Boost Your Immunity For The Winter
Despite the immune system doing an incredibly remarkable job defending against disease causing germs – at times, it fails. The good news is that you don’t need to travel far in order to help boost your immunity. In fact, most of what you need is already right in your kitchen. The immune system is just that, a system. Therefore, in order for the immune system to function optimally it requires balance and harmony which can be established by lifestyle considerations such as proper diet, spices, herbal preparations, and finally – deep rest and blissful sleep. 

Immune Boosting Food
Winter is a season to eat plentiful nourishing and warm food to help enhance the immune system. Generally, the food we eat during winter season should be warming, nourishing, and mildly spicy. Likewise, we should avoid cold food and flavors which are excessively sweet, sour, or salty as these are all considered “kapha provoking”. Nourishing foods to consider are wholesome grains such as rice and couscous; sweet juicy fruits such as cooked apples or pears; squashes, zucchini, and asparagus, and vegetable proteins such as mung dhal.

5 Foods To Keep Your Immune System Strong

Mung Dhal Recipe

Ingredients
– ½ cup split mung dhal
– 3 cups water
– 1 teaspoon ghee
– 1 teaspoon “Organic Churna Spice Mix”

Organic Calming Vata Churna Spice Mix
Ready-to-use spice mixtures satisfy the six ayurvedic tastes considered essential for balance. Organic Calming Vata Churna is a blend of seven ingredients, including cumin, ginger and fenugreek.

Organic Cooling Pitta Churna Spice Mix or
Ready-to-use spice mixtures satisfy the six ayurvedic tastes considered essential for balance. Organic Cooling Pitta Churna features coriander, cardamom and turmeric.

Organic Stimulating Kapha Churna Spice Mix
Ready-to-use spice mixtures satisfy the six ayurvedic tastes considered essential for balance. Organic Stimulating Kapha Churna includes ginger, coriander and turmeric.

Directions

1. Heat dhal (dry) in skillet for 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Boil water separately.
3. Add dhal, and stir briefly.
4. Boil about 20 minutes, until dhal is tender — soft.
5. Season with churna of your choice.
6. Heat ghee. Add all seasonings and stir until they give a sudden burst of aroma.
7. Then pour over dhal, stir once and cover immediately.
8. Let stand covered for 5 minutes to absorb.

To Make Kichari:
Kichari is a very nourishing mix of both rice and mung dhal. To prepare, just follow the steps above for mung dhal, but add an equal amount of rice when you add the dhal. Other directions remain the same.

Spices & Herbs
In order to enhance the digestive fire [“agni”] and help prevent the formation of toxins [“ama”] consider cooking your food with immune-enhancing spices such as cumin, fennel, coriander, turmeric, ginger, garlic, and black pepper. Likewise, certain herbal formulations such as Herbal Di-Gest will also help to enhance digestion and consider Herbal Cleanse at night if feeling constipated.

Amrit Kalash Ambrosia
Amrit Kalash in the morning is great to help keep your energy and immunity intact and is especially beneficial during winter season. Amrit Kalash is a traditional ayurvedic formula of 13 herbs that supports the health of mind, brain, and nerves; increases vitality and inner strength; powerful antioxidant — research shows it to be up to 1,000 times more effective than vitamins C and E

Full-spectrum antioxidant: targets mind & nervous system

• 1000x more effective in eliminating free radicals (the root cause of aging) than vitamins C or E1
• powerful food for the brain
• significantly boosts immunity & vitality
• best taken with Amrit Nectar
• vata, pitta, kapha balancing (vpk®)

Other Recommendations:
Bio-Immune tablets, Sniffle Free tablets, and Cold Weather Defense tablets are all immune-enhancing herbal supplements that you can take during the winter season to prevent respiratory problems.

Bio-Immune is a powerful supplement that strengthens neuro-immunal responses, purifies the liver and blood, and dissolves ama and amavisha. Take one tablet of Bio-Immune each morning and evening to enhance overall immunity.

Cold Weather Defense offers nutritional support to strengthen the body’s natural immunity. It regulates fluid balance and mucus in the lungs and sinuses; removes toxins and shleshma from the lungs, and cleanses the microcirculatory channels that have been blocked by ama. It boosts immunity and removes toxins that weaken resistance.

Sniffle Free is aimed more at the upper respiratory system, and bolsters the body’s natural resistance to the cold. Sniffle Free helps clear the channels, and when that happens, shleshma can be drained from the body. It strengthens the digestive fire, balances the production of moisture and mucus, improves resistance to cold temperatures, and enhances the bioavailability and circulation of vital nutrients.

Lifestyle

Oil Massage & Warm Bath
It’s especially important to maintain inner warmth during winter season and there is nothing better than a warm bath which helps to open the pores and help regulate the body’s internal thermostat. Likewise, a daily ayurvedic massage before a warm bath helps to open the bodily channels, remove toxins, and help pacify the doshas [vata–pitta–kapha] all which help to strengthen the immune system. It’s important to note that an oil massage is NOT recommended if you already have an acute infection as this may worsen the disease process.

Organic Sesame Oil
Enhance immunity and experience a sense of well-being. Our pure golden Sesame Oil is organic, extra-light, chemical-free and cold-pressed, allowing its chemical composition to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin.

Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is important for anyone and for any season who wants to enhance immunity and resist disease. Therefore, you may want to consider taking Blissful Sleep if you have trouble falling asleep (a Vata disorder), or Deep Rest if you wake frequently, especially between 2:00 and 4:00 a.m. with energy (a Pitta disorder).

“Your first line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Following general good-health guidelines is the single best step you can take toward keeping your immune system strong and healthy. Every part of your body, including your immune system, functions better when protected from environmental assaults and bolstered by healthy-living strategies.”
– Harvard Health Publications

Disclaimer
The sole purpose of these articles is to provide information about the tradition of ayurveda. This information is not intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. If you have any serious acute or chronic health concern, please consult a trained health professional who can fully assess your needs and address them effectively. If you are seeking the medical advice of a trained ayurvedic expert, call or e-mail us for the number of a physician in your area. Check with your doctor before taking herbs or using essential oils when pregnant or nursing.

Your Happiness Is A Reflection Of Your Health.