immunity tips Archives

January 12, 2021 By Roopa Tandur Leave a Comment

Tips To Support Your Immunity During Winter

With the onset of winter, there’s always that one person at home who catches a cold and spreads it to the rest of the family members due to the close proximity. Infections spread easily during winter and given the ongoing pandemic, it has become quite important to support your immunity and avoid cough, cold and flu. But, is there a way to support your immunity naturally? Let’s take a look!

Support Your Immunity Naturally

Improve gut health as your gut is your second brain. Any disturbance in gut health will affect your immune system. Prebiotics and probiotics together help keep the gut healthy. Prebiotics in simple terms is the food that feeds the friendly bacteria in the gut. Garlic, onion, leeks, asparagus, bananas, barley, oats and flax seeds all help increase gut friendly bacteria and improve the immune system. On the other hand, probiotics are living microorganisms which give health benefits when taken orally. Probiotic foods include sauerkraut, yogurt, Kimchi and tempeh.
Eat Seasonal and dark coloured fruits and vegetables which are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C like oranges, sweet lime, amla, guava, apple, sweet potato, ginger, carrot and beetroot. You can also have sea buckthorn juice which is the best known source of vitamin C having 12 times more vitamin C than an orange. These foods help us keep our moisture levels and prevent dryness due to seasonal changes.
Get your daily dose of Vitamin D: As there are less food sources of vitamin D, getting a good amount of sunlight, at least 20 minutes during the day, between 9am to 3pm or including supplements to maintain your vitamin D levels is very important, especially if you are living in an area with severe cold. Low levels of vitamin D can lead to low levels of mood boosting hormone, mood swings and depression.
Supplement your regular diet with immune boosting herbs like ashwagandha, tulsi, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, methi seeds and ginger. The list is endless! These foods help us keep warm, improve gut health, reduce inflammation and also manage stress – all of which keeps our immunity at optimum levels.
Get adequate sleep of 7-8 hours: When we sleep, we give our body a chance to repair and restore itself to optimal levels. It helps you gear up for the next day’s activities. Good sleep also means fewer cravings for unhealthy food, better management of stress, less hormonal variations and weight gain.
Have well-balanced meals and avoid junk and unhealthy sweets in large quantities as they cause inflammation and increase your risk of infection. Including a lot of sugar in your diet also reduces the white blood cells ability to attack invaders. Having a lot of sweets also leads to more production of free radicals, which increases inflammation and lowers immunity.
Exercise regularly: Aim for 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week as it improves metabolism and blood circulation. This makes it easy for the body to digest food and improved blood circulation makes it easy for cells to absorb nutrients from it. Exercising regularly also helps improve cardiovascular health, manage BP and avoid many lifestyle diseases. Exercise helps us manage our weight as being overweight impairs immunity.
Quit smoking and keep a check on alcohol intake: Nicotine is known to suppress neutrophil’s ability to kill pathogens, leading to tissue damage and inflammation. Research also proves that the brains of smokers have weaker neuro-immune response to infection and inflammation. Alcohol intake kills the healthy bacteria in the gut, triggering inflammation by altering the microbiome of the gut. It also destroys the cells of the immune system which leads to increased risk of serious infection. Alcohol also disrupts the body’s critical functions as the body does not have the ability to store alcohol as it does with other nutrients like carbohydrates or fats. So the moment one consumes alcohol, all the body’s energy is concentrated in breaking down the alcohol and sending it to the liver for further metabolism.

We hope this article helps you support your immunity and stay strong during winter. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below! For more on immunity, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play.

#BeTheForce

July 24, 2020 By Bhumi Mehta Leave a Comment

Yoga Therapy To Fight Viral Infections

Monsoons and the subsequent change in weather often result in low immunity and viral infections such as a sore throat, cold, fever, etc. which drain us. Yoga therapy has a holistic approach, works on 5 different levels i.e. Physical Body, Energy Body, Mental Level, Intellectual Level, Emotional level and Spiritual level, which can help you overcome these ailments. Let’s look at how these levels help viral infections.

How Does Yoga Therapy Help?

1. Physical Body
Here are some Yoga Asanas you can practice to remove the physical symptoms of the infection.

Uttanasana: Helps in clearing out the sinus passages, thereby clearing out blockages and allowing for more complete breathing. It invigorates the nervous system and relieves stress and tension.
Setubandhaasana: Opens up the chest. It also sends fresh blood to the head, which helps open up the sinuses further. This asana also activates the thymus glands, one of the main organs of the immune system.
Viparit Karni: The Legs Up the Wall Pose is a great pose to practice to counter respiratory ailments. When you practice this asana, you will realize that you are relieved of headaches or backaches that accompany a cold. Practicing this asana calms the mind and makes you strong as your body deals with the cold and helps in reducing fatigue, which usually follows common cold. This asana helps the immune cells to move through your body.
Adho Mukha Svanasana: In this asana, your heart is placed higher than the head. There is a reverse pull of gravity that happens when you do that, and this aids in the proper circulation of the lymph and the blood. The mild inversion allows a free flow of white blood cells throughout the body and also helps to drain out the sinuses.
Ustrasana: Opens up the chest and clears out all the passages. It is essential to try and breathe as much as you can while you are in this pose. This will help open up all the blocked areas that are causing the cold.
Matsyasana: When you assume this asana, your chest is raised and your throat is opened up. This improves your breathing and helps cure a cold. During colds, one can support the upper thoracic back with a cushion, bolster, or yoga blocks, aiding optimal recovery.

2. Energy Body
Pranayama are practiced to eliminate mucus and any agitations in the breathing. Practices for this are as follows:

Kapalbhati Pranayama: Helps unclog the respiratory tract. Improves blood circulation and uplifts the mind. 2-3 rounds twice a day gives you renewed energy to help combat cold.
Bhastrika Pranayama: Involves forceful exhalation that aids in clearing the nasal passage.
Nadi Shodhan Pranayama: Helps open up blocked nose, Facilitates better flow of oxygen to lungs and keeps your mind calm and peaceful.
Ujjayi Pranayama: Helps increase lung capacity, and releases toxins with each exhalation.

3. Mental Level
Simple Dhyana Meditation is practiced to keep one relaxed in the physically stressful time. Just sitting in a quiet place with closed eyes for a few minutes and meditating can help boost our immune system and fight with any kind of infection.

4. Intellectual Level
Observing part of self while practicing Yoga, Increases the awareness of self. This awareness eliminates agitations of mind, which brings self love and compassion

Shavasana: This is a deep resting pose. Sometimes, when you have a cold, all you need to do is to rest your body. It energizes it and helps it fight better against the cold-causing viruses. It helps in focusing on oneself and increases body awareness which helps relax the mind and body.

5. Spiritual Level
Mediation, Prayers and Chanting can help you boost your immunity and keep you mentally strong during the time when the body is suffering with an infection.

Practicing the yoga therapy based module for viral infections not only strengthens the immune system of the body but it also improves mental health which is very important to heal and recover. Staying strong mentally helps our body fight any infection better. Yoga Therapy works on our overall health. It gives one a strong body, strong mind and strong spirit to overcome most things.

To check out these yoga poses and to learn more about yoga, you can look up Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by our yoga specialists on GOQii Play.

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June 12, 2020 By Dr. Naina Sudarshan 1 Comment

Healthy Ayurvedic Concoctions To Boost Immunity

Ayurveda, the “Science of Life” is an invaluable treasure to India from our ancestors which is trending in the current pandemic situation. According to classical texts, the aim of Ayurveda is “To maintain the health of a healthy person through prevention and to treat the health issues of a sick person”. Our body needs to maintain good metabolism and immunity to fight against foreign invaders like germs and other external disease-causing factors. So, it is critical for us to maintain and boost our immunity on a regular basis to maintain our health. Ayurvedic concoctions are the best and easy choice to make at home yourself and have it frequently.

Ayurvedic Concoctions can be basically made with dry herbs, or dry herb powders or some of the fresh herbs too. As the herbs are boiled in water, the water absorbs all the therapeutic properties from the herbs making it better for digestion and absorption into our body.

5 Varieties of Ayurvedic Concoctions For Immunity

1. Turmeric-Pepper Concoction

Ingredients:

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Black pepper Powder – ¼ tsp
Jeera – ¼ tsp
Water – 1 glass
Lemon – 1 tsp
Himalayan Pink salt/Sea salt/Rock salt – ¼ tsp

Method: Mix turmeric, pepper and jeera in water and boil it for 3-5 mins to bring it down to 1 cup of concoction. Add lemon and salt before you sip the warm concoction.

Benefits:

The Cucumin in Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and has an immune modulatory effect which enhances metabolism and boosts immunity.
Piperine in Black Pepper enhances the absorption of curcumin making it a good combination with Turmeric. It is a rich antioxidant that prevents cell damage, increases the absorption of essential nutrients like calcium and selenium, helps in easy digestion, and controls blood sugar levels.
Jeera is a great source of iron besides potassium, helps in building immune system
Lemon, high in Vitamin C can fight against bacterial and viral infections by enhancing immune system

2. Fenugreek-Coriander Concoction

Ingredients:

Fenugreek/Methi seeds – ½ tsp
Coriander/Dhaniya seeds – ½ tsp
Water – 1.5 glass
Milk (Optional) – ¼ cup
Jaggery – ¼ – ½ tsp

Method: Soak Methi and Coriander seeds in 1.5 glass of water for 30-60 mins. Boil it for 5-8 mins to reduce it to ¾ cup. You can add milk at this stage and boil it for 1 more minute. Turn the heat off and add jaggery just before drinking.

Benefits:

Methi/Fenugreek may help to reduce the risk of bacterial fungal and viral infections. It generates heat in the body and is excellent for Kapha dominant people with weaker immunity.
Coriander has powerful antioxidants that prevent cellular damage caused by free radicals.
Jaggery is a natural sweetener rich in iron, zinc, and selenium.

3. Pomegranate Peel Concoction

Ingredients:

Peel of half pomegranate
Raw Honey – 1 tsp
Water – 1 glass

Method: Boil a glass of water. Put the pomegranate peel in the boiling water. Let it boil for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover it for 15 minutes. Add 1 tsp of honey to the concoction, before you sip it warm.

Benefits:

Pomegranate peels help in restoring overall health. It acts as a liver detox. It soothes sore throat and stomach infections. It helps in dental hygiene and promotes healthy cell growth.
Pomegranate peels can be dried and stored as a powder or peel to use it for a long time.
Raw honey has healing, antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Phytonutrients in honey can boost the immunity.

4. Licorice-Ginger Concoction

Ingredients:

1 inch Licorice root or ¼ tsp of licorice powder
2-3 slices of ginger or ¼ tsp of ginger powder / ginger paste
Water – 1 glass
Raw Honey – 1 tsp

Method: Heat 1 glass of water. Add ginger powder and licorice powder. Bring it to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 tsp of honey before you enjoy this concoction.

Benefits:

Licorice Cleanses respiratory system as it is a strong decongestant, a natural remedy for cold, cough, sore throat, and flu
Ginger is a powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory in nature and helpful in reducing cough. It also enhances the immune response and is good for digestion

5. Onion-Cinnamon Concoction

Ingredients:

Onion – 1 small (diced)
Cardamom Powder – ½ tsp
Cinnamon Powder – ¼ tsp
Water – 2 cups
Jaggery – 1 tsp

Method: Bring 2 glasses of water to boil, add all the ingredients and bring it down to 1 cup of liquid. Simmer for 15 mins and sip it while it is warm.

Benefits:

Onions are rich in flavonoids that help in fighting infections and inflammation. It is extremely useful in strengthening the capillary walls of the lungs and prevents the damage of bronchial tubes in any respiratory infections
Cardamom and Cinnamon are anti-inflammatory and effective remedies for cold, and flu as they impart warmth to our body. Both spices are among the ingredients in most commonly used Ayurvedic cough medicines like Sitopaladi churna and Thaleesapatradi churna.

These Ayurvedic Concoctions can be consumed once at any time of the day for about 2-3 days in a week preferably with a gap to maintain the metabolism and boost the immunity. Children under the age of 12 can have ½ a cup of any of these. People with diabetes should be cautious about the amount of honey and jaggery that they add – lesser the better. These are just preventive remedies and effective with mild symptoms of flu or cough and cold. Medical advice is always suggested with moderate to severe symptoms.

Before trying any of these, do consult your doctor in case you have any allergies. Try these Ayurvedic Concoctions at home and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more Ayurvedic Remedies or immunity boosting tips, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to GOQii Play.

Stay home, stay safe, boost your immunity and #BeTheForce

June 11, 2020 By Roopa Tandur 1 Comment

5 Interesting Ways To Include Citrus Fruits In Your Diet

The moment one imagines citrus fruits, you get the image of yellow-orange coloured tangy fruits which can instantly add taste to a dish. Citrus fruits mainly include lemon, sweet lime, orange, grapefruit and tangerine. They are packed with nutrients like Vitamin C, antioxidants, flavonoids, potassium and citric acid which have many health benefits like maintaining electrolyte balance, regulate acid-alkaline balance in the body, prevent heart disease, manage acidity and improve digestion also prevent constipation, build good immunity, etc.

While lemon is widely used in beauty products for its immense benefits on hair and skin, including it in your diet adds to its taste and nutrients. Citrus fruits can be included in your diet easily to make your meals more appetizing and tasty. All this while also giving you the much required health benefits.

How To Add Citrus Fruits To Your Diet

Breakfast: Include vegetable and citrus fruit smoothies like tomato and orange juice or celery, sweet lime and spinach juice or whole fruits to your breakfast. It is an easy and quick way to add nutrients to your meal especially if you’re running late for work. You can replace your morning coffee with orange juice or add lemon juice to your green tea instead of drinking milk tea with breakfast.
Sprinkle Lemon Juice: on your sprouts or peanut salad or include lemon slices as a salad. You can have this as your mid-morning or evening snack. This may help you reduce stress eating and also aid weight loss as well as manage acidity as these snacks are low on fat and loaded with a good amount of micronutrients.
Make a Dessert: using citrus fruits or citrus fruit juices. You can also add lemon zest to your cakes and puddings or add orange juice to your nutrition bars instead of sugar. This will enhance the taste and up the nutrient content, making your dish more flavorful.
Pickling: citrus foods is the oldest and most widely known method of preserving them. It can be stored for the whole year and can be had during seasons when we do not get foods rich in Vitamin C. These fruits can also be used in making jams which can be stored for quite some time.
Detox Water: Add lemon, orange or grapefruit slices to your water. This helps clean your system by removing toxins from your body. It also improves energy levels, keeps the skin clear and healthy, improves sleep quality and also your mood with its potassium levels! It also supports weight loss.

We hope this article helps you. Is there an interesting way you add citrus fruits to your diet? Let us know in the comments below. For more interesting tips on diet and nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to experts on GOQii Play.

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