IMPORTANCE OF YOGA
Yoga is one of the most beneficial body practices that originated in ancient India. Yoga is a Sanskrit word which means ‘union’. It is the union of mind, spirit and body. Realizing its importance, United Nations has declared June 21 as the International Yoga Day.
Yoga comprises a serious of physical and mental exercises. At the physical level, the methods comprise various yoga postures or ‘asana’ that aim to keep the body healthy. The mental techniques include breathing exercises or ‘pranayama’ and meditation to discipline the mind.
Yoga is the best form of exercise to maintain proper health of the body and brain. It saves us from many diseases. It may help decrease risk factor for heart disease. It also helps in increasing flexibility, muscle strength and improves posture. Regular practice of yoga can help lose weight, relieve stress and anxiety and improve our immunity. Yoga incorporates many breathing exercises which could help improve breathing and lung function. It may help enhance sleep quality. It also promotes healthy eating habits.
For students, yoga is helpful in building physical strength, endurance, self-control, discipline, confidence and in managing examination stress. It also helps to improve memory function and student’s attention span and focus; a direct benefit would be a better academic performance.
Yoga is a way of living that aims toward ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’. It is important to practice yoga on a daily basis in order to get the best possible benefits.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The word ‘Climate Change’ is used to refer to long term periodic variations in the weather patterns that are observed over several decades or more. It can make weather patterns less predictable. Climate change has always happened on earth; it is the rapid rate and magnitude of climate change occurring now that is of great concern worldwide.
Climate change is attributed directly or indirectly to human interference. Human activities such as burning of fossil fuels are releasing excessive amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into our atmosphere are responsible for climate change. These greenhouse gases cause atmosphere to trap more heat it used to, leading to a warmer earth. Deforestation, change in land-use patterns and increasingly intensive agriculture are other important reasons for global climate change.
Climate change destabilizes the earth’s temperature equilibrium and increased concentration of greenhouse gases has a significant impact on humans and the environment. The direct consequences of man-made climate change include rising temperatures, rising sea levels, higher ocean temperatures, and an increase in rainfall and shrinking glaciers. Its indirect consequences can be increase in hunger and water crisis, health risks through rising temperature and heat waves and loss of biodiversity.
Climate change is a global phenomenon that demands global solutions. International cooperation is must to mitigate its adverse impacts. There is a need to avoid significant human interference with the climate system and stabilize the greenhouse gas levels by following economic development in a sustainable and environment friendly manner.
