Yoga for Immune Health
The most intimate relationship we have is with our own bodies. It is with us at all times, and its comfort or discomfort has a profound effect on our mental and emotional state, as well as our work, relationships and quality of life. Offer gold and fame to someone who is pain and they will shun it all for some physical relief! That is the body of the body.
Yoga is a highly effective technology for elevating the entire human experience, and the poses below are particularly useful for supporting digestive and hormonal health, as well as improving circulation, respiratory conditions and slow metabolism. Try each pose out and try going beyond just the physical experience; notice the shift in mind, emotions and the subtle energies as the body opens us and finds equilibrium.
Whether you are a seasoned practitioner or a newbie, there are asana that will work for you. Below are some fundamentals that are particularly helpful for supporting immune health by targeting some key areas of the body that are often overlooked by conventional exercise. Yoga invites us to begin with the breath and allow the body to follow, so we avoid rushing or pushing through movements, and reduce the risk of injury (or allowing the ego to get in the way!). It’s best to hold each pose for 10-15 breaths to really get the benefits; more is not necessarily better. If we are consistent, we will begin to develop a deeper connection with our own bodies and understand that natural shifts that occur with our diet, routine, age and even the seasons and broader cosmic changes around us.
But first, we must begin:
Baddhakonasana
Cobblers pose
Relieves sciatica and hernias, maintains kidney, bladder and prostate health, regulates female reproductive health and ovarian functions, receives menstrual pain.
Tips:
Rather than focusing on bringing the knees to the floor, try to gently bring the feet close to the hips. Then use each exhalation to encourage the hips to open slowly, sitting tall and relaxed.
Vrukasana (Tree Pose)
Improves stability, tones and strengthens the legs, relieves back and neck pain, reduces stiffness in the hips and knees.
Tips:
Place the lifted foot on either the thigh or the calf, not the knee. Keep the chest open and lengthen the side body, while pressing into and spreading the standing foot for stability.
Virbhadrasana
(warrior pose)
Encourages deep breathing and clearing congestion in lungs, relieves shoulder and chest stiffness, strengthens the whole body and tones the waist and hips.
Tips:
Ensure the legs are spread apart to encourage the front thigh to be parallel to the floor. Spread the arms to 180 degrees and actively reach them in opposite directions. Keep the chest, core and pelvis strong and lifted; don’t let them splay outwards.
Surya namaskar (Sun salutation)
This series of twelve poses is the perfect morning asana to wake the body up and connect it to the solar energy of the day (hence the name surya or sun). The poses improves digestion and circulation, relieves joint and muscle stiffness from sleep, and tones the nervous system. The deep opening stretch pictured on the right is particularly helpful for supporting the gut-brain connection via the vagus nerve which runs from the brain stems all along the front of the body into the pelvis. Just five rounds of sun salutations can bring a greater sense of awareness, just make sure movement follows a slow, deep breathing pattern.
