In contemporary
times, with an increasingly fast-paced lifestyle and a modern approach to
healing tactics, we unknowingly keep accumulating micro assaults on our immune
system without allowing our bodies to address them. Here’s how the ancient albeit
simple practices of yoga can be utilized to boost our immunity and lead a
healthier life.
The human body to
a great extent is a self-regulating, preserving, repairing, and maintaining
entity. Nature has designed this wonderful machinery with an inherent
capability to heal; provided the natural laws of healing are allowed to
operate, our health is in its entirety, a natural outcome of all the encounters
we have in life. This healing capacity that we are endowed with is called
vitality or immunity. Our body has a self-reliant system of protecting its
tissues against assaults by bacteria, viruses, harmful proteins, and oxidative
stress through an interplay of nervous, endocrine, and immune systems.
In today’s world,
these systems are constantly challenged due to our fast-paced lifestyle,
stress, unhealthy eating habits, and a lot of exposure to pathogens. Yoga asanas
and pranayama can reduce stress and improve the body’s immune response to fight
infections and allergies. Yogic practices have been known to improve the human
body’s immunity.
Yoga and
immunity
Yoga can help to
modulate this immune response in an appropriate way. Yoga as a mind-body
intervention has been used globally to combat these lifestyle-related diseases
where stress is believed to play a role. Yoga helps calm down the mind, brings
stability, and balances vital energies.
Studies have shown yoga to improve
immunity in the population during influenza epidemics. Yoga is a system of
holistic living, having its roots in Indian traditions and culture. It is a
discipline to develop one’s inherent power in a balanced manner. Now it is
being practiced as a part of a healthy lifestyle. Yoga is popular globally
because of its spiritual values, therapeutic credentials, its role in the
prevention of diseases, promotion of health and management of lifestyle-related
disorders.
One of the most useful and popular modes of
yogic exercises which provides the benefits of Asanas, Pranayama, and Mudras
altogether is the Surya Namaskar. It consists of a series of twelve
postures which are performed early in the morning facing the rising Sun. Each
step of Surya Namaskar is accompanied by the regulation of breath.
Its regular
practice energizes all systems of the body and ensures perfect harmony between
them. It makes the body flexible and improves immunity. Our body has its own
set of immuno-responses, amongst them, inflammation is the most common.
A
natural counter that is often helpful when it comes to healing injuries and
infections, inflammation often becomes chronic under constant psychological and
physical stress, thereby weakening our immune system. Most asanas involve
systematic stretching that alleviates inflammation and increases flexibility.
The immunity-boosting capabilities of even basic yogic practices are also mentioned in new research published in the Journal of Behavioural Medicine.
Today, even Western researchers vouch for yoga’s benefits.
The Harvard Medical
School Guide to Yoga: 8 Weeks to Strength, Awareness, and Flexibility, says that
regular practice of yoga can lead to greater muscle and bone strength, improved
sleep, better stress management, and resilience, strengthened immune system, and
enriched brain health.
Nadi Shodhana
Pranayama
(Alternate Nostril Breathing):
The main
characteristic feature of Nadi Shodhana Pranayama is alternate breathing
through the left and right nostrils without or with retention of breath (kumbhaka).
Sit in a comfortable posture. Keep the spine and head straight with eyes
closed.
Relax the body with a few deep breaths. Keep the left palm on the left
knee in Jnana mudra and the right palm should be in Nasagra mudra.
Place the ring and small fingers on the left nostril and fold the middle and
index finger. Place the right thumb on the right nostril. Open the left
nostril, breathe in from the left nostril, close the left nostril with the
small and ring fingers, and release the thumb from the right nostril; exhale
through the right nostril. Next, inhale through the right nostril. At the end
of inhalation, close the right nostril, open the left nostril, and exhale
through it.
This completes one round of the Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate
Nostril Breathing). Repeat for another 4 rounds. The duration of inhalation and
exhalation should be equal for beginners. Breathing should be slow, steady and
controlled and not be forced or restricted.
Benefits of
Pranayama
The main goal of
Pranayama is to nourish the body as a whole by cleansing the main channels that
distribute energy throughout it. In addition to boosting vitality and lowering
stress and anxiety levels, this technique promotes calmness and improves focus.
Pranayama can also help with coughing, mental calmness, and concentration. Its
advantages go beyond boosting immunity, making it a comprehensive strategy for
general health.
Cleansing with
krias
Cleansing
techniques called kriyas also help in removing excess mucous and restore
mucosal immunity. Shatkriyas are yogic cleansing techniques used to
purge the internal organs and systems of the body. These are a part of the
process of detoxification. These techniques are classified into six divisions
as under: Neti (nasal washing); Dhauti (stomach washing); Basti
(colon washing); Kapalbhati (purificatory yogic breathing); Nauli
(isolation of abdominal recti muscles) and Trataka (yogic visual
gaze).
These kriyas
cleanse, activate and revitalise organs and develop deep internal awareness.
The practice of Surya Namaskara, deep breathing exercises, pranayama,
meditation and deep relaxation is also highly beneficial. Pranayama is
the fourth constituent of Ashtanga yoga, which deals with the regulation of Prana
and energy, grossly translated as breath. It is a practice which helps to
regulate vital energies through the regulation of breathing. The main purpose
of Pranayama is to gain control over the autonomous nervous system and
through it to influence the mental functions. Regular practice of Pranayama makes
the mind calm.
Understanding
immunity
Though exposure to
pathogens help build adaptive immunity, surviving such an exposure may
sometimes become fatal. Research has shown that there is a heterogeneity in
susceptibility to infections during a flu epidemic. Psychologic stress, fitness
and physical activity, nutrition, sleep, comorbid conditions, and lifestyle play
a vital role in shaping this immune response. A growing body of evidence
identifies stress as a co-factor in infectious disease susceptibility and
outcomes. It has been suggested that the effects of stress on the immune system
may mediate the relationship between stress and infectious disease. Stress
increases stress hormones that dampen the immune response and also reduce the
ability of the cells to repair the damage caused due to infections.
Meditate on
wellness
The process of
keeping one’s attention focused with a sustained concentration on an object is
commonly known as meditation. It is an integral part of all yogic practices and
is beneficial for psychological and spiritual growth. Over the years, the
stress relieving benefits of regular meditation have been known to achieve a
sense of calm which has a positive impact on an individual’s health and
promotes a healthy lifestyle. It has been known to be beneficial when it comes
to overcoming addictions to tranquilizers and reducing hypertension, insomnia,
migraines, depression, anxiety, and other psychosomatic illnesses. It
stabilizes the mind, and increases awareness, concentration, and will power while
simultaneously improving memory and alertness. It is an effective tool for
rejuvenation of the mind, body, and soul, and even helps in coping with the
stressful situations of everyday life.
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