Where am I going wrong?
They say- ‘You are what you eat’, so a balanced intake of nutritionally-dense foods is the mantra for a strong immune system.
No one likes falling ill. How can we improve the immune system? Covid has taught us that only if our immunity is strong, will we survive. It’s fine most of the times but sometimes it fails: A germ invades successfully and we fall prey. Is it possible to intervene and boost your immune system? What if you improve your diet? Take certain vitamins or herbal preparations? Make other lifestyle changes in the hope of producing a near-perfect immune response?
So, moral of the story- Time to build immunity!
Marketplaces these days, are flooded with ‘immunity-building’ minerals, supplements, pills, and what not..... which one is good, what’s the best, which brand, how much is enough? We hear from friends, podcasts, youtube videos, and self-proclaimed gurus about what is ‘right’ and which superfood to go for. The tsunami of free information on the net is overwhelming and comes with its own challenges.
Recently, I went to a doctor for a headache (migraine).
Intelligently enough, I had done my internet research and tried all self-medications. Google Baba had told me that “magnesium, niacin, riboflavin, cobalamin, coenzymes Q10, carnitine, α-lipoic acid and vitamin D deficiencies are associated with migraine.”
I had tried all these supplements- generously and religiously.
However, my headache had been persistent.
Finally, I went to a ‘licensed medical practitioner’. Amusingly enough, my history of eating supplements gave my doctor a headache. The first thing he told me was- STOP taking all pills! Of course, he resolved my aches & pains but that’s a different story.
He explained me and I share-
- The immune system is a system, not a single entity.
- Your primary line of defense is to choose a healthy lifestyle. Like any rebellious force, the immune system army marches on its stomach. Healthy immune system soldiers need good, regular nutrition.
“Resort to traditional foods”, the doctor said.
For example- Jaggery.
Gur (which had a multiload of micronutrients), is high in minerals and antioxidants such as Selenium and Zinc that are free radical damage preventives. This means that eating jaggery benefits you by boosting your resistance and lowering your risk of infections.”
Our grandmothers used to give jaggery + ghee after meals. Jaggery and ghee interact synergistically to boost immunity and maintain healthy hormone levels.
The Santoshi Maa prasad is still Gur Chana- guess why? Because it keeps diseases and infections at bay!
According to Ayurveda, warm water and jaggery together work as an excellent antidote for health.
Ministry of Ayush recommends that we drink herbal tea / decoction (Kadha) made from Tulsi (Basil), Dalchini (Cinnamon), Kalimirch (Black pepper), Shunthi (Dry Ginger) and Munakka (Raisin) - once or twice a day. But strictly says that we sweeten it only with jaggery (wholesome sugar).
Have Chyawanprash, but one made only with jaggery, not sugar.
Diet plays a large role in determining what kinds of microbes live in our intestines. A high-fibre diet containing probiotic and prebiotic foods may be beneficial.
- Probiotic foods include kefir, yogurt with live active cultures, fermented vegetables, sauerkraut, tempeh, kombucha tea, kimchi, and miso.
- Prebiotic foods include garlic, onions, leeks, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, dandelion greens, bananas, and seaweed.
Time to go back to our roots and try the Haldi-Doodh aka Turmeric Latte instead of the cappuccino and the margarita and the cola!
One personal tip that I learnt during my research and I can’t stop myself from sharing because it’s worked fantastically for me!
Get that 8-hour beauty sleep! You look beautiful when you’re healthy! Try to keep a sleep schedule, waking up and going to bed around the same time each day works magically! Our body clock, or circadian rhythm, regulates feelings of sleepiness and wakefulness, so having a consistent sleep schedule maintains a balanced circadian rhythm so that we can enter into a deeper, more restful sleep.
And yes, don’t forget to drink that amrit called water!
At Dhampur Green, we strive to keep you safe and build immunity the traditional way!
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