Do you often seem to attract cold after cold while your pals seem to breeze through the season? It is no coincidence that you have to battle frequent tummy troubles and your wounds tend to linger and have a hard time healing. These are no false alarms but clear signs of a compromised immune system.
According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, the digestive tract contains over 70% of your immune system! That’s right! Beneficial microorganisms and bacteria that live in your gut protect you from infection and help your immune system. Having insufficient amounts of these beneficial gut bacteria puts you at risk of infections, chronic inflammation, and potential autoimmune illnesses.
Your immune system’s main goal is to protect you from bothersome, persistent bacteria that want nothing more than to attack your body and break it down, making you more vulnerable to injury and illness. Your immune system is the checkpoint for what enters and leaves your body. Viruses and toxins have no chance when it is functioning properly. If it isn’t, the floodgates open wide.
So How Does The Immune System Work?
Your body’s natural defence system is your immunity system. It’s a complex system of cells, tissues, and organs protecting your body from external invaders. Viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi are examples of invaders that can make us sick. They can be found in our homes, offices, and other places.
A healthy immune system defends us by forming a barrier that prevents invaders, or antigens, from entering the body. If a foreign substance gets beyond the barrier, the immune system releases white blood cells and other chemicals and proteins to attack and kill it. They try to track down the antigen and eliminate it before it reproduces. If it fails, the immune system revs up even more, to combat the invaders as they grow.
Millions of antigens are recognised by the immune system. It has the resources to eliminate nearly all of them. This complex defensive system can protect you from everything from cancer to the common cold when it’s in good functioning order.
Symptoms Of A Weak Immune System
- Frequent infections and colds.
- Problems with digestion.
- Slow healing of wounds.
- Experiencing constant stress.
- Feeling fatigued easily.
Role Of Yoga In Strengthening Your Immune System
Yoga can help you rejuvenate your body, eliminate toxins and negative energy, and keep your essential organs healthy. It can assist you in developing both internal & external resilience. Certain yoga positions can help in boosting and balancing immune system support. It can also help fight against oxidative stress, which is harmful to healthy cells. Yoga decreases stress throughout the body when practised frequently, which reduces inflammation and degeneration.
Yoga is one of the most important techniques for keeping your respiratory system healthy. Breathing technique and asana (posture) help improve the mechanical efficiency of your lungs by conditioning the respiratory tract that raises the flexibility and strength of the entire lung. This, in turn, helps in the prevention of infection.
While the external air can promote dry skin, stiff joints, and a chill in your bones, asanas can help lubricate your joints with synovial fluid while strengthening your muscles.
Yoga Poses For Boosting Immunity
- Child’s Pose
This easy & calming asana relieves lower back stiffness, decreases stress and exhaustion, improves mood, and refreshes the mind. It is extremely effective in increasing immunity.
- The Cobra Pose
The Cobra Pose opens your lungs, boosts your energy and strengthens your spine. It can improve digestion and ease liver pressure, thereby lessening the load on your immune system.
- Bow Pose
Bow Pose increases blood flow throughout the body, which helps to strengthen immunity. This exercise increases pressure on the digestive tract, making it easier to digest meals.
- Seated Forward Bend
Seated Forward Bend promotes digestion, decreases anxiety, and relieves nasal congestion. It also helps to keep the brain calm and minimises mental-health symptoms.
- Fish Pose
Fish Pose has numerous benefits. Stretching the chest, abdomen, hip flexors, neck, and stimulating two key body areas. The throat chakra is associated with speech and self-expression, whereas the crown chakra, located on top of your head, is associated with wisdom and knowledge.
Conclusion
In a stressful environment like ours, a strong immunity can go a long way, which would help one fight all infections and promote the wellness of an individual. Yoga is the ideal way of life. When practised consistently, you will witness its wonders on your immunity by living a long and healthy life.
