Ms. Namita Nayyar
Yoga rituals you would like the pregnant and lactating woman to follow, also to help during delivery
Ms.Namita Piparaiya
The type of poses changes with each trimester, and no two pregnant women are the same. Therefore, pregnancy yoga should be customized to each woman’s unique needs. It is best to consult an expert before starting a yoga routine.
But here are a few things to keep in mind – listen to your body, don’t overdo stretching, don’t do complicated postures that you didn’t do when you were not pregnant. In the first trimester, you mustn’t overheat the body; inversions are discouraged from week 10-13, lying down flat on the ground may become uncomfortable as the pregnancy progresses. And more importantly, focus on strength and stability rather than just stretching as the body produces a hormone called relaxin which naturally makes expecting mothers more flexible. Therefore, one should be careful not to overstretch or destabilize the joints. Use props for support and modify postures as needed.
A few postures that are generally suitable are Child pose which is helpful with nausea in the early days of pregnancy, Goddess Pose helps support the pelvic floor, and poses like Warrior 1 and II can also help stretch and strengthen the legs. Bound angle pose is excellent to end your practice or to relax anytime you need it. A mindful yoga practice can help alleviate aches and pains, stress, anxiety, and fatigue. So, one must make yoga is a part of their daily routine.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
New Yoga trends like Hot Yoga, Anusara, are upcoming, share your thoughts on the same?
Ms. Namita Piparaiya
Yoga is a constantly evolving practice. As more teachers across the globe adopt it, they personalize it bringing in their unique elements. Innovation is always good. It keeps Yoga relevant to modern-day life. It allows the new knowledge to be absorbed, which only enhances this ancient practice. It also allows people of all cultures, temperaments, and expectations to find a practice that suits their needs. However, if the practice does not include all three aspects, which are Asana, Pranayama, and Meditation, then it is incomplete.
Since the western world is more used to physical fitness activities, there’s a tendency to reduce Yoga to a physical practice. I don’t think it is intentional; this is just what happens when a different culture reinterprets a native tradition. When there’s no familiarity or affinity towards internal practices like Pranayama and Meditation, new practitioners may inadvertently bypass it and stick with something that they know or can relate to – like moving their body. As a result, most commercial yoga establishments and popular schools today focus more on physical aspects of Yoga rather than internal ones.
To bring balance and diversity into Yoga, there should be more encouragement given to native Yoga Teachers who come from the culture and may perhaps have a better understanding of the more subtle aspects of the practice.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Share your daily fitness routine? How do you like to kick start your day?
Ms. Namita Piparaiya
I like to begin my day before sunrise, which means my routine starts with going to bed on time the previous night. Before anything else, I like to start my day with sectional breathing and meditation. If the weather is very cold, I may practice Sukshma Vyayama or gentle joint rotations before that.
I like to follow up my meditation with some non-fiction reading. This is a time when I am in a very calm space and not yet ready for a lot of activity—reading works as a bridge between meditation and the rest of my day.
After that, I begin my physical practice. Yoga is a part of my daily fitness routine. On days when I practice Yoga, I include various Asanas that are a mix of heating and cooling postures. A few times a week, I also like to add some HIIT or free weights for variety. These days my yoga practices are more grounding and restorative.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Foods you prefer in your Diet? 5 foods you try to keep to a minimum.
Ms. Namita Piparaiya
I believe in intuitive eating as it eliminates negativity around food and helps us reconnect with our bodies. It encourages you to eat if you’re hungry and to stop if you’re not. The focus is on tuning into our feelings and emotions rather than suppressing them. And by building such awareness about our body’s signals, we can learn to interpret them accurately. It has greatly transformed my relationship with food.
I enjoy all fruits and vegetables and what I prefer keeps changing from season to season. But a theme that is consistent throughout the year is that I love colorful food. So, there’s always be a pop of colors with vegetables or herbs that I can find.
For example, in the last couple of months, I’ve enjoyed making Asian meals. They have many vibrant and colorful vegetables like broccoli, zucchini, corn, bell peppers, spring onions, and herbs, basil and coriander, and so on. They were a staple in my kitchen, and I would mix them up with paneer, tofu, or seitan-based gravies. Another cuisine I prefer is the Mediterranean, which means hummus, falafel, and feta-based salads are frequent. In Indian cuisine, I am that rare person who loves all types of gourds, from Ghiya, Turai to Tinda! They’re soul food, and I include them often in my meals.
Foods I try and keep to a minimum are white flour, sugar, alcohol, processed and packaged snacks. However, as someone who eats intuitively, I don’t deny myself something if I feel like having it. So, if I feel like eating a slice of chocolate cake, I will eat it and enjoy it. Or suppose I am eating pita bread made with white flour, which has lots of raw and pickled vegetables, hummus, and falafel. In that case, I will not be very concerned about it. The white flour then becomes a means to get in a lot of other nutrient-rich foods.
So, my approach is that of moderation. Nothing is all good, nothing is all bad, in the correct quantity, everything has a role to play.
Ms. Namita Nayyar
Being the cover girl for Women Fitness India, you are an inspiration for many – messages you would like to give beginner yoga followers.
Ms.Namita Piparaiya
Thank you for the honor of featuring me in Women’s Fitness. My message to anyone beginning yoga is not to get overwhelmed or intimidated by complicated postures. They are not crucial in the larger scheme of things. Everyone benefits from the practice, irrespective of how deep their yoga pose is. The result you seek from your practice is how you feel at the end of it and how it enriches your life, interactions, and emotions. And the better quality of life is ultimately achieved through breath awareness and mindfulness.
So, always follow your intuition. There are many different styles of yoga, and with regular practice, you’ll find the one that’s perfect for you. Some of you will be more driven towards advanced hatha yoga postures, others will find themselves naturally connected with pranayama and meditation, and others will find great joy in gentle yoga practices. You should identify what works for you and carry on your journey. It will naturally evolve in a way that’s best for you.
Yoga is a beautiful practice that has the power to transform not just you but the world around you. It simplifies life; it empowers you to take charge of your emotions and rise above the obstacles of life. It’ll make you stronger in body and mind.
Know More About Namita Piparaiya
This interview is exclusive and taken by Namita Nayyar, President womenfitness.org, and should not be reproduced, copied, or hosted in part or full anywhere without express permission.
All Written Content Copyright © 2021 Women Fitness Org