Delhi air quality remained in the "severe" category on Thursday even as a thick, toxic smog engulfed the city. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data, the national capital's Air Quality Index (AQI) was 428 at 9 in the morning, which comes under that category. Such high levels of pollution do impact your health and this is where yoga comes to the rescue. Saurabh Bothra, founder of Habuild and a certified yoga expert, suggests five yoga poses and a few lifestyle changes to enable you to tackle the pollution impact.
5 Easy Yoga Asanas To Help Fight Against Air Pollution
"Yoga asanas boost your lung health and the best way to strengthen your overall immunity is practising yoga consistently. An everyday yoga routine can help you battle not just seasonal but year-round health issues that poorly affect our health," notes Mr. Bothra.
As per his suggestion, the following five easy yoga asanas can make you ready to fight against air pollution:
1) Alternate Nostril Breathing: Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Then, use your thumb and ring finger of either hand to alternately close your nostrils. Inhale through one nostril, close it, and exhale through the other.
2) Skull Shining Breath: Sit comfortably and inhale deeply. Exhale quickly and forcefully through your nose and pull your belly inwards (contract the abdominal muscles) with each exhale. This helps cleanse your lungs and boosts energy levels.
3) Cobra Pose: Lie face-down on your mat and place your palms under your shoulders. Slowly lift your chest and inhale. Bend your elbows slightly, look up, and hold for 15-20 seconds while breathing normally. Release and come back down with an exhale.
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4) Bridge Pose: Lie on your back and bend your knees, with your feet flat on the floor. Slowly raise your hips to a comfortable height while inhaling. You can rest your hands beside your body or lock them under your back. Hold for 10-15 seconds and slowly come down with an exhale.
5) Camel Pose: Kneel on your mat and place your hands on your heels. Slowly arch your back backward and lift your chest outwards while breathing deeply. Hold for 15 seconds while starting out and gradually increase the duration in repetitions. Come back down with an exhale.
4 Lifestyle Tips To Follow
Apart from asanas, some quick lifestyle changes can also come in handy in tackling the after-effects of air pollution, says Mr. Bothra. They are:
- Put up easy-to-maintain air-purifying plants in your house, like snake plants, aloe vera, money plants, etc. They require minimal watering and indirect sunlight.
- Get an air purifying machine to remove the toxins from the air in your house.
- Keep your house clean at all times. This helps eliminate foreign bacteria before it can impact you.
- Practice yoga asanas outdoors, in an area populated by trees. This will significantly increase your intake of fresh air and improve your lung immunity.
"These yoga asanas, remedies, and breathing exercises can help you clean your lungs, remove toxins from your body and surroundings, and boost your immunity. You can practise these poses whenever you feel your immunity lower or even as a precautionary measure," he wraps up.
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