5 Organic Ways to Detoxify Your Body

Our modern life blesses us with the latest amenities and facilities to make our life easier. However, the stress and cost of achieving these have taken a toll on our health. It is not uncommon for young individuals to get afflicted with hypertension, high blood pressure, anxiety and all the ills associated with modern lifestyles. The human body gets filled with poisonous toxins that can produce long-term adverse effects. The only way to combat this situation is to detoxify your body naturally.

Five organic ways to distress and detoxify

1. Have a fiber rich diet

A healthy diet should always include a fiber rich menu. Fiber cleans up the toxic waste material from the body, helps absorb nutrients better, simulate body's natural stress fighting hormones and enhances metabolism. The symptoms of severe stress include bloating, constipation etc. A fiber rich diet helps to detoxify the body by keeping the body fluids at adequate levels.

2. Aromatherapy

Human senses are responsive to the pleasant smells, which have a calming and relaxing effect. This consists of essential oil extracts and other natural compounds which simulate human senses, enhancing an individual's mood and cognitive functions. It is included as part of natural therapies with which you can detoxify your body. You can try out aromatic candles that give peace with their glow, take a relaxing bath in essential body oils etc. These oils usually contain extracts of almonds, jojoba and olive, which are proven to have anti-stress properties.

3. Music

Music can be an effective complement to your detoxifying regimen. It is the universal choice for entertainment and relaxation. It stimulates imagination, creativity and helps to pass a routine hard day in a melodious way. However, different categories of music have separate effects. For example, rock music can increase hyperactivity while jazz and instrumental can calm and relax you. Music fusions of Vedic chants and western beats can have an uplifting effect. You can even meditate deeper with the help of such music CD's.

4. Herbal Teas

Put away regular teas and start sipping herbal ones. Regular tea contains too much caffeine and even includes artificial ingredients or preservatives. On the other hand, herbal tea is free from artificial addition and comes with the purity of nature. It simulates the mind and has an overall soothing effect for a hectic day. They are also known to reduce anxiety and stress to a great extent. Many alternative health therapies inculcate herbal teas as part of a rejuvenation treatment.

5. Therapy kits

Instead of looking for individual options, why not go for a package which has all the ingredients of detoxification? Many organic lifestyle companies offer detoxifying therapy kits that are inclusive of the above components and more. They help to synchronize your mind and body, resulting in an increased feeling of satisfaction and relaxation. Most therapies recommend usually include therapy kits as part of their routine treatment.

The above five ways will help to detoxify and rejuvenate your body. Accomplish your tasks with greater mental and physical health in a natural way for maximum benefits.

Mohit Kumar is a Management graduate and writes on Natural Bathing Soaps India and Handmade Jasmine Soaps India.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

The Science Of Stretching

At the Shaolin Temple we never stretch first, we always start with a gentle warm up and when the muscles feel warm and loose we stretch. We do two types of stretching: static and dynamic. The Shaolin dynamic stretching we do is the five basic kicks, and the five stances which open the hips and warm up the leg muscles. We believe that it's only by doing these stretches that we can get truly flexible. We've stretched this way and warmed up our muscles like this for thousands of years, and if you train with my DVDs then you'll be doing it this way. In fact, I didn't know there was another way until I came to the UK. 

Yesterday, a student showed me a book about the science of exercise, which has a chapter on stretching. Latest research shows that the way Shaolin Disciples warm up and stretch is the way to get maximum performance from our workout. There's a belief in the West that stretching before a warm up is good but research has shown that it has no benefit and doesn't bolster performance. The other myth is the only way to flexibility is through static stretching. To quote from the book: "Dynamic stretching may be the most important element of a warm up... it involves moving and waking the tissues that will be called upon during the subsequent exercise." It's also the way to become more flexible. 

This way of preparing for a workout is not just for martial artists but all athletes.

For more information on Shaolin Training please visit shifuyanlei.com

The Goalless Goal

 
Shaolin Training doesn't underestimate a person's strength of body and mind. The masters knew how much we could achieve and they wouldn't let us get away with anything less. The first goal young disciples have when they come to the Shaolin Temple is "Never Give Up." This means the thought of quitting is not a seed in our mind therefore it can never grow into a tree.

While holding this goal, we follow the philosophy of Zen, which is to train just to train. We're told the importance of aimlessness and letting go.
"The harder you try to grab something, the further away it goes," my master told me.

So how does aimlessness and the goal of Never Give Up sit comfortably together? Maybe the word goal should be changed to intention. "It's my intention to never give up." And once that statement is made then it's like sitting on a plane and knowing the destination is Beijing. We don't need to think anymore about where we're heading. Our mind is no longer caught up thinking maybe I should head to Chicago or London instead. There's no way we can get off the plane, so we let go and focus on the journey. The goalless goal is another way of simplifying our life.

For more information visit shifuyanlei.com

Circuit Of Change

Some people call circuit training a shortcut to fitness. It burns up to 30% more fat than a typical workout, while rapidly elevating fitness levels. If you're a runner and you mix in circuit training, you'll find an improvement in your long distance times. 

Many people ask me if I do weight training. I don't. My Shaolin Circuit Training DVDs are the main workout I do on a daily basis. These DVDs are designed for fit busy people who want results fast. Combining push ups with punches while keeping the heart rate elevated means the muscle are being constantly challenged.  If you're pushed for time then you'll achieve more from circuit training than any other type of exercise. 

Shaolin Circuit Training combines cardio and strength training into 9 tough interval circuits.  The level of intensity depends on how hard you push yourself but you should be working at an uncomfortable level of exertion the entire time. How many punches can you do in round one? How many kicks can you do in round five? How about the final round? It's a good idea to make a note of this so you can track your improvement.

Alternate between the Circuit Training Volume 1 and 2 on different days so you're focusing on building the strength of your arms or legs and improving the skill of your punches and kicks. I recommend you alternate these two DVDs twice a week and then, if your doing 5 or 6 workouts a week, do any volume from Shaolin Bootcamp or Shaolin Workout. If you've more time then you don't need to follow the Qigong at the end of the DVD but can do your favourite Qigong followed with the Instant Health Massage. And remember, even though you're out of breath, it's still the breath of Qi. Training in Shaolin means everything we do is a meditation. Even circuit training.

Shaolin Circuit Training is not suitable for beginners.

 Shifu Yan Lei teaches a graded path to Shaolin. Click for more details

Shifu Yan Lei talks about his daily workout, diet, and meditation

What's your daily workout like?

My training day usually starts with either a 10 or 12k jog or interval running, sprinting 800 meters then resting for 800 meters and doing this 4 times or varying my runs like I show in my youtube video. I then do some circuit training, the same as on my DVD though I mix the punches and kicks together. I think it's important to sweat when you're training, only this is true training. In the afternoon I do bag work, and pad work if there's someone at the temple to hold pads. I finish off with Iron Shirt Qigong and combine Iron Shirt conditioning with Instant Health Massage using a metal brush.

Can the average person hack Shaolin training?

Shaolin is for everybody. Of course the average person doesn't have 4 hours a day to train but a lot can be accomplished in one hour five days a week. This is enough to be healthy and fit. If you're not close to a school and train from my DVDs then you need to make a program. The best DVDs for fitness are the Bootcamp and Circuit TrainingDVDs but you need a level of fitness before you can embark on them. Like all things, take one step at a time. Most people have no desire to do hard Qigong but they  have a desire to have more energy and increase their longevity so they do Eight Treasures.

You've talked about the Shaolin Monk's diet in another post, but how important is diet to you?

The more you do Shaolin martial arts, the more you tune into your body and the harder it is to eat badly. If you're craving unhealthy food, don't worry about it, start working out the Shaolin way and the cravings will go away of their own accord. Before I train I eat a lot of noodle and vegetable with some meat then a banana, which is a great thing to eat before training as it helps to keep sugar levels up. We don't use ovens in China but something new I've discovered in the West is roasted sweet potato. Very healthy and a better carbohydrate than potato. I eat fruit and nuts through out the day. I tend to cook two days food in advance so when I come home and I'm hungry my food is already prepared.

How focused are you on Buddhism and Zen meditation?

I'm a simple person. I feel that many Western people read too many books and this makes their mind complicated. My master gave me one sutra, The Hui Neng Sutra, and he told me not to sit in meditation but to make training my meditation. Zen is about experience, not knowledge. When people do kung fu or Qigong forms, they get a taste of this Zen experience and then there are no questions. The important thing is not to look outside, but work with where we are and what we have here and now. There's no need to go to the temple, the temple is right here and now

Shifu Yan Lei teaches a graded path in Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong, click here for more information. 

How To Let Go And Why It Makes You Feel Good

The aim of the physical training we do at the Shaolin Temple is to lead us to Zen.  In our hectic lives, our minds become hectic and the best way to cut the circle of thought is through Shaolin Kung Fu and Qigong.

Before you start to play my DVD or follow my book, take a couple of  breaths and tell yourself to let go. Let go of your name, and who you think you are, and what's occupying your mind. Letting go is itself belief.

Your body is wise. When it was a baby, it knew how much milk it needed to drink and how much sleep it needed in order to grow. When you train, don't do anything, let the training train you.

My latest DVDs are an at home workout which is as close to having me as a personal trainer as possible. I didn't shoot them in a beautiful location in China because I wanted to demonstrate that wherever you are, whatever situation you are in, that is the perfect place to practice.

Whenever I feel worried or under pressure I go and workout. This doesn't mean I'm not taking care of my worries but I know that a worried mind cannot think clearly. If I'm very worried than I will do circuit training so that my body is challenged to the limit. I finish off with some Qigong and I'm centered again. My energy flowing freely like water and no longer blocked by my discouraging thoughts.

Letting go is underrated.  Only when we let go can things come to us. A closed hand receives nothing. A worried mind is like a person running a hundred miles but it not amounting to one step, an Urban Warrior covers a thousand miles with one step.

I make my DVDs in the hope you can access this awakened mind. I hope that through hard training you can learn to rest deeply. Whether you use one of my DVDs or all of them, the practice is the same; keep it calm, steady and sincere.

How To Master The Shaolin Forms And Why You Should

Shaolin Forms. What's the point of them?  Haven't they had their day? Aren't there more efficient ways to exercise the body? Not if you want to awaken every cell in their body.

Awaken The Body

Shaolin Forms teach the many muscle groups in our body to work together. They are the only exercise I've come across where every muscle is engaged and you're simultaneously building flexibility, strength, endurance, balance, and power. These ancient forms come from nature, they awaken the body, helping us to let go of our small self and experience a connection with the very fabric of the Universe. They then teach us how to move in our modern life, whether that's carrying our groceries home or climbing the stairs to the subway. Everything becomes part of our training: total mind-body wellness

Circuit training in the gym consists of squats with weights, press ups, and lunges.  There's nothing wrong with this kind of training but it looks monotonous and doesn't have the gracefulness of the Shaolin forms. Shaolin forms work the legs as hard as any squat or lunge and there's a purpose to it, both self-defence, strength and for the health of the mind and body.

Realize Your True Potential 

Shaolin challenges us physically and mentally to prepare us for the physical and mental challenges that arise as we go through our life. They help us deal with the challenges of modern life, benefiting us mentally and physically from realizing our body’s true, natural potential.

Shaolin Forms need to be practiced thousands of times for them to become really yours. They need to feel almost like you own the form, it's then that you've mastered it. Break the form down, practice a bit of it, slow it down, speed it up, do it with your eyes closed and see how it feels. Work on the stances, check them in the mirror. Listen to your breathing and forget about the movement, when you're standing in a queue, can you still remember the form?

Health is your Birthright

I've seen my students transform into alert, confident, strong, grounded people with the confidence to go after what they want.  Shaolin forms re-align the body, mind and spirit. Your new normal becomes healthy, flexible, strong and centered. This, I believe, is your birthright. 

Shifu teaches forms in The Way of Qigong Volume 1,2,3, Shaolin Workout, 1 & 2,  Instant Health: The Shaolin Qigong Workout For Longevity and Rou Quan.