Stress is one of the primary causes of illness, and chronic stress compromises the deep tissue (called fascia) that surrounds our organs, muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Because fascia is made up of nerves, we must move and stretch our bodies in order to “ring out” the fascia. Consider our organs and tissue as sponges that absorb whatever we put into them. We unleash sluggish energy within our cells by stretching and moving, allowing it to remove harmful substances from our bodies.
Our blood, on the other hand, requires oxygen to keep the body healthy and aid cell growth. Intentional breath-work provides the oxygen boost that our blood needs to build fresh circulation. We support this circulation process in our systems by practising asanas (yoga positions) and pranayama breathing, which leads to better health and immunity. Yoga is “movement coupled with breath,” to put it simply. We may considerably increase our bodies’ ability to fight illness by including yoga into our daily routines.
Here are a handful of my favourite yoga poses that not only de-stress the nervous system and quiet the mind, but also assist the body fight illness. Check out our guide to eco-friendly yoga mats if you’re seeking for the right mat to practise on at home.
This pose is extremely beneficial to the nervous system and is excellent for overcoming anxiety and despair. I like this one for days when I’m feeling a little overwhelmed because it’s a simple stance to get into. It’s a restorative yin position, which means it doesn’t need much from the body, and it’s great to perform first thing in the morning since it energises and calms the mind. Sphinx also relieves stomach pain by massaging the lower abdomen.
Tips for improving your practise: To begin, lie flat on your stomach and elevate your shoulders. Extend your hands forward, elbows bent, and relax your glutes while elevating your neck. Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth as you relax into this restorative pose.
Yoga’s twisted poses are beneficial to the body’s general wellness. The revolved chair pose, in particular, allows the kidneys and digestive organs to “rang out” even more deeply, resulting in an internal detox. This pose is also very grounding and good for lengthening the breath.
Tips for improving your practise: Allow the breath to anchor this posture and the legs to become grounded and motionless. Deepen the twist by bringing the arms into prayer and pressing the elbows towards the thighs.
Backbends are particularly beneficial to the adrenal glands, which can become irritated as a result of stress. A modified variation of Camel position, a standing backbend is very beneficial for opening up the respiratory system. Use a standing backbend to strengthen the lungs and maintain the nasal channel open for breathing throughout the cold season.
Tips for your practise: Start by standing in mountain position and lifting your upper body up and back using your core. Place your hands directly above the glutes on the lower back. Allow the body to rise and extend rearward as you breathe in. Hold for a few deep breaths, then carefully rise up, as backbends can make you feel light-headed.
By pressing pressure points, this balancing stance helps to increase fresh blood flow throughout the body, providing the body a jolt of immunity-boosting fluid. Squeezing the legs and arms helps to increase circulation and eliminate pollutants.
Tips for improving your practise: Breath is vital for keeping the body grounded and steady in this standing, balancing pose. This increased breathing improves circulation throughout the body and mind, allowing tension and stagnant energy to be released.
This position is physically challenging for the legs and core, but it also opens the hips and relieves shoulder strain. Because this pose is seen as therapeutic, there is a sense of general release throughout the body. Triangle posture also helps with respiration by stretching the fascia surrounding the lungs. Because it is an opening posture, it is ideal for persons who have tension in their hips. Triangle posture allows for a deep opening and release of energy, as we carry a lot of our emotions in our hips.
Happy Baby is one of my all-time favourite asanas. While reclining on your back, the deep hip-opening sensation is a wonderfully beneficial and non-confrontational technique to provide the body with relaxed sustenance. Happy Baby is a terrific position to relax the mind and ring out toxins since we retain emotional tension in our hips. It also improves digestion and stimulates the kidneys.
Tips for improving your practise: To get the most out of this stance, you’ll need to breathe. Allow for external rotation by lowering the hips and allowing the legs to fall open. The side-to-side rocking action can deepen both the position and its advantages.
Take some time during flu season (or any other stressful season) to figure out what cures are best for you and your health. Make time to move, coordinating your breath with your movements and finding the perfect poses for you. Consider how you feel before and after performing your selected asanas, and pay attention to how your body responds over time.