Escaping winter sickness with Ayurveda

With the cooler months upon us, it’s time to boost your immune system! The immune system has been a focus of Ayurveda for hundreds of years. It was said that our body’s resistance is directly linked to nutrition and digestion. It is said that if the digestive system is strong and harmonious, the body’s resistance is adequate.

First and foremost, think nutrition! To avoid illness, eat according to the season. In the second half of autumn and in winter, it is already persistently cold, so we have to move on from our eating habits during hot season. While in summer we enjoyed the cooling effect of raw salads and fruits, we should abandon them for the winter months and turn to jams, compotes, fruit stew and marmalades. Instead of green salads, try pickles – but choose fermented pickles over vinegary, sugary ones.

The word fermentation has seeped into public discussions again a few years ago, but it’s a preservation technique already known and used by our grandmothers, and it’s very simple. Fermented cucumbers or pickled cabbages for example, are vegetables that have been stored for the winter, which used to be called brine, water or Polish cucumbers. All of these, along with their vitamin content, help keep our bodies warm. In the colder months, you can also eat slightly heavier foods, meaning cooked, spicy foods, and of course make sure you get enough fibre. Fibre is very beneficial for the good bacteria in the gut. To maintain a healthy gut flora, include beetroot, broccoli, apples or oatmeal in your daily diet. If there is no other way, you can also add immunorost to cassava or smoothies, available in health food shops. Amazing to see the similarities of seasonal meals recommended by Ayurveda to that our forefather’s diet! Nothing new under the sun, we just have to follow the traditions 

The second pillar is to adjust our lifestyle according to the season. If, like the bear, we retreat to our den to hibernate, our immune system will also go dormant. Let’s dress warmly – keeping our legs, waist and neck warm – and head out into the autumn-winter wonderland of colourful nature. You can even incorporate a little more strenuous workout with your winter diet, exercise and sport during the cold season.

A third way of maintaining good health is to use herbs and warming therapies.  This is the time to drink masala (herbal) teas. You can use cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom, sage, or, surprisingly, black pepper and chillies to flavour your drink. Many health food shops sell ready-made masala tea, but we posted our own great recipe! Then there are hot baths, saunas or oil massages with warming oils. They not only warm our bodies, they also warm our souls.

Dear reader, if you are reading these lines, you are in the right place! Not only can we give you recommendations to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy during the colder months, you can also buy these products in our online shop.

First up is Amla, whose immune-boosting properties have been backed up by a wealth of scientific research. High in antioxidants, it contains high levels of natural vitamin C. Ayurvedic medicine has been using it for over 5,000 years as a preventative. It harmonizes all three Ayurvedic elements and is described as a powerful rejuvenating (rasayana) preparation. Clinical studies show that it is much more efficiently absorbed than synthetic vitamin C. For more information and order click here.

Then there is the wonderful Triphala, a staple of Ayurvedic medicine, the key to maintaining good digestion! It consists of three fruits: haritaki, which is digestive, bibhitaki, which is blood purifying, and the aforementioned amla, whose vitamin C content keeps the body constantly supplied. For more information and order click here.

If you have a cold or cough and you can’t get it out of your system, Tulsi will help. Tulsi is a sacred plant in India. It is effective in oxygenating the body, so it is used for coughs, lung related ailments such as colds, allergies, asthma or hurts. It is an antiviral and helps in the regeneration of the immune system. You can find more information about it and order it here.

For the use of our products, we think it is important to mention that their manufacturer is a certified organic producer of Ayurvedic products. Quality is confirmed by regular testing and all our products are 100% vegan.