Apana mudra is a hand mudra for body detoxification.
Apana mudra is a safe, easy to practice and effective yoga mudra for people of all ages.
In Sanskrit, Apana means downward moving force. Apana mudra governs the pelvic region of your body.
The pelvic region refers to the lower abdomen of the body. It contains digestive and reproductive organs.
Apana mudra facilitates smooth and harmonious downward moving force in the digestive system to regulate the movement of body toxins downward. In relieves constipation and makes the bowel movements regular, relieving indigestion, gastritis, constipation and hemorrhoids.
Healthy, glowing skin, your skin is the reflection of your gut health. Almost all the skin problems; acne, pimples, blemishes, eczema, psoriasis, are related to your metabolism. If you are digesting food properly and realising the waste (toxins) smooth bowel movements, you will improve your skin health. Regular practice of apana mudra can speed up the elimination process to help get a clear, glowing skin.
Regulates diabetes, it increases urination and sweating, helping reduce the blood sugar level to regulate diabetes.
Increases the energy level, smooth bowel movements lift your mood and make you feel energetic. By detoxifying your body, apana mudra makes you feel light, energetic and cheerful.
Clears sinus infections
Relieves menstruation symptoms, It helps in regulating the menstrual cycles.
How to do Apana Mudra
The tips of middle and index fingers would jointly touch the tip of the thumb. Remaining two fingers would be stretched out.
This mudra should be done with both hands simultaneously.
When to do and for how long
it should be practiced in the morning, empty stomach so that all the energy can be utilized freely, if this is not possible you can do it at any time throughout the day by maintaining a gap of at least 2 hours between meals and mudra
You should practice Apana mudra for a minimum of 10 minutes and to the optimum of 45 minutes. You could practice this Mudra in 3 installments of 15 minutes each per day, no need to stress yourself to find the block of time, it is accumulative.
Practice it regularly for at least 6 to 8 weeks to get good results.
Contraindications
As apana mudra generates a strong downward pulling force in the body, it should not be performed by pregnant women during the initial 8 months of the pregnancy as it can cause miscarriage. During the 9th month, it can actually help in smooth and easy childbirth.
People suffering from diarrhea, dysentery, cholera and colitis should not practice apana mudra
Don’t practice Apana mudra immediately after the meals.
What are toxins and why do you want to eliminate them
Every day, when we eat food, the nutrients contained in the food are burnt to provide necessary energy to our body. The oxygen that we breathe in from the environment acts as a catalyst here.
These body wastes (toxins) can be divided in three categories:
Gaseous like carbon dioxide- to be removed through lungs by breathing out.
Liquid like urine and sweat- to be excreted through kidney (urination) and skin (sweating)
Solid like stool- to be eliminated through colon by bowel movements
Elimination of these body toxins from our body is a normal routine process carried out by our metabolism.
The problem arises when this process gets obstructed due to;
Drinking less fluids- water and other liquids.
Sedentary lifestyle with little or no physical movement.
Unhealthy diet with more intake of highly processed foods rich in salt, sugar, saturated fats and refined white flour.
Eating less of fibrous foods- whole grains, raw fruits and vegetables.
Overeating or skipping meals.
Irregular meal timing.
Improper sleep.
Consumption of tobacco (smoking), drugs, and alcohol.
Stress, anxiety and tension in daily life.
Apart from these lifestyle habits, chronic illness and nutritional deficiency also hamper the process of body detoxification.
References
http://www.healthmelody.com/yoga-and-pranayam/apana-mudra-helps-in-body-detox-and-digestion/
http://www.aghori.it/mudra_eng.htm
http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/yoga/health-and-wellness/mudras-yoga-at-fingertips
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