The onset of monsoon brings along with it a number of ailments such as asthma, allergies, common cough and cold, abdominal disorders, typhoid, malaria, swine-flu, jaundice, diarrhoea and eye disorders. And to beat such disorders during the season, the best treatment one can resort to is yoga.

Yogasanas are chemical-free drugs that can be administered easily with some daily practice — initially with the help of a trusted yoga teacher and later, on your own in a chosen comfort zone, space and time. The body is intelligent, it can enumerate on its own what’s good for it. But it is up to you to pay heed and understand your body and mind whenever there’s any ailment, pain or awkwardness. Postures in the form of asanas make it simpler and easier to know your body. So why not try yoga to control, if not cure the ailments and continue leading a healthy lifestyle. Yoga denotes oneness of the mind, body and spirit with the supreme one.

Asanas like Ustrasana (camel posture), Matsyasana (fish posture), Vakrasana (twisted posture), Veerabhadrasana (warrior posture), Hastapadasana (palms to feet posture), Prasarita Padottanasana (standing posture with legs spread wide and head down), Dwikonasana (bi-angled forward bent posture) can be practised. You can also try some mudras like Kapalbhati Mudra (bellow breathing), Jalandhara Mudra (chin locks), Simhasana Mudra (lion growl), Trytak Mudra (eye seals), Uddiana Bandha (stomach seals) and Ashwini Mudra (anal seals).

The asanas and mudras can be adjusted by some forms of breathing exercises like deep breathing, yoga breathing, deep blowing, pranayams and easy breath-control programmes. Shavasana is a must after the end of every asana.

Apart from regular ailments, other health-related issues that bother us during the monsoon come mostly in the form of fatigue, lethargy, tightness in the joints, sore muscles, heaviness in total, headache, body odour, mouth odour, smelly feet/palms and frequent urination. A couple of rounds of Surya Namaskar (the sun salutation) empower the body to get rid of all the above problems. One can try this everyday during either sunrise or sunset, indoors or even outdoors if it is not raining.

If you practise yoga regularly, changing seasons won’t affect your immunity at all. You will not succumb easily to any health troubles and even passing allergies, which are so typical in the monsoon. You will never run out of energy but, instead, you will have enough inertia within yourself. Monsoon is the time to soak in the spirit of nature and yoga will help you stay away from any sort of confinement. An excitement to get wet and yet not fall ill should be your fitness mantra! So let loose all inhibitions, get attached to yoga and make it your panacea for a lifetime.