Uttanpadasana

• Pic: monga-clinic.com

  Lie on your back, your hands beside your thighs and palms resting on the ground.
• Stretch your body and keep it taut.
• Inhale and raise both legs slowly, placing pressure on your hands.
• Hold your legs at an angle of 60° to the ground, for as long as you can.
• Breathe normally.
• Feel the strain along your legs and abdomen but don’t tense your face or neck.
• Return your legs slowly to original position.

Benefits: Boosts circulation, warms the body; bolsters health of digestive organs, lungs, heart, stomach, counters constipation, tummy flab and low blood pressure
Caution: Those suffering from backache slip disc, high BP, heart ailments should raise only one leg at a time.

Naukasana

• Pic: astangyog.com

  Lie on your stomach, face down.
• Outstretch both hands straight ahead.
• Keep your elbows straight, palms joined in namaskara mudra.
• Also join your legs and heels.
• Inhale and lift your hands, head and chest as well as your legs, clean off the ground.
• Stretch your body and keep it taut.
• Your entire body weight should be concentrated on your belly.
• Close your eyes and hold the posture for as long as you can, breathing normally.

Benefits: Strengthens hands, neck, back, leg muscles; helps blood circulation, keeps body warm and supple; stretches the digestive area, thus curing abdominal disorders

Mandukasana

• Tips to stay warm • In the morning, avoid walking barefoot. • When sleeping, block your left ear with a pad of cotton wool. This induces heat in your body. • Keep your ears covered and warm, when out in the morning.

  Sit in vajrasana.
• Clench your fists, keeping the thumb inside and pressing with the fingers.
• Bring your fists towards your stomach, fingers facing downwards.
• Exhale completely, and bring your belly inside, press your fists into the navel’s sides and bend forward.
• Keep your eyes closed and raise your head, breathing normally.
• Hold the asana for as long as you can.
• Return as you inhale.

Benefits: Counters diabetes, constipation, indigestion, urinary problems; very beneficial for lungs and heart.
Caution: Those with backache, slip disc and osteoporosis should not attempt this asana.