7 Yoga Poses to Boost Your Immune System

Yoga and the immune system is interlinked. For anything to work well, balance and stability are essential. The same applies to the immune system, and when imbalance sets in, the immune system is affected. Yoga gives a holistic uplifting approach to your body and works great in reducing stress levels, a primary reason for a weak immune system. There are specific yoga poses that strengthen and support your immune system and regularly practicing them will keep diseases at bay.

7 Best Poses of Yoga for Immune System –

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose)

• Vrikshasana (Tree Pose)

• Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose)

• Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

• Utkatasana (Chair Pose)

• Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

• Matsyasana (Fish Pose)

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1.  Tadasana (Mountain Pose):

Tadasana, also called Mountain Pose, is a base pose from which all the others asanas emerge. Therefore, it is rightly called the ‘mother’ of all yoga poses. This basic level Hatha Yoga pose can be done at any time in the day and should be held for at least 10-20 seconds or at least five deep breaths. If you are following up Tadasana with other postures, make sure your stomach is empty.

Benefits: Tadasana helps restore balance and regulates the digestive system. It steadies your breathing, increases awareness relieves tension and improves blood circulation. Tadasana expels dullness and keeps you refreshed. It increases your energy and harmonizes your body and mind.

2.    Vrikshasana (Tree Pose):

Vrikshasana is also called Tree Pose because it represents the stable and balanced stance of a tree. It is best to do this beginner level Hatha Yoga pose in the morning on an empty stomach and a fresh mind, but if you feel so inclined to strike a pose for a mid-afternoon office break or before dinner, find the time that works best for you. Balance yourself, working your way up to holding for a minute on each leg, while breathing deeply.

Benefits: Vrikshasana strengthens your spine and aids nerve-muscle coordination. It improves your mental capabilities and keeps you stable. It invigorates your entire body by stretching it, increasing your stamina and keeping you focused. It boosts your self-confidence and relaxes the nervous system.

3. Padangusthasana (Big Toe Pose):

Padangusthasana, also called Big Toe Pose, helps to stretch your muscles in the back of your legs, your spine, and neck. Do this basic level Hatha Yoga pose for at least 30 seconds early in the morning on an empty stomach. In case you miss doing it in the morning, try it in the evening after 2-3 hours from your last meal.

Benefits: Padangusthasana is calming to the brain as it relieves stress and anxiety. The digestive system is stimulated, which can improve digestion. Your liver and kidneys receive more blood flow, resulting in new and improved energy. By relaxing the central nervous system, Padangusthasana keeps insomnia at bay and may help you sleep peacefully at night.

4. Trikonasana (Triangle Pose):

Trikonasana, also called Triangle Pose, is named so because it resembles a triangle. This is one of the best yoga poses for the immune system. Hold this beginner level Vinyasa-style yoga pose for 30 seconds or five to ten deep breaths. It is best to do the asana in the morning as you are energized, and the food is digested completely. But, as with the other poses, find what time works best for you – 2-3 hours before or after a meal.

Benefits: Trikonasana can improve circulation in your body. It may aid digestion, reduce blood pressure, and improve concentration and balance. It calms your mind and reduces stress.

5. Utkatasana (Chair Pose):

Utkatasana, also called Chair Pose, is like sitting on a chair – only a bit more challenging since you don’t use a chair and instead use your body without the actual chair. To get the biggest benefit from Utkatasana, stay in the pose for at least 30-60 seconds or 5-10 deep breaths.

Benefits: Utkatasana can improve your strength, energy, and balance. It stimulates your heart and massages the abdominal organs as you engage your core. To stay energized, practice Utkatasana regularly.

6. Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose):

Bhujangasana, also called as Cobra Pose, resembles the raised hood of a cobra. Bhujangasana is part of the Suryanamaskar practice. Hold this basic level Ashtanga Yoga pose for 15-30 seconds or 5-10 breaths.

Benefits: Bhujangasana can stimulate your digestive system and circulation. It opens up your heart and lungs, helping to relieve stress. It increases the flexibility of your spine, elevates your mood, stimulates your core, and boosts your energy.

7. Matsyasana (Fish Pose):

Matsyasana, also called Fish Pose, puts some sense into your body when it tends to go haywire, just like how Lord Vishnu took the Matsya avatar to flush out all the bad on earth. Similar to the other postures, hold this Hatha Yoga pose for 15-30 seconds or five deep breaths.

Benefits: Matsyasana stimulates your core and digestion. It can relieve tension in the shoulders and neck. It may help to regulate breathing and stimulate the parathyroid gland. Matsyasana gives your digestive organs a good massage and keeps anxiety, constipation, and fatigue at bay.

Therefore, these yoga poses offer a plethora of benefits that affect your immune system for the better, directly or indirectly. A healthy immune system keeps you fit as a fiddle. Yoga will keep diseases at bay by making your immune system stronger. So, you should surely give it a shot.

These 7 Foods Might Help Alleviate Seasonal Allergy Symptoms

When you think of food and allergies, you may think of keeping certain foods out of the diet to avoid an adverse reaction. But the connection between seasonal allergies and food is limited to a few groups of foods known as cross-reactive foods. Reactions to cross-reactive foods may be experienced by those with birch, ragweed, or mugwort seasonal allergies. Aside from those groups of foods, seasonal allergies, also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis, only occur during certain parts of the year usually the spring or summer. They develop when the immune system overreacts to allergens, like plant pollen, which results in lots of congestion, sneezing, and itching.

While treatment usually involves over the counter medicines, lifestyle changes may also help ease your springtime woes. Adding certain foods to your diet could actually help relieve symptoms like the nose-dripping and eye-watering. From reducing inflammation to boosting the immune system, there are a number of dietary choices that may help mitigate the miseries of seasonal allergies.

Here’s a list of foods to try:

 1. Ginger

Many of the unpleasant allergy symptoms come from inflammatory issues, like swelling and irritation in the nasal passages, eyes, and throat. Ginger can help reduce these symptoms naturally. For thousands of years, ginger has been used as a natural remedy for a number of health problems, like nausea and joint pain. It’s also been proven to contain antioxidative, anti-inflammatory phytochemical compounds. Now, experts are exploring how these compounds may be useful for combating seasonal allergies. Ginger has suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory proteins in the blood of mice, which led to reduced allergy symptoms. There doesn’t appear to be a difference in the anti-inflammatory the capacity of fresh ginger versus dried. Add either variety to stir-fries, curries, baked goods, or try making ginger tea.

2. Bee pollen

Bee pollen isn’t just food for bees; it’s edible for humans, too. This mixture of enzymes, nectar, honey, flower pollen, and wax is often sold as a curative for hay fever. It has been shown that bee pollen can have anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antimicrobial, properties in the body.  Bee pollen inhibited the activation of mast cells which is a crucial step in preventing allergic reactions. What kind of bee pollen is best, and how do you eat it? “There is some evidence to support the consumption of local bee pollen to help build your body's resistance to the pollen that you are allergic to. “It is important that the honey be local so that the same local pollen your body is allergic to is contained in the bee pollen.” If possible, look for bee pollen at your local farmer’s market.  Bee pollen comes in small pellets, with a flavor some describe as bittersweet or nutty. Creative ways to eat it include sprinkling some on yogurt or cereal, or blending it into a smoothie.

3. Citrus fruits

While it’s an old wives’ tale that vitamin C prevents the common cold, it may help shorten the duration of a cold as well as offer benefits for allergy sufferers. Eating foods high in vitamin C has been shown to decrease allergic rhinitis, the irritation of the upper respiratory tract caused by pollen from blooming plants. So during allergy season, feel free to load up on high-vitamin C citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, sweet peppers, and berries.

4. Turmeric

Turmeric is well-known as an anti-inflammatory powerhouse for a good reason. Its active ingredient, curcumin, has been linked to reduced symptoms of many inflammation-driven diseases and could help minimize the swelling and irritation caused by allergic rhinitis. Although turmeric’s effects on seasonal allergies haven’t been studied extensively in humans, animal studies are promising. One showed that treating mice with turmeric reduced their allergic response. Turmeric can be taken in pills, tinctures, or teas or, of course, eaten in foods. Whether you take turmeric as a supplement or use it in your cooking, be sure to choose a product with black pepper or piperine, or pair turmeric with black pepper in your recipe. Black pepper increases the bioavailability of curcumin by up to 2,000 percent.

5. Tomatoes

Though citrus tends to get all the glory when it comes to vitamin C, tomatoes are another excellent source of this essential nutrient. One medium-sized tomato contains about 26 percent of your recommended daily value of vitamin C. Additionally, tomatoes contain lycopene, another antioxidant compound that helps quell systemic inflammation. Lycopene is more easily absorbed in the body when it’s cooked, so choose canned or cooked tomatoes for an extra boost.

6. Salmon and other oily fish

Could a fish a day keep the sneezing away? There’s some evidence that the omega-3 fatty acids from fish could bolster the allergy resistance and even improve asthma. A study found that the more eicosapentaenoic (EPA) fatty acid people had in their bloodstream, the less their risk of allergic sensitivity or hay fever. Another study showed that fatty acids helped decrease the narrowing of airways that occurs in asthma and some cases of seasonal allergies. These benefits likely come from omega-3s’ anti-inflammatory properties.

7. Onions

Onions are an excellent natural source of quercetin, a bioflavonoid that may have seen sold on its own as a dietary supplement. Some suggest that quercetin acts as a natural antihistamine, reducing the symptoms of seasonal allergies. Raw red onions have the highest concentration of quercetin, followed by white onions and scallions. Cooking reduces the quercetin content of onions. Onions are also prebiotic-rich foods which nourish healthy gut bacteria and further support immunity and health.

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NUTRITION: Boost your immune system and fight colds with probiotics

Did you know about 70 percent of your immune system resides in your gut?

Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that live in our digestive tract and help digest food, synthesize vitamins and support our immune systems. Eating more foods packed with probiotics during cold and flu season may lessen the impact of the common cold. According to a systematic review, certain probiotics strains, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were found to lessen the duration of respiratory infections in adults and children.

To maintain a healthy digestive tract and immune system, it's helpful to consume probiotic-rich foods or even take supplements. These foods contain live bacteria cultures or have been fermented with benign bacteria.

Fermentation has been used throughout history as a way to preserve food. But don't confuse fermentation with pickling. Both are forms of food preservation, but pickled food won't provide probiotic benefits.

Fermentation occurs when bacteria convert carbohydrates and sugars in whole food items (like vegetables or milk) to an acid that helps preserve the food. To get the maximum benefits from fermented foods, read product labels and choose only those that contain "active, live cultures." Raw and unpasteurized is best unless you have a compromised immune system.

Probiotic foods are easy to come by in supermarkets these days. You'll find them in the produce section. Select foods that have been refrigerated and say they have live cultures or have not been pasteurized since the heat of pasteurization kills the good bacteria. It's also simple and inexpensive to make probiotic foods at home.

Sources of probiotics include:

• Fermented vegetables: sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, beets, carrots
• Fermented fruits: chutneys, jams, green papaya, pickled jackfruit
• Yogurt, kefir, sour cream, buttermilk with live and active cultures (pick plain and no added sugar)
• Kombucha, a fermented beverage
• Fermented condiments: homemade ketchup, relishes, salsas and pickled ginger
• Water kefir, coconut milk kefir
• Homemade coconut milk or cashew yogurt
• Beet kvass, a fermented beet juice
• Natto, miso, tempeh, and tamari sauce