How Yoga Boosts Your Immune System in Various Ways

It is our immunity that determines how healthy we are. The body’s immune system decides how prone to disease and infection the body is and how well the body can resist the ill effects of pollutants, stress and so on. There are several ways to keep your immune system strong, say experts: eating healthy, lowering stress and sleeping well can all boost immunity. Doing yoga is another, I have found.  Firstly of course doing yoga regularly constitutes being active, which itself is good for the immune system. Plus there are specific yoga aasans that help to boost the immune system as well.

Why yoga is good for the immune system

Stress is known to lower immunity and leave a person more prone to infection and disease. One of the ways in which yoga helps shore up the body’s immune system is by helping a person relax and lower stress in a natural way. Yoga can help lower stress hormones that compromise the immune system.

Another reason that makes yoga good for the immune system is the fact that yoga helps to improve overall respiratory health. Since correct breathing is a vital part of yoga, its regular practice helps enhance lung efficiency. This in turn ensures optimal intake of oxygen by the body so that the body’s organs receive the right amounts of oxygen to function properly.

Yoga improves joint health and tones the muscles. These factors help the body resist degenerative diseases and musculoskeletal problems for longer. Older people, who are more prone to these health issues can benefit greatly if they take a yoga class and may be able to retain mobility for longer.

Yoga poses that help to stimulate the immune system

Pranayam helps ease several respiratory problems. These breathing exercises help to keep the nasal passages free and unimpeded and could even boost lung function significantly to help shore up immunity.

Setubandhasan for Better ImmunityThe bridge pose or the Setubandhasan is thought to be beneficial because of the way it increases the body’s energy levels and enhances blood circulation to offer better resistance to pathogens that try to attack the body.

 
Halasan for Better Immune System
Halasana or the plough pose improves blood circulation to some of the vital organs of the body and is also thought to stimulate the release of white blood cells, which are the soldiers of the immune system in the battle against infections.

 
Dhanurasan for Improved ImmunityDhanurasan or the bow pose puts pressure on and stimulates the body’s digestive system. Digestive health is linked closely to the immune system. So stimulating the digestive system and enhancing the metabolism have a positive bearing on the immune system.

 
Matsyasan for Improved Immune System
Matsyasan or the fish pose also helps to enhance the body’s immunity. This yoga aasan is thought to increase the body’s ability to absorb vital nutrients and also helps to tone the body’s parathyroid gland. Both of these have a beneficial impact on immunity.

 
Bhujangasan for Boosting ImmunityBhujangasan or the cobra pose can also help the immune system because of the way it puts pressure on the digestive tract to help regulate the body’s metabolism and stimulate the digestive system. It also enhances kidney function and elevates the mood.

 

 

Images courtesy: https://www.artofliving.org