Hello Yogis!!
Days like
today signal that spring is just around the corner, and March is the transition
time from winter to spring. Just like we change our clothes for the seasons, we
need to change our eating habits and activities to suit the new weather. Warmer
weather generally means lighter food and more activity. So, if you have not
been exercising during the winter, now is a perfect time to restart your yoga
(or other) exercise routine.
One way to
help the body “reset” for the new season is to do a kind of detox diet. Detox
means to get rid of toxins (“de” to reverse, “tox” from toxify). Actually, our body is always detoxifying itself – the liver,
kidneys, and the lymphatic system carry out detoxification constantly. However,
those organs get tired, so we need to help them by giving them a rest. Eating
easy to digest foods is one way to give these organs a rest. Also, it is
recommended to take some herbs or other foods that assist with detox.
Detox can have a number of good effects on the body and
mind, including weight loss, improved digestion, clear skin, and a refreshed
feeling. The toxins in our body are created not only from the foods we eat and
the chemicals in the air, but also the emotions we have. If we hold anger,
sadness, jealousy, or hatred inside, these feelings can literally make us
physically ill. Detoxing the body can also help clean out the mind and heart.
Seasonal Allergies and Yoga
With the warmth
of spring comes the suffering of hay fever or seasonal allergies (花粉症). On
the train and at work we hear people sniffling and sighing, tired from allergy
medicine and too much sneezing. The sad part is, allergy medicine makes use
weaker, so that we need stronger allergy medicine as we get older. Fortunately,
we CAN strengthen our immunity (免疫力) and relieve the symptoms with
yoga. Of course, yoga is what we call “slow medicine”, it takes time and
practice to work. But I assure you, the more you practice the better you will
feel. Yoga may also be used WITH medicine to make it more effective.
Yoga
practice can relieve your allergies in two major ways. First, yoga helps to
strengthen the immune system by calming the nervous system (神経系).
Allergies tend to make people feel irritated, what with a constantly running
nose and itchy eyes. Practicing yoga forces you to slow down your breathing,
which makes you calm. Inversions (逆さまのポーズ) stimulate lymph flow, which
helps your body get rid of allergens (things that give you an allergic
reaction). Second, breathing exercises, like Kapalabhati, help decongest the
nose so you can breathe more easily. Chest opening exercises, like Fish pose,
are also helpful.
Have you ever heard of the neti pot for nasal irrigation? This ancient ayurvedic technique of cleansing the nasal passages of allergens, dust, and mucus is actually recommended by doctors in the US and Japan to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever. You can use other devices for washing your nose, like squeeze bottles, or any teapot with a spout, but the neti pot is the easiest to use.
花粉症とヨガについて （日本語）
More about hay fever and yoga (in English)
These days,
most people’s first reaction to colds or allergies is to take medicine for the
symptoms, rather than treat the source. While it may be more difficult at
first, listening intently to your body will eventually help you figure out what
the source of your illness, or imbalance, is. Taking too much medicine deafens
us to our own bodies. Listening to your body will help you do what is good for
it. Doing what is good for it makes you healthy. And being healthy helps you
enjoy the beautiful spring weather ^v^
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