10 yoga Poses to Boost Your Immune System
Power up your immune system and beat cold-and-flu season with purifying twists and balancing standing poses.
Inspired by Ayurveda, this sequence is designed to keep you healthy during cold and flu season. Heated poses help clear congestion, and soothing, restorative postures build ojas, or vigor, considered the protective buffer of your Immune system
Before You Begin: Gather your props: blankets, bolster, block, eye pillow. In the following poses, enjoy 3 to 5 breaths unless otherwise noted.
1. Supta Virasana
Place a folded blanket at the top of a bolster. Sit between your heels with the bolster behind your ne. Lie back on the bolster, resting your head on the blanket. Turn your palms up. Stay here for 10 to 15 breaths.
2. Prasarita Padottanasana
Slowly sit up, and then stand up with your feet about 4 feet apart. Interlace your fingers behind your back, and straighten your arms. Fold forward, lifting your arms up toward the ceiling. Stay for 5 to 10 breaths.
3. Parivrtta Prasarita Padottanasana
Unclasp of your fingers. Place your left hand on a block at a comfortable height in line with your sternum. Twist to the right. Hold for 5 to 10 breaths. Do both sides.
4 .Urdhva Hastasana
Slowly come to standing. Bring your feet hip-width apart. Interlace your fingers and extend your arms up. Lift your heels, balancing on the balls of your feet. After 5 breaths, lower your heels and your arms.
5. Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana
Shift weight to your left foot. Lift your right knee and interlace fingers underneath. Grasp your right foot with your left hand. Twist right and extend your right arm. Exit the twist, returning to standing.
6. Virabhadrhasana
Interlace your fingers behind your back, and extend your arms. Shift weight onto your left leg, lean forward and lift your right leg to hip height. Press your knuckles up to the sky. Repeat poses 4 to 6 on second side.
7. Uttanasana
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Fold forward from your hips, and place your hands on the floor. Evenly distribute weight in your feet. Extend up through your sitting bones and down through your crown
8. Plank Pose
Step or hop your feet back into Plank Pose. Align your hands directly under your shoulders, and spread your fingers wide. Firm your thighs, and gently draw your belly in toward your spine to engage your core
9. Vasisthasana
Shift weight to your right hand, and roll onto the outside of your right foot. Extend your left arm along your left ear. Lift your left hip and arch your side. Breathe into the left side ribs. Repeat poses 8 and 9 on second side.
10. Adho Mukha Svanasana
Lift your hips into Down Dog, and press your heels down. Hang your head between your upper arms. After each exhalation, hollow out your belly and pause for a moment before your next inhalation.
