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Winter Immunity with Yoga + Ayurveda

sareshoddo

Internal + External Weather

• Obviously we can’t change the weather, but we can dress appropriately with what each day presents to reduce aggravation.


• Weather changes are potential causes of our body + mind imbalances


• We take action and modify the cause by using ear warmers, a raincoat or wearing lighter clothing when the weather is cold, wet or hot


• Potential causes of illness and imbalance also include our internal weather.


• Just as the weather changes, our thoughts change, our surroundings change, stressful situations are coming and going, and some people carry deeply rooted trauma.


• So what can we do?

Ayurveda integrates pharmacy of food as an art of cooking medicinal food

For Easier Digestion of Food + Emotions + Environment

• Eat Sattvic foods with high Prana or life force for their energetic qualities (Sattva explained in detail soon)


• Eat Seasonal food that is available throughout the year, nature provides plants to sustain us correctly for each specific time


• Avoid cold or cooling foods or drinks in excess


• Favor cooked rather than raw foods especially out of the summer season


• Drink room temperature or warm water


• Introduce warm herbal teas into your day such as Ginger and CFC (Coriander Seed, Fennel Seed, Cumin Seeds whole, brought to boil in hot water, strained and drunk warm)


• Increase spice use with your meals to aid digestion and absorption of nutrition


• Have an Agni-building Deepana (aperitif) before eating to stimulate appetite and stimulate digestion (chew white sesame or drink ginger tea)


• Implement post-meal digestives to aid digestion (chew roasted fennel seeds in ghee or coconut oil of cfc tea).


• Reduce temptation to overeat! Take into consideration how active or sedentary your life is how you need to nourish yourself accordingly!


• Eat consciously, become the sommelier of your food, chew your mouthfuls just a little bit more (let your tongue experience the tastes), sit away from distractions like tv and phones which can contribute to feeling unsatisfied


• Season every meal with all 6 tastes to stimulate digestion on the tongue in preparation first


• Make lunch your largest meal, breakfast and dinner need to be light just as the daylight is drawing in


Winter Breath (Pranayama) Kapalabhati


Indication: Head-colds, sinusitis, chest congestion, anything ears, nose or throat cleanse and clearing, ear popping on the plane, any air travel or long journeys sitting, first thing in the morning after rising.


Method:

1. Sitting comfortably on chair or mat, support spine with straight extension from base tip to the crown of the head.

· May be done cross-legged or not. Be sure to relax hips and knees as well as shoulders, neck and face.


2. Deep breath in through nose to your abdomen, feeling it expand. Quickly exhale air out of nostrils. On the release of abdomen contraction, let breath fill lungs and allow abdomen to expand.

· The abdomen will contract automatically


3. Repeat slowly until you find a rhythm, increase strength with confidence of rhythm and pace if desired to circulate more air within the lungs for expelling of congestion or need for calm.


4. A full inhalation and exhalation counts as 1 breath cycle. Repeat this as many times as you can up to 20 ending on an exhalation, taking 1 deep breath between to reset ready for another round.


5. Repeat as time permits 3-5 times for a full practice.

· Stop if ever feeling lightheaded not suitable for those with high blood pressure, acute asthma, epilepsy or a pace-maker.


Autumn-Winter Yoga Positions

(ideally need to be individualised according to dosha and current health)


Sun Salutations Sequence on its own if time permits:

Mountain form sitting or standing (Tadasana)

Arms up overhead/ Palm Tree Form (Talasana)

Forward fold (Uttanasana)

½ way lift (Ardha Uttanasana)

Table form (Bharmanasana)

Cobra form (Bhujangasana)

Table form (Bharmanasana)



YOGA HAPPENS BEYOND THE MAT ANYTHING YOU DO WITH ATTENTION TO HOW YOU FEEL IS DOING YOGAl

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