Exercise Regime During The Rains

 Yoga expert, Shameem Akthar, says, “During the rains the body’s natural lethargy due to the lazy weather, and the subsequent drop in metabolism, creates the ideal conditions for diseasse.

Including a few regular yoga poses in your fitness routine will help you survive the season without falling ill.

Focus on chest-opening poses since they press against the immune gland or thymus, boosting immunity. Twists also are a powerful to naturally detox during this season. Having a simple pranayama practice is also a guarantee against sickness. Below a few poses and practices modified for those at work.

Marjariasana (Cat stretch): Stand up straight. (May also be done seated). Inhale. Curve your chest in, exhaling in a controlled manner. This is one round. Do three to five rounds.

Benefits: Works the spine. Expands the breath. Gives a nice tilt to the chest by working the pectorals. Works the thymus gland, which boosts immunity. Stimulates the mind, removing lethargy.

Ushtrasana (Camel stretch, simple version): Maybe done standing or seated. Keep body erect. Keep hands behind as shown, palms on hips, elbows pointed out and back. Inhale. Exhale. Inhaling push back elbows further so the chest opens up. Exhale, release the tension. This is one round. Do five to ten times.

Benefits: Pushes and massages the thymus gland, which is the immune gland. Protects you from infections.

Kati chakrasana (Abdominal twist): May be done seated or standing. Bending right arm at elbow, place your right thumb on the forehead. Inhale. Exhaling twist to right, maintaining the hand position and elbow extension. Inhaling return to center, then exhaling twist to left side. This is one round. Do five times.
Benefits: It helps remove the build-up of ama /ayurvedic term for toxins, which becomes more during cold or wet seasons. It also removes lethargy. The heart, lungs and the thymus at the chest enjoy a massaging pressure. Gives a gentle, but complete twist to the entire spine. This helps improve circulation all along it, plus to the organs stacked alongside it. It also helps release fat from the liver.

Kapalabhati (Skull-cleansing practice): Ramayana practices like palatial or skull-cleansing kriya (covered in earlier columns) also perk you immediately.

Sit straight in any meditative pose. Inhale and exhale deeply, fast. Do the in-and-out routine five times for one round. Rest, breathing normally. Repeat two more rounds. Don’t exert nostrils or face. The breath must be deep, drawn from abdomen.The number of pumpings/hyperventilation may be increased with regular practice to any where to 30 up to 60.

Avoid: In heart, BP problems, epilepsy.

Benefits: Kapalabhati’s impacts breathing. Is therapeutic in depression, especially seasonal affective disorder common during wet or cold seasons. Boosts digestion and metabolism. Removes mental sluggishness.

Source: Times Of India