June 03, 2023immunity

How to build your immunity this winter season with Ayurveda?

As the temperature goes down, people can have all sorts of issues such as cold, cough, flu etc. These are caused due to a weak immune system. This is a result of aggravated Vata and Kapha doshas in the body.

With the changing seasons, the strength of the body also changes. Every season calls for a unique regime and diet to deal with the outside temperature.

Here is a quote from Charaka Samhita that describes the physiology of human body in the winter season.

During winters, we have the strongest digestive power which is due to an increase in fire (Agni ) content of our body, hence this is the time to give nourishment to our body. As said, due to high fire, depriving our body of nutritious food can cause it to burn our own body tissues which can lead to severe diseases and disorders.

That's why we commonly see dryness on the skin in winters as the excess fire starts burning the tissues and the water content in our body. So, it is highly recommended to drink enough water to keep away from dryness, pains and itching in winters.

According to Ayurveda, if the body is filled with Ama (toxins) and lacks Ojas (the finest product of digestion), then many infections can find their way into the body

In this season, our body is more susceptible to disorders like Arthritis, Psoriasis, Depression, Viral fever etc. And all this happens because of low immunity.

Winter has a bad name as it is also called the flu season, yet according to Maharishi Ayurveda, winter doesn't have to be the “season of misery”. Hemant Ritu is actually the best season to improve immunity. It's not at all a weakening season if you know how to use it to strengthen your immunity from within.

Apart from all kinds of nutritious foods, the best way to improve Immunity is regular intake of Maharishi Amrit Kalash, especially in the winter season. Amrit Kalash is the King of Rasayanas and it not only prevents infection but also increases longevity for a healthy and better life.

To improve your health and immunity, we recommend doing everyday oil massages (Abhyanga) with herbal steam baths and going for detoxification procedures also known as Panchkarma.

Here are the best Ayurvedic Immunity boosters that you can take for maintaining strength and building up your innate immunity.

Diet and Lifestyle recommendations for Winter Season

A nutritive diet with sweet, sour and salty tastes is preferred. The cold, pungent, bitter and astringent tastes should be avoided as they can aggravate the Vata dosha.
Dairy products like Butter, Ghee and Milk are good to consume in this season. Jaggery, Sesame, New Rice, Dates, Figs are beneficial in particular.
Cooked vegetables such as Beetroot, Carrots, Asparagus, and Sweet Potatoes are the ideal food.
Drinking warm water reduces the dryness of the skin.
Warm soups and stews, hot cereals, and warm beverages are great for this season.
Practice Daily Yoga Asana and Atapa-sevana (Sunbath) to avoid the accumulation of Kapha Dosha.

Health Tip: Ginger and Tulsi tea are beneficial for your body to keep you warm in the winter season and to stay away from common cold, flu, cough and fever.

We hope that you find these health and lifestyle tips useful. These will help you keep healthy and protected from seasonal issues related to weak immunity.

Ayurveda Knowledge Center