traditional diseases like diabetes, hypertension, Parkinson's and stress, as well as functioning preventatively against the onset of many other illnesses, yoga has far-reaching benefits.

Founded in India in the Middle Ages when civilisation began to take shape in the 16th-century, yoga was widely accepted and now attracts millions of practising members. Introduced in Tanzania in June 2006, eighteen teachers have now been trained and plans are underway to open more branches, in addition to those already found in Mwanza and Dar es Salaam. Incorporating advanced breathing exercises into a specially tailored class, the programme is geared towards relieving the country of poor medical treatment.

Tasks include sitting on the bare floor and pushing your stomach deep while at the same time letting your chin touch your chest and holding your breath. In this sense, oxygen is used as medicine. Pranayama is a yoga practice that literally means the control of life or energy. It uses breathing techniques to change subtle energies within the body for health and well-being. Breathing exercises can act as a bridge into those functions of the body of which we generally do not have conscious control, promoting healing properties from the inside out. When breathing takes place through the practice of specialist exercises, more oxygen is consumed, converting the blood into oxygenated blood and making it circulate effectively throughout the body enhancing immunity from illness and disease.

Seven different ways of conducting the exercises include bhastrika, a process of inhaling and exhaling through the nose, kapal bhati, breathing out through both nostrils while pushing the stomach in, and bahiya, a process of pushing the stomach deep in and letting your chin touch your chest while holding your breath. By becoming aware of your own breathing patterns and incorporating exercises into your daily routine, you will be able to breathe your way to a healthier and happier life.