9 Yoga Poses to Boost Immunity

In today’s fast-paced world maintaining a strong and resilient immune system is crucial for overall well-being. Alongside a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle  incorporating yoga into your routine can be a powerful tool to boost immunity. Yoga not only promotes physical strength and flexibility but also plays a significant role in reducing stress, improving circulation and also enhances the immune system. Here the 9 Yoga Poses to Boost Immunity.

9 Yoga Poses to Boost Immunity:

9 Yoga Poses to Boost Immunity
9 Yoga Poses to Boost Immunity

1_Locust:

Locust Pose also known as Salabhasana is a yoga pose that strengthens the back of the torso, legs and arms and effectively preps beginners for deeper backbends. It is best for boosting the immunity in tour body.

How to Practice Locust:
  • Lie on your stomach with your arms alongside your body and your forehead on the mat.
  • Lengthen your lower back by gently pressing your pubic bone into the floor and engage your leg muscles.
  • As you inhale lift your head, chest and arms off the floor by firming your shoulder blades onto your back and broadening your chest.
  •  For a more advanced variation lift your legs off the floor as well by keeping them hip-width apart.
  • Stay in the pose for 5 breaths by keeping your breathing calm and steady.
  • As you exhale lower out of the pose and rest by making a pillow for your cheek with your arms.
Benefits of Locust:
  • Strengthens the back, glutes and leg muscles.
  • Stretches the front of the body.
  • Opens the chest and shoulders.
  • Stimulates the abdominal organs.
Cautions:
  • Avoid this pose if you are pregnant.
  • Avoid crunching the neck. keep the chin slightly in and the back of the neck long.

2_Bow Pose:

Bow Pose or Dhanurasana is a back-bending yoga pose that offers a range of physical and mental benefits. It is very efficient in boosting immunity.

How to Practice Bow Pose:
  • Lie on your belly with your arms alongside your body and palms facing up.
  • Bend your knees and bring your heels as close as you can to your buttocks.
  •  Reach your arms back and take hold of your ankles or feet, one in each hand.
  • As you inhale lift your chest off the ground and press your feet into your hands to lift your thighs.
  •  Keep your head in a neutral position and gaze forward.
  • Hold the pose for 20-30 seconds by breathing deeply.
  • Exhale as you gently release your ankles and lower your chest and legs to the ground.
Benefits of Bow Pose:
  • Strengthens the back muscles, the back of the thighs and buttocks.
  • Stretches the abdomen, chest, shoulders and hip flexors.
  • Stimulates the abdominal organs and may relieve constipation.
  • Relieves mild backaches, fatigue, anxiety and menstrual discomfort.
Tips:
  • If it’s challenging to reach your ankles  you can use a strap around your ankles to extend your reach.
  • Beginners can practice by lifting one leg at a time and using one hand to reach back and grab the leg.
  • To deepen the pose keep your knees and feet closer together or take hold of the inside of the ankles for an extra stretch on the shoulders and upper back.

3_Straight Seated Forward Fold:

Straight Seated Forward Bend also known as Paschimottanasana is a calming and stretching yoga pose that targets the back body, spine, hamstrings and calves. It can also stimulates the internal organs and prepares the body for meditation. It is useful for improving immunity.

How to Practice Straight Seated Forward Fold:
  • Sit with your legs straight in front of you either with your feet together or hip-width apart.
  • Inhale and sit tall by lengthening your spine.
  • Exhale and hinge at your hips to lean forward by keeping your spine as long as possible.
  • Lengthen your spine as you inhale.
  • Fold forward hinging from the hips as you exhale without folding deeper than you can with a straight back.
  • Keep length in the front of your body by moving from your belly through your ribcage and chest and then your forehead towards your legs.
  • Let your arms slide down along the floor and if your hands reach your feet. Wrap your first two fingers and thumbs around your big toes. Bend your elbows by keeping them lifting away from the floor out to the sides and keep your shoulders away from the ears.
  • If you can’t hold your feet just loop a strap around the soles of the feet by holding the strap with both hands and keep your arms straight.
Benefits of Straight Seated Forward Fold:
  • Stretching the back body (spine, hamstrings, calves).
  • Calming the mind and preparing you for meditation.
  • Stimulating the internal organs.

4_Low Long Pose:

Low Lunge also known as Anjaneyasana is a yoga pose that stretches the hip flexors, quadriceps and chest while improving balance and focus. It is very good for improving immunity.

How to Practice Low Long Pose:
  • Begin in Downward-Facing Dog and exhale as you step your right foot forward between your hands by aligning the right knee over the heel.
  •  Lower your left knee to the floor and keeping the right knee fixed in place.
  • Slide the left back until you feel a comfortable stretch in the left front thigh and groin.
  • Turn the top of your left foot to the floor.
  • Inhale and lift your torso to upright. As you do just sweep your arms out to the sides and up  perpendicular to the floor.
  • Draw the tailbone down toward the floor and lift your pubic bone toward your navel.
  • Lift your chest from the firmness of your shoulder blades against the back torso.
  • Take your head back and look up being careful not to jam the back of your neck. Reach your pinkies toward the ceiling.
  • Hold for a minute and  exhale your torso back to the right thigh and your hands to the floor, and turn your back toes under.
  • With another exhale just lift your left knee off the floor and step back to Downward-Facing Dog .
  • Repeat with the left foot forward for the same length of time.
Benefits of Low Long Pose:
  • Stretches the hip flexors, quads and chest.
  • Can help alleviate lower back pain.
  • Improves balance and focus.
  • Provides recovery post-workout and boosts energy.

5_Cobra Pose:

Cobra Pose also known as the Bhujangasana is a popular yoga pose that is commonly performed in a cycle of asanas in Surya Namaskar as an alternative to the Upward Dog Pose. This pose is a reclining back-bending asana in hatha yoga and modern yoga as exercise. It is very goodin improving immunity.

How to Practice Cobra Pose:
  • Lie on your stomach with your toes pointing straight back and your hands underneath your shoulders and elbows close to the body.
  • Engage your legs and pull your belly in and up.
  • As you inhale, lift your chest from the back of your heart. Roll the collarbones up and firm the shoulder blades into the upper back and  slightly down along the spine.
  • Lift your head last. Open your heart, with no weight in the hands yet. Extend out through the toes.
  • Come down again as you exhale. Repeat that two times.
  • The third time you come up use your hands to find your full expression of the pose. Lift your chest from the back of your heart and head follows. Come all the way up to a point where it feels good to you can still maintaining a connection from the pelvis to the legs.
  • Bring the side ribs forward and draw the upper arm bones back and lengthen the neck.
  • Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
  • To come out lower the body down on as you exhale and take a rest lying on your belly or in Child’s pose.
Benefits of Cobra Pose:
  • Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions and relish good experiences and deal with adversity. It can lead to a reduction in anxiety an improvement in mood and decreased stress hormones.
  • Studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve sleep, reduce blood pressure and lower levels of inflammation. Gratitude is associated with improved overall health by increasing energy and better exercise.
  • Gratitude opens the door to more relationships and can lead to improved social support and prosocial behavior. It can make others more likely to extend their help towards you by making mentorships easier to find and maintain.
  • Gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness. It helps people feel more positive emotions and relish good experiences.

6_Warrior II:

Warrior II or Virabhadrasana II is a yoga pose that strengthens the legs and ankles, increases stamina and improves posture. It is very efficient in for immunity.

How to Practice Warrior II:
  • Begin in Tadasana (Mountain Pose) at the front of your mat.
  • Take a big step back with your left leg and toes pointing slightly in.
  • As you inhale raise your arms parallel to the floor by keeping your shoulders down and your neck long.
  • As you exhale bend your right knee by keeping it over your ankle.
  • Adjust the position of your feet and legs to find stability in the pose.
  • Look over your right fingertips.
  •  Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths and then release and repeat on the other side.
Benefits of Warrior II:
  • Strengthens the legs and ankles.
  • Increases stamina and improves posture.
  • Opens the hips and shoulders.
  • Stretches the inner thighs, groin and chest.

7_Childs Pose:

Child’s Pose also known as the Balasana is a restful and gentle yoga pose that is often used as a transitional pose between more challenging poses. It is known for its stress-relieving and calming properties and is very efficient for increasing immunity.

How to Practice Child’s Pose:
  • Begin on your hands and knees with your big toes together and your knees slightly wider than your hips.
  • Gently push your hips back toward your heels and separate your knees slightly wider than your hips.
  • With your big toes together your legs will form a V shape.
  • As you exhale lay your torso between your thighs by resting your forehead onto the mat.
  • You can also extend your arms forward by reaching towards the front of the mat or rest your arms on the floor alongside your torso and palms up by releasing the fronts of your shoulders toward the floor.
  • Allow the weight of the shoulders to pull the shoulder blades wide across your back.
  • Stay in the pose for anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes by focusing on your breath and relaxing your body.
Benefits of Child’s Pose:
  • Gently stretches the hips, thighs and ankles.
  • Relieves stress, fatigue and anxiety.
  • Improves mental focus.
  • Relieves back and neck pain.
  • Relaxes the muscles on the front of the body.
  • Passively stretches the muscles on the back of the body.

8_Corpse Pose:

Corpse Pose also known as Savasana is a yoga pose that involves lying flat on your back with your arms and legs extended and your palms facing up. It is very helpful in the case of increasing immunity. 

How to Practice Corpse Pose:
  • Start by lying on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides and palms facing up.
  • Allow your feet to fall open and close your eyes.
  • Take a few deep breaths by inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth to help relax your body and mind.
  • Let go of any tension in your body by starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. Relax your muscles and allow your body to become heavy on the mat.
  • Stay in the pose for 5-10 minutes or as long as you like by focusing on your breath and allowing your mind to become quiet and still.
Benefits of Corpse Pose:
  • Corpse Pose is a deeply relaxing pose that can also help reduce stress and anxiety and also promote overall relaxation and calmness.
  • The pose can help cultivate mindfulness and awareness of the present moment by allowing you to let go of distractions and focus on your breath and body.
  • Corpse Pose can help lower blood pressure and reduce muscle tension and improve sleep quality.
  • Corpse Pose allows you to integrate the physical practice you just completed and can be a valuable tool for transitioning from the active practice to the rest of your day.

9_Chair Pose:

Chair Pose also known as the Utkatasana is a standing yoga posture that tones the entire body by particularly the thighs. It is very efficient in boosting up immunity.

How to Practice Chair Pose:
  •  Begin in Mountain Pose with your feet together or hip-distance apart for beginners.
  •  Inhale and raise your arms above your head perpendicular to the floor with your palms facing each other.
  •  Exhale as you bend your knees by bringing your thighs as parallel to the floor as they can get.
  • Your knees will project out slightly over your feet and your torso will form approximately a right angle over your thighs.
  •  Draw your shoulder blades down your back and engage your core muscles to support your lower back.
  •  Keep your breath smooth and deep. If your breath becomes shallow or strained back off a bit in the pose until breathing becomes easier.
  •  Spin your pinky fingers toward each other so your palms face each other by rotating your arms outward through your thumbs.
  •  Gaze directly forward or tilt your head slightly and gaze at a point between your hands.
  •  Hold the pose for several breaths and then inhale as you straighten your legs and come back to Mountain Pose.
Benefits of Chair Pose:
  • Strengthens the thighs and ankles while toning the shoulders, butt, hips and back.
  • Stretches the Achilles tendons and shins and is known to be therapeutic for flat feet.
  • Tones your digestive organs and heart.
  • Increases the heart rate by promoting cardiovascular health.
  • Improves posture and balance.

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