AYURVEDA TREATMENTS FOR THE WINTER SEASON

Implementing Ayurvedic treatments as a part of your holistic health regimen will require an understanding of Vata Dosha. Over 5000 years ago, Indian monks considered the human body a temple – a physical channel which provided a gateway to spiritual enlightenment through meditation.

According to Ayurvedic practices, the human mind and body can be divided into three doshas – or separate biological energies. Dosha energy is believed to govern all mental and physical properties of every living being and are derived from the five natural elements – space, air, fire, water, and earth.

Vata Dosha – considered the most powerful dosha, controlling body functions such as cell division, blood flow, breathing, and waste elimination. Skin problems, anxiety, and heart disease can all be attributed to an imbalance of the Vata Dosha.

Pitta Dosha – is linked to appetite, digestion, hormones, and metabolism. A healthy Pitta Dosha can ward off infections, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Kapha Dosha – controls your body stability, weight, and strength, along with your immune system. Good eating and sleeping habits are vital to maintaining a health Kapha Dosha.

Raising Your Immunity in the Winter Season

Our skin, hair follicles, and muscles are designed to provide a natural barrier against contagions that proliferate during the winter season, mostly the cold and influenza viruses, but also bronchitis and pneumonia. When that outer layer of defense fails, that’s when the immune system will kickstart to combat infections and biological hosts that are foreign to the human body. We are all born with an initial level of innate immunity due to hereditary influences that will protect us against most winter season viruses.

Additonally, it is quite natural that our immune systems will adapt or improve according to the environment we live in and the pathogens we face on a regular basis. But Ayurveda practices recognizes a third level of immune system development – one that realizes and promotes a higher level of sustained immunity against infection and disease through the practice of an Ayurvedic lifestyle and diet. Improve your immune system against winter season illness by learning and practicing the following Ayurvedic life wellness practices:

*  Breathe fresh air often, and breathe deeply
*  Drink and eat warming foods and beverages
*  Walk often and bond with nature
*  Rise with the sun, and go to bed early
*  Detoxify your organs and skin
*  Massage your body and brush your skin
*  Enjoy friends that bring love and happiness

Using Ayurveda Diet Principles Against Winter Season Illness

According to Ayurveda principles, the body will usually strengthen and prepare the immune system to combat cold weather and virus infections. Aside from the many herbs that are used to ward off disease and infection while strengthening your Vata Dosha, there are also diet principles you can begin implementing immediately:

*  Boost your immunity with a cup of hot water and 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric
*  Select non-GMO and organic foods whenever possible
*  Follow a Kapha diet which focuses on foods that are warm, dry, and lighter
*  Get at least 30 minutes of exercise daily and include yoga and walking
*  Eat and drink warm foods while reducing the amount of roughage that makes your digestive system  work harder.
*  Avoid sleeping immediately after meals which slows digestion and creates an environment for toxins to build
*  Reduce your intake of pasta, wheat, salt, and bread during colder months

Following Ayurvedic diet principles does not have to be mysterious. Here are four simple recipes that can contribute to a healthy immune system by implementing natural herbs and spices from ancient times:

1.  Salmon Quinoa Burger

2.  Sweet Potatoe with Kale and Ginger

3.  Red Lentil Dal

4.  Carrot Ginger Soup

If you live in a state where the temperatures are milder during months, an intake of warming foods with Ayurvedic herbs and spices can still be used to offset seasonal affective disorder (SAD) that can result from a reduction in sunlight hours.

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