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Balancing
the immune system with yoga
by Jeff Migdow, M.D.
For many of us, the
arrival of autumn means it's time to stock up on Kleenex and cough drops.
Along with seasonal allergies, autumn means colder weather that can bring
with it colds and flu. But yoga can help by strengthening and balancing
your basic weapon against sinus conditions -- the immune system. Yoga
postures, pranayama, relaxation and meditation are powerful tools for
helping to stimulate or calm the immune response depending on the
situation.
Increased allergy
symptoms indicate that your immune system is working overtime. A stuffy
nose, ears and sinuses, inflamed eyes, headaches, sore throat and
difficulty breathing are all caused by the mucus-producing process of the
inmmune system attacking innocuous invaders. Through relaxation, the
nervous system can tell the immune system to settle down and stop
attacking the foreign bodies, which are naturally cleared out in a
non-allergic person by sneezing once or twice a day. When the immune
system backs off, inflammation and mucus decrease and symptoms diminish.
Practicing any yoga
posture in a relaxing way with slow deep breathing and the intention to
let go and relax the nervous system can be very beneficial in decreasing
the symptoms of allergies. Kapalabhati breathing is great for allergies as
it forces out the mucus. (Don't forget to keep tissues within easy reach!)
The relaxation time at the end of a yoga class can also be an important
part of decreasing allergic immune response. Encourage your students to
relax and affirm that the relaxation will help decrease their reaction to
allergens. However, be aware that students suffering from allergies may
become too congested when lying on their backs; you can suggest they lie
on the stomach or side if that's more comfortable.
Relaxing the nervous
system has been shown to help direct the immune system to attack the
viruses and bacteria that increase in colder weather. Colds are caused by
bacteria and affect the upper respiratory system, causing stuffiness,
coughing, sore throat, etc. If the immune system is weak, the bacteria can
go into the lungs and cause bronchitis or pneumonia. Viruses go deeper
into the system, causing chills, fever or pain and aching in the joints.
But a strong immune
system can frost the invaders within a few days, preventing more extreme
manifestations of the illness and in fact strengthening the immune system.
Again, yoga postures done in a relaxed way and slow, deep pranayama can
help relax the nervous system and boost the immune response.
Another way to build
the immune system and improve sinus-related conditions is to focus on the
thymus gland. Located in the chest, the thymus gland is the locus of the
immune system. Thus both the thymus gland and the immune system are
stimulated by any posture in which we open the chest and breathe deeply
into it. The most beneficial postures for this purpose are the Cobra, the
Pigeon, the Fish, the Boat, the Bow and the Bridge.
Since the thymus
gland corresponds to the fourth chakra, these postures can be enhanced by
including chakra sounds such as the fourth chakra bij mantra
"yum" or the fourth chakra vowel sound "ay."
Kapalabhati breathing or slow deep ujjayi breathing in postures where the
chest is open can also be beneficial. Experiment with practicing the
postures as you breathe deeply into the chest and sound the mantras. My
audiotape on Prana Yoga, send out through KYTA last spring, will help
guide you in combining the mantras with the postures.
With a relaxed
nervous system and a focused and revitalized immune system, you'll find
you're able to resist autumn allergens and throw off winter's infections
more readily.
Jeff Migdow, M.D., a
former director of Kripalu
Yoga
Teacher Training, is the developer and director of Prana
Yoga Teacher Training. For information about workshops at the Open
Center in New York City and his Prana Yoga Teacher Training, call
212-219-2527. For information about Jeff's medical practice, call
413-448-3446
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