The immune system includes the digestive, endocrine and lymphatic systems. It also relies on proper functioning of the excretory system. In ayurveda, immunity is related to the concept of ojas. Ojas is an essence is what is produced after every cell, tissue, organ and system of our body has been nurtured. It is this essence that gives us our vitality, immunity, resilience, joy, and glow!
To keep our defenses up we must do the ground work! There's no supplement or herb that will help if our foundation is debilitated. Are you ready to fight pathogens?
🥕 Nurture a healthy gut flora (microbiome)
Your microbiome, the natural variety of organisms in our body, (skin, gut, mouth, basically everywhere!) is one of the first line of defenses agains harmful viruses and bacteria. The different microbiomes in all systems of our body are intrinsically connected, and whether they harbor more helpful or harmful organisms is dependent on our diet and daily habits. The most important habit to keep in mind is to eat as naturally as possible (fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, beans, and water) as these foods serve as PREbiotic, a precursor to healthy microorganisms, whereas processed and sugary foods nurture the harmful microorganisms in our flora. And before you rush into buying probiotics, please read Can anyone take probiotics?
🍊 Vitamin C
All vitamins and minerals are important for the proper functioning of our system, but Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C is especially essential to build our immunity. It needs to be ingested daily (about 1g) as it is metabolized and excreted from our system quickly. Citrus fruits and berries are rich in vitamin C. Have you checked your vitamin C levels lately? It should be in the upper third fraction within the normal lab results.
🥚 Vitamin D
Along with C, vitamin D is a fundamental factor for your body's ability to fight pathogens. On your lab results, your vitamin D should be higher than 60 ng/mL, even though the lab reference says 20 is the minimum. Foods rich in vitamin D (fish, egg yolk, liver) associated with sun exposure will bring you to a healthy level, but if you can't get the natural sources, consider talking to your doctor about supplementation.
☀️ Sun exposure
This topic creates great controversy between dermatologists and nutritionists, but as everything in life, we must find balance. One thing is for certain, if you have skin issues, or risk and tendencies to develop any, please follow your dermatologist's recommendations to the T and ask them about supplementing vitamin D if your levels are below 60 ng/mL.
🔥 Balanced agni (digestive strength)
Yes, the agni talk, again! There's no way we can keep good immunity if our digestive strength is weak. If we're not breaking down, metabolizing, absorbing (all 3 are functions of agni) we are not nurturing our cells, tissues and organs, so they become weak and so does our immunity. For more details, please take a moment to read First steps to keep a balanced agni.
😌 Manage anxiety, stress and get proper sleep
Easier said than done, I know! Stress and anxiety can directly affect our immunity by continuously raising cortisol levels––a hormone that is released when the body is under stress. High cortisol levels depletes our gastrointestinal lining and makes us vulnerable to pathogens. This emotional state also increases oxidative stress, which creates an ideal environment for diseases to thrive. Restful sleep is also a key component, since a sleep-deprived person will not only miss our body's natural restorative processes but will inherently increase their stress level.
Read: Improve your sleep
🏃🏽 Exercise
We would be here all day if we were to talk about all the benefits of exercise, and certainly, boosting the immune system is one of them. Let me know in the comment section if you'd like a dedicated post on Ayurveda and exercise.
🦠 Other
Other common substances and habits that negatively affect your immunity: drinking excessive alcohol, indiscriminate use of antibiotics and antiinflamatories, and nicotine.
To a balanced life!
Namaste,
Grazie Prokopetz, Doctor of Ayurveda
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