Practicing yoga regularly helps to increase our blood flow, reduce stress and also promote our lymphatic system which is responsible for clearing out our body toxins; overall thus, increasing the immunity.
Here are 4 key yoga poses to boost your immunity –
1. Pranayama
An integral part of the yoga practice for decades, Pranayama clears the respiratory tract and improves its resistance level and helps boost our immune system.
Steps –
• Sit on a mat with legs crossed in a spacious room.
• Keep your head straight and your spine erect. With your face forward, and your eyes pointing to the nose tip, close your eyes and sit relaxed.
• Take a deep breath slowly, hold it as much as you can and exhale it slowly. Do this for about 5 times.
2. Balasana
Known as Child’s pose, this benefits the immune system.
Steps –
• Sit on the mat with your knees bent and at least a hip width apart.
• Bend your body and rest it on the top of your thighs. Keep your forehead on the floor.
• Place your arms next to you, adjacent to the feet and palms facing up.
• Exhaling, press the hips to the heels and stretch your body.
• Stay in this pose for up to 2 minutes.
• To release, inhale and press the hands into the floor to lift yourself up to seated position.
3. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Dog Pose)
This asana works out your entire body and increases the blood circulation thus benefiting the immune system. This pose sends out energy throughout the body.
Steps –
• Come down onto your fours.
• As you breathe out, lift the hips up, knees & elbows straight, forming an inverted V-shape with the body.
• Hands must be shoulder width apart, and feet hip width apart and parallel to each other. Your toes must point straight ahead.
• Press your hands firmly into the ground and widen through the shoulder blades.
• Hold the downward dog pose and take long deep breaths for a few seconds.
• While you exhale, bend the knees and return.
4. Bhujangasana
Called as the Cobra pose, this can help in the production of cells that fight diseases.
Steps –
• Lie down on the yoga mat in supine position and stretch your legs outwards, the heels in contact.
• Rest your hands, palms facing the mat, alongside your chest.
• Inhaling deeply, push your neck, chest, and head backwards.
• Hold your breath and remain in the position, for about 10 seconds.
• To release, exhale deeply, and come back to the initial stage.
Krishnendu Ayurveda recommends performing these poses daily for 30 to 60 minutes to ensure a strong immune system and a fit and healthy life.
