This post captures the three core areas, where Ayurveda could really help us in boosting our immunity: Immunity-boosting herbs in Ayurveda, Workout, and Sleeping Schedule.
OVERVIEW
We are living in an unfortunate time. During this COVID-19 pandemic, no one would deny the importance of maintaining a strong immune system. And, to maintain a healthy immune system, Panchkarma Ayurveda could offer real benefits. Ayurveda originated in India almost 5000 years ago and is known as “The science of life” in Sanskrit. Ayurveda is all about natural healing which mainly emphasizes a healthy diet, lifestyle, positive thinking, and the use of herbs. The knowledge of Ayurveda tells us how to maintain a healthy balance between our body, mind, and soul by making some lifestyle changes.
Ayurveda – The Immunity Booster
Until any vaccine or cure is available, the best way to keep ourselves safe is to take all the possible safety precautions i.e. maintain social distance, maintain hygiene, wear masks, etc. But, most importantly, we need to adopt a healthy lifestyle – eat good, maintain good sleep, and workout regularly – to maintain a healthy immune system. And, Panchkarma Ayurveda could offer real benefits when it comes to building immunity.
The Panchkarma Ayurveda is an ayurvedic treatment that involves relief from stress and maximizing benefits from our food, nutrition, and exercise. Many researchers have shown its positive effects in the fight against viruses. It basically involves herbal medicines and natural herbs which focus on making our immunity stronger and cleansing our body. Here are the three core areas, where Ayurveda could really help us in boosting our immunity against viruses.
Immunity-Boosting Herbs In Ayurveda
The first and foremost aspect to maintain a healthy immune system is diet and nutrition. Our body needs an adequate supply of nutrients for its proper functioning and maintenance. The relationship between our food and the immune system is really complex. But the major component that supports our immune system is protein. It relies mainly on protein-based protectors like antibodies, T- cells, etc. Along with it, even carbohydrates and lipids are important too. Lack of proper nutrition increases the risk of several diseases and harnesses the immune system and its function. It is important to nourish our body with all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber.
To take good care of our body, it is important to feed it with highly nutritious food. Do not rely so much on processed food and junk food, add the appropriate amount of vegetables and fruits to your diet. Food items like broccoli, kale, cabbage, ginger, almonds, yogurt, citrus fruits, etc are all good for immunity.
Special immunity-boosting herbs in Ayurveda to build overall health:
Neem
Ayurveda has been using Neem for a very long time. It suggests consuming Neem capsules daily or simply adding it to your tea, which could lead to a stronger immune system. The amazing anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties of Neem keep all infections at bay. It is also one of the best natural healers. It has many antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It also works excellently for our skin and hair.
Tulsi
Tulsi is known in Ayurveda as an “elixir of life”. It is a very common household herb in India. It is widely known for its benefits. It is believed that it increases longevity, acts as a nerve tonic that sharpens our memory and helps our body cope with stress. It has anti-allergic and anti-microbial properties, and, is hence used for treating common ailments like the common cold, fever, headaches, and skin disorders. It is also good for people suffering from any type of heart disease or diabetes.
Giloy
Giloy is also known as “Amrita”, which means “the root of immortality”. It is loaded with medicinal properties and has been used in Ayurveda for ages. It boosts our immunity, fights all the bacteria, removes toxins, purifies our blood, and combats liver and kidney infections. It has an abundance of antioxidants that remove all free radicals present in our body and prevent many crucial diseases.
Turmeric
Turmeric is warm and slightly bitter in taste. It is widely used in Indian households and is an easy solution for every health problem. It has incredible healing properties, it is loaded with antioxidants, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, and antibacterial properties. It is excessively used in Ayurveda and is extremely beneficial for our circulatory system and digestive system.
Ginger
Ginger has many health benefits. Ayurveda suggests everyone should eat raw ginger just before lunch and dinner to improve our digestive system. It also increases our appetite, improves the absorption of nutrients, and removes all the toxins from our bodies. It is really helpful in reducing joint pain, preventing and treatment of skin disorders, and combating flu and infections.
Also Read: Ginger: Health Benefits & Side-effects That Makes It A Healing Herb
Black pepper
Black pepper is a hot spice, widely used in Ayurveda. The active component present in it is known as “piperine” and contains nutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc, chromium, potassium, iron, and Vitamin A and C. It promotes overall health by removing free radicals from our bodies and promoting the proper functioning of our organs.
Cinnamon
One of the amazing immunity-boosting herbs is Cinnamon. Cinnamon is famous for its sweet and spicy flavors. It is used in curries, lattes, pastries, milkshakes, tea, and many other recipes. This spice enhances our digestive system, helps in clearing our respiratory system, and makes our bones healthy. It boosts our immunity and promotes overall health.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is a very popular herb and is widely used in ayurvedic medicines. It is adaptogen such as tulsi, which helps our body manage stress. It is loaded with many benefits for our body as well as the brain. It regulates blood sugar levels, reduces the risk of developing cancer, treats infertility, reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, manages cholesterol levels, and reduces inflammation.
All these ingredients are very commonly used in ayurvedic medicines. These immunity-boosting herbs are perfect to be included in our diet. You can mix and make kadha out of all these ingredients. This Kadha helps in fighting inflammation, reduces stress, and fights anxiety to keep us protected against diseases.
2. Workout
Regular exercise doesn’t really boost our immunity rather it kick starts some normal immune processes. Normal exercises like brisk walking, jogging, yoga, etc. increase our heart rate, which acts as a physiological stressor for our body. It helps in the movement of certain types of white blood cells particularly T-cells and natural killer cells in various parts of our body.
During exercises, the speed of movement of these cells increases, which leads to the easy detection of pathogens and helps in destroying them. An easy workout for at least 20-30 minutes daily helps in relieving stress and finding and fighting pathogens, which can give rise to many infections and chronic diseases.
Also Read: How Practicing These Yoga Asanas Increase Immunity
3. Sleeping schedule
Skimping on sleep is one of the many reasons for getting sick easily. It not only increases the risk of catching a bad cold or flu but also adversely affects our immune system. Insufficient sleep reduces the production of cytokines, a type of protein that helps our body to fight infections and
inflammation.
A good amount of sleep i.e. at least 8 hours of daily sleep, can help the production of cytokines. It makes our immune system strong and protects us from health disorders like diabetes, heart diseases, and obesity. You can also make up the lost hours of sleep through short naps, which should not be more than 30 minutes.
Short naps i.e. for less than 30 minutes never harm our body, it instead reduces stress and the negative effects of less sleep on our immunity. Getting an ample amount of sleep boosts our immunity and guards our body against illness.
Hope you will work on the above-mentioned core areas and include immunity-boosting herbs in Ayurveda in your diet to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy.
Image Credits: India.com
