yoga for seasonal allergies

ah, springtime in atlanta. the good news is the trees are blooming beautifully. the bad news is the trees are blooming beaurifully and spreading pollen everywhere. it's so thick here anything outside is carpeted in green pollen dust. sometimes i can feel a burn in my throat when i take a deep inhale outside. lots of us are feeling sinus blockage and breathing issues with seasonal springtime allergies.

yoga can alleviate some allergy symptoms. i'm going to share a few, starting with the most mellow:

supported savasana: lay flat on your back on your mat. place a bolster (see my sidebar for purchasing this prop if you don't have one - they're heavenly) under the spine. the bolster should run from the lower back up to your head so your head is supported. hips are on the floor. spread the arms out in a t, palms up. you should feel gently supported and can relax in this for a long time. the bolster helps to open the chest, and gently allows you to stretch the abdominal muscles, intercostal muscles of the side body, and the diaphragm, which helps breathing.

supported shoulderstand: see detailed description of this pose at Yoga Journal. shoulderstands and inversions open the nasal passages for improved drainage.

backbends:bridge or camel, for example, expand the chest and lungs, increasing breathing capacity

other options include using an eye pillow. (see sidebar at the right to purchase one) ususally filled with organic flax seed and a bit of lavender. lay down in savasana, or in bed and drape the pillow over the eyes and bridge of the nose. relax for 5 - 15 minutes. i find the gentle pressure on my sinuses is really soothing.

also, try a neti pot or nasal wash with saline solution. you can buy these at CVS. for me, it took a few tries to run the liquid through my sinuses instead of down my face, but it's a lifesaver during allergy season.