Ayurveda Health Tips an ancient Indian system of medicine, is rooted in the belief that maintaining a balance between the mind, body, and spirit is essential for overall health and wellness. The practice of detoxification is one of the core principles of Ayurveda, which focuses on removing toxins from the body to promote a healthy lifestyle. Detoxification is crucial as it helps to eliminate toxins and impurities that can negatively impact our health. While the body has its natural detoxification mechanisms.
Ayurvedic Health Tips – Overview
The Ayurvedic Perspective
What is Ayurveda?
Ayurveda is unique amongst medical sciences as it looks at health, not as a disease to be treated but as a state of holistic well-being that is to be maintained. Ayurveda believes that man and nature are two sides of the same coin. We are born from nature and we draw all our energy and nutrition from nature. Everything in nature is made up of the same fundamental materials, energies, and consciousness. And it is on this profound foundation that all of the healing methodologies within Ayurveda are built upon.
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Agni Or The Metabolic and Digestive Fire
The human body’s key function is metabolism or the constant process by which energy is taken in, transformed and then output. This metabolic conversion process is performed by the Agni or digestive fire. However, the name digestive fire does not imply that this process is merely confined to the digestive system. Indeed, human bodies use the energy taken in as food to transform into tissues that make up the body. Efficient metabolic processing also properly eliminates any toxins or Ama that are formed. So, a balanced Agni is key to healthy tissues as well as efficient elimination of waste. This is why a strong and balanced Agni is central to good health as per Ayurveda. It’s no coincidence that certain Ayurvedic tips for health lay emphasis on maintaining your digestive fire.
Ojas or Vitality
What are ojas in Ayurveda?
When a person has a strong balanced Agni it results in Ojas or vitality. Ojas also translates to a glow of good health. When a person is said to literally glow with good health it is a sign of a body that has achieved the optimum balance of intake of nutrition, elimination of waste, and a happy state of mind. Strong Ojas signify inner harmony, strong digestion, and immunity. Ojas protect a person’s mind, spirit, and body. It is the immunity that goes beyond just the body.
Finding the Ideal Balance
Ayurveda does not view humankind in isolation. Indeed, every one of us is a part of our environment and we grow, shape, and are shaped by our surroundings. These surroundings are not only the manifestations of nature that are visible to the eye but also the microorganisms around us and the microbiome that sustains us. The impact that we have on nature and that nature, in turn, have on us are important. Being surrounded by nature that is at peace and in balance outside helps us, in turn, achieve our internal balance and health inside.
So, when there is a global health problem such as a pandemic, it is a red flag to all of mankind that there is a serious imbalance between us and nature. It has shown us that nature’s being in a state of disharmony has thrown the harmony and good health of mankind into a state of chaos. So, to heal ourselves we need to look to the resources that nature offers us to heal and restore our Agni and Ojas.
Good Health Through Lifestyle Choices and Rituals
When one takes the time to observe nature, it is obvious that it functions in a cyclic and rhythmic manner. Natural phenomena like the sunrise, sunset, tides, and seasons all have their set times and repeat rhythmically. When we tune in and align ourselves to the repetitive rhythms of nature we find that we are able to create the same calming rhythm in our lives.
Meditation
The importance of a calm and balanced mind is apparent when one learns the adverse impact that stress has on one’s health. The health of the mind and the body are interdependent. A good way to achieve a healthy mind is to destress, and the best way is to prevent stress in the first place. Both these goals are best achieved through meditation. If you are a beginner, there are many video and audio resources available online to guide and help you get started on your journey towards inner peace.
Proper Breathing Techniques
We think of nutrition as being just food. But one vital life-sustaining nutrient that we often overlook is our breath. We do not usually pay much attention to this function and improper breathing is all too common. The first step to proper breathing is to be mindful of it. Observe your breath and take a couple of minutes through the day to mindfully breathe slowly. This is a time-tested tool to calm oneself and has a beneficial effect on both the mind and the body. Additionally, one can learn traditional breathing techniques of Pranayama such as breathing through alternate nostrils.
Regular Sleep Schedules
Sleep is the reprieve that a person gets from each long day filled with the stress and strain of daily life. The mind and body perform the important processes of detoxification as well as the completion of the digestive process when a person is asleep. When a person does not get enough sleep these processes are incomplete and cause stagnation and toxic buildup over time. To prevent this from happening, Ayurveda recommends the following:
- Do not sleep in the daytime as it causes stagnation
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule, preferably at night
- Late nights are not recommended as they cause weakness
Proper Diet
We all know how important a healthy and balanced diet is. But Ayurveda also addresses the meal schedule. As per Ayurvedic principles, the body’s metabolism functions at its best when there is a regular meal schedule. Ayurvedic principles also advocate that one should:
- Prefer to drink warm water as it stimulates the digestive fire or Agni
- Drink enough water and stay well-hydrated
- Eat moist and warm foods that are easy to digest and reduce the intake of foods that are cold and raw
Nature’s Medicine Chest: Ayurvedic Medicine for the Immune System
Many Ayurvedic herbs for immunity are found in the spices that we use in Indian cooking. Some excellent boosters of both Agni and Ojas are cumin, ginger, and turmeric. You can also go one step further and use traditional Ayurvedic formulations such as Rasayana or Guduchi to enhance and support good health and wellness.
Avoid Smoking and Alcohol
It’s a proven fact that smoking and alcohol are injurious to health, more so when you are treading through a global pandemic. With excessive smoking and alcohol intake, your immunity takes the worst hit, exposing you to the risk of catching a viral or bacterial infection. Even under ideal conditions, smoking can kill and excessive alcohol intake can pin you to the hospital bed for the remaining years of your life. Apart from that, over-indulgence in smoking and alcohol slows down your ability to think and erodes memory power and decision-making skills. And once this downward spiral begins, it’s hard to crawl your way out.
Even if you are taking immunity Ayurvedic medicine, you will not be able to derive its maximum benefits as long as you are drowning in alcohol or smoking your lungs away. Ayurveda recommends that you adopt healthy habits in order for any Ayurvedic supplement to show its positive effect on your body or mind.
Destress
Ayurveda defines stress as a host of mental and physical aspects of life. Stress affects a person’s immunity, digestion, peace of mind, general balance, and good health. Some examples of stress as per Ayurveda are:
- Being self-critical and having negative thoughts about oneself as well as others
- Mental or physical overexertion
- Intake of food that is hard to digest
- Listening to and speaking harsh words
Ayurveda also states that though external factors such as those listed above are causes of stress, how a person reacts to it is the actual root cause of stress. When one maintains a positive attitude and has a happy mind and spirit it is conducive to a strong Agni and Ojas. This, in turn, helps you better manage stress. Following all the practices that Ayurveda recommends for good health helps one achieve wellness of mind, body, and soul in a holistic manner by strengthening Agni and Ojas.
The Secret Message of The Lotus
The lotus is regarded as a symbol of hope, enlightenment, rebirth, and purity. The lotus plant grows in muddy water and yet produces blooms of brilliance and beauty. It symbolizes the potential that we all have within us to overcome difficult obstacles. The white and yellow lotus that is the logo of Kerala Ayurveda is the flower that is abundant in Kerala which has been the home of traditional Ayurveda for thousands of years. Just as the lotus infuses its surroundings with its joyous fragrance and pure beauty we seek to spread the knowledge of Ayurveda to bring a renaissance of peace, healing, and balance to our world.
Reach out to us to better understand how Ayurveda can help you boost immunity. Visit our online shop to browse through our entire range of ayurvedic medicines to increase immunity and manage stress.
What is the Ayurvedic diet?
The Ayurvedic diet is an eating pattern that has been around for thousands of years. It is based on the principles of Ayurvedic medicine and focuses on balancing different types of energy within your body, which is said to improve health. Unlike many other diets, the Ayurvedic diet provides personalized recommendations about which foods to eat and avoid based on your body type. It’s also popular because it’s not only said to promote better health for your body but also your mind.
What are some general lifestyle management tips to improve immunity?
Wake up early in the morning
Ayurveda advises waking up in “Brahmi Muhurtha”, which is about 45 minutes before sunrise. The period of Brahma Muhurta is an intermittent duration between respiration and photosynthesis in the plant kingdom. There will be an abundance of nascent oxygen, which easily mixes with hemoglobin to form oxyhemoglobin, which reaches even the most remote tissues and also boosts the immune system.
Have freshly prepared food
Avoid bread, biscuits, and all other packaged food items. Hot food increases the Agni or metabolic fire on entering the belly (stomach). This in turn sets right the metabolism, enhances appetite and capacity to digest food. It also expels the vitiated vayu reduces or destroys the vitiated kapha, and keeps it under balance.
Don’t mix cooked and uncooked foods
As per Ayurveda, mixing cooked and raw foods together makes the digestion process complicated. It is easy for our digestive tract to break down cooked food, as the enzymes become activated.
No coffee or tea on an empty stomach or just before a meal
Coffee isn’t great for everyone at all times, but it can be okay for some people at specific times. This is assuming that the coffee is consumed consciously, with one’s dosha, state of health, and the current season is taken into consideration.
Every possible thing that you don’t want should happen will be amplified if you have it on an empty stomach. If you have an overheated, hyper-acidic digestive tract, it’s like putting acid directly on acid. Try either having food with your coffee or waiting until after you’ve had breakfast to enjoy your first cup.
Milk or dairy products
When it comes to milk and dairy products, it’s helpful to keep the context of Ayurveda’s origins in mind. This nature-based system of healing developed in ancient India, long before the advent of synthetic hormones, factory farms, food manufacturing facilities, or agribusiness. While milk and dairy products are common, they are often not of the same quality enjoyed centuries ago. Most of the milk and products which are available in the market are adulterated.
Digestion works in accordance with the sun
Ayurveda explains the digestion strength as agni, a Sanskrit word meaning fire. All the factors involved with digestion – enzymes, hydrochloric acid, etc are collectively termed as agni. The pitta period of the day is when the sun rises to its highest point in the sky. Pitta dosha is the one that helps to do this process smoothly.
Strictly eat three meals a day
There is certainly a proper time to do everything, and the intake of food is no exception. We need to follow proper timing for consuming food. One should not consume food within one yama (3 hours) of consumption of food. If taken, it leads to indigestion. Improperly digested food, if put into circulation, is dangerous for health and becomes life-threatening.
Don’t drink water for 1.5 hours after food
Drinking water after food affects both the quality of food and digestion strength. It provides a coolant effect in case of any food that is eaten. Hence, a person tends to become obese over a period of time.
Include locally available seasonal fruits and vegetables in your diet
Food sourced from outside the country takes a long time to arrive on our shores, which means that the fruits and vegetables are not exactly fresh when you purchase them. Also, there is no guarantee that the fruits and vegetables are grown naturally. How hygienically the fruits and vegetables are handled before they are packed is also a factor.
According to Ayurveda, eating seasonal fruits and vegetables has a more positive effect on our body than eating those that aren’t. One should eat any food only when hungry. So, whenever one is hungry, one can eat fruit. Even replacing the entire meal with fruits is also good. But it is best done by replacing breakfast or lunch, rather than dinner.
Periodic cleansing of your gut
Daily elimination of waste from the body is important for good digestion. Triphala is the only laxative that can be had for a long period of time without side effects or habit formation, this can also be achieved by fasting once a week!
Sleep by 10 p.m
There are many factors to decide the time to go to bed. For most of us, it is better to fix the sleeping time to no later than 10 PM. As per Ayurveda, sleep is influenced by kapha dosha. Those with kapha body type sleep more. Those with pitta or vata body type, usually sleep a little less.
If you divide the night into three parts, the first part of the night, – about 6 pm – 10 pm is dominated by kapha. So, irrespective of your dosha body type, you will have some sort of kapha dominance during this period. Hence, if you sleep within this time, the chances of you getting a good night’s sleep are very high.
Today, the world is united in overcoming a health crisis of unprecedented proportions. Countries, communities, and individuals are working together to keep all of humankind safe and healthy. This crisis has highlighted the saying, “Prevention is better than cure”. It is the right time for us at Kerala Ayurveda to fulfill our Dharma (or purpose) of sharing the Ayurvedic principles of preventive medicine with the world. Ayurveda’s holistic approach to well-being is most relevant to our current situation.
Ayurveda has a wealth of knowledge that we can use to uplift and strengthen the mind and body. Considering the current pandemic panic that is set in the world, let us take a look at ayurvedic immunity boosters and ayurvedic herbs for immunity in adults and children.
FAQs
How to increase digestive fire?
When it comes to taking care of your digestive fire, it’s not just about what you eat, but how and when you eat. According to Ayurveda, you can light up your digestive fire and keep it kindling by following a few simple routines.
Have at least three meals a day. Better yet, divide your three meals into five or six meals. That way, you will not be straining your digestive system, allowing it ample time to process the food.
Eat your breakfast and dinner in moderation, but your lunch should be the heaviest meal so that you have sufficient calories to get through the day.
Eat only when you are hungry, and avoid eating when you are angry. Your body tends to reject whatever you eat while you are angry and thus causes indigestion, acid reflux, and burning sensations in your stomach later on.
One of the wisest Ayurvedic tips for a healthy body is to calm your mind before you sit down to eat and concentrate on the taste and texture as you chew your food. When it comes to chewing food, Ayurveda’s philosophy says ‘Drink your food and eat your water’. That way, you will never overeat in your life.
How to make the digestive system strong by Ayurveda?
Depending on your body’s natural constitution and elevated dosha levels, Ayurveda recommends a safe and effective way to strengthen your digestive system and boost metabolism. It is usually a 3-tiered holistic wellness routine that starts with eating the right food at the right time.
The next step is to exercise or engage yourself in a physical activity that makes you at least break a sweat. To accelerate your recovery from poor health, Ayurveda recommends combining good eating habits and exercise with herbal supplements that are formulated to aid digestion, improve metabolism, eliminate Ama, and strengthen immunity.
How can I boost my immune system fast?
People around you are showing symptoms of cold, cough, or fever, and you are worried that you might get infected as well. This concern has flared up across the globe since the pandemic. Whether it’s a workplace or home, you can’t avoid contact with people. In all likelihood, they are going to pass on the virus to you. You already know that, and probably that’s what led you to find ways to boost your immune system fast. With the right diet and supplements, it is possible to boost your immune system in as little as 24 hours. And here’s how to do that.
The first step is to keep yourself hydrated. Increase your water intake to enable your body to produce more lymphatic cells to ward off bacterial infections. It’d be best to drink lukewarm water, as it can prevent cold, cough, and throat infections. Along with that, a cup of herbal tea can go a long way. As far as building immunity is concerned, taking Vitamin C supplements can help a great deal. You can also follow various Ayurvedic tips for immunity and good health in general.
Which product is best for an immunity booster?
Kerala Ayurveda recommends certain herbal supplements to boost immunity and keep bacterial and viral infections at bay. These include:
Resigest Tablets: Provides strength to the respiratory system to ensure optimal functioning. These tablets possess the goodness of herbs like Tulsi, Neem, and Guduchi.
Images Tablets: Safe and effective tablets for boosting immunity, with immunomodulatory anti-oxidant properties. It also helps eliminate free radicals from your body and promote overall wellness.
Indukantham Kwath Tablets: These tablets support metabolism and improve immunity in general. It also enables speedy recovery from common bacterial infections.
Kerala Ayurveda provides an immunity-builder kit including the above-mentioned herbal tablets to be taken over the duration of 42 days. The kit can be purchased online from Kerala Ayurveda’s store at the best price, along with express shipping across the country.
What are the other things needed for a strong immune system?
If you are taking Ayurvedic medicine to increase immunity, there are certain things that you can do to derive its maximum benefits. One of the best Ayurveda tips for good health and improving immunity is to quit smoking. Smoking not only affects your lungs but also impairs your body’s ability to fight bacteria and destroy cancer cells.
Overindulgence in alcohol also causes your immune system to deteriorate while affecting liver function. Therefore, it is recommended to drink in moderation, if quitting altogether is off-limits for you.
Once you get on track with your diet, exercising or gentle yoga can be an incredible immunity booster for maintaining overall fitness.
Will boosting immunity help to prevent COVID-19?
Studies have shown that strong immunity doesn’t keep you from contracting the virus. The virus is highly transmissible; try as you might, but you can’t escape it. However, people with strong immunity reported none-to-mild symptoms as compared to people with weak immunity or any underlying health condition. In most cases, it is observed that Covid-19 can bring your guard down and make you susceptible to other illnesses as you are trying to recover. Therefore, it is important to double down on immunity boosters during and after you contract COVID-19 or any of its recent variants.