In ayurveda, digestion (having a strong agni) is given a lot of importance—especially for achieving strong immunity. Here are 10 tips for boosting your immunity through ayurvedic practices.
- Do not tax your digestion by eating heavy, rich, difficult-to-digest meals. Instead, eat easy-to-digest meals like kitchari: the staple ayurvedic meal. Think lentil soups, vegetable soups, and cooked vegetables.
- Include spices such as turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cumin, coriander, fennel, and cinnamon in your diet.
- Chyavanprash is an herbal jam made up of herbs and spices to boost the immune system and improve strength and vitality. Take one or two teaspoons every morning.
- Eat immunity-boosting foods: fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin A, C, and E, zinc, selenium, healthy fats (omega-3s), and proteins.
- Use bitter herbs such as dandelion tea, which is good for reducing toxins. Ayurveda offers many immunity-boosting herbs such as amla, tulsi, and turmeric.
- Avoid cold, heavy, oily foods. They reduce agni and in turn weaken the immune system. Avoid ice water with meals, and avoid cheese, ice cream, yogurt, fried foods, and packaged foods.
- Follow all the rules of dinacharya (ayurvedic daily routines) and live in sync with nature. For example: use a tongue scraper and a neti pot, and do an oil self-massage to cleanse toxins.
- Learn and follow ritucharya (ayurvedic seasonal routines) by eating timely foods and following a lifestyle routine appropriate for the season.
- Stress also has a direct effect on the immune system. It impairs agni which can lead to ama (toxins), which then taxes the immune system as well as overloads the liver.
- Follow a good sleep schedule, ideally not going to bed later than 10 p.m.
And lastly, be positive!