Yoga and Health: Yoga for Cold

By Vikrmaditya

Yoga and Health: Yoga for Cold

The common cold is an upper respiratory infection caused by a virus. Colds are considered to be the immune system's response to viral attack.

Although anyone and everyone can get a cold, a few ways to prevent colds are through regular paranayam, proper quantity of Vitamin C in your diet as well as fruits and vegetables and most essential is washing your hands frequently, especially after coming into contact with someone who has a cold.

Yoga not only helps prevent cold but improves a person's health and strengthens the immune system thus lessening susceptibility to colds.

If ling mudra is practised daily, along with a proper practise of Kapalbhati Pranayan then various incurable disease of the chest can be healed.

Kapal Bhati Paranayam or Bhastrika:

This deep breathing technique helps in inhaling more oxygen into the lungs, which helps alleviate colds, congestion, and sinus.

The Process:

¥ Go out in the open air.

¥ Inhale and exhale rapidly through the nose for one minute, relax for a few seconds then repeat process.

¥ This can be repeated 7-8 times at a stretch but should be done before meals.

Ling Mudra along with Pran Mudra:

Practise of these for a few minutes everyday is very helpful. To form Ling Mudra, join both palms and lock the facing fingers together, keeping right thumb straight and upright. The upright thumb must be encircled by the other thumb and index finger (as in picture). To form the pran mudra, join the tips of the ring finger and the little finger with the tip of the thumb.

Other practices:

# A yogic nasal wash, called neti, if done once a week is highly beneficial.

# Proper dose of homeopathic medicine like bryonia and aconite also cures these kind of infections.

# Honey mixed with dry ginger powder and black pepper powder, if taken thrice a day, gets rid of cold very soon.

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See also: Yoga and Health, Yoga, Yoga and Health, Yoga Systems, Yoga Positions)