Matsyasana – Dhanurasana – Kapalabhati
Do you feel low in energy and catch a cold easily whenever the weather gets cold?
Did you know that an imbalance in the Kapha dosha plays an important role in weakening the immune system?
An imbalance in Kapha means an excess of moisture and coldness in the body.
Imagine the times when your lungs are filled with mucus, you feel heaviness in your head, and there is phlegm at the back of your throat. The cold has spread throughout your body, and the fire element has diminished.
In Ayurveda, the fire element is vital to the immune system because it represents the body’s soldiers that burn toxins and destroy viruses and bacteria. When the inner fire is low, even sitting next to someone with a cold or cough can make you sick.
What to do?
By practicing Matsyasana (Fish Pose) and Dhanurasana (Bow Pose), you open the chest and lungs, stimulate the thymus gland (which produces T-cells), improve blood circulation in the lungs, and speed up the elimination of toxins.
By practicing the breathing technique Kapalabhati, you increase the fire element in your body and strengthen your immune system.
In Kapalabhati, you perform conscious, active, and forceful exhalations. These repeated exhalations act like a broom, sweeping carbon dioxide and toxins out of the bronchial tubes. As these toxins are expelled, lung capacity increases and space opens for oxygen and prana to flow in.
Kapalabhati is a powerful practice, so the number of repetitions should be determined by a yoga teacher according to your body type. People with high blood pressure, chronic headaches, hyperthyroidism, severe asthma, or high irritability should practice it with caution.
What else can we do?
Make your own antibiotic honey.
Ingredients:
5 cloves of garlic, 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, 1 large turnip (or several small ones), 1 onion, ½ cup coriander seeds, and 1 kilogram jar of honey.
Finely chop all ingredients except the coriander seeds. Put everything together in a large container, add the honey, and mix well.
Pour the mixture into a large glass jar, close the lid tightly, and let it sit for 2–3 days. Shake the jar several times a day during this period. After three days, strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing the ingredients to extract all their properties into the honey.
Store the resulting honey in the refrigerator. During cold seasons, whenever you feel the first signs of a cold, take one tablespoon of this honey three times a day — in the morning, noon, and at night.
If you already have a cold, you can take a bit more. It helps strengthen your immune system and clears accumulated phlegm faster.
For more home remedies related to boosting the immune system, click on the words Lung Cleansing and Common Cold.
Wishing you health and balance
Written by Setareh Kiumarsi
Please mention the author’s name, Setareh Kiumarsi, when sharing this article, which has been lovingly written with the hope of health and well-being for all.
