Use your yoga shield to protect you from colds and allergies.
Alice was at work when she noticed that her throat was getting itchy. “Oh no” she thought. “There is a cold coming on. I better make sure to practice yoga tonight right after work.”
Alice had learnt from her teacher that a vigorous yoga practice before a cold takes hold can usually shield her from the cold getting established.
What sort of symptoms
There are some symptoms that you can look for that a vigorous yoga practice will help your body
- The very early stages of a cold or flu.
- A mild allergy reaction
- A runny or stuffy nose
However there are times when you should not practice yoga.
When should you go to yoga class
You should not practice yoga if you are in the middle of a cold.
If you are at the early stages of a cold with the itchy throat then a yoga practice may prevent the cold from getting worse.
If you are at the end of the cold and just starting to feel better, a yoga practice will help to drive the remainder of the cold out of your body.
How does yoga shield you from a cold
A vigorous yoga practice gets the blood flowing. You are breathing deep and the twists of the poses will help to to break up congestion and remove toxins from the body. All of these actions will boost the immune system and kick the toxin removal systems into high gear.
How to do a yoga class with a stuffy / runny nose
There are different things that you need to do at different times to be able to go to yoga class with a stuffy or runny nose.
Sniffing and blowing your nose all the time to try and control it can be quite annoying for the people around you. The constant sniffing can drive your neighbours to distraction. They will lose their concentration on their practice and you will be distracted as well.
However there are few things that you can do that may make the situation manageable.
Before class
Make an assessment of your health. Be certain that you do not have a fever or nausea. You definitely do not want to go to yoga class during a cold or allergy reaction. If your nose is running constantly or your eyes are watering continuously you need to stay home.
If you are certain that you do not have a cold, then blow and clean your nose and sinus as best you can before entering the practice room.
During class
There are three things that you can do during a yoga class to help manage a runny / stuffy nose.
- If there are tissues available in the room, grab some and go to the back of the room to blow and dry out your nose.
- If you know that there are no tissues in the room then bring your own.
- If you forgot tissues, and there are no tissues available leave the room to blow your nose and dry it out in the bathroom.
If your nose is running really bad and it will not stop, you need to consider leaving the class and going home. People do not want to share a cold with you and the constant sniffing and blowing will annoy them.
How yoga helps my seasonal allergies
I suffer from seasonal allergies. One of the ways that I react is to have my sinuses swell up and get blocked. This is usually accompanied by a bit of a runny nose.
I have found that a yoga practice will help to remove the effects of the allergy reaction. A yoga practice will clear my sinuses completely, but every time I go through the same cycle.
Before I start my yoga practice, I clear my nose and sinuses as much as possible.
At the beginning of the practice while I am doing a series of Sun Salute As my sinuses will actually jam up completely. I have great difficulty breathing through my nose. I have to take the occasional breath through my mouth.
When I switch from Sun Salute A to Sun Salute B my sinuses start to clear up. The lunges in the middle with the head going up and down helps to break up the congestion in the sinuses. At this point it may be necessary to stop and blow my nose to clear the sinuses out.
By the end of the Sun Salute B series my nose and sinuses are usually clear and dry.
I carry on with the rest of the practice and usually my nose stays clear until after the class is over.
How do I know if I should stay home or go to class?
If you are past the “I think I might have a cold coming on” stage then you should stay home. It is during this stage that you are infectious and no one wants to catch your cold and your energy levels will be low and you may have a fever. None of these will be helped by a yoga practice.
If your are starting to feel your energy returning and you are starting to feel better then a yoga practice will help to clear the body of the remainder of the cold.
Summary
If you catch it in the ‘itchy nose’ stage, a yoga class may help stave off your cold.
If your cold is already established, stay home and keep warm.
If you are in class with a runny nose, make sure you know how to manage it.
Next Step
Have you found that yoga has helped you avoid a cold? Let me know by adding your comments below.
