How Does Ayurveda Help the Immune System?

​We’ve been hearing it a lot lately; wash your hands. While extremely important, there is much more that you can do to help boost immunity during times when you need it (i.e. the coronavirus). Here are some simple ayurvedic tips to help boost your immunity during the winter season, or when dealing with a public health crisis.
 
1. Diet, diet, DIET. Start by making a change to a plant-based diet. This doesn’t mean eliminating meat or dairy, but rather focusing on having vegetables and fruits as the main portions of your meals. Bitter greens (think chard, spinach, kale, arugula), broccoli, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, okra, bitter gourd, berries, oranges, lemons, papaya; all of these vibrant foods carry a serious punch of vitamins and antioxidants. The brighter the better! This is your first line of defense against an illness. And don’t forget to spice it up with garlic, cayenne, ginger, turmeric, coriander, cumin and fennel!
 
2. Take your daily herbs. Tulsi (which can also be taken as a tea) supports the respiratory system, Ashwagandha works as an adaptogen for the whole body, and Guduchi assists with total body detoxification. These are just a few of the many ayurvedic herbs to help boost immunity.
 
3. Take your nightly triphala. Triphala is one of the best herbs to detoxify the body of waste material. Known by the proverb: “One who has no mother at home, his mother is triphala”. It helps to flush the liver, kidneys and GI tract.
 
4. Oil yourself daily. In ayurveda this is called abhyanga, which means ‘oil massage’. Using organic sesame or coconut oil cover the entire surface of your skin. Not only are these oils anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-microbial, they are high in antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and will act as a barrier between your skin and potential infectants. Use a Q-tip to swap your nostrils to create a barrier for your nose.
 
5. Keep it moving. You may be avoiding large public places including the gym, but don’t let that stop you from feeling a light sweat. If you live near nature go outside for a few early morning sun rays, as long as the trails aren’t too crowded. If you are opting to stay indoors, try yoga (I know you keep saying you want to try it). If you are feeling more energized, simply turning up the tunes for an at home dancing session is not only good for the body, but also wonderful for the mind and spirit!
 
6. If feeling run down, sleep it out! Create yummy nightly routines and rituals to help you get into the mood to sleep. Having a cup of hot chamomile tea in the evening can help the body to relax before your nightly slumber. Add some honey – it’s an anti-viral! Oil your feet and slip socks on before going to bed to ground your energy. Getting enough rest is crucial to a healthy immune system.
 
Lastly, I’ll continue the broken record, keep washing your hands. This should be a no-brainer whether there is a global health pandemic or not. Germs like to hang around on clothes and metal objects, including door handles and faucets. Do what you can to avoid catching any illness but know that if you do you’ve taken all the right steps to fight it with a strong immune system.    
 
You can order a one-month supply of triphala or get a custom herbal formula made for your needs by contacting me at [email protected].