Challenge 11 - Yoga for Immunity

Being sick is no fun. Nothing can guarantee perfect immunity but do what you can to not feel under the weather. Practice the following sequence to boost your immunity. Benefits of poses relative to health are included.

Challenge - Do Sequence for Health every day this week!

• Pranayama: Bhramari (Humming Bee)
• nostril breathing
• Exhaling plug ears with index fingers and make a humming sound
• Inhale into the back of the throat
• Benefits are clearing throat and nasals of infections and soothing the mind
• Asanas: Hold for 5 breaths each
• Cat/Cow (optimizes exhale and inhale)
• Extend opposite arms and legs (quickens breath)
• Your favorite seated twist pose (compresses organs)
• Cobra (strengthens respiratory muscles)
• Downward Facing Dog (circulates blood to sinus) 
• Mountain with back bend (opens chest and shoulders) 
• Warrior I & II (increases stamina and incorporates breathing with movement)
• Bounded Angle (engages gentle backbend, do not go into wheel) 
• Corpse (relaxes body and breath, bundle up for this pose)

Challenge 9 - Pause and Breath

This weeks challenge is to practice little bits of pranayama throughout the day. It will help increase consciousness and put a halt in auto piloting.

Challenge and Application: Take 3 slow breaths before starting the commute (in car or public transit), before meals, daily coffee/tea break, and checking email.

Go above and beyond: Engage in pranayama an conscious breathing for 20 minutes before each activity listed above. Breathing and focusing on the breath does not require closing your eyes and laying down. During mundane activities, pay attention to how your body reacts and engages. Increasing consciousness to your breath and body can happen during the walk to the water cooler, bathroom, or copy machine.

Challenge 8 - Try a New Yoga Style

I just watched an episode of PBS's Scientific American Frontiers about the hippocampus, which plays a huge role in creating memories and linking experiences in the brain. The experiments showed the brain's elevated response to new experiences, which can help individuals store memories and keep the brain sharp. This should encourage all to complete the challenges this week

Challenge: Break your yoga routine to elevate your mental, physical, and emotional response to yoga generally. (This does not give a passport to skip yoga this week!)

Application:

• Try a new yoga style
• Try a new studio, a new environment and yogis can stimulate motivation
• Do yoga at a different time in the day: switch to morning asanas
• Talk to a non-yogi about yoga
• Read a book about yoga or meditation
• Do yoga at home by yourself or with a friend
• Use a yoga video or online source in your office or home
• Meditate for 30 minutes in lieu of physical yoga practice

Challenge 3 - Breath Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (Pranayama)

Pranayama is "breath" or the "extension of life force." The definition sounds more mystical than the action of breathing. When it comes down to it, you must breath to live and we live because we breath. Breathing exercises can help increase lung capacity, encourage more oxygen levels in the body, alleviate physical and mental disorders. (Citations: European Respiratory Journal, ScienceDaily)  Livestrong outlines the benefits of breathing exercises. Also, breathing exercises are free, low-impact, and convenient.

Purpose is breath control.

Challenge: Engage in 3, 5, or 10 minutes of pranayama before breakfast, lunch, and dinner this week. If you can only do it once during the day then try to do it mid-day and quiet your mind in the middle of the hustle and bustle.

Application: Belly breath at your desk, in the bathroom, waiting in line, or on public transportation. Close your eyes, breath through your nose, make your inhales & exhales even and steady, and fill your belly with air on inhale/empty belly on inhale.

Go Above and Beyond with other pranayama exercises, changes your breathing patterns:

• Breath/Sound: Breath in deeply and on exhale chant the sound "Ommm" or any other natural sound that comes to you. Repeat.
• Forceful Exhale: Brightens your brain. Inhale gently and naturally. Exhale forcefully while pushing up and in with the stomach muscles. Repeat and increase speed of exhales.
• One nostril at a time: Use the thumb and pinkie fingers to hold down one nostril at a time. Alternative between breathing in through one nostril and out through another. Left, Right, Right, Left --> Right, Left, Left, Right. Repeat.
• Three Part (Stomach, Ribs, Chest): Inhale expand/lift 3-parts and Exhale lower/contract 3-parts.
• Back breathing: Rest in child's pose (sitting on heel, forehead to the ground), to gain full body breath, concentrate on breathing into your back/kidney area.