Fighting Viruses With Yoga

While we struggle to loosen ourselves from the crux of COVID-19, it comes as no surprise that immunity has been the center of everyone’s attention. Doctors have been working day and night, fabricating a way for our survival and showing us a path towards a healthy lifestyle. With so many techniques being engineered to fight the virus, some 5000 years old natural remedies seem to shine a positive light on the issue as well.

Yoga may not make you sweat it out like high-intensity exercises do, however, it may very well be as effective for your immunity as those exercises. Stretching your arms and legs and expanding your lungs with some basic yoga exercises may just do the trick. Here, we bring you 5 such marvelous Yoga Aasans that will boost your immunity and keep you up and running without the thought of getting sick.

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Give your body the strength it needs by performing yoga daily

This asana gently stretches your thighs, ankles and, hips. It calms your nerves and reduces the anxiety and stress of a long working day. It also relieves your neck and back pain and strengthens your spine. All you have to do to intake these benefits is, follow these steps:

Step1- Kneel on the floor with your big toes together. Separate your knees as wide as your hips while sitting on your heels.

Step2- Lower your torso to bring it forward. Rest your belly on your thighs and touch your head on the mat from between your knees.

Step3- Stretch your hands forward and touch the mat.

Step4- Stay in this position for 30-60 mins and return to the start position by gently lifting your torso.

Stretch your spine and boost your liver functions with this asana

Along with strengthening your spine and increasing your energy, Bhujangasana also improves your digestion and by relieving pressure on your liver, it reduces the load from your immune system, hence strengthening it. You can perform this asana by following these steps:

Step1- Lay down on your stomach and keep your feet close to each other with your hands stretched overhead.

Step2- Rest your forehead on the ground while joining your legs.

Step3- Bring your palms in a resting position underneath your shoulders and keep your elbow close to your body.

Step4- Finally, inhale slowly while lifting the upper half of your body gently.

The asana for all your breathing and immunity requirements

This simple asana called the Virabhadrasana uses your strength to strengthen your body and immunity in return. Alongside this, it also helps in opening your chest much more so that breathing becomes easier. Do this asana by following these steps:

Step1- Start by standing with your feet at hip distance and place your arms at your side.

Step2- Place your feet wide apart (about 4-5 feet) and turn your right foot out 90 degrees. Your toes should be pointing towards the top of the mat.

Step3- Bring your left foot slightly inward so that your toes make an angle of 45 degrees.

Step4- Raise your arms to the height of your shoulder and make sure they are parallel to the floor and the palms are facing down.

Step5- Bend your front knee while exhaling and sink your hips low to bring your thighs parallel to the floor. Don’t forget to keep your back straight.

Step6- After holding this position a few seconds, go back to the starting position. To complete the asana, repeat the same steps for the other side.

Just the asana you need to fight the unwanted diseases

Dhanurasana is a great yoga asana for improving the flow of blood which in return boosts your immunity. It also strengthens the actions of your digestive tract so that digesting your food goes smoothly and without any unwanted sick feelings. To perform this asana you can follow these simple steps:

Step1- While laying down on your stomach, keep your feet hip-width apart and arms on your side.

Step2- Bring your keens in the upward direction and try to bend your heel to your butt. Hold your ankles with your hands.

Step3- Take a deep breath and lift your legs and chest from the ground. Pull your legs as much as possible and keep your face straight. Your body should feel as tight as a bow.

Step4- Stay in this position for about 4-5 breaths time and return to the starting position.

Give your body and mind a much-needed relaxing time with Savasana

We all love this yoga asana but did you know, it can even help you to relax your mind and feel calm? The Savasana is probably the easiest exercise of all and, provides your body some much-needed relaxation, boosts immunity as well. To perform Savasana, follow this:

Step1- Lay down on your back comfortably and stretch your hands and legs.

Step2- Close your eyes and breathe slowly through your nostrils.

Step3- Stay in this position for 10 minutes and let your body relax.

Apart from these yoga exercises, you can also shift to a healthier diet and focus on your breathing patterns to strengthen your lungs and fight diseases. Take a good amount of nutrition along with these yoga asanas to double the effect of your immunity on outdoor viruses.

From the July 2021 issue of FHM India.