6 Ways to Boost Your Immune System with Ayurveda
Updated: Apr 19
Back to school time is here, and that means germ season is announcing its arrival. Kids or no kids, you'll want to read this and start bolstering your immune system with Ayurveda. Learn which Ayurveda herbs and tools can help you optimize your wellbeing and protect you from these little invaders.
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6 Ways to Boost Your Immune System with Ayurveda
As Pitta season is still present, and Vata season is making its approach, our bodies respond to the changes in the world around us. It’s during seasonal transitions that the doshas are more vulnerable to going out of balance. Early fall sniffles, seasonal allergies, sinus and respiratory congestion, sleep and anxiety issues are just a few of the challenges our immune systems face this time of year.
At 5,000 years old, Ayurveda has been around almost as long as changing seasons and the imbalances that accompany them. Today, we’ll take a look at a few time-tested Ayurvedic immunity boosters and six Ayurveda tips and how to integrate them into your life.
Why We Need Ayurvedic Immunity Boosters
Modern society often leaves us feeling disconnected from the rhythms of nature, but we’re still impacted by our physical and energetic environments. The Pitta qualities pronounced in summer, shifting into Vata qualities of autumn, can be particularly stressful on our respiratory and immune systems.
· Changing Environments: Moving from an intensely hot Pitta summer to the slow; subtle shift of early Vata season, can feel almost like a shock to the systems. Paired with an increase in pollen and other airborne irritants, these seasonal changes can aggravate our allergies, lungs, and sinuses.
· Change of Pace: We tend to be animated by hot, sunny days, and as we begin to transition into early autumn, we settle back into our routines. Some of us welcome this and others of us weep at the thought. In either case, it’s time to recognize and align with the change of pace to maintain balance.
· Change in Diet: We need to adjust our food as medicine program to maintain or regain dosha balance. For some, a clearing out of accumulated heat, Pitta is needed and for others preparing for the cooler, drier qualities of autumn is necessary, and for others, both are needed.
As we’re sweating out the summer, believe it or not, some kids are heading back to school next week! School season is here and with it comes germ season. As students begin to congregate, the bug swap starts. You may not have kids, or kids in school, but those germs find their way into our lives through our co-workers, social gatherings, and just by going about our daily life. It's time to naturally boost immunity with Ayurveda. How can you strengthen your immune system with Ayurveda? Read on!
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Two Simple Steps for a Stonger Immune System:
1. Balance the doshas
2. Fortify the gates of our immune system so those bugs don’t get passed our protective guards.
If you’re a teacher, work in the medical field, or have other similar roles, it’s really time to get going.
"For teachers, students, medical field contributors, and those who tend to catch things, I suggest starting your immune boosting protocol by early July. Why? So, we have several weeks of getting the best herbs into your systems and adjusting your food as medicine plan." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Let’s avoid an overreliance on antibiotics and over-the-counter medications whenever possible, and be well by reducing the impact of the ever-present daily stressors, and bolstering the immune system now.
Book your seasonal/follow up session now and we’ll focus on an immune bolstering and dosha balancing plan curated just for you.
What are the Best Ayurvedic Immunity Boosters?
According to Ayurveda, one of the best ways to maintain balance during seasonal changes is to practice ritucharya – modifying our routines to complement our environments.
Herbal remedies, nasya oil, and Ayurvedic consultations are the place to start.
"Taking the incorrect herb can create imbalances, so we want to act with knowledge and clarity. Which herbal boosters are correct and helpful for you? It depends on your overall constitution, current state of balance or imbalances and a number of other factors. An Ayurvedic consultation provides a clear picture of what herbs, foods as medicine, and Ayurveda lifestyle tools will serve you optimally." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
Herbal Remedies for Immunity
The ancient, classical Ayurvedic texts define immunity as bala, (strength), as the body’s ability to prevent disease and maintain homeostasis.
Chaywanprash: A revered Ayurvedic supplement, Chaywanprash is made from a highly-concentrated blend of nutrient rich herbs, spices, minerals, and vitamin C. It can be consumed daily to strengthen the immune system and balance the doshas.
Pippali: An ancient herbal remedy, Pippali has been used for centuries to reduce respiratory inflammation and irritation and remove phlegm deposits from the airways.
Turmeric: Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, helps flush toxins and decreases inflammation in the lungs and air passages. Turmeric may also make the body more resilient to infection.
Ginger: Another potent anti-inflammatory herb, ginger strengthens agni - the digestive fire - which is often needed after holiday eating, a long winter, and as the spring winds (Vata) arrive which may blow out the fire.
Astragalus: This flowering plant has been used for centuries to stimulate the immune system and make the body more resilient to physical, environmental, emotional stressors .
Ashwagandha: Ashwagandha has anti-inflammatory properties that can help strengthen immunity post-illness. It is also believed to improve brain function and reduce anxiety, depression, mental fog, and supports healthy adrenal function.
Herbs aren’t the only Ayurvedic immunity boosters you can eat! Visit the Saumya blog to learn more about immunity boosting Ayurvedic foods. Check out our online recipe box and seasonal tips too.
Here’s 6 Ayurveda Lifestyle Tips to Bolster Immunity
1. Focus on food as medicine to create incredible gut health. This includes whole, unprocessed foods which means food that looks like nature grew it, not food stuff from a bag, box, or tray.
Depending on your dosha and situation, consider adding a little fermented food, and it’s still hot out, but Vata season will be announcing itself in a few weeks so it’s time to tweak your food program.
2. Make sure you’re getting quality sleep each night to keep cortisol levels under control. Read our articles:
Ayurvedic Tips for Good Sleep Ayurvedic Night Milk Recipe for Good Sleep 10 Ayurvedic Evening Rituals for a Calming Night
3. Managing stress is the foundation of a strong immune system. Make time to manage stress—use our popular 11-minute guided practices as anchors to your morning and evening routines. When you manage your stress levels, you stimulate immune cell function.
Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day 10 Ayurvedic Evening Rituals for a Calming Night
4. Daily walks are a simple and manageable way to decompress, reduce stress levels, and increase mental health. So simple and available to us all the time.
6 Ayurvedic Quick Tips for Brain and Mind Fitness 30 Reasons Why You Need an Ayurveda Emotional Detox How to Detox Emotionally|10 Ayurvedic Practices for Emotional Cleansing
5. Practice Garshana, Ayurvedic dry brushing. Caring for our lymphatic system takes a couple minutes each day—talk about a high return on your investment.
6. Nasya…aka nose oil drops. The benefits are many and include: increased focus and concentration, improved breathing, improved mental wellbeing, and better sleep. We offer several kinds of nasya formulations and during your follow up/seasonal consultation, I'll recommend the ideal one for you for this time of year.
Saumya clients LOVE our nasya oils!
“The nasya drops are keeping me healthy! So far, no allergy symptoms this spring and I did not catch the cold my husband had!” -Anonymous, Wisconsin
“Your nasya oil really had a strong, positive effect on my life. My mind was racing, and I have been highly stressed for a long time. I did the nasya and suddenly all went quiet. I felt like meditating. Your nasya oil really calmed the mind.” - S.L, USA
There is a saying, "The mind is more in the body, than the body is in the mind." The Saumya 3 step meditation process shifts us from fight-flight-freeze mode, to rest-restore-relax mode. Give it a try for forty days and observe the changes. The more grounded and relaxed we are, the smoother life flows.
"The breath is the connection between the mind and body, so by training the breath, we become calm, focused, and grounded, we slow down the aging process by decreasing stress. These practices are so simple and easy to have as part of our daily life. We actually feel and look younger."
- Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
1. Learn Diaphragmatic Breathing and Change Your Life. When we re-learn to breath diaphragmatically, we move from the flight-fight-freeze mode, to rest, restore, relaxation mode from where we want and need to live.
2. Daily Guided Practices: 11 minutes in the morning and in the evening, as anchors of your daily Ayurveda routine.
3. Ayurveda Daily Routines: Ayurvedic Morning Routine | 6 Rituals for a Calm and Centered Day
"Choose a couple of practices from the routines that provide you with the greatest support. Perform them while applying our two minute meditation technique and your mundane tasks, just transformed into a mellifluous meditation. This is meditation applied to daily life." - Veena, Saumya Ayurveda
“Veena was able to help me regain my energy in just a few months and I’m feeling like my “young” self again! I love the food plan she designed for me, and all the supporting practices (am/pm routines, breathing techniques, herbs, and spice mixes) are so enjoyable to incorporate into my day. I highly recommend Saumya Ayurveda if you want to feel better and have more vitality.”
-Molly Rossini, Minnesota
6 Ways to Boost Your Immune System with Ayurveda--avoid the problems of petrie dish spreading into your life. Your immune system is your body's fortress, and it's time to strengthen it with Ayurveda.
"Working with Veena was so helpful for me on my healing journey. She is very knowledgeable and works with you from a compassionate perspective. If she suggests a certain practice or change to routine, she makes sure it is doable for you without adding more stress.
I was new to Ayurveda and now it’s part of my daily life and I’m very grateful. I'm more balanced and the health issues I was having are now resolved or improving. I highly recommend working with Veena."
-Elizabeth Albers, Grand Rapids, Minnesota
"Veena has brought energy and vitality back into my life. She is a skilled practitioner and someone whose recommendations."
- Sarah Ladd, New Hampshire
“I've been working with Veena since 2010. She has helped my overall health improve in many ways. We addressed my health concerns using food, oils, spices, lifestyle and herbs that best support me. I used to have chronic sinus infections and in the first year of her care, I didn't have one.
She also works with my emotional health. My anxiety has decreased significantly and I'm almost completely free of it! Emotional ups and downs are gone.
Veena teaches you what to eat and drink to maintain balance from one season to the next. I'm amazed that learning what foods to eat, which teas to drink, and the herbal treatments helped mental health as well and my physical body. I highly recommend seeing Veena if you are looking for better physical and emotional health.” –M.B. Minnesota
Discover the Saumya Ayurveda Way
When we gain clarity about what to eat, we can cook and eat with confidence knowing we are turning our food into medicine and with Saumya Ayurveda, you'll know what to do. As Julia Childs put it, "This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun."
We all want to be heard, understood, and cared for as whole beings, not a set of isolated symptoms. True health is more than the absence of disease, which is why Western medicine so often leaves us feeling hopeless and unseen.
Deep down, you already know what you’re searching for: a new framework for living – one that brings your entire being back into balance. With Saumya Ayurveda, you’ll receive individualized guidance to create the physically, mentally, and spiritually vibrant life you crave.
Saumya Ayurveda provides concierge, top-notch, award-winning Ayurveda care. We strive to keep it simple, so you can focus on you! Opt for virtual consultations and we'll come to you.
Our practice model is client focused, we’re not in the retail herb business. We’ll guide you where to order herbs directly online. Our top-shelf Ayurveda oils and herbalized ghees are the best in the land and we’ll ship your care package right to your doorstep.
Our effective multi-appointment consultation packages provide you with experienced Ayurveda care, enthusiastic guidance, and inspiring support.
Explore our personalized services and book your FREE discovery call today. Psst! Our clients say it best – so read and watch our client's stories.
Veena is a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner and meditation teacher, and monk.
She is President Emeritus and teaching faculty of the Meditation Center.
Veena fell in love with the traditional medicine used in her family’s home, learning herbal remedies at her grandmother's knee.
These childhood experiences were the seeds of a lifelong passion. For over 30 years, Veena has dedicated her life to the world’s oldest healing system: Ayurveda.
She draws on this ancient wisdom to help others find their compass to a healthy life – and support those left wanting by Western medicine.
An experienced Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Veena’s deep, intuitive knowledge of Ayurveda empowers her clients to reclaim their fullest, most vibrant lives –mentally, physically, and spiritually. Veena individualizes treatment plans to each person, rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, so it fits your life and becomes woven in your lifestyle, naturally.