5 Yoga Poses to Boost Your Immune System

Yoga is a form of exercise that involves coordinating breath with movement. The movement enhances the body's natural circulation, and the breath strengthens it further. This circulation process leads to a stronger immune system.

By doing these activities, you can give your body the boost of oxygen it needs to circulate new blood. That's integral in keeping the body healthy, thus lowering the chances of contracting sickness.

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Best Yoga Poses to Strengthen Immune System

Here are the best yoga poses for de-stressing and calming the mind, as well as helping the body to fight illness:

1) Sphinx Pose

If you're feeling anxious or you have depression, try the Sphinx pose. It's easy to do and helps combat those feelings. This pose is also good for the digestive system, as it can help with stomach issues like cramps and bloating.

How to do it?

• To stretch your glutes and upper back in yoga, begin by lying flat on your stomach.
• Lift your shoulders, and extend your arms forward, bending at the elbows.
• Keep your glutes relaxed while lifting your neck.
• Allow yourself to relax into this restorative pose, taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

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2) Revolved Chair Pose

Yoga poses that twist the body, such as the revolved chair pose and half-spinal twist (ardha matsyendrasana), are excellent for detoxifying the organs, as they help wash blood through the kidneys and other organs. These poses are also great for boosting lung capacity and improving digestion.

How to do?

• Start in the mountain pose.
• Move into chair pose, placing your hands in the prayer position in front of your heart space.
• As you inhale, lift up through the crown of your head, and lengthen your spine.
• On your next exhalation, bring your left elbow to rest on the outside of your right thigh, keeping the tension in your palms.
• Bring the arms into prayer position, and use the elbows against your thighs to deepen the twist, and release with breath.

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3) Standing Backbend

Backbends are a great way to detoxify the adrenal glands and open up the respiratory system during the cold season. They're a modified version of the camel pose, which can help strengthen the lungs.

How to do it?

• To do a backbend, stand in the mountain pose, and use the core to lift your upper body upright.
• Place your hands on your lower back directly above your glutes.
• Breathe in, allowing your body to lift and extend backward.
• Hold this position for several deep breaths, and come up slowly, as back bends can cause light-headedness.

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4) Triangle Pose

It's a standing asana and strengthens the legs, core and back muscles, opens the hips, and releases tension in the shoulders. As it's therapeutic, there is an element of overall release in the body.

This yoga pose also stretches the fascia around the lungs, helping with breathing. It's excellent for those who hold tension in their hips, as it allows for a deep opening and release of energy.

How to do it?

• From the five pointed star pose, turn your right toes to the right wall and left toes slightly inward.
• As you exhale, press your hips out to the left, and raise your left arm up towards the ceiling with a slight bend in the elbow, and rest your right hand on your right leg.
• The palms should be facing forward.
• Press your feet into the ground, pulling up your knee caps. Stretch your arms straight out in front of you.
• Press your left hip forward and right hip back.
• To release, inhale, and reach the raised hand up towards the ceiling as you press down into your feet.

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5) Eagle Pose

This balancing yoga pose helps stimulate fresh blood flow throughout the body. The squeezing motion in the legs and arms helps boost circulation, release toxins, and improve immunity.

How to do it?

• Get down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
• Cross your right leg over your left.
• You can either stay in the same position, or move your leg around your calf.
• Squeeze your legs towards each other, and lift your feet from the floor, bringing the back of your hands together in front of you.
• Inhale deeply, drawing all parts of yourself up towards the middle.

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Takeaway

The best thing you can do to add variety to your exercise routine is to incorporate different activities.

Not only will that help you prevent boredom, but it will also help your body get the exercise it needs. While yoga is not a substitute for intense cardio, adding it to your fitness schedule can be very beneficial.