College of Ayurvedic Diet & Digestion

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AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Bellows Breath (bhastrika Pranayama)

A vigorous breathing exercise designed to stimulate energy, break up stagnation, and improve focus.

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1. Ayurvedic Perspective

2. Dosage & Suggested Use

3. Biocharacteristics & Herbal Actions

4. Similar foods and herbs

5. Indications / Benefits

6. Contraindications / Aggravates

7. Comments and reviews

How Does This Ayurvedic Home Remedy Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

Breathing exercises can help restore energy and vitality (prana). They clear the respiratory tract, oxygenate the blood, strengthen metabolism, invigorate circulation, and cleanse the lymphatic system. Gentle breathing techniques relax the mind. There are many types of breathing exercises. Some breathing techniques are gentle with few negative side effects, such as belly breathing. Others, such as breath retention, have potential to harm.

Read About Breathing Exercises

How to do Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Level: Vigorous This vigorous breathing exercise is contraindicated in these instances: high/low BP, pregnancy, heart disease, vertigo, hernia, gastric ulcer, epilepsy, detached retina, recent abdominal surgery, risk of stroke.

Breathe in deeply through your nostrils. First, feel the diaphragm move down, allowing the lungs to expand and forcing the abdomen out; then feel your chest expand with your collar bones rising last.
Breath out quickly through your nostrils. Feel the collar bones dropping, chest deflating, and abdomen shrinking as the lungs collapse. This process of exhaling should be much faster than the process of inhaling -- almost like a rapid deflation.
Repeat the process. When correctly done, your chest will expand when you breathe in and deflate when you breathe out. Continue doing this for 5 minutes.
With practice, speed up your breathing. Beginners should always start slowly to avoid hyperventilating, but over time, it will be possible to turn this into a rapid breathing technique.

SUGGESTED USE

Please follow label or as directed by your practitioner.

Metabolic Nature of Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

See a complete list of all biocharacteristics.

INCREASES Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas) Functional Ayurveda helps you assess imbalances through 20 main biocharacteristics (gunas). Aggravating these characteristics weakens your body and causes imbalance. By knowing which characteristics are habitually imbalanced in your body, you will be able to identify and correct imbalances before you get sick. Every characteristic has an opposite which balances it (i.e. hot balances cold). You restore balance by favoring diet and lifestyle choices that increase the opposite characteristic. Learn More	CLEAR ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC Clear refers to anything that cleanses or flushes out wastes, or that digests ama. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAR LIGHT ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC Lightness is identified by reduced weight. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIGHT LIQUEFIED ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC Substances that thin fluids (lower viscosity of blood plasma). These may include blood thinners or mucolytic herbs. LEARN MORE ABOUT LIQUEFIED
DOSHAS The Three Doshas / Body Types According to the biocharacteristic theory of medicine, people tend to get sick, over and over again, due to habitual causes and imbalances that are unique to the person. Your body type summarizes this tendency, showing you the 'type' of conditions and imbalances that frequently challenge your health & wellness. Using body type, you can also identify remedies likely to improve your strength and resiliency. Your body type identifies physical and mental characteristics as well as your personal strengths and weaknesses. The calculation of your body type is based on your medical history. The 3 functional body types (doshas), are Catabolic (Vata), Metabolic (Pitta), and Anabolic (Kapha). Catabolic individuals tend to break down body mass into energy. They are easily stimulated, hyperactive, underweight and dry. Metabolic individuals tend to burn or use energy. They tend to be rosy-cheeked, easily irritated, focused, driven, and easily inflamed. Anabolic individuals tend to store energy as body mass. If they store too much energy, they could gain weight easily and have congestion. Anabolic people tend to be stable and grounded. Learn More	PACIFIES AGGRAVATES
HAS THE FOLLOWING	Moves Energy: Outward OUTWARD Outward-moving substances stimulate circulation, push heat towards the skin, or are stimulating. SEE ALL 'OUTWARD' FOODS / HERBS , Upward UPWARD Upward-moving substances (Urdvha Gati Marga) include anything stimulating or activating, or that move upward in the body. SEE ALL 'UPWARD' FOODS / HERBS Affinity: Anti Aging ANTI-AGING Geriatric conditions typically involve low agni / metabolism, poor circulation, weakness & debility, muscle weakening, poor digestion, a drop in sex hormones, and connective tissue degradation in bones & skin. SEE ALL 'ANTI-AGING' FOODS / HERBS , Digestion, Energy Vitality ENERGY-VITALITY Includes vitality improving foods, herbs, and exercises by dosha. SEE ALL 'ENERGY-VITALITY' FOODS / HERBS , Heart Circulation Blood, Respiratory Health
HERBAL ACTIONS (see all)	Medicinal Benefits, Uses & Herbal Actions of Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama) Experiences are Personal Experiences vary according to the person and constitution. Individual results may vary. The list of herbal-actions below has not be approved by the FDA and should not be used to treat a medical condition. Digestion: Digestive DIGESTIVE Herbs that encourage healthy digestion. SEE ALL 'DIGESTIVE' FOODS / HERBS Bowel Health: General Laxative GENERAL-LAXATIVE Promotes a bowel movement. General laxative is an umbrella term that refers to several different types of laxatives. SEE ALL 'GENERAL-LAXATIVE' FOODS / HERBS Cleanse & Detox: Internal Detoxicant INTERNAL-DETOXICANT Liquefies, dissolves, decongests or dislodges internal stagnant toxins. Decongests the lymphatic system. SEE ALL 'INTERNAL-DETOXICANT' FOODS / HERBS Mind, Stress & Sleep: Stimulates Crown STRONG STIMULATES-CROWN Creates a feeling of awareness or tension in the area at the top of the head. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-CROWN' FOODS / HERBS , Wakes You Up STRONG WAKES-YOU-UP Invigorates the body and nervous system, increases energy. SEE ALL 'WAKES-YOU-UP' FOODS / HERBS , Stimulates Front Of Brain STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAIN Creates a feeling of awareness or tension in the area in the forehead. Activates the frontal lobe - the area responsible for motor function, emotional expression, thinking, and decision making. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAIN' FOODS / HERBS , Antidepressant ANTIDEPRESSANT Herbs that lift feelings of depression, benefit the mind and improve mental function. SEE ALL 'ANTIDEPRESSANT' FOODS / HERBS , Anxiolytic ANXIOLYTIC Herbs that help people suffering from anxiety or panic. They promote a state of calm and often improve sleep. Most anxiolytic herbs are also nervines. SEE ALL 'ANXIOLYTIC' FOODS / HERBS , Nerve Stimulant NERVE-STIMULANT Provide short lived stimulation of the nervous system. SEE ALL 'NERVE-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS , Nervine NERVINE Balances the nervous system. They can help with stress, memory, early alzheimer's, and even chronic pain. Often they are aromatic in nature. SEE ALL 'NERVINE' FOODS / HERBS Energy Vitality: Builds Stamina BUILDS-STAMINA Promotes strength, endurance and resistance in the body. Rebuilds weak tissues after a time of depletion. SEE ALL 'BUILDS-STAMINA' FOODS / HERBS , Refreshing REFRESHING Stimulates and wakes up the body, leaving it feeling cool, fresh, and energized. SEE ALL 'REFRESHING' FOODS / HERBS , Stimulates Energy STIMULATES-ENERGY This category groups thyroid and adrenal stimulating herbs. SEE ALL 'STIMULATES-ENERGY' FOODS / HERBS , Adrenal Tonic ADRENAL-TONIC Strengthens, supports, or increases output of adrenals. SEE ALL 'ADRENAL-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Respiratory-Health: Decongestant DECONGESTANT An herb that reduces mucus production often by restricting blood flow to mucus membranes. SEE ALL 'DECONGESTANT' FOODS / HERBS , Expectorant EXPECTORANT Expectorants help you eliminate mucus from the lungs. These herbs often work by increasing the quantity of mucus, or thinning the mucus. Expectorants are indicated when phlegm congests the lower respiratory tract. SEE ALL 'EXPECTORANT' FOODS / HERBS , Lung Tonic LUNG-TONIC Strengthens the lungs. Lung tonics include antifibrotic, vessel tonic, or nourishing herbs with an affinity for the lungs. They aid recovery in acute or chronic lung conditions. SEE ALL 'LUNG-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Immune System: Adaptogen ADAPTOGEN Herbs that promote stabilization of physiological processes and homeostasis. Adaptogens increase the body's ability to resist the damaging effects of stress and promote or restore normal physiological functioning. SEE ALL 'ADAPTOGEN' FOODS / HERBS Heart & Circulation: Cardiac Stimulant CARDIAC-STIMULANT Herbs that increase the heart rate. Useful in cardiovascular health, blood stagnation, and subjective feeling of heaviness in the chest area. SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-STIMULANT' FOODS / HERBS , Alterative ALTERATIVE Restores the proper function of the body by cleansing the blood and balancing blood chemistry. In Ayurveda terms, they pacify Pitta in rakta. They were traditionally used to revitalize and detoxify after a long winter. SEE ALL 'ALTERATIVE' FOODS / HERBS , Blood Tonic BLOOD-TONIC An herb that produces more blood cells in the body, or otherwise improves blood cell quality or hemoglobin content. Helpful for anemia and other types of deficiency. SEE ALL 'BLOOD-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS , Cardiac Tonic CARDIAC-TONIC Strengthens and tones the heart (heart-tonic). Cardiac tonics are used to treat a wide range of heart issues from arrhythmia, to cardiac insufficiency. SEE ALL 'CARDIAC-TONIC' FOODS / HERBS Weight Loss: Lowers Blood Sugar LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR An herb that lowers blood sugar. SEE ALL 'LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR' FOODS / HERBS , Raises Thyroid RAISES-THYROID An herb that increases thyroid function. SEE ALL 'RAISES-THYROID' FOODS / HERBS Reproductive Health: Promotes Virility PROMOTES-VIRILITY Encourages virility and potency. SEE ALL 'PROMOTES-VIRILITY' FOODS / HERBS Strength, Muscle Health: Muscle Relaxant MUSCLE-RELAXANT Herbs that relax muscles. Helpful for chronic pain or tension as well as healing from physical trauma. SEE ALL 'MUSCLE-RELAXANT' FOODS / HERBS , Antispasmodic ANTISPASMODIC Herbs that reduce or inhibit muscle spasms or cramping, such as in asthma, menstruation, hear palpitations, migraine, or IBS. SEE ALL 'ANTISPASMODIC' FOODS / HERBS

Foods with a Similar Nature to Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Mustard

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Cardiac-stimulant, Digestive, Muscle-relaxant, Stimulates-front-of-brain, Cardiac-tonic, Expectorant, Promotes-virility, Wakes-you-up, Antispasmodic, Decongestant, Internal-detoxicant, Stimulates-energy

AYURVEDIC HERB SUPPLEMENTS

Bellows Breath (bhastrika Pranayama)

Table of Contents

How Does This Ayurvedic Home Remedy Improve Wellness?

CLINICAL AYURVEDIC REVIEW

How to do Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

SUGGESTED USE

Metabolic Nature of Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Increases These Biocharacteristics (Gunas)

ABOUT CLEAR BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT LIGHT BIOCHARACTERISTIC

ABOUT LIQUEFIED BIOCHARACTERISTIC

The Three Doshas / Body Types

OUTWARD

UPWARD

ANTI-AGING

ENERGY-VITALITY

DIGESTIVE

GENERAL-LAXATIVE

INTERNAL-DETOXICANT

STRONG STIMULATES-CROWN

STRONG WAKES-YOU-UP

STIMULATES-FRONT-OF-BRAIN

ANTIDEPRESSANT

ANXIOLYTIC

NERVE-STIMULANT

NERVINE

BUILDS-STAMINA

REFRESHING

STIMULATES-ENERGY

ADRENAL-TONIC

DECONGESTANT

EXPECTORANT

LUNG-TONIC

ADAPTOGEN

CARDIAC-STIMULANT

ALTERATIVE

BLOOD-TONIC

CARDIAC-TONIC

LOWERS-BLOOD-SUGAR

RAISES-THYROID

PROMOTES-VIRILITY

MUSCLE-RELAXANT

ANTISPASMODIC

Foods with a Similar Nature to Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Mustard has these Actions in Common

Mustard Powder has these Actions in Common

Mustard Seed has these Actions in Common

Mint has these Actions in Common

Allspice has these Actions in Common

Ginger (Fresh) has these Actions in Common

Rosemary has these Actions in Common

Basil has these Actions in Common

Fennel Seeds has these Actions in Common

Thyme (fresh) has these Actions in Common

Daikon Radish has these Actions in Common

Herb Supplements with a Similar Nature to Bellows Breath (Bhastrika Pranayama)

Breath of Fire / Shining Skull (Kapalbhati Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Breathing Exercises has these Actions in Common

Belly breathing has these Actions in Common

Holy Basil Leaf (Tulsi) has these Actions in Common

Eleuthero Ginseng has these Actions in Common

External Breath (Bahya Pranayama) has these Actions in Common

Punarnava has these Actions in Common

Chyavanprash Nutritive Jam has these Actions in Common

Amalaki has these Actions in Common

Shilajit Tonic has these Actions in Common

TRADITIONALLY INDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Mind, Stress & Sleep

Heart, Blood & Circulation

Weight Loss

Digestion

Bowel, Poop Elimination

Lifestyle

Respiratory, Lung, Throat & Sinus

Bones, Muscles & Tendons

Skin Care

Diet

CONTRAINDICATED FOR THESE SYMPTOMS

Digestion

ENZYME DEFICIENCIES
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MASTER AYURVEDIC
DIGESTION & NUTRITION