Yoga Asanas and Meditation to Help You Strengthen Your Immunity

Yoga Asanas and Meditation to Help You Strengthen Your Immunity

Yoga and meditation the key to increased immunity.

The immune system is our body’s personal cavalry, navy, and air force system. The highly advanced piece of technology that is the human body comes with its own in-built defense mechanism. Without the immune system, we would have no protection against harmful substances from the environment, diseases, and harmful cells.

Immunity is of 2 types, active and passive immunity. When our own immune system protects us from a pathogen, this is called active immunity. When we gain protection against a pathogen from someone else, this is passive immunity. The immune system contains white blood cells, antibodies, the lymphatic system, the spleen, the thymus, and the bone marrow.

Keeping both the mind and body strong can raise immunity levels, we also need to take care of our diet and consume immunity building foods.

Follow these yoga practices to improve your immune system.

Also Read: Being Yoga: Advice From Top Yoga, Fitness & Ayurveda Experts

Paschimottanasana

Paschimottanasana

Formation of the posture:

• Begin with Dandasana
• Ensure that your knees are slightly bent while your legs are stretched out forward
• Extend your arms upward and keep your spine erect
• Exhale and empty your stomach of air
• With the exhale, bend forward at the hip and place your upper body on your lower body
• Lower your arms and grip your big toes with your fingers
• Try to touch your knees with your nose

Breathing Methodology: Exhale while bending forward

Also Read: Yoga is Just As Good As Aerobic Exercises for Brain Health

Dhanurasana

Dhanurasana

Formation of the posture:

• Begin by lying down on your stomach
• Bend your knees and hold your ankles with your palms
• Have a strong grip
• Lift your legs and arms as high as you can
• Look up and hold the posture for a while

Breathing Methodology: Inhale while lifting the body up

Also Read: Insomnia Not Letting You Catch Enough Zs? Yoga Might Help

Chakrasana

Chakrasana

Formation of the posture:

• Fold your legs at your knees and ensure that your feet are placed firmly on the floor
• Place your palms next to your ears, with fingers pointing forward
• Inhale, put pressure on your palms and legs and lift your entire body up to form an arch
• Allow your head to fall gently behind and keep your neck relaxed
• Keep your body weight evenly distributed between your four limbs

Breathing Methodology: Inhale while lifting the body up

Also Read: Yoga Helps With Fitness, Mindfulness and...Climate Change? 

Kapal Bhati

Kapal Bhati

In Sanskrit, ‘Kapal’ means skull and ‘Bhati’ means ‘shining/illuminating’. Therefore, this Kapalbhati Pranayam is also known as Skull Shining Breathing Technique.

Method:

• Sit in any comfortable pose (such as Sukhasan, Ardhapadmasan or Padmasana)
• Straighten your back and close your eyes
• Place your palms on your knees facing up (in Prapthi Mudra)
• Inhale normally and focus on exhaling with a short, rhythmic and forceful breath

• You can use your stomach to forcefully expel all the air from the diaphragm and lungs by compressing it
• Inhalation should happen automatically while you decompress your stomach

Also Read: Your Job Leaving You Exhausted? Try These Simple Yoga Asanas

Meditation

Super Power Meditation also a highly recommended practice as this influences the rate at which your body can heal itself. Meditation techniques can improve your mood, calm your mind, and help relax you.

Super Power Meditation

Method:

• Come to a seated position on a peak of the mountain in Sukhasana or any other comfortable pose that gives you the shape of a pyramid.

• The intention is to sit in the shape of the triangle atop a mountain.

• Visualize a reverse triangular shield in your chest and then meditate on this imagery.

• During the meditative process, with every inhale, this shield allows you to welcome all the positive energies of the world into you. And, as you exhale you release unwanted toxins, miseries, and negativity from within you.

Yoga asanas, pranayama, and meditation are great ways to boost the immune system naturally.

Yoga is a great practice to lower the stress hormones in your body; stress is one of the biggest factors for a weakened immune system.

Spend a little time on yourself each day practicing asanas, pranayama, or meditation techniques. This will condition the lungs and respiratory tract, remove toxins from the body and enable the smooth functioning of your organs.

Also Read: Acidity Issues? Give These Yoga Asanas a Shot

(Grand Master Akshar, an internationally acclaimed Yoga Master, Philanthropist, Spiritual Guru, Lifestyle Coach, Author)