Ayurvedic medicine is one of the oldest forms of medicine which originated in India and it is centered around the holistic and natural approach to bettering one’s body; both physically and mentally. It utilizes a combination of diet, lifestyle choices, and products derived from plants and animals. If done correctly, it can help you to lose weight, decrease anxiety and stress, as well as help you to build immunity.
Ojas (oh-jus), one of the life forces of the body, is a part of the heart chakra and is said to be the energy reserve for your body. The Ojas is one of the main contributors to your immunity and can be affected by many variables such as positive or negative mentality, the types of foods you eat, the amount of sleep you’re getting daily, and even the amount of physical activity you’re engaging in. Ayurvedic practices emphasize the importance of keeping your Ojas strong in order to help build immunity against chronic illnesses such as the common cold or the flu.
Your Ojas is also said to be affected by the changes in the season. And as we approach winter as well as a “third-wave” of the Coronavirus, there is a higher chance of weakening your immune system; thus, weakening your Ojas.
Here are some ways to boost immunity with Ayurvedic techniques:
Gargling
Sometimes we wake up with congested nasal passages and a build-up of phlegm in the back of our throats. The best way to clean out the nasal passages is to gargle with warm salt-water. Most experts recommend that in order to effectively clean, you should gargle with this concoction twice a day; once in the morning before eating breakfast, and then once before going to bed. Since gargling with warm water and salt is meant to clean out your passageways by flushing out bacteria, gargling before and after all of your meals ensures that you’re preventing this bacteria from entering your body.
Not only does the combination of warm water and salt help to reduce inflammation and decongest your passageways, it also helps to maintain your pH levels. This concoction can help to neutralize the acidic nature of bacteria, and by doing so, it’s helping to restore the natural pH levels in the nasal and respiratory passages.
Eating
One of the most highly recommended pieces of advice is to eat at appropriate times. Although this has been something that most families have adopted, the origins of this advice stems from Ayurvedic techniques. Most people, especially younger people, because they have much higher metabolisms, forget to eat well-balanced meals, at appropriate times; and would rather snack, constantly, throughout the day. In this day and age, an average person’s food intake consists of 23% snacks, which is way higher than the 18% in the 1970s. Ayurvedic techniques harp on the importance of eating on a regular schedule that rarely fluctuates. This schedule should include all three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and maybe a couple of snacks in between meals. However, the point of this, much like intermittent fasting, is supposed to build one’s metabolism.
Another recommendation is to eat your heavier meals at the beginning of the day and save your lightest meal for dinner. This, coupled with the fact that you shouldn’t eat 2 hours before sleeping, is to help you thoroughly digest all of your food and leave your stomach light enough to allow you to get a good night’s rest.
Diet
Seeing as Ayurvedic medicine originated in India, a lot of the foods that are associated with their preferred diet are also of Indian origin. Although sweeteners and meat, specifically red meat, are limited, the Ayurvedic diet promotes the consumption of whole foods that are thoroughly cooked. You want to avoid the consumption of raw vegetables and instead make sure the vegetables are not mushy but are fork tender. Overcooking the foods can lead to a decrease in nutritional value. Legumes, beans, paneer (an Indian cheese), and ghee (clarified butter) are the foods that are most common and popular with this diet. They are all high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats and promote a warming effect throughout the body; which helps to warm your Ojas.
While cooking these dishes, another important tip is to incorporate immune-boosting spices into your dishes. The spices should be cooked thoroughly as well in order to extract the natural flavors and enhance their effect on your dish. These spices include turmeric, ginger, cumin, and black pepper.
Turmeric is one of the trendiest foods as of late mostly because of the rise in the popularity of natural, holistic foods. Further, turmeric is one of the best spices to help reduce inflammation, improve digestion, and can also be used to help reduce facial acne! Ginger, another anti-inflammatory agent, is also an antioxidant and can help to aid in anti-aging processes as well as help to treat potential degenerative diseases. Cumin can help aid digestion by helping to release bile from the liver, which speeds up digestion as well as helps to break down fats. Plus, cumin can also protect against Type 2 Diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and improving the body’s sensitivity to insulin. Much like the other spices, black pepper has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well as the ability to lower cholesterol levels.
Drinks
As is the norm in many South and East Asian countries, drinking hot tea or water with meals and throughout the day, is the way that many people have been able to promote a healthy digestive system. The basis behind drinking hot or warm water as opposed to cold water is so that instead of solidifying the fats in your body, like the consumption of cold water does, hot or warm water helps to emulsify fats and break down other foods more efficiently to aid in a better, smoother digestion system. If you don’t like drinking hot or warm water, at least drink room temperature water.
Another benefit to drinking hot water, especially when sick, is that it helps to clear blocked nasal and respiratory passages. By inhaling the hot vapors from the cup of hot water, it helps to clear your nasal passages; then, by taking gentle sips, it helps to break down the phlegm and clear your throat.
It can also help to reduce stress! Drinking hot water helps to stimulate central nervous system function which in turn results in lessened anxiousness and restlessness.
Meditation
A central aspect to Ayurveda is clearing the mind to allow for mental clarity and overall bodily relaxation. However, there are several benefits of meditation that extend beyond just Ayurvedic practices. Meditation can be anything from a few quick breaths to calm yourself down, to a full one hour of eyes closed, legs crossed, deep breathing. The best part about meditation is that it is completely customizable to you and your life!
Some of the benefits associated with meditation include, better memory and concentration. By practicing meditation, you’re opening your mind to a sense of calm and allowing it to be filled with information. You are allowing the brain to build its power to retain and recollect.
Another benefit is the reduction of stress and anxiety. Spending ten minutes everyday just clearing your mind, allows for your body and its systems to slow down and relax. This contributes to a better circulation of air and blood throughout the body which helps to promote a healthier heart and just overall bodily function.
Sleep
If you’re experiencing restless nights or are just not getting enough sleep as is, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your night routine. Think about all of the things that you do before going to bed. Do you scroll through your phone for hours? Maybe you like to watch a movie before bed? Or read a few chapters of your favorite book? All of those are ok to do, however, in moderation.
A key facet of Ayurveda, is rebuilding function through rest and relaxation. That can only happen if you’re allowing your body to recuperate while asleep. In order to allow for these things to happen, avoid stressful events before bed, like watching scary movies. Also, allow yourself to think positive thoughts or give thanks for your day and everything you have before you sleep. Allowing yourself to recount all of the positive aspects of your day and your life can help your body to relax and also allow your brain to rest easy while you’re asleep. Another thing to try could be to take a warm bath with some soothing essential oils before bed. Allow your body and mind to be truly at ease before slipping under the covers for a night of well-deserved rest.
