Yoga Asanas To Boost The Immune System

Medicines can certainly help the body recuperate from diseases, but they don’t work towards building a better immune system.

Yoga, perhaps, is one of the most time-tested, effective, and consistent immunity boosters that we can adopt for a healthier life. It is an ancient technique that not only strengthens the body but also unwinds the mind. Let’s take a glance, at a few simple yoga poses that can help you put up a strong immune resistance.

Yoga can help you boost your immunity. Sounds too good to be true? However, it is possible. Yoga is indeed one of the most effective, and essential immunity boosters that one can adopt for a healthier life. It supports your immune system on a day-to-day basis by reducing stress hormones that compromise the immune system. Yoga helps in conditioning the lungs, and respiratory tract, and stimulates the lymphatic system to flush out toxins from the body. Practising yoga helps in bringing oxygenated blood to the organs of the body and ensure their optimal function.

Enumerated below are the 6 yoga asanas to boost the immunity:

Shishuasana

Also known as Bal asana and Child’s Pose, it is a kneeling pose done to counter various other poses.

How to do

• Sit on your heels.
• Bend forward while sitting.
• Lower your forehead touching the ground.
• Keep your hands on the floor, stretched forward.
• Gently press your chest on your thighs.
• Hold.
• Slowly come up.

Benefits

• Shishu asana is a brilliant pose to build a strong immune response.
• It decongests the chest.
• Helps in curbing constipation.
• It calms the nervous system.

Precautions

• Pregnant women shouldn’t do it.
• Avoid in case of diarrhoea.
• Avoid in case of back/knee injury.

Dhanurasana

Also known as bow pose, it is a back-bending asana.

How to do

• Lie on your belly.
• Keep your arms alongside and your legs apart, width the size of your hips.
• Fold your knees.
• Take your hands backwards and hold the ankle.
• Take a deep breath, and lift your body, off the ground while pulling your legs.
• Hold.
• Pay attention to your breath. Your body is curved like a bow.
• Take long breaths while being in the pose. However, do not overstretch your body.
• As you exhale, bring your body to the ground.

Benefits

• This pose improves the flow of white blood cells by putting pressure on the digestive system.
• It opens your shoulders, neck, and back when practised regularly.
• It helps strengthen your abdominal muscles, and back, and also makes them flexible and toned up.
• It helps people with kidney disorders, constipation, and menstrual issues.
• It helps regulate the pancreas, reproductive organs and reduces fat around the tummy.

Precautions

• Not to be done if you have high or low blood pressure, back pain, neck injury, hernia, migraine or abdominal surgery.
• Women should not try this during pregnancy and in periods.

Setu Bandhasana

Also known as bridge pose, it is an inverted back-bending pose.

How to do

• Lie down on your back.
• Fold your knees and keep your legs apart, hip-width.
• Rest your arms alongside your body.
• Lift your back slowly, while inhaling.
• Gently try touching your chin with your chest, without moving your chin downwards.
• Keep breathing, and hold the posture for a minute or two.
• Gently exhale and come to the normal pose.

Benefits

• It opens the heart and lungs.
• Improves blood circulation.
• It increases energy in the body to help put a better fight against pathogens.
• Strengthens and relieves the back.
• It helps in asthma, high BP, menopause, menstrual problems, osteoporosis, sinusitis, anxiety, stress, depression, etc.

Precautions

• Avoid in case of neck/back injury.
• Pregnant women can do it, but not with full capacity.

Halasana

Also known as plow pose, it is an inverted asana.

• How to do
• Lie down on your back.
• Lift your legs to touch it to the ground backwards.
• Keep your palms on the ground.
• Do not strain your neck.
• Support your back on the shoulders.
• Don’t move your neck, or jerk it, while bringing your body down.

Benefits

• It promotes the production of insulin and stimulates the thyroid gland.
• It strengthens the neck, shoulders, and immune response by releasing the required white blood cells.
• It stretches the tummy muscles and increases blood circulation.
• It helps during menopause, eases stress, and improves the flexibility of the legs and neck region.

Precautions

• Not to be done when suffering from a hernia, slipped disc, sciatica, diarrhoea, high blood pressure, arthritis of the neck, pregnancy, menstruation. Check out Arthritis and Diet Recommendation.
• Consult a doctor in case of spinal disorders.

Bhujangasana

Also known as cobra pose, it is a back-bending pose commonly performed in Surya namaskar.

How to do

• Lie on your belly with toes flat on the floor.
• Place your feet close to each other and palm should be placed alongside chest.
• Slowly lift your head, chest, and abdomen while inhaling deeply.
• Keep your navel on the floor.
• Hold.
• Gently bring your body back to the floor.

Benefits

• Strengthens, tones and gives flexibility to the neck, shoulders, abdomen, and back region.
• Improves blood circulation, digestion, and immune response by releasing white blood cells.
• It is a chest opening pose and improves the function of the liver, kidney, pancreas, and gallbladder.
• It eases stress.
• It helps people with respiratory disorders such as asthma.

Precautions

• Not to be done in case of ulcer, hernia, heart problem, pregnancy, carpal tunnel syndrome, surgeries of spine, brain, abdomen or lungs, etc.

Matsyasana

Also known as fish pose, it is a reclining back-bending asana.

How to do

• Lie down on your back with your legs as shown in the picture.
• Place your hands beneath the hips, palms facing downwards.
• Lift your chest, getting into an arc shape.
• Keep your head lightly touched on the floor, with bodyweight placed on the elbow.
• Gently breathe, and hold the pose, as long as you can.
• Lift your head, lower your body to the floor, and relax.

Benefits

• This asana is good for asthma and bronchitis as it encourages deep breathing.
• It helps absorb nutrients better.
• It stimulates the thymus gland, boosting the immune system.
• It stretches the abdomen and chest region.
• Nurtures the parathyroid, pituitary and pineal glands.
• Stretches and relieves tension in the shoulder region.

Precautions

Not to do in case of pregnancy, heart disease, hernia, high or low blood pressure, migraine, insomnia, and back/neck injuries.

Truworth believes in an inclusive work culture. Let us assist in making your workforce healthy; body and mind through our corporate yoga programs.