Rest and Restore for Cold and Flu Prevention: The Power of Restorative Yoga

As we enter the time of year when sniffles are passed around generously and runny noses are common, it is great to be prepared with some natural remedies for cold and flu prevention. 

I am a proponent of prevention, and fortunately there are some great strategies for boosting your immunity and preventing getting sick. Eating a balanced, nutritious diet, washing your hands, getting plenty of rest and listening to your body can all help stack the odds in your favor during cold and flu season. One of the keys to cold and flu prevention is knowing when to slow down and allow your body time to do its job of keeping you well.

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When faced with the first sign of a sore throat or stuffy nose, do you push through with your regular fitness or yoga practice or take extra time to rest? Have you ever wondered about the best way to stay healthy and avoid succumbing to a full-blown flu? 

On one hand, hitting the gym or practicing yoga can be a great way to handle stress and feel more balanced. Most of us are familiar with the way that stress influences our immune systems from personal experience. You may have noticed that you always seem to come down with a cold when you are overworked or exhausted.

Research has uncovered the reason behind why stress makes colds and other health issues more likely. Cortisol, one of our major stress hormones, is a main culprit. When we are threatened, anxious or under stress, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol. This temporarily dampens the immune system and inflammation to free up energy to address the acute threat. With chronic stress, the body’s responsiveness to cortisol decreases, which allows inflammation to run unchecked. With intense or repeated stressors over time, the immune system can become less sensitive to cortisol making it more difficult to regulate the inflammatory response. In this case, a chronically-stressed person who is exposed to a cold-causing virus is more likely to become ill.

In order to avoid getting that cold that is being passed around the office, it is important to manage ongoing daily stressors. One way to keep stress in check is to have a regular, balanced yoga practice or daily meditation time. But it is equally important to remain mindful of the need to slow down when a cold starts to creep in.

Instead of constantly pushing yourself to get to the gym or be more productive, taking time to slow down and get extra rest can make a huge difference in keeping you healthy all season long!

Restorative Yoga for Cold and Flu Prevention

One approach that can help you slow down and give your body get some much needed relaxation is to shift to a more restorative practice when you begin to feel run down. Instead of keeping up your regular vigorous class or going to the gym, consider reaching for a bolster, blanket and eye pillow and engage in some supported, restorative postures.

Try some of my favorite calming, restorative yoga poses originally found in my article on Elephant Journal!

• Supported Child’s Pose with your forehead on a block, blanket or bolster can help you relax and release tension. It can also be a great pose for supporting the draining of the sinuses to help relieve head colds and sinus pressure.
• Legs Up the Wall Pose is another restorative posture that can support the body in greater relaxation and help balance the immune system. Lie on your back near the wall with a blanket under your lower back. Place your sit bones close to the wall, and rest your legs against the wall, reaching towards the ceiling. This posture is very relaxing and can help open the chest to allow for deeper breathing.
• Gentle Seated and Reclining Twists can help cleanse the internal organs and boost the immune system. Twists are also a great way to release tension and physical stress in the body.
• Supported Bound Angle Pose allows you to open up the chest and abdomen. Find a comfortable posture with your thighs supported by folded blankets and your head resting gently on a block, bolster or blankets. Find a place of supported deep relaxation which calms the nervous system. You can also try this in a reclining position.

Not only can slowing down help the physical body remain more balanced, a restorative practice also helps to calm the mind and reduce the constant anxiety of modern life. Add in some enhanced self-care and reflection using exercises like those in my book The Whole Cure: 52 Essential Prescriptions to Overcome Overwhelm, Reclaim Balance and Reconnect with a Life You Love! and join my powerful virtual Whole Cure Lifestyle Transformation Program which begins February 7th from the comfort of your home!

Keeping your body balanced and well nourished also supports the immune system and helps keep you strong and healthy all winter long. 

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Reflective, restorative practices are a great way to slow down, detox the mind and body and turn inward. How do you deal with a developing cold? What are your favorite practices for slowing down and finding the pause?

Every body is unique so be sure to check with your health care professional before making any dietary or lifestyle changes. These are methods and products that I use and should not be considered medical advice.

This post was shared with: Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural Party, What’d You Do This Weekend, Pin Worthy Wednesday, Create It Thursday, Healthy Living Link Party, Weekend Retreat, Family Fun Friday, Living a Life of Fitness Health & Happiness Link Up,  Friday’s Five Features