Yoga for immunity: How to prepare the body for winter wellness | All Things Wellness with Anshuka Parwani

As the winter season approaches, our bodies undergo a natural shift. Colder temperatures and shorter days can challenge our immune systems, often leaving us more vulnerable to colds, fatigue, and seasonal blues. While we may instinctively turn to warmer clothes and hot drinks, there’s something powerful we often overlook: yoga. This ancient practice, combined with Ayurvedic principles, offers a holistic way to fortify our immunity, keeping us energised and resilient through the winter months. What if the key to winter wellness lay in aligning with our body’s rhythms through mindful movement, breathing, and a few herbs? Here’s how you can use yoga to boost your immunity and stay well this winter.

Benefits of yoga for immunity

Yoga isn’t just about flexibility or strength. It is deeply intertwined with our immune health, acting as a preventative shield by reducing stress, improving circulation, and enhancing lung function. When we practice yoga, we activate the parasympathetic nervous system, also known as the “rest and digest” response. This calms the body, lowers stress hormones like cortisol, and allows our immune system to work at its best.

Studies have shown that chronic stress can weaken immune responses, making us more susceptible to illness. Yoga helps by calming the mind, bringing us into the present moment, and ultimately improving our physical and mental resilience. A well-rounded yoga practice, combined with breathing exercises and meditation, helps balance the body and primes it for the challenges of winter.

Breathing practices to support immunity

Winter’s cold air and lower humidity can affect our respiratory health. Breathing practices (pranayama) can be invaluable tools to keep our lungs clear, improve oxygen intake, and support immunity. Here are three key breathing techniques:

1. Kapalabhati (Skull Shining Breath)

This breathing exercise is a natural detoxifier. With quick, forceful exhalations and passive inhalations, Kapalabhati energizes the body and clears nasal passages. It’s a fantastic way to warm up in winter while also building lung strength.

2. Surya Bhedana (Right Nostril Breathing)

This pranayama is especially useful in winter, as it generates internal warmth and boosts energy. Surya Bhedana, or right nostril breathing, activates the body’s heating energy, promoting vitality and improving circulation. To practice, close the left nostril and inhale deeply through the right nostril, then exhale slowly through the left. Repeat for 5–10 rounds, especially in the mornings, to feel energized and balanced.

3. Bhastrika (Bellows Breath)

Bhastrika invigorates and warms the body by mimicking the act of bellows stoking a fire. Practising it for a few minutes daily can be a powerful way to kickstart your immune system, especially on cold mornings.

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Yoga poses to strengthen immunity

Specific yoga poses support immunity by stimulating blood flow, opening the lungs, and gently massaging the internal organs. Here are a few key poses that are particularly beneficial in winter:

1. Twists

Twisting poses, such as Bharadvajasana (Seated Twist) and Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose), work wonders for detoxification. Twisting compresses and releases the digestive organs, which helps eliminate toxins and improve digestion—a key factor in immunity according to Ayurveda.

2. Backbends

Backbends such as Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) and Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose) stimulate the thymus gland, which is responsible for producing T-cells, the immune system’s frontline defence against pathogens.

3. Inversions

Poses like Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) encourage lymphatic drainage, helping flush out toxins and keeping the body’s internal environment balanced. This is a gentle inversion that can be done at any age, promoting circulation and relaxing the mind.

Role of Ayurveda in winter wellness

Ayurveda, yoga’s sister science, complements these practices beautifully, offering dietary and herbal tips to keep immunity strong. In winter, Ayurveda encourages us to balance Vata, the dosha (or bio-energy) associated with cold, dryness, and wind. When Vata is high, we may experience dry skin, achy joints, and even increased anxiety. Here’s how to balance it.

1. Warming foods and spices

Focus on cooked, warm, and nourishing foods. Include spices like ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon, which have warming properties and help stimulate digestion. Turmeric, in particular, is known for its anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. A cup of turmeric milk, or golden milk, before bed, can be especially helpful.

2. Herbal allies

Certain Ayurvedic herbs are renowned for their immune-supportive properties. Ashwagandha, a powerful adaptogen, helps the body handle stress while boosting immunity. Tulsi (Holy Basil) is another potent herb with antimicrobial properties, often used in teas for respiratory health. A warm, soothing tea with Tulsi, ginger, and honey is an excellent way to start your morning.

3. Oil massage (Abhyanga)

Ayurveda recommends daily oil massage with warm sesame oil in winter. This practice not only moisturizes the skin but also grounds Vata and improves circulation, keeping the body warm and nourished. Plus, the massage itself is a form of self-care that calms the mind and reduces stress.

4. Meditation and mindfulness for inner strength

Winter can often bring with it a sense of sluggishness or even seasonal sadness, affecting not only our mood but also our immunity. Meditation and mindfulness practices can help combat this by enhancing mental resilience and grounding the mind.

A simple gratitude meditation—where you focus on what you’re thankful for each day—can work wonders. Studies show that gratitude increases feelings of positivity and reduces stress, which, in turn, supports a healthier immune system. Try setting aside just five minutes in the morning to breathe deeply, visualize yourself in good health, and mentally express gratitude for all the small joys in life.

Yoga for immunity: Winter routine you should follow

To help integrate these practices into your routine, here’s a simple sequence you can follow to build immunity this winter:

• Warm-Up: Start with Kapalabhati pranayama for 1-2 minutes.
• Twists: Move into Bharadvajasana or Ardha Matsyendrasana, holding each side for 5-8 breaths. Backbend: Follow up with Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose) for 5 breaths, repeating twice.
• Inversion: End with Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose) for 5-10 minutes.
• Breathwork Close: Practice 5–10 rounds of Surya Bhedana pranayama, and then finish with Nadi Shodhana.
• Meditation: Set aside a few minutes for gratitude meditation

Embrace winter wellness with yoga

As we settle into the colder months, yoga and Ayurveda provide us with a toolkit to embrace winter wellness mindfully and holistically. By incorporating breathwork, immune-boosting poses, warming Ayurvedic practices, and meditation, we can prepare our bodies and minds for the season. Instead of viewing winter as a time of hibernation, let’s approach it as an opportunity to strengthen our resilience, stay active, and nurture ourselves from within.

With these mindful practices, we can carry the warmth of wellness into every chilly day.

(Anshuka Parwani is a Wellness Columnist for Health Shots. She writes an exclusive monthly column for the women’s health platform. A leading celebrity yoga and holistic wellness expert in India, Anshuka trains celebrities such as Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone and Alia Bhatt. A former pilot, she is the force behind Mumbai-based yoga studio Anshuka Yoga.)