Boost Your Immunity with Ayurveda
“Prevention is better than Cure”
The prevention mechanism of our body against any disease is called as immunity system of our body.
Today due to the pandemic situation we got very much aware of the term Immunity.
But thousands of years ago, the ancestors of Ayurveda told the maintenance of the health of a healthy person should be the basic aim of the therapeutic system: “Swasthsya swastha rakshanam“.
They clearly stated with example how to boost your immunity with Ayurveda.
However, the world is now much aware of the term immunity boosters also. The main credentials of this term should be given the Rasayana drugs of Ayurveda.
We will discuss the relative terms in very simple language to make you understand the real facts
Since our childhood we are well known about the term immunity. Many times, we heard, from our parent and doctors, immunity plays a vital role in our life process.
Each and every time we all are exposed to a large number of pathogens. Only a few of them attack our body and cause disease. Immunity is the only mechanism that can resist the probability of disease.
So first of all, we shall know about:
- What is immunity?
Immunity is the body’s defense mechanism. It protects our body from harmful viruses, bacteria, and other pathogens. So, the ability or capability to resist harmful organisms is known as immunity.
In Ayurveda immunity is known as ‘vyadhikhamta’. Vyadhi means disease and khamta means power to resist foreign infectious agent.
So, next question is:
- What is the role of immunity in our body?
If there is no immunity system in your body, you are not able to fight against these harmful enemies.
The main constituent of our immunity system are blood, lymph and bone marrow. The white blood corpuscles fight against pathogens and make us disease free.
When our body encounters such type of pathogen or infectious agent for the first time, it produces some weak response against it.
But the next time when our body encounters the same pathogen, the immune system gives a vigorous response against those foreign bodies. This type of secondary response is highly intensive. It protects our body and keep us healthy.
Next question comes into our mind:
- What are the various types of immunity?
These are mainly two types – Innate and acquired immunity.
- So, what is Innate immunity?
Innate immunity is non specific defense and one can achieve it by birth. It is also known as shahaja bala.
Innate immunity includes mainly physical and physiological barriers just as skin, tears, and gastric juice. It also includes monocyte that can engulf microbes.
There is some factors which responsible for Innate immunity like-
- Quality of ovum.
- Mother’s physiological and mental condition.
- Condition of uterus.
- Quality of ingested food.
- Parent’s age.
Does immunity vary person to person or not?
Yes, it varies. When immunity of your body is strong, you can live a long life happily.
- What is acquired immunity?
It is a specific immunity. One can get strength by taking proper diet, vaccination, and other physical activities like yogasana. It is known as yuktikritaja bala.
There are two kinds of acquired immunity.
- One is Active immunity:
whenever antigen is found in our body antibodies are naturally produced to fight against it.
- Other is Passive immunity:
Readymade antibodies are directly transferred to our body against for an agent. Vaccination and mother’s milk (colostrum) are common example.
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Pranayam (breathing exercise) gives a stress-free life and keep our immune system & body physiology healthy.
There is another question comes to our mind…
What are the factors responsible for decreasing one’s immunity?
factors, like-
- Overweight
- Underweight
- Taken of unwholesome food.
- High blood pressure.
- Hormonal problem in body.
- Other diseases like problem in heart, diabetes.
- What is antioxidant and how it works on our immune system?
Before going to know antioxidant, we all know there is a free-radical scavenging activity in antioxidant.
- So, what are a free radical?
Free radical is a substance that naturally occurs in our body system. It occurs in our body as a by-product during the time of metabolism and expose radiation. It reacts to our body cells and damages them. When the amount of free radicle is high, it damages our health.
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Next, we know about antioxidant. Antioxidant are substance that protect and repair our cell from cell injury.
Antioxidant helps to detoxify our body cell and gives a new life to tissue. The organ become young and our immune system become strong .
Antioxidant act as a antivirus in a computer. Antioxidant protect immunity system.
So, what kind of food contains antioxidant?
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Blueberries, Red grapes, spinach, beet, red cabbage, sweet potatoes, broccoli are good source of antioxidant.
Vitamin C or ascorbic acid also a reach source of antioxidant which present in a rich amount in guava, lemon, orange and amlaki.
- Next question occurs what is the role of vitamin C to keep our immune system healthy?
Vitamin C or citrus fruit having free radical scavenging activity. It prevents from ageing process and to keep young.
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- What is Rasayana drug?
Rasayana drugs are immunomodulatory agents and they give a long healthy life span. There are many rasayana drugs in Ayurveda which are used from ancient time as an immunomodulator.
Aamlaki, Haritaki, Ashwaganda and Guduchi, all are have a great role to keep our immunity system healthy. This kind of rasayana drugs suppress our innate and adaptive immunity.
Role of rasayana drug in our body?
- It gives longevity and strength.
- It gives nutritional supplements.
- It defenses against disease.
- Keep away ageing process and give youthfulness.
- Increase memory.
- Improve our immunity system.
If one can consumed rasayana drug in her/his daily life. These drugs keep away from any disease. It gives proper nutritional value, antioxidant property, antiaging property and also give a stress-free life.
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Aswagandha: Withania somnifera is a well-known reputed home-based medicine. Root part is having immunomodulator activity.
If one can take daily, it reduce depression, inflammation and improve general health.
Haritaki: Terminilia chebula is a very important rasayan drug, it increase strength of body and keep away from disease.
Guduchi: Tinospora cordifolia or gulancha improves immunity by detoxifying the liver. It helps to develop a strong digestive system. If our digestive system is strong, there is less chance of attack of microbes.
Holy basil: Ocimum sanctum is a household medicine. It is having well known antiviral property. It gives relief from respiratory-related disorder. Tulsi with honey in the morning give a beneficial effect and keep our immune system strong.
Amlaki: Emblica officinalis is a reach source of vit C. We previously known, vit C having antioxidant property. It detoxifies body by improving digestive power. It gives nourishment to hair and skin.
Satavari: Asparagus racemosus is very benificial for increase strength to our body.
Pippali: Piper longum or pipul having a good effect on respiratory system.
Sankhapuspi, Brahmi is also another type of rasayana drug which increase buddhi, smriti (intellect, memory). These herbal medicines are grouped into medhya rasayan (memory booster). One can increase medha (intellect) by using it daily.
Next, we know what are the types of Rasayana drug according to Ayurveda?
- Ausadh rasayana based on herbal plants.
- Ajastrika rasayana based on aahar(intake) like ghee,madhu,cow’milk.
- Achara rasayana based on one’s behaviour on state of mind.
So rasayans drugs nourishes all our body tissue and keep us healthy. It gives strength to body as well as mind.
Last but not least here are the most important bonus tips for you:
Golden rules of Ayurveda we should follow to keep our immunity strong: (Core Ayurvedic regimen for well being)
- Take proper sleep at night time not less than 7 hours.
- Early rise before sunrise.
- Daily practice of yogasana in the morning time.
- Take antioxidant-rich substance in you our diet.
- Take colored seasonal vegetables, fruits and nuts.
- Vit-c reach citrus fruit like guava, grapes, orange, lemon water.
- Drink water 2.5 to 3 liters everyday and keep hydrate your body.
- 6 rasas (taste perception: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter & astringent) should present in your diet.
- Apply fumigation technique by using herbs like guggul to clean the surroundings from microbes and insects.
- Oil message daily improve sleep and give relief from vatavyadhi.
- Avoid too much intake of fast food, and trans fat type of food.
- Use spice like dalchini (cinnamon), lavanga clove), turmeric, pippali (log pepper), ginger, garlic in daily cooking.
- Chyawanprash has a immunomodulator activity which contain many herbs. The main ingredient is amlaki.
- Vit D from sunlight.
- Reduce stress level by doing pranayam (breathing exercise) or meditation practice.
- Live a happy life and spend time with your family.
If you follow such types of rules, it will reduce stress level and adapt immunity.
Rasayana drugs are very important to nourishment our body. It gives a healthy, happy, disease-free long-life with youthfulness.
So, Ayurvedic and herbal medicine are intimately involved with the term Immunity and if you follow those principles it must boost your immunity naturally.
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