4 Immunity Boosting Yoga Poses
Did you know that April is national stress awareness month? Being under stress can have a major impact on our immune health. Stress hormones affect our ability to fight disease. In addition to the usual stresses, the threat of coronavirus has changed our daily routines and has added even more stress. It’s time to fight back!
Now more than ever we want to do everything we can to keep our immune system strong. Now is a great time to bring a time-tested stress reducer into our lives.
Yoga is a mind-body practice that is known to calm both mind and body. Incorporating breath work, meditation and poses, yoga increases flexibility and strength, while helping to reduce all that stress! Best of all, you can do yoga anytime in the comfort of your own home.
Here are some easy yoga poses to help you relax, feel better and reduce stress.
Easy Pose – This pose helps to reduce anxiety, stretch the hips, lengthen the spine and helps bring calm and serenity.
This pose is called, “Easy Pose” for a reason. It’s simply something we did all the time as kids. Simply sit on a comfortable mat with your legs crossed in front of you. Hands on knees. It helps open the hips and stretch the spine, but is the perfect pose for meditation and breath work.
Bridge Pose – The bridge pose reduces fatigue, anxiety, insomnia and headaches. Give the back and legs a stretch.
Bridge pose always makes me feel amazing! The key is not to overdo it. Stay at a level where you are comfortable. Practice will give you more flexibility over time!
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Arms should be on the floor along the side of your body, with palms down reaching toward your ankles.
- Press feet and arms into the mat and exhale as you lift your hips toward the sky.
- Carefully lower back down to your starting position
Tree Pose – The tree pose stretches thighs, core and shoulders. The concentration needed to balance will help stress melt away! Tree pose is great at helping with balance. It’s a beginner’s pose but it’s good to warm up before starting!
- Stand on your mat with your weight equally distributed.
- Move your weight to the right side while keeping your core strong for balance.
- Slowly lift your left leg, bend at the knee and put the sole of your foot on the inside of your right thigh.
- Use your core to maintain balance. Watch the hips!
- Take 5 to 10 breaths and slowly release your foot, place it down and switch to the other leg.
Don’t worry if you look a little silly with this one. It takes some getting used to!
Bow Pose: The bow pose is known to help with stress, anxiety and fatigue. Bow pose can be a bit more difficult. If you have any type of lower back issue or are just beginning, go at your own pace only where you feel comfortable.
- Lie on your mat, flat on your stomach with palms up.
- Exhale and bend knees toward the head.
- Lift your hands and grab ankles.
- Lift heels away from your bottom while lifting the head, neck, chest and thighs off of your mat.
- Hold the stretch for 15 seconds while breathing.
- Exhale and slowly lower back to the mat.
These yoga poses should help melt away stress and anxiety and leave you feeling wonderful!
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**As with any exercise, people with back problems, pregnant women, blood pressure issues, and people with hernias and other health issues and injuries should consult a physician before working out.
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Michelle Harris is the host of Alive & Well with Michelle Harris, a national TV series promoting the wellness lifestyle. Michelle is one of the media’s leading lifestyle experts and is a frequent guest on TV shows, radio shows, magazine interviews, red carpets and live events. Michelle is also the co-founder of Animal Angels, a non-profit advocacy group where celebrities promote pet health and adoptions. Follow Michelle on FB @aliveandwelltv and on IG @michelleharris_tv