Boost Your Immunity this Spring with these Ayurveda Self-Care Tips
One of nature’s cruel tricks is that just as the days start getting longer and a little warmer and you start to get outside more, you catch a cold.
You’re not alone: Springtime brings a second peak for colds, with erratic temperatures irritating your airwaves and seasonal allergies making many of us more prone to infections.
But you don’t have to fall victim to this seasonal assault. Yoga’s holistic sister science, Ayurveda, has long identified spring as a peak time of susceptibility to illness, but it also suggests some simple changes to your lifestyle so that you can bolster your physiology against unwelcome visitors this season.
Let’s face it: your body is always surrounded by germs, but you don’t always get sick. That’s because of a complex, circulating system that is responsible for discriminating between healthy cells and pathogens called the immune system. The immune system includes tissues, organs such as your skin (the first line of defense against attackers) and cells that mobilize to create responses like antigens and inflammation to ward off invaders.
However, immunity tends to worsen as we age, and is also impacted by factors such as poor diet, excess weight, stress and lack of sleep. Ayurveda primarily focuses on preventative care by building up immunity (Ojas) through a balanced lifestyle that supports the Four Pillars of Health: diet, sleep, exercise and stress reduction. Add these tips to your self-care tool kit and enjoy spring illness-free.
Balanced Diet
Ayurveda views 80% of all disease as being rooted in your digestion, while clinical research confirms that a variety of vitamins and minerals is required for proper production of immune cells.
Include plenty of fruits, nuts, cooked vegetables, whole grains and plant-based proteins
Cook with digestive spices such as cumin, coriander, fennel, ginger, black pepper, turmeric and mustard
Sip warm or hot water with a couple of slices of ginger throughout the day
Avoid stress eating
Reduce alcohol, caffeine, junk food and sugar, all of which compromise your immune system
Wait until you are hungry to eat, and enjoy your meals in a settled environment to optimize digestion
Rest & Sleep
Scientists have found that during sleep, you experience an increased production of cytokines, cells that mediate the immune response.
Make sure screen time ends at least one hour before bed, turn the lights down in the evening and engage in calming activities in the evening
Try to get to bed by 10 p.m., lights out by 10:30 p.m.
Wake up around sunrise, or a little earlier
Practice Yoga Nidra and Restorative Yoga in place of naps if you feel depleted
Daily Exercise
Not only does exercise help to circulate lymph, containing white blood cells that help remove bacteria from your body, it strengthens your cardiovascular system which is key for warding off respiratory viruses and helps release endorphins to support a sense of wellbeing.
Schedule daily exercise, even if it’s just for 20 minutes a day
The best time for exercise is first thing and if the weather is good, do it outside in the morning sunlight
Exercise according to your capacity and avoid depletion
If you work at a computer all day, set a timer and get up once an hour and move around
Ayurveda recommends yoga and walking for everybody
Skip exercise if you feel unwell and allow your body to rest
Stress Reduction
The Stress Response of your Sympathetic Nervous System elevates cortisol and adrenaline levels in the body, which over time can fatigue your immune system, while being under stress can change your behaviour for the worse.
Practice yoga, meditation, journalling and deep breathing daily
Engage in nourishing activities like time in nature and reading
Surround yourself with supportive, uplifting people
Limit your exposure to the news and social media
Take frequent breaks from screen time
