During its long history, yoga was practiced for health benefits as much as for the training of the mind. Some cleansing techniques like Neti-pot rinses are already widely known, while other like clearing of the lungs during cough or acupressure for congested sinuses  are still unfamiliar.  Along the contemporary discoveries about the crucial role of the thymus gland in upper respiratory tract immunity and production of antibodies, yoga has target movements and protocols to stimulate that organ directly.