Respected Sir,
How can a yoga person who is wrestling with an immune disease increase his immunity? What are the rules to be followed, the food to be taken and not taken, how to clear my throat and lungs of mucous. With lots of love. Thanks, Willy
Yogi Mir responds:
Thank you for your inquiry.
First of all, please get guidance from a qualified health professional in your area.
However, assuming that you might have already done so and would like to know if there’s anything more you can do, here are my general recommendations. Please remember that I cannot diagnose or guarantee.
#1 – Seek Humor and Laughter. Laughter activates the relaxation response and improves the immune system naturally. Watch/Rent some comedy shows. Yoga Humor.
#2 - Spend some time in nature every day. Go for an easy walk in the park. When our senses are surrounded by natural surroundings, our immune system gets stronger. Healing Time in Nature.
#3 – Sings songs, or chant OM, creating a vibration in your lungs. Let the sound of the song or chant resonate in your chest cavity. Feel that resonance clearing/breaking up the mucous.
#4 – For 5 minutes twice a day, practice Slow Breathing. Find a good time (ex. morning and evening). Sit up with your chest open and back upright. The breath doesn’t have to be deep at first because that may not be comfortable. Slowly and gradually lengthen it. Imagine that you are breathing life-giving energy, Prana. Let yourself simply enjoy the process of breathing and feel the energy of the breath. Try to breathe into the 3 parts of the lungs: the belly, the ribcage, and the chest. On the exhalation, gently pull the belly in to massage the abdominal organs.
#5 – Get a professional therapeutic massage (ideally Thai massage, Shiatsu, or Acupressure) with the focus on opening the lung meridian, strengthening the Stomach and the Spleen meridians. In addition, get Acupuncture.
#6 – Food intake guidelines:
a. Avoid all food after 7pm – try it for three days;
b. Drink a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar diluted in a glass of water first thing in the morning;
c. Eat a grapefruit a day, best in the morning by itself. Grapefruit is good for the lungs and reduces mucous;
d. Avoid all dairy, meat, fish, soy products, and preferably all wheat products (breads, pastas) – again try it for at least three days;
e. Instead, eat plenty of veggies, fruits, grains, beans, sprouts, and leafy greens, and just a small handful of nuts and seeds;
f. Drink bitter herbs three times a day, either as hot tea (dandelion, eucalyptus, etc.) or fresh green juice (spinach, dandelion greens, etc.). It has to be bitter - good for the lungs. Find an herbal specialist in your area.
Wishing you speedy recovery and healing light on your Path!
~ Yogi Mir