It goes without saying that breathing is living! In yoga, breath is referred to as Pranayama. ‘Prana’ refers to the universal life force and ‘ayama’ means to regulate or lengthen. Pranayama translates into breath control.
Pranayama has MANY benefits including bringing a sense of calm to the body when you feel stressed, helping to improve your mood, and improving cardiovascular health. BUT, did you know Pranayama can help to BOOST YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM??? It’s true! Pranayama practice provides more oxygen to the blood, reduces stress levels and fights anxiety – all of which boost the immune system.
There are many different pranayama practices and they all can be beneficial. Recently, I’ve come to learn from online teacher training about a specific breathing technique called Buteyko. I have a lot more to learn about this breathing practice, but one of its main components is nasal breathing. This type of breathing has many health benefits, but can also support the immune system. Here is link to how this type of breathing can help defend against the CoronaVirus: https://buteykoclinic.com/corona-virus/
I am also reading, The Oxygen Advantage: The Simple, Scientifically Proven Breathing Techniques for a Healthier, Slimmer, Faster, and Fitter You by Patrick McKeown, Alan Smyth, et al.
It is fascinating to learn how much of an impact the way we breathe can influence our health and wellness! So Yogis, this week I invite you to think about your breathing and perhaps spend a little quiet time each day focusing on just your breath! Keep your immune system strong in all the ways that you can!!
Be Well Yogis!
Nicole
