Prevent respiratory viruses

A POWERFUL BREATHING TECHNIQUE

Heal yourself through breathing. Or breathe better to feel better. This is the whole point of the set of techniques, some over 2,500 years old, brought together in pranayama. Kapalbhati is one such technique. It cleanses your airways and respiratory system, strengthens your lungs, and brings fresh oxygen into your blood. Therefore it can prevent respiratory viruses.

Kapalbhati - how to proceed

• Sit on a chair or in a comfortable cross-legged position with your back straight.
• Start with a few deep breaths, breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
• Inhale and keep your chest cavity open. To exhale, contract your abdominal muscles and force your breath out
as if you were blowing your nose. Then, inhale passively— let your belly fill with air like a balloon in a vacuum chamber.

• Continue doing this slowly but vigorously and at a steady rhythm; one breath every one to two seconds.
Once you’re comfortable with it, speed up to two breaths per second.
• Do three cycles of 10 breaths; add in some normal breaths if you need to.
Slowly increase to 30, 40, or 50 breaths per cycle.
• Inhale and exhale deeply between each cycle, and hold your exhale breath by engaging your three bandhas—your pelvic floor,
navel, and throat—for a few seconds, without forcing them.
• If you feel at all dizzy or nauseous, stop immediately.
• Finish the session by holding a deep inhale breath, engage your three bandhas, and exhale when you have
the urge to take a breath.

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