Seven Yoga postures to improve your immune system

New Delhi, Nov 11: A fully functional immune system is important for optimum health. There are many things that effect the immune system's efficiency. We are surrounded by environmental pollutants, toxins, non nutrient dense diets and constant stress which all affect our immune system causing it to weaken and be susceptible to disease. Adding yoga into your life is an awesome way to build a strong defense system for your body.There are specific yoga postures that can help cleanse your body and release toxins, germs and infections.Our immune system consists of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body and fight off infections and diseases. These defensive cells are located in our white blood cells. They are transferred around the body by the lymphatic system.The lymph nodes move through the body by muscle contractions, unlike blood, which is pumped naturally by the heart. And Inversions do a great job in helping the pumping of blood by heart.Here are Seven Yoga Postures which can hekp you to improve your immune system, Take a look :1. Fish Pose(Matsyasana)The Fish pose is one of the backbend poses. It opens up the upper body, heart and lungs. It stimulates thymus, which plays an important role in body's defense mechanism. It benefits your neck and spine while improving your posture.Steps for Fish Pose:1. Begin by lying on the floor with both your knees bent, feet flat on the floor.2. Bring your arms by your side, palms down. Lift each hip to allow your thumb and first few fingers to fit under your hip, placing your hips back to the earth.3. Bend your elbows, keeping your hands under your hips, and press into the earth with your forearms, lifting your body from the floor. Allow your pelvis to rock almost onto your sitting bones, accentuating the natural curve of the low back.4. Send your heart upwards and backwards, creating a back bend in your thoracic spine, where your rib cage is. Picture your spine getting longer and arching gently into a backwards curve.5. Imagining your neck as an extension of your spine, reach out from the crown of your head, perhaps finding the floor with A) the back of the head or B) the crown of the head. Your head is not supporting the weight of the body, but merely a balance point. The strong muscles of the back are supporting you in this pose.6. You may keep your legs A) knees bent, feet flat on the floor, B) legs extended on the floor, feet flexed, muscles engaged, C) cross your legs in siddhasana/easy sitting or find lotus pose. You should not feel any discomfort in your low back or neck.7. Breathe slowly and stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute.8. To exit, draw your low belly in to activate your core, inhale and press into your forearms to gently lift your head from the earth. Tuck your chin softly. Exhale and lightly lie back on the mat.2. Camel Pose(Ustrasana)The Camel is a nice stretch pose for spine. It focuses mostly on abdominal muscles, thighs and shoulders, nicely opening your chest and heart. It improves respiratory and digestive systems. It can also improve your posture.Steps for Camel Pose:1. Kneeling on the floor and place your knees hip width apart and set your hips over the knees. Ground the pose by slightly pressing the top of your feet into the earth. To better isolate your hip flexor stretch in this pose, lightly turn or rotate your thighs internally.2. Lightly contract your lower abdomen to pelvic tilt your tailbone down, which will draw your hip points slightly up towards your bottom front ribs. Avoid having rigidity in yourbuttocks and outer hips while engaging this pelvic tilt.3. Maintaining a light firmness in your abdomen, place your hands on the back of your pelvis. The base of your palms should go across the tops of your buttocks causing the fingers to point down. Encourage the lower back to lengthen as your tailbone moves further into a pelvic tilt as though it is drawing forward toward the pubis. During this motion, also feel your bottom front ribs gently being contained thus adding to the length through your lower back.4. Proceeding into the back arch, inhale and roll your shoulders back by pressing your shoulder blades back and against your back ribs. Your chest will expand and the heart region will lift. Mindfully, keep the pelvis forward over your knees and slightly lean back against the firmness of the tailbone and shoulder blades. If you feel stiffness in the knees or hips, remain here with hands on the pelvis and your gaze forward.5. Continue, only if you feel comfortable and strong, by slightly twisting to one side to smoothly place one hand on the back of the one heel. Return the spine to center to place the other hand on the other heel. Still keeping the firmness and energy in the abdomen, gently press your thighs forward to perpendicular if the hips have moved back relative to the knees.6. Lightly contain the bottom front ribs and continue to lift your hip points towards those ribs to reduce compression of your lower back. Your hands may be positioned so that your palms are on the heels and the fingers point over the soles of the feet. This will allow your upper arm to more effectively externally rotate and add to the expansion of your shoulders and chest. You can continue the pose with the gaze forward. A more advanced version, you can relax the neck and jaw as you gently float your head back. Relax and soften your throat as much as possible-opening the mouth will reduce muscle tension in the front of the neck.7. Hold the pose with comfort and ease of breath for 20 seconds to a minute.8. To exit, exhale and contract your abdominal muscles. Slowly bring your hands onto the back of your pelvis one at a time. As you inhale, contract your abdominal muscles further to pull the bottom ribs forward causing the trunk to flex forward. Continue to lift your chest over the knees. If your head is back, wait for your chest pass over your knees, and only then let the head flow forward with gravity 3. Bow Pose(Dhanurasana)The Bow pose is also one of the backbends. It gives a full stretch to your body, it extends spine and improves posture. It opens up your chest and strengthens thighs, back and abdominal muscles. If not done properly it can cause severe back injuries.Steps for Bow Pose:1. Lie on your stomach with your arms by your side, palms facing upwards.2. Roll your shoulders onto your back so that the heads of your arm bones lift off the floor and the shoulder blades move towards each other. Bend both knees so that the feet move towards the buttocks.3. With as little twisting as possible grasp your ankles with your hands. You can flex your feet to make a handle. Avoid holding the foot itself.4. Exhale and contract through the abdominal region in order to lengthen the lower back and bring support to the spine. Inhale and lengthen out through the crown of your head. At the same time, keeping the knees hip width apart, press the feet back into the hands, creating a natural lift.5. With each breath press the heels back and up, gradually increasing the back bend, keeping the spine long. Maintain the supportive contraction of the abdominal muscles to counter any pressure going into the lower spine.6. Hold for 5 breaths or more.7. Exhale and slowly release the feet. Lie quietly for a few moments. Repeat if desired. 4.Downward Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) This pose sends out energy throughout the body. It provides a great inversion, by increasing circulation. It's a great lengthener and strengthener. It stretches the calves, hamstrings, back, shoulders and abdominal muscles. Like all poses, Downward Dog helps develop openness and flexibility when practiced often.Steps for Downward dog1. Make sure heels are hip width apart and parallel to the floor.2. Press your fingers into the mat with equal weight on both hands.3. keep your shoulders away from your ears.4. Relax your head and neck.5. Pull your abdominals towards your spine.6. Hold this pose for eight breathes. 5.Child's Pose ( Balasana)This pose boosts immunity. Your head is lower then you heart, therefore you recieve more circulation to the face. Child's Pose also stretches the low back, massages and tones the abdominal organs, and stimulates digestion and elimination.Steps for Child's pose1. Knees are at least hip width apart.2. Rest your front ribs on the tops of your thighs.3. Forehead is a great stretch is on the floor. Heels are apart, big toes touching.4. Arms can be down by the feet (palms facing up), or arms can be extended forward. (palms facing down).5. Press hands and feel your sitting bones on the mat.6. Hold this pose for about 10 deep breathes. 6. Headstand (Salamba Sirsasana)This pose is an energizing inversion. It stimulates the pituitary gland, which governs blood pressure, regulates water in the body, metabolism, sex organ function and thyroid function. Include Head Stand in your practice often and hold it for as long as you can to gain the most benefit.Steps for headstandYou can do this pose against a wall.1. Place your forearms with your fingers interlocked and elbows in front of knees on the mat.2. Place the crown of your head between the interlocked fingers. Wrap the hands around the head to make a firm support to protect your head.3. Lift the knees and buttocks off the floor and straighten the legs.4. Slowly walk the feet as close as possible to the head. Transfer your body weight from the toes on the head and arms, maintaining balance.5. Raise one leg at a time, to reach the wall.6. Slowly straighten the whole body, as it should be in one straight line, with your feet relaxed.7. Close your eyes and relax in this pose.8. When done return to the starting position. 7.Wheel pose(Urdhva Dhanurasana)This pose strengthens your abdominal muscles and opens up the hips. It stimulates the thyroid and pituitary glands, therefore improving your overall health. As you stretch in Wheel Pose, you're also improving your flexibility.Steps for Wheel Pose:1. Lying on your back, keep your heels flat on the floor, parallel to the floor and close to your sitting bones.2. Finger tips should point towards you.3. Keep your feet hip width apart.4. Slowly come on top of your head, push with your hands and feet into the mat and lift your body.5. Open your chest.