The other day I was given a wonderful gift – three extra hours in my day! I had a scheduled commitment canceled and I was so excited – determined to use my time wisely. Here’s what I did, some work, some laundry and then I went to my beloved yoga class. After leaving class, I was reminded of how good I always feel after yoga, and of the benefits it has on the whole body – even allergies.

For those with seasonal or environmental allergies, yoga can bring a great deal of relief. As the body relaxes, according to yogawiz.com, “the nervous system tells the immune system to hold its fire. Once the immune system has backed off, the inflammation and mucus decrease, and symptoms begin to diminish.” As poses are developed, respiratory stamina is increased, helping your allergies along the way.

How much better is that than loading the body with medicine from over the counter antihistamines, shots or nasal steroids?

To reap the benefits, yoga practice must occur on a regular basis, and some poses are better than others. Some beneficial ones are standing poses with forward and backward bends and twists. Anything pose that relaxes the body should help, but some will have more impact than others.

For information on different poses and more, see www.abc-of-yoga.com.