Sacred Immunity With Ayurveda

Ayurveda  (pronounced eye-er-vay-dah) is a 5000-year old system of natural medicine  that originated in India. It’s main goal is to create a strong immune system by incorporating preventive health education, herbal medicines, diet, body treatments  and behavior modifications.  Ancient Ayurveda provides a depth of knowledge in many areas of health ranging  from  surgery, geriatrics, immunity, mental health,  fertility, and pediatrics. While there are volumes of knowledge on the subject of immunity I have offered a few essential tips and understanding to amp up the immune system during vulnerable times such as the current pandemic and flu season.

Imagine that your immune system is one beautiful, dynamic living system that clothes and  protects your entire body and all of its complex systems.  The Upanishads, part of ancient Ayurvedic literature, talks about these various layers of our being called koshas.  The koshas describe various individual layers of our body, breath, mind, intellect, and soul that all work together.  The koshas are often likened to Russian nesting dolls or the layers of an onion, and when we are in good health they all seamlessly work together.  

Our immune system includes all of these layers or koshas which when functioning optimum creates protection from disease.    In Sanskrit this protection or armour is called a  ‘kavach’.  Often literally, kavach is  interpreted  as a protective geometric necklace to wear, or mantra that has positive vibrations that ward off negative energies. But kavach, the armour,  can  also be interpreted as a strong immune system that protects one from illness. According to Vedic Teacher,  David Buckland, “A real kavach develops naturally. As we defuse our buttons and untangle our contractions, we remove weak points that can be manipulated and reactivity that can get us caught further. We come to radiate an inner light that is poison to darker influences. Love dissolves the hardest crusts”.

 

Practical Tips to Strengthen Our Immunity

•  Ayurveda says that all disease begins in the gut.  Good friendly bacteria in our gut are part of this kavach and help push out the destructive bacteria and viruses.  My Ayurvedic teacher, Vaidya Mishra,  addresses these friendly microscopic bacteria as the  gods and goddesses of the body that help support immunity  and the destructive ones as the dark forces that attack the body. The idea here is to strengthen the good bacteria to keep the harmful ones out.  Ayurveda has much to say about these friendly bacteria in our gut that affect not just physical health but mental health, brain health, and mood.  Practically speaking, Vaidya Mishra says that the best way to get these natural probiotics is through home made yogurt that is made fresh each day with a good yogurt starter and that one should avoid store bought yogurts which are cold, old, non effective probiotics and can clog and cause harm to the system.  You can find the recipe for homemade yogurt here.  Try it and you will feel a difference.  In addition, research has shown that most of the probiotic pills are not effective for the exception of a brand called Trenev Trio — 1 a day before breakfast — to keep up your levels of friendly bacteria up and your immunity strong. (Teitlebaum, Marianne 2019).   
•  One of the pillars of health in Ayurveda is having a daily or twice daily bowel movement. Internal and external toxins weaken the immune system.  The challenge is to keep the gut free from toxins called ama. Ama is caused by undigested food and foods that harm the body.  Even if you eat healthy, if your digestion is poor it will make ama. This undigested food can turn acidic and then move and set into various parts of the body. For example, in the case of arthritis, this ama starts to accumulate around the joints and create pain and inflammation.  But it can land anywhere in the body and cause disease, inflammation, fatigue, and lower our immune power.  Ayurveda focuses on prevention of ama but there is an entire system to rid the body of these toxins which we will discuss in another article. If there is any constipation, then an Ayurveda practitioner will address this as a priority.  Taking an herbal supplement called Triphala  helps to rid the body of toxins and may promote a more easy bowel movement as well. It’s a non addictive formula and used for millennia to rid the body of accumulated toxins.   For more information on addressing constipation issues click here. 
•  Living in tune with nature is another goal of Ayurveda and this means having a good daily routine and sound sleep.  If one is having a sleep issue, then the Ayurvedic practitioner will help make this another priority to help the client. Good sleep is essential to good health.  Waking up with the sun and sleeping when the sun goes down is recommended.   Ideally, waking up before 6:00 am and sleeping before 10:00 pm in order to be in alignment with the elements of nature and feel your optimum.  If you can only apply one tool of Ayurveda, I have found this one to be the most powerful, early to bed, early to rise.  The whole day goes better.
•  Oiling the Body: Upon waking up in the morning, sipping on hot water to help promote a bowel movement, it’s also recommended to oil the body to balance all of the elements in the body such as fire, water, air, space, and earth elements.   The skin is the largest organ in the body and is the first defense in protecting our body from harmful bacteria and viruses.  Oiling the skin keeps the skin moist and creates a connectedness on many levels by pacifying air and space called vata, as well as promotes an anti-aging effect.   Oiling includes a light self body massage called Abhyanga which is then showered off.  Herbal oil, organic sesame oil in cold weather, and coconut oil in hot weather can be used. My next article will outline instructions for this morning ritual.   This includes oiling the nostrils with an herbal oil  which is particularly important for our immunity as the nostrils are the gateway to the respiratory system and  can become very dry and vulnerable to sinus infections. The herbal sinus oils help to keep this airway lubricated and protected.  It also helps with memory and mental clarity.  I highly recommend this sinus oil from Vaidya Mishra called Gymnem  Nasya Oil.   Gargling with sesame oil or herbs  is another way to protect the throat and ward off illness. If you feel that you are getting ill you can take a 1/2 teaspoon of organic turmeric, soma salt and mix with  ½ cup of warm water and gargle for 5 minutes 2 or 3 times per day. 
•  Inhaling essential oils to cleanse the lungs and wards off harmful bacteria.   Tribindu oil special ayurvedic preparation.Vaidya Mishra has put together all these ingredients in a unique formula that uses their crystal form rather than the essential oil molecules. Tribindu is a classical formula named for the 3 ingredients that make it up: Camphor, Peppermint, and Ajwain. To make it even more potent in its anti-bacterial and protective properties he has added Tulsi, or Holy Basil. 
•  Diet – Favor Hot Drinks and Foods, Avoid all Cold Foods. Avoid eating heavier foods such as nut butters, red meats, pork, hard aged cheeses, bananas, chia, night shades of white potato, eggplant, tomato, bell peppers, cold juice right out of the fridge,  cold dairy (such as ice cream, frozen yogurt, cold yogurt right out of the refrigerator, and cold milk) as these foods have a hard time absorbing into our cells and remain behind, stuck in the channels, clogging them, and can become a fertile breeding ground for infection to grow.  Favor foods such a variety of cooked vegetables cooked with Ayurvedic Ghee, ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, cinnamon, clove, oregano, and thyme.  Whole grains, steel cut oats,  basmati rice, quinoa, mung beans, fresh paneer (not store bought), small lentils, hearty soups,  moringa soup, and dahl or kichari.
•  According to Ayurvedic Physician, Dr. Marianne Teitlebaum, in her book, Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda, says to “keep your bone marrow clean” by taking guduchi tablets, or guduchi satwa, moringa leaf soup mix, all of which will support your immunity.
•  Herbs and Herbal Teas:The tulsi tea formula from Vaidya Mishra has both tulsi (a potent antiviral) and  harsingar flowers. Some studies are now reporting the Harsingar flower can neutralize viruses.  He added harsingar flowers in his Tulsi tea which is an excellent tea for cough and colds and a known immunity booster. To order: https://www.chandika.com/tulsi-tea/Product 
•  Reduce Stress: Stress increases cortisol and depresses the immune system, so if you often feel on overwhelm, I recommend learning the Transcendental Meditation technique. I learned in 1976 and still practice it.  It’s easy and it significantly reduces stress.   Or talk with a professional coach or counselor if you feel overwhelmed.  I am taking new clients and offer a free 20-minute session to get to know each other.  Feel free to contact me if you want a more specific and individualized program to improve your immunity, receive counseling, or want Ayurvedic bodywork.

About the Author: Rose Carol has been an Ayurveda Health Educator and Ayurveda Pancha Karma Specialist  since 1990.  She is also a psychotherapist specializing in Depth Therapy and the Highly Sensitive Person.  She offers online coaching for both Ayurveda and Counseling as well as offers Transdermal Marma Therapy, Ayurvedic Grief Therapy, and Panchakarma Detox.  She may be reached at 847 636 2744  rose.carol.zivin@gmail.com www.ayurvedahealthcoach.com