Understanding And Enhancing Immunity Through Ayurveda

It’s important to nurture a balance with nature’s cycle of seasons. Seasonal and locally grown native fruits and vegetables provide the required nourishment to help our bodies adapt to the indigenous environment and climate.

An Ayurveda-based diet plan is tailored to your unique mind-body constitution in relation to the cycles of nature. By understanding your state of prakruti, you need to choose foods that are vata-pacifying, pitta-pacifying or kapha-pacifying to correct health imbalances.

If you’re wondering how to increase immunity, certain Ayurvedic herbs and spices can naturally support and protect the immune system, by helping in the production of antibodies and the destruction of pathogens.

We suggest you take 1 teaspoon of Chyavanprash (10 gm) every morning.

You can add spices like turmeric, cumin, coriander, garlic, dry ginger, black pepper, cinnamon and cloves to your cooking as they aid in improving immunity against malefic viruses.

Medicinal herbs like tulsi also strengthen your immune system. Drinking herbal teas made from tulsi, cinnamon, black pepper, dry ginger and black raisins once or twice a day can help you increase your immunity against such viruses. You can add jaggery, honey or lemon juice to sweeten the tea.

We also suggest the miracle remedy of haldi ka doodh (golden milk) with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder in 150 ml of hot milk once or twice a day. This golden wonder spice purifies the blood, detoxifies your digestive tract and boosts your immune functions.

Drinking warm water throughout the day lets you hydrate and flush toxins from your body.

Practising oil pulling therapy first thing in the morning kills bacteria and germs that linger in the throat and nasal passages before they enter the bloodstream. You can take 1 tablespoon of sesame oil or coconut oil in the mouth and swish it around for 2 to 3 minutes. Please make sure not to drink the oil; spit it out and rinse your mouth with warm water.

You can also gargle with warm salt or turmeric water, once in the morning and once before going to bed.

Applying sesame oil, coconut oil or ghee in both the nostrils (Pratimarsh Nasya), once in the morning and evening, clears the sinuses.

Inhaling steam infused with fresh pudina (mint) leaves or ajwain (caraway seeds) once a day can help decongest your nose.

It’s important to choose an exercise regime that is uniquely tailored to your prakruti (Ayurvedic mind-body constitution).

The type, duration and intensity of different physical activities can support your dosha balance, overall health and immunity.

On the other hand, improper exercise can end up compromising your immune system.

Be consistent, choose an appropriate time, and exercise for a minimum of 20 minutes every day, slowly increasing the duration and intensity.

Stress hormones suppress the immune system, which is why keeping stress under control plays a vital role in managing optimal immunity and health.

Mindfulness practices like yogasana, pranayama and meditation for at least 30 minutes daily enhance your blood circulation, aid in digestion, calm the nervous system and release accumulated tension.

Keeping a positive mindset encourages a healthier response to stressful stimuli, and improves mental, emotional and physical well-being.

A proper sleep schedule is absolutely vital for your physical, mental and immune health.

Get at least 8 hours of sleep every day.

Go to bed early and wake up early, preferably at the same time.

Sleep deprivation leads to alterations in immune function, an impairment in the body’s ability to fight pathogens, and an increase in the risk of cancer.