Specific Asanas and Exercises for Specific Health Conditions

{We strongly recommend that chronic sufferers should consult their doctor before commencing any exercises.  It is better to learn from a qualified Yoga teacher}

Ageing, To Delay	Full practice, mental and physical, with special emphasis on Headstand; Half-shoulderstand; Shoulderstand. All swinging-downward exercises and Slow Movements; Raised Poses. All breathing cycles; Recharging of Vital Energy; Uddiyana; Nauli; Savasana; Yoga-mudra. Mental Exercises: Mind Mirror; Releasing of Inner Light; Concentration on Love and Devotion.
Ankles, Swollen	Headstand; Inverted Poses; Vajroli mudra.
Arms, To Firm	Arm exercises. Raised Poses. Head of a Cow Pose.
Arthritis	All asanas and exercises possible.
Asthma	All abdominal breathing. Pose of a Frog; Pose of a Fish; Savasana.
Backache, From Displaced Organs	Headstand; Inverted Poses; Aswini mudra.
Backache, From Weak Muscles	Back exercises; Plough; Cobra.
Backache, From Menstruation	Spinal Twist; Fish; Locust; Camel; Headstand. Breathing away pain; Sending prana to spine.
Bust, To Firm	Cobra; Camel; Bust exercises.
Chin, To Prevent Double And Firm Underneath	Pose of a Camel; Supine Pelvic; Face exercises; Pose of a Lion.
Circulatory Troubles	Triangular Pose. Inverted Poses. Breathing cycles.
Colds	All breathing cycles, specially Blacksmith's Bellows; Headstand; Shoulderstand; Vital Energy charging.
Concentration, To Improve	Headstand; Half-shoulderstand; Lotus Pose; Balancing Poses; Yoga-mudra; Concentration exercises.
Confidence, Loss Of	Headstand; Raised Poses; Cobra; Spinal Twist; Lotus Pose; Balancing Poses; Vajroli mudra; Angular Pose; Mental exercises.
Constipation	Uddiyana; Nauli; Head-to-knee; Plough; Fish; Cobra; Savasana; Locust; Inverted Poses; Yoga-mudra; Aswinimudra; Vajroli-mudra.
Depression	General practice, especially Savasana; Headstand and all inverted poses; Cobra; Vajroli-mudra; Locust; Spinal Twist; Breathing cycles; Mental exercises; Also diet control.
Dowager's Hump	Neck exercises. Pose of a Camel; Headstand; Inverted Poses.
Energy, Vital -Loss Of	Headstand; Shoulderstand; Savasana; Vajroli-mudra; Breathing cycles; Recharging cycles; Energy-charging cycles; Circulating Life Force.
Facial Muscles, Sagging	Inverted Poses; Headstand; Facial exercises. Head of a Cow; Yoga-mudra.
Fear	Pose of a Hero; Lotus Pose; Headstand; Shoulderstand; Vajroli-mudra; Spinal Twist; Cobra; Meditation; Mental exercises, specially on Fear.
Feet, Swollen	Inverted poses; Feet exercises.
Cold	Circulation Exercises. Warming breath. Triangular Pose.
Flatulence	Knee-to-stomach Pose; Digestive cycles; Breathing cycles.
Frustration, General	Breathing cycles; Savasana; Lotus Pose; All mental exercises.
Frustration, Sexual	Dangerous Pose, and transmuting of energies.
Hemorrhoids	Inverted poses; Aswini-mudra; walking on buttocks; Massage.
Hearing, Failing	Headstand; Half-shoulderstand; All forward swinging exercises; Yoga-mudra.
Heart Conditions	Savasana; Breathing cycles for slowing down breath and heart. Mental exercises; Pose of a Frog; Pose of a Child; Diamond Pose. Lotus Pose; Fish Pose; in some cases, with doctors permission, Headstand.
Hot Flushes	Savasana; Shoulderstand; Quiet breathing cycles; Cooling breath.
Hypertension	Savasana; Pacifying breathing cycles; Frog Pose; Cross-legged Poses; Fish Pose; Diamond Pose; Mental exercises.
Impotence	Headstand; Shoulderstand; Savasana; Aswini-mudra; Vajroli-mudra; Breathing cycles; Transmuting of energies.
Indigestion	Digestive cycle; Stomach contractions; Savasana; Knees to-stomach; Head-to-knee; Pacifying Breaths; Vajroli mudra; Yoga-mudra; Forward-stretching.
Insomnia	Spinal massage-rocking; Triangular Pose; Savasana; Breathing cycles; Plough; Locust; Head-to-knee.
Joints, Stiffness Of	All general practice, with emphasis on all exercises; Lotus Pose; Forward-stretching cycle; Spinal Twist; Archer; Camel; Eagle; Fish.
Legs, To Improve And Firm	Eagle; Angular Pose; Forward-stretching cycle; Lotus; Head-to-knee.
Memory, Failing	Headstand; Yoga-mudra; Pose of a Hare. Exercises bringing blood to the head. Mental exercises.
Menopause	Savasana; Breathing and recharging cycles; Cobra; Spinal Twist; Head-to-knee; Stomach contractions; Ashwini mudra; Shoulderstand; Mental exercises.
Menstrual Difficulties	Shoulderstand; Plough; Fish; Locust; Stomach contractions; Aswini-mudra; Cobra; Head-to-knee; Savasana.
Migraine	Savasana; Headstand; Breathing cycles.
Neck, To Firm	Neck exercises; Pose of a Camel.
Prolapse	Headstand and all inverted poses; Aswini-mudra; Abdominal contractions (with doctor's approval).
Prostate Gland, Enlargement	Aswini-mudra; Arch gesture.
Relative Strength, Loss Of	Raised poses.
Rheumatism	Spinal Twist; Cobra; Locust and general practice.
Sciatica	Spinal Twist.
Sexual Debility	Headstand; Shoulderstand; Vajroli-mudra; Half-shoulderstand; Plough; Fish; Eagle; Aswini-mudra; Frog Pose; Spinal Twist; Uddiyana. Transmutation of energies.
Sight, Care Of	Eye exercises; Headstand; Half-shoulder stand; yoga-mudra; All forward swinging exercises.
Sinus Trouble	Headstand; Breathing cycles; Blacksmith's Bellows.
Stomach, To Firm And Slim	Uddiyana; Nauli; Camel; Locust; Forward-stretching cycle; Archer; Spinal Twist; Vajroli-mudra; All stomach exercises.
Stress And Tension	Savasana; Shoulderstand; Pacifying breaths; Balancing Poses; Angular Pose; Cross-legged Poses; Diamond Pose; Pose of a Frog; Mental exercises.
Teeth	Headstand; Half-shoulderstand; Face and neck exercises.
Thighs, To Firm	Cobra; Locust; Lotus; Star Pose; Head-to-knee; Supine pelvic.
Throat, Weakness Of	Pose of a Lion; Breathing cycles; Shoulderstand.
Thyroid Deficiency	Shoulderstand; Cobra with chin pressed in; Choking Pose; Recharging breaths; Mental exercises.
Ulcers	Savasana; Breathing cycles; Fish Pose; Pose of a Frog; Diamond Pose; All mental exercises.
Varicose Veins	All inverted poses, including Headstand.
Waistline, To Reduce	Sideways swing; Spinal Twist; Cobra; Forward-stretching cycle.
Weight, Excess	Shoulderstand; All general practice; Diet.
Weight, Deficiency	Shoulderstand; Savasana; Breathing cycles; Diet.
Worry	All breathing cycles; Recharging with energy; Shoulder stand; Savasana; Pose of a Hero; Pose of a Frog; Fish Pose; Lotus Pose; Mental exercises.
Wrinkles	Headstand; Half-shoulder stand; Knee-to-stomach; Face exercises; Yoga-mudra; All forward-stretching movements; Pose of a Camel. Head of a Cow.

Special Precautions

If you are suffering from	Avoid these exercises or asenas
Blood-pressure - hypertension	Inverted poses; Breathing exercises that increase pressure in the head; Swinging down from the waist; Any exercise that brings blood to the head.
Weak eye capillaries	As above
Inflamed ears or eyes	As above
Varicose veins	Positions that slow down circulation in legs ... e.g. Lotus, sitting back on heels, Supine pelvic . . . or put pressure on leg veins
Prolapse of uterus	All strenuous raised poses
Stomach contractions	Do not practice for three hours after meals; Avoid exercising during menstruation or pregnancy or in the case of ulcers.