battling germs with yoga

As fall approaches, I look forward to dusting off my teapot, cozy hoodies and fluffiest slippers. I love the refreshing crisp air and the promise of bonfires, beautiful fall colors and the death/hibernation of many bugs. Ahhh! :) But one thing I do not look forward to is the inevitable influx of allergies and germs. I picture kids venturing back to school in close-quarters and wiping their grimy hands all over each other's stuff, spreading their little kid germs to their teachers, family, parents and eventually, co-workers of parents (ie. me). 

When I'm not blaming children for fall allergies and airborne germs, I'm actively studying home remedies, prevention and of course, yoga remedies. A regular yoga practice will already give you an advantage when it comes to your immune system, but if allergies already have you down, you're at a disadvantage.

“If you have allergy symptoms, your immune system is already working overtime. A stuffy nose, ears and sinuses, inflamed eyes, headaches, sore throat and difficulty breathing are all caused by the mucus-producing process of the immune system attacking innocuous invaders. Through relaxation, the nervous system can tell the immune system to settle down and stop attacking the foreign bodies, which are naturally cleared out in a non-allergic person by sneezing once or twice a day. When the immune system backs off, inflammation and mucus decrease and symptoms diminish.” - yogasite.com

These are scientific facts, people. Even if you don't want to get into the mental focus, spiritual aspect, chakra work or anything touchy-feely, it's still there and like it or not, it's effecting your entire endocrine system. So the question is: what's going on with your nervous system? Is it ignored, over-worked or rundown? Regardless of how you feel, if you're mentally run-down, your immune system is run-down, too.

In general, yoga helps to lower stress hormones that compromise the immune system, while also conditioning the lungs, respiratory tract and lymphatic system. But besides preventative practice, many yoga poses are specifically therapeutic to target certain glands, organs and bodily systems that, when stimulated, can help ease discomfort and speed recovery. I'm excited to be offering a workshop with a focus on the immune system. There's so much to learn, but when I feel like I'm coming down with a cold or am trying to get through one, I have a few powerful asanas that I focus on:

1.) Lion's Pose: Simultaneously one of the most-useful and most-intolerable yoga asanas, lion's pose is just normally one of those asanas you will prefer to practice alone.

A few brave souls, photographed practicing Lion's Pose.... ;)

I've had amazing success with lion's pose instantly relieving sore throats, but the key to this pose is making an obnoxious face that involves sticking out your tongue as far as you can, looking upward and exhaling (or roaring) loudly. Needless to say, I don't cue it often in class. Even Yoga Journal makes fun of lion's pose under the Partnering section:

But in all seriousness, this asana has significant (often instantaneous) benefits. It doesn't feel so silly to practice once you realize how well it works. Lion's Pose relaxes the muscles of the neck and jaw, easing the pain of a sore throat or swollen glands and can also help to soothe a cough. During the "lion's roar," the nasal passages drain, expelling mucus from the lungs.

Lion's Pose is my first go-to asana when my throat doesn't feel quite right. Remember Lion's Pose during the first signs of your next sore throat and be amazed at the results!

2.) Inversions: There are many types of inversions from the very gentle (Downward Facing Dog, Forward Fold) to the advanced (Headstand, Scorpion...etc). Even a restorative Child's Pose is technically an inversion, since your head is resting lower than your heart.

Any inversion is therapeutic for the lymphatic system, circulation and immune system.

Regardless of where you are in your practice or what you're comfortable with when you're ill, you can usually find some sort of helpful inversion. Any time your heart rests lower than your head, circulation of your lymphatic system is improved, which in turn helps your body defend against infections. Being upside-down also helps to prevent secondary infections by draining the lungs.

If you have sinus pain and pressure, inversions can help to drain your nasal passages, but don't push it. Stay mindful of what your body is feeling and only do what feels comfortable.

3.) Twists: I already spoke a lot about the benefits of twisting postures here, but if I've said it once, I'll say it 1,000 times: daily twisting yoga asanas are by far the best preventative measure you can take to strengthen your immune system and protect against disease.

Twisting posture ideas, from simple and gentle to deep and advanced.

70% of your immune system lies in the digestive tract, but some doctors and scientists argue that it's an even larger percentage. Each time you turn your torso and breathe deeply into a yoga twist, you are wringing out toxins and literally massaging internal organs that are imperative to a healthy digestive system and immune system. Twists are also a great way to increase blood flow, so they're naturally energizing if you're feeling sluggish and under-the-weather.

There are tons of other interesting yoga postures and practices you can benefit from when you're sick, such as including the use of a neti pot. Being in-tune with yourself will allow you to notice subtle changes in your energy level and give you a chance to fend off infection proactively. Ultimately, being sick is one of our best opportunities to learn how to truly listen to our bodies, refine our patience and reconsider our priorities.  There is never a good time to be ill, but when you're body tells you to "slow down," how do you handle it?

5 reasons to try a neti pot

Cleanliness and hygiene are expected in our culture. We wash, cleanse, buff and moisturize our way to a clean and healthy body on the outside, but what about internal cleansing? When we think of internal cleansing, gross and uncomfortable processes come to mind. I realize that the idea of using a tiny teapot to pour saltwater up your nose may be off-putting, but what's worse: gently cleansing the sinuses or never cleansing the sinuses? Hmm.

"In the U.S., sinus problems are the #1 reason people see a doctor. With increasing pollution and chemicals in our environment, there is an enormous rise in the number of people who suffer from various forms of nasal congestion and respiratory illnesses." - healingdaily.com 

Standard porcelain Neti Pot - dishwasher safe

Neti is an important part of Shatkarma ("shat" meaning 6 and "karma" meaning action), the yogic system of internal body cleansing. Using 6 effective, albeit unconventional methods to cleanse the stomach, colon, nasal passages (neti), eyes, abdominal column and lungs, yogis believe that they are better prepared for yoga asana practice when the body is fully cleansed. Devout modern-day Hatha yoga practitioners will admit that not all 6 methods are necessary or beneficial for everyone, so I won't bore/disgust you with any detail on the other 5 (google at your own risk). But considering that a strong and successful breath is the most important part of yoga, (ujjayi actually translates as "victorious breath") I don't think it's too crazy to presume that us modern-day yogis could benefit from this ancient sinus cleansing practice that has been practiced for thousands of years. Following are 5 reasons why you might at least consider possibly maybe trying a neti pot someday...

This neti pot could be a nicknack.

 1.) Nothing works like a neti. Nothing. I don't care what your go-to allergy or sinus medicine is, I can assure you, it is not as efficient or as effective. Before my true I'm-so-stuffy-I'll-sell-my-firstborn-child-desperation sunk in, I sniffled my way through almost every allergy medication on the market. Allergies had me waking up in the middle of the night gasping for breath and glaring at every flower and blade of grass I laid my itchy eyes on during the day. It took me a few months of this misery to accept the fact that I did indeed have allergies and then a few more subsequent weeks to work up the nerve to buy a neti pot. I'm sure the clouds don't part for everyone's first neti experience, but that's how I felt. I didn't realize how stuffy I really was; I hadn't taken a full, unobstructed breath in months, so the relief was truly extraordinary.

Plastic Neti Pot

2.) Neti pots last indefinitely and are cheap. Purchase a name-brand pack of pills and you'll be set back $10-$15 for about 2 weeks of suppressed symptoms. Buy a neti pot for $7-$10 plus a small bag of non-iodized sea-salt for $4 and you have months worth of relief, even if you use it multiple times per day. The neti pot itself lasts forever, unless you get a porcelain one and accidentally bash it off of a porcelain sink.

3.) If you're really sick, you can use a neti pot every 2 hours. Since you're just using a warm saline solution, just like gargling salt water, using a neti pot often when you're sick is actually beneficial. Unlike loading up on Dayquil or Mucinex, you're actually doing something good for your body.

4.) Using a neti pot can help to naturally prevent allergies and colds. Think about it: all the dust and bacteria that's settling deep in your sinuses is flushed out.

Adorable pink WaiLana Neti Pot

"Many health practitioners consider the nasal passages to be the doorway for most diseases. The nasal passage, with its finely-tuned mechanism of hairs and mucus membranes, which are intended to catch and restrain foreign entities from entering our bodies, actually is one of the ways nature protects us from diseases. Unfortunately, this filtering mechanism can become overloaded through high exposure to pollution, chemicals, fragrances, pollen and dust. Cleansing this filter regularly allows it to operate more efficiently."

Rhino Horn Neti Pot.

5.) You will feel better. Often times, when I use my neti pot just for maintenance, I truly don't realize how stuffy I am on a regular basis until AFTER I use it. Don't wait until you're in the midst of a sinus infection to try it (unless, like me, true desperation is the only thing that could posses you to shove a teapot up your nose), but consider how it can benefit you now, giving you an advantage before cold and flu season strikes or improving your workout routine or yoga practice.

Terrifying stainless steel Neti Pot!

 I understand it's intimidating. When I first got mine, it sat and loomed at me from the bathroom shelf for a few days before I worked up the nerve to try it. Before I tried it, I thought about drowning, getting water in my brain somehow, and how much I hate getting water up my nose while swimming. It's not like that. It might take a few tries to achieve a comfortable and successful angle, but neti pots all come with specific directions and pictures. Lots of people nerdier and less bashful than me have even posted how-to videos. Whether your a yogi working on your pranayama or an allergy sufferer just trying to make it to winter, there's no denying the benefits of using a neti pot. And thanks to Dr. Oz (who, by the way, is a yogi), the neti pot is becoming a lot more mainstream. You can find them along with the fine grain non-iodized sea-salt at your local health store or online. As fall approaches and cold season descends upon us, consider giving it a try this year and see what it does for you!