Indulge Time Pass: Yoga guru Ira Trivedi shares a dummy’s guide for quarantine wellness

Trivedi’s wellness routine sticks to some basic, old school routines which can do wonders for our systems
Ira Trivedi has some beginner's wellness tips
Ira Trivedi has some beginner's wellness tips

Yogi and author Ira Trivedi thinks we have an abundance of wellness opportunities right now, and there can’t be any reason not to get in shape. Trivedi who has been hosting online yoga sessions has noticed that since the lockdown began more and more people have started joining her virtual wellness classes, and thinks there can be no better time to invest some energy on getting better. “I see some people coming to my online sessions twice a day! Think about it, we have time now, we are at home, we don’t have to spend time commuting, everyone should go for the basic routines,” she tells journalist Kaveri Bamzai during a recent Indulge Timepass session. 

Trivedi during one of her classes
Trivedi during one of her classes

Trivedi’s Instagram is chock-a-block with helpful asanas, diet hacks and wellness rituals for people trying to cope with their quarantines. And here are some beginner’s pointers she revealed during Indulge Timepass, which can benefit everyone:

What are the basic yoga asanas anyone can and should do amid the lockdown?

Everyone should learn surya namaskar. It's a full body workout, it also needs little space. Also, Pranayam because it builds strength in our respiratory systems. It’s so important because people have started to have anxieties about what’s about to happen two weeks later when we enter the real world, how can we protect ourselves then? So our immunity systems are our shields now.  

For a normal person, six rounds or 12 surya namaskars in total is good. It takes you 15 to 17 minutes, that’s like doing that 15 minutes of cardio. Although I think a little bit of old school cardio is good, like spot jogging, jumping jacks, skip rope etc. We’re eating, sleeping, and we’re getting sluggish, so doing these exercises is not a choice anymore.

Trivedi is a Pranayam loyalist
Trivedi is a Pranayam loyalist

What are the basic principles for doing Pranayam the right way?

With breathing, it’s important to do it really slowly. The highest yogis I know inhale a breath slowly. Sit with your spine straight, start breathing from the abdomen, very slowly take the breath all the way up along the side of your body and make each breath last 20-30 seconds. The exhaling can also take 30-40 seconds. Do this for 5 minutes. Simple deep breaths integrate our entire respiratory systems. 

What are the health foods we should focus on?

Not all health foods are applicable to everyone, since everyone has different constitutions. Certain fruits and vegetables aren’t for me, they don’t make me feel good. Something like ajwain water works great on me but can be of no help to someone with a bitter constitution. Like when you are prescribed antibiotics, you are prescribed according to your specific needs. So there are very simple ayurvedic principles which are applicable to the indian diet, I suggest everyone to do some basic tests to learn about their constitutions and get the essentials of ayurvedic eating right. 

Every health routine is tailored. Like milk, it’s not great for everyone. Milk makes some people very calm and happy, others not so much. Some people love fermented foods, some of us don’t like them. It takes some effort to build that awareness. If you have turmeric every morning, try adding a pinch of black pepper which really helps absorption. You can also add amla to your diet.

Some people end up working 12-14 hours amid the lockdown. How can they stay in shape?

Take small breaks, make sure you are getting up every few hours, walk around, simple tasks like pulling the body up, raising your arms work great. It’s such a simple stretch and makes you feel better. You actually have to be more disciplined than most people. 

You can watch the video here: 

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