Use yoga to help ease COVID-19 vaccine side effects

I’ve been hearing from many of you that the effects of the COVID-19 vaccination have resulted in a whammy of symptoms. I’ve heard it all from minor aches to days of fever, bone-crushing pain, and total exhaustion.

The good news is—as we all know—that these side effects mean that your body is mounting an appropriate immune response. From what we know from current research, the Moderna & Pfizer vaccines seem to be very good at mitigating severe COVID-19. Of course, the best science happens when discovery is made. Most of us think that science means certainty. Rather, good science is the process of discovery. I invite you to consider your own journey through this pandemic as a field of yogic scientific inquiry. You have the power to research, observe your responses, and decide your best course of action.

Integral Yoga, the lineage I am trained in, has a long history of using the best information from both Western medicine and traditional Yoga and Ayurvedic modalities. The founder of Integral Yoga’s teacher, Master Sivananda, was a medical doctor who worked and managed a hospital on a rubber plantation in Malaysia before he became a swami in 1923. I think of him like my yoga great-grandfather! By using the best information from both perspectives, you are part of a long heritage of intellectual seekers!

Whether you decide to get the vaccine or not is totally a personal choice and must be done in consultation with your primary care physician. If you decide to get the vaccine I’d like to offer some yoga perspective on handling the side effects.

First, know that if you are a woman it seems as though your chances of having more side effects is increased. This is because estrogen plays a role in increasing immune response, as compared to testosterone, which can decrease immune response. Also, much of the immune related genes are found on the x chromosome; women have two copies of this whereas men only have one. Science lovers, read more here about how vaccines effect men and women differently.

So what does yoga philosophy teach about how to handle a stressor like vaccine side-effects? Sometimes the mental drain of feeling ill can sidetrack us. This is where the practice of positive thinking comes in. The practice of substituting a positive thought for a negative thought is call pratipaksha bhavana; cited as early as the Yoga Sutras by Patajanli which date to thousands of years ago. Use this time as a source of power; rather than spending excess worry about “why did this happen to me?” or “god I feel so awful”; direct this energy towards positive thinking. Positive phrases such as; “My body is powerful and wise.” or “ I trust my body” are setting up powerful neurological changes. The neurochemicals of your positive thoughts can help stimulate positive behavior and can help reduce the stress response and tame inflammation. Plus, you'l feel in balance with what is happening and can use it for positive growth.

Now, onto some remedies:

Photo by Dominik Martin on Unsplash

When you get the COVID vaccine, particularly the Moderna or Pfizer, you are injecting a substance that is very cold. Your body will react to this cold essence very strongly. Warming your body is essential. Here are some basic things to have on hand, especially before your second dose:

1. Warming teas. Especially ginger tea with raw and local honey. Ginger has a whole host of healing benefits (antibacterial, anti inflammatory, antimocrobial, and more!) and will warm your body from the inside. Drink it daily for several weeks both before and after your vaccination. I like this one if you can't make your own. But the healing benefit is the best if you make your own using ginger root. This is an amazing page that will show you all the different ways you can make your own. Make a big batch and keep it in the fridge; then warm it and drink it first thing in the morning.

2. Use warming packs like this one. Especially focus on warming your abdomen and feet. Put on a piece of relaxing music and support your body with warmth!

3. Practice guided relaxation. This intentional rest will help move your nervous system into a restful state that promotes healing. It’s like super-powered rest and sleep booster! This practice is called yoga nidra or yogic sleep. Far from lazy, it’s the perfect boost to provide you with abundant energy, mental clarity, and to allow your body to integrate the immune system shock into increased immunity, rather than derailing your wellness. Do this daily, especially if you have more severe symptoms. Here's one that I made that is ten minutes. Here's a longer one that will take you into a deep and restful state!

4. Do a gentle yoga practice like this one. I made this practice especially for recovery mode days! Gentle movement promotes circulation, encourages lymphatic movement and drainage (part of your immune system), eases body aches, and balances the shock to your system so your physical body can feel ease.

May you be peaceful and easeful!

All love,

Gita

This information is only for your education and personal development. Always consult with your doctor before embarking on any wellness protocol. This information is not meant to treat, prevent, or cure disease; and it does not take place of care or treatment by a licensed health care professional.

p.s. If you found this information useful, please consider sharing it with a friend or colleague. We are all in this together! Thanks!