How to Boost Your Immunity & Avoid Colds, Flu with Ayurveda – Part 2

Lifestyle Choices

Many of our lifestyle choices are not in the best interest of our health and wellbeing, and lead us toward illness. Some of the following suggestions can boost your immune system:

  • Have your meals at a regular time each day; this allows your body to prepare for nourishment by enhancing digestion and increasing appetite. Try to keep your body weight at a healthy level.
  • Excess weight is such a burden on our body, and it places a lot of stress on organs, metabolic functions, and damages the immune system. Try to exercise regularly – this protects your body from illness.
  • And of course, sleep! We must get good-quality sleep, and enough of it. During relaxation and sleep our body restores itself and fights the effects of stress. Our immune cells circulate within the body in direct relationship to our sleep and wakefulness cycles, showing that a lack of sleep will severely disturb this important process.

The Power of Herbs

The use of herbs plays a vital role in boosting our body’s natural defense system. Ayurvedic combinations of mahasudarshan and sitopaladi are traditionally used in the prevention of colds and flu. Ayurveda uses certain herbs to support restful and sound sleep. Triphala is widely used on a daily basis to cleanse the large intestine, ridding the body of Ama.

Our Immune System

We can increase our immunity by practicing acceptance, adapting to our ever-changing environment and by being flexible. When we resist change and so hang on to challenges, we damage our health. Say ‘Yes’ to life! Accept whatever comes your way, and this includes suffering and pain, and allow yourself to flow with life. Of course this is a spiritual process, but it’s still important to remember this when things are not going well for us.

We must take full responsibility for our own health, and understanding how our immune system works is a vital part of this. We must endeavour to reduce our stress levels, which will help with improved sleep. Choose healthy foods which we know will support our wellbeing. Exercising regularly will provide our body with more energy.