YOGIC PRACTICES THAT CAN STRENGTHEN YOUR RESISTANCE !
Yoga teaches many ways to keep your body clean and boost your immune system
- Jala Neti – Keep your nose clean!
Jala Neti is a technique used by yogis to stay disease-free. Nasal hygiene is maintained by removing mucus that contains trapped bacteria, viruses and fungi through simple nasal irrigation. It also makes breathing practices (pranayama) deeper and more pleasurable. All you need is a neti pot, non-iodized salt and lukewarm water. For more information, see our short instructional video.
- Kapalabhati – Keep your lungs clean!
Kapalabhati, the first breathing exercise in the Sivananda Yoga practice sequence, is a yogic kriya (cleansing technique) for the lungs. Forceful exhalations expel old, stale air from the lungs, making space for fresh, oxygen-enriched air. Daily kapalabhati practice in a well-ventilated space is highly recommended to keep the respiratory system clean and strong. Here is a short instructional video. Kapalabhati is also included in our Yoga Warehouse 2 Go class recordings, now available for free streaming or downloading.
- Proper Diet (vegetarian or vegan) – Keep your food clean!
The Yogic diet helps us attain a high standard of health, a keen intellect and serenity of mind. Foods to boost the immune system are fresh, organic and easy to digest. Ayurveda (the Vedic science of self-healing) recommends taking Ayurvedic herbs and also cooking with immune-boosting spices, such as turmeric and ginger. We also recommend the documentary films Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers (both on Netflix) for some fascinating and motivating information!
- Proper Relaxation – Keep calm and carry on!
An adequate amount of good-quality sleep helps keep the immune system strong. Before going to sleep, practice auto-suggestion, which we do at the end of every Yoga class, to relax each part of the body, including the mind. This also can be done for 10-15 minutes at a time a few times per day to help us disconnect from stress, anxiety and tension.
- Mantra chanting – Enlist the power of vibration!
The Om Trayambakam Mantra, also known as the Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra, is a life-giving mantra that we repeat three times at the conclusion of each Yoga class. Yogis teach that the Trayambakam wards off death by accidents of all kinds and has a great curative effect for diseases. It is a Moksha Mantra and bestows liberation. (Included on Yoga Warehouse 2 Go streamed or downloadable classes.)
- Meditation – Your mind can be a strong ally!
Swami Sivananda writes that meditation acts as a powerful tonic and that the energy generated in the practice penetrates all the cells of the body and helps to cure all diseases. Modern science has established that meditation reduces stress, controls anxiety, helps to regulate blood pressure and even results in measurable and beneficial changes in the brain. Learn more in the book Meditation and Mantras, by Swami Vishnudevananda.
