COVID 19 and IMMUNITY
Two contradicting terms that have gone viral across the globe since March 2020 are the virus COVID – 19, and the necessity of Immunity to combat the virus. Everyone today knows the importance of immunity, which was just a medical term until the pandemic hit every corner of the world. Immunity is that biological system that enables our bodies to resist harmful foreign microorganisms. A person with good immunity is known to be healthier and less prone to diseases. However, the need for immunity spiked among people when it turned out to be the first step to fight the Corona Virus.
High immunity is the internal protection of our bodies from the virus while wearing masks, usage of sanitizers, and social distancing are the external measures. What we intake and the lifestyle we follow have drastic effects on our immunity, which leads to healthy and prolonged life. With age, our immune system gets weak and is a major reason why we fail to combat diseases with age. However, a healthy lifestyle can keep you stronger through the years. This has also been seen in so many elderly people who have fought COVID-19 despite their age. They have proved that it is not age but our lifestyles that can decide our health and life.
The main three types of immunity are innate immunity (rapid response), adaptive immunity (slow response), and passive immunity.
Passive immunity is a type of immunity that develops after a person receives immune system components most commonly antibodies, from another person. Passive immunity can occur naturally such as when an infant receives a mother's antibodies through the placenta or breast milk or artificially. A common example is when a person receives antibodies in the form of an injection or vaccine.
Ayurveda and Yoga have been effective in helping to maintain the balance of our body mentally and spiritually, in a healthy state, and also help in boosting immunity. Here are few practices that can help in boosting your immunity. Interestingly, all these practices are the base for the Ayurvedic lifestyle, which encourages a stress-free and healthy life.
- • GOOD DIET –A healthy and balanced diet determines our immunity. Low-carb and protein-rich diets are great immunity boosters. With every meal, we need to make sure that we take the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and essential vitamins through our diet. A plant-based diet is always the best for increasing immunity.
- • SPICES – Moderate and right usage of spices in our food, is a great immunity booster. Especially spices like turmeric, pepper, black cumin are rich immunity supplements.
- • NATURAL BOOSTERS – Nature has provided a wide range of immunity-boosting products that are commonly used in Indian Cuisine and also as snacks. Some of them are gooseberry (can be eaten raw, pickled, candied), garlic, ginger, tulsi (basil), and neem, which are readily available.
- • SEEDS – Seeds are a great source of vitamin E, proteins, and essential nutrients. Adding seeds to our daily diet, as part of snacks or meals is highly beneficial. Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds are some of the rich seed varieties that boost our immune system. Seeds in general help in improving metabolism, which prevents most of the ailments.
- • EXCERCISE – Exercises are always the best way to stay fit and remove toxins from our bodies, which can help in the betterment of immunity.
- • WATER – By keeping ourselves hydrated, we help the body to flush out toxins, which is essential in building immunity and internal resistance against diseases. Water is the first medicine that is suggested in curing any disease.
- • SLEEP – A challenge in today’s lifestyle and the modern world is the right amount and time of sleep. Good sleep for 7-8 hrs is the best way to help your body build immunity. Amidst all the hassles, we need to ensure that we sleep well which is the best way to relax and revive our bodies every day. This eventually enables our diet to work wonders on the body.
- • STRESS FREE LIFE – Stress releases ‘cortisol’, the hormone that weakens our immunity. Meditation, Yoga, hobbies, swimming, and other activities that enable relaxation to our minds and bodies are a necessity for better immunity and long-living.
The fight against COVID-19 can be made easier with these readily available immunity boosters and immunity-building Ayurvedic Treatments.
Ayurveda is a Curative, Preventive, Rejuvenative & Immunity Building practice. It offers a wide variety of treatments to maintain a person's internal and external health and also to improve immunity power.
Doctors at Somatheeram, have designed 3 treatment packages called 'Post COVID-19 Packages' which include 'oorjaskara chikitsa' (intensive body immunisation treatment); 'punarjani kayakalpa chikitsa' (intensive body rebuild & detox); and 'pranoorjaskara chikitsa' (respiratory strengthening treatment).
These treatments are for people who have recovered from COVID-19, as well as for the unaffected people who want to improve their immunity against various microbial infections and strengthen their immunity. Various external therapies aim at improving blood circulation and rejuvenate every part of the cell. The internal medications are especially for immune-boosting and also for correcting various metabolic processes in the body, which is a key factor for disease prevention. The diet includes various healthy preparations to keep the 'tridoshas' in a balanced state and also to increase one's immune power.
Yoga and meditation consist of various postures and breathing techniques that help to strengthen the respiratory system and maintain a stable physique. Immune boosting diet plays a supportive role in this stage. The food which is easy to digest stimulates the digestive fire. All whole spices, various combinations of recipes and herbal preparations are also effective during these courses of treatments.
Keep in mind that this is the time when we need to prepare our body system internally with good immunity, prevent diseases externally by being socially responsible and thru Ayurveda treatments physically, mentally and spiritually healthy.
