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In What Way Does Yoga Prevent Infections and Diseases?
By
Patricia | January 6, 2009
Yoga is not the only cure or preventive measure when it comes to infections and infectious diseases. But it is believed that regular practice of yoga can keep your body and mind healthy, thus, helping prevent and even cures certain disease.
Yoga can prevent infections and diseases in several ways:
- Stress can be the major cause for several diseases, even infectious diseases. Stress erodes and weakens your immune system, thus, making you more prone to all sorts of infections. Through the stretching postures of yoga and through pranayama breathing techniques, you can relax your body and mind and de-stress. This de-stressing method will keep your immune system in better shape and will help you fight those infections.
- Through yoga you can strengthen your lymphatic system, which in turn will help your body flush out the toxins. Inversions such as headstands, plough position, shoulder stands and legs up the wall position are good for the lymphatic system, which is the main producer of immune cells. You should also try twists and hip openers that will work the lymph nodules in the armpit. Some of the postures that you should try are seated twist, prayer twist, pigeon and bound angle to get maximum benefits. You can attempt the lion pose or Simhasana to activate the lymph nodes in the neck. This pose is also good for the immune glands in the tonsils.
- To prevent nasal infections, try doing Jal Neti or nasal irrigation, which will drain out the infections in the nasal passage.
- Then there are chest-opening postures which concentrate on the chest and the respiratory system and help to prevent infectious diseases related to the chest. Positions like pigeon posture, cobra posture, boat posture, bow posture and upper back bends massage the thymus gland. This gland is located in the center of the chest.
- Yoga is not just about regular exercise; it is also a way of life. If you follow yogic ways, you can benefit more from the entire practice of yoga. A balanced diet with lots of green vegetables, whole grains and fruits are important. You should also keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water and avoid caffeine, alcohol and refined sugar, since these can harm the immune system.
So, yoga can help combat infections and can prevent you from falling sick too. While, yoga is extremely beneficial for your health, it isn’t an instant medicine that can cure you in a jiffy of infectious diseases. Practicing yoga regularly will help to strengthen your immunity.