Flu-proof
Colds and flus can strike any time of the year. However, winter’s cold, dry air creates the perfect host environment for germs. The drier the air, the longer germs stay airborne. And the more close contact you have with other people, the more likely their germs are to migrate to you. To top it off, cold weather can throw your health out of balance by suppressing the immune system – a team of trillions of white bloods cells that fend off attacks from unwelcome invaders like viruses.
As a kid all my vacation plans often got derailed, when I’d fall victim to a winter bug. I would contract a cold or a flue from nowhere and become a receptacle of pills – colorful pills, I thought at that time, anti-flue agents that over the years managed to ruin my lymphatic system and stomach flora. Throughout the years of religious yoga practice I have formed a flue-proof jacket to shield me from unwanted hosts. Even more, I have developed special immune boosting sequences for my students that integrate inversions with forward and back bends and tapping practices to stimulate the lymphatic system. The lymph is in fact aclear, watery fluid that moves through the body picking up bacteria and viruses and filtering them out via the lymph nodes. Unlike blood, which moves as a result of the heart pumping, lymph moves by muscular contractions. Physical exercise, such as yoga, is key for keeping lymph flowing. The movement of lymph is also affected by gravity, so anytime your head is below your heart—for example, in inversions and forward bends the lymph moves into the respiratory organs, where germs often enter the body. When you return to an upright position, gravity drains the lymph, sending it through your lymph nodes for cleansing.
Yoga can also help stimulate the four main physiological systems that are linked to the immune system: the circulatory system, the digestive system, the nervous system and the endocrine system. Actually, poses that affect at least one of these four systems help bolster immune system function.
Yoga can also help stimulate the four main physiological systems that are linked to the immune system: the circulatory system, the digestive system, the nervous system and the endocrine system. Actually, poses that affect at least one of these four systems help bolster immune system function.
Furthermore, Yoga can help protect the system from viral invaders as it detoxifies and oxygenates the system. Every time we twist we flush away stale toxins from the stomach, the liver, the kidneys and intestines and facilitate the inflow of oxygen into the brain. Because it is based on the principle of oppositional pull, almost every pose in yoga promotes glandular secretion and maintains optimal endocrine health. I always tell my students that while in class or at home on their mats, they are not only assuming poses and doing physical and mental exercise, they are also massaging all the organs internally – triggering acupressure points known to evict viruses and bacteria. More importantly, because yoga elicits the parasympathetic nervous system response it helps reduce stress and fatigue, the two precursors of lowered immunity.
When you couple the essential immune boosting poses with super-foods like quinoa, wheat grass, “propolis” products, lentil, avocado, and mushrooms you are most likely to charge your immune system by increasing the number of disease-fighting white blood cells in your bloodstream. Also, don’t forget to soothe your sinuses, irrigating one nostril at a time. Most colds enter the body through the nose’s mucous membranes. A “neti” pot, a traditional Indian spouted vessel used to rinse the sinus passages, helps to clear the area of excess mucus and viruses. You can also try a squeeze bottle that comes with premeasured salt packets, and practically serves the same purpose. Make meditation the number one priority in your immune boosting tool kit. Stress is the immune system’s worst enemy, increasing the production of cortisol and adrenaline, generating mental and physical tension, and compromising the body’s ability to fight bacteria. While restorative yoga is optimal for switching from a fight for flight to a relaxation response, it yields best results when paired with at least 30 minutes of moderate cardio-vascular exercise. Increasing your heart rate speeds up the circulation of white blood cells, making it more likely they will seek and destroy germs early on. However, be careful not to overdo it and strike the balance. Overexertion lowers the immune system, leaving you more (not less) vulnerable to illness.
Don’t forget to stick your natural-medicine kit with Ayurvedic herbs like ginger and turmeric. Both are clinically proven to bolster flagging immunity. . The warm, sweet, heavy root of Indian ginger supports the nervous system and gives the body the ability to cope with stress. Turmeric is beneficial for its antiviral and antibacterial properties. When cooking with turmeric, you can add a pinch of black pepper to increase its potency. If you fall sick, you might need to take supplements to get a truly medicinal dose, tapering the dose every two hours until the cold fizzles. But perhaps the simplest and most effective remedy is to drown the bacteria in water. To ward off germs close to home, just add water—to the air and to your body. Moisture may be a natural weapon against airborne germs, as germ-infused droplets from sneezes and coughs stay airborne longer in dry air. Low humidity can also dry the mucous membranes. A humidifier is the best way to increase your home’s humidity level. And last not least, be sure to drink eight glasses of water daily to keep your body hydrated.
And, remember eat an apple a day, and keep the doctor and the flu shot away!
Yogea immunity boosting sequence: Flu-proof
This Yogea sequence improves circulation through the Lymphatic system as it boosts the body’s self defense mechanism. It kicks off with tapping and breathing exercises to stimulate the thymus gland and lymph nodes and open the main nerve channels through which prana or life force passes to nourish the cells. A swift and fluid warm up that opens the arms and legs, groins and shoulders, head and lower back simultaneously guide students into a cardio flow. Further, backbends alternate with forward bends, standing poses morph into seated bound twists, as the pelvic and shoulder girdle open to stimulate the lymph nodes. The sequences culminates with inversions and bound backbends that promote circulation and winds down with soothing forward bends and legs up the wall. The sequence integrates tapping and breathing defense boosters with lymph-bolstering asanas that stimulate the four main physiological systems that are linked to the immune system: the circulatory, the digestive, the nervous and the endocrine system.
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