Helena McCoy - Feb 03, 2020
Boost Immunity with Ayurveda
The Ayurvedic approach to strengthening the immune system is simple, intuitive, and reminds us of the power of our regulatory systems. Ayurveda aims to address the root cause of our imbalance, not simply suppress the symptoms.
Immunity in Ayurveda
In the Ayurvedic tradition, Ojas is an essence of kapha that gives the body strength, nourishment, protection, and regeneration. It is sometimes considered to be synonymous with immunity.
It is the essence of all bodily tissues and the product of healthy digestion. It also protects prana (life force). Ojas can be affected by the state of our digestion and also by overall lifestyle choices and experiences. Healthy ojas foster bliss and happiness and are unbalanced by stress on our systems. It is extremely important to protect ojas during episodes of unusual stress, cold and flu season,or any big life transition.
Ojas and a strong immune system depend upon robust agni (digeston), a balanced diet, a routine lifestyle, and a balanced nervous system.
This is exactly why basic-self care is crucial - learning how to cultivate ojas in daily rituals will help you support your immune system and gain control over your well-being
1. Focus on food for your mood.
Pure food + complete digestion - ideal health.
A strong digestion is the foundation of a strong and healthy physiology.
The root cause of all disorders lies in poor digestion. Even if we do make
healthy food choices, if our digestive system is not functioning, we will
not be able to fully break down food and receive its nutrients.
When our
digestion is incomplete, toxins are created, otherwise known as ama.
Ama prevents our cells from being fully nourished from what we
consume.
2. Sleep away the stress.
“Happiness and unhappiness, nourishment and emaciation, strength and debility, sexual prowess and impotence, knowledgand ignorance, life and death—all are dependent on sleep.”
(The
Ashtanga Hridayam, an ancient Ayurvedic text).
Getting enough sleep is critically important to promoting immunity. Sleep eight overs each night and try to maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Support your sleep cycle with soothing and rejuvenating practices.
Having trouble sleeping? Try drinking a cup of hot milk with ashwagandha, cardamom, and nutmeg, massaging the bottom of your feet with warm oil, or listening to a guided meditation like this.
3. Cultivate a Daily Routine
In Ayurveda, a consistent daily routine is critical to our well-being. A routine sets the tone for the rest of the day, relieves stress and anxiety, and gives the body and mind an opportunity to start fresh.
5 Simple Ayurvedic Practices to Integrate into Your Routine
1. Drink hot water with ginger + lemon in the morning.
2. Incorporate fresh and seasonal fruits/veggies into your diet.
3. Go for a daily walk outside.
4. Massage your body with oil once a week.
5. Utilize plant-based medicine.
Our Focus + Balance capsules make it easy to integrate intellect herbs and adaptogens in one vegan soft gel.
Based on your stress quiz, we recommend a combination of plant-based medicine, diet, exercise and lifestyle changes to help you be your most radiant self.
4. Make your mental health a priority.
Let’s be honest, we all experience stress and it sucks. Along with throwing our emotional state out of balance, stress also negatively affects our digestive, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, nervous, reproductive, and immune systems.
Stress wears us down and it is easy to be overlooked as it becomes more and more normalized in our society. However, due to its negative impact on our mind and body, making small and supportive lifestyle choices can benefit us immensely.
What is chronic stress?
Do you feel heated, overly-emotional, unable to sit still? Maybe withdrawn, depressed, and lethargic? Or tense and frozen, almost paralyzed by the pressures of daily life?
If you’ve experienced these symptoms consistently and constantly over extended periods of time, you may be experiencing chronic stress. Read more.
5. Utilize the power of plants.
Live your life with confidence that you are protected against illness by incorporating immunity-supporting Ayurvedic herbs into your routine.
4 Powerful Ayurvedic Herbs
Start incorporating these practices into your daily routine to reduce stress, boost brain power, and protect against disease.
Don't know where to start? Take our quiz and receive a plant-based and personalized formula, based on your unique symptoms. We make taking herbal medicine easy with our Focus + Balance capsules, packed with 10 intellect herbs and adaptogens.