Ten Tips to Overcome Panic & Boost Immunity & Resilience.
Here are ten things we can start to do today to boost immunity and increase resilience in both body and mind
1. Move with the light. Our bodies are photosensitive so light has a huge impact on our body chemistry. Therefore it makes sense to get up and be active with the Sun and wind activity down as the Sun goes down. This lifestyle choice gets our body to flow with the rhythm of nature of which we are an integral part. Watching the sun rise, listening to the morning birds chirp, gentle stretching and showering first thing in the morning are some great ways to get a pep in our step in the morning.
2. Sleep early to get the deepest sleep. Our body’s natural rhythm is such that we get our deepest sleep when we get to bed early (9/9:30pm). A deep restful sleep is most essential to generate energy for activity the next day. All the pill popping cannot make up for poor quality of sleep. In fact, without proper sleep, it may be impossible for a sick person to recover no matter how great the medical treatment given. Sleep heals, sleep protects and sleep rejuvenates. Some of us have trouble with sleep and for them I recommend SKY breathing to help balance the system to sleep better and wake up fresher.
3. Eat fresh plant based whole foods as much as possible throughout the day. Eating according to activity levels, perhaps fasting once a week or maybe going on a mono diet of fresh fruits and veggies or Khichadi can give a great boost and rest to our digestion.
4. Drink lots of filtered clean water to keep inner and outer skin hydrated, supple and clean.
5. Minimize white sugar as sugar has been proven to reduce immunity.
6. Use a copper/ stainless steel tongue cleaner to gently clean the tongue every morning. The white residue on the tongue is digestive by-product that needs to be gently scraped off according to Ayurveda.
7. Have the biggest meal in the middle of the day when digestion is the strongest. This practice gives the body the best chance to fully digest the biggest meal. During breakfast our digestion is still cranking up (rising with the Sun) and by dinner time it is cranking down (dipping with the Sun).
8. Eliminate or minimize plastic use as it is known to disrupt both internal (body’s) and external (environmental) ecosystem.
9. Avoid ice cold drinks and cold foods instead choose room temperature or warm beverages. Cold drinks douse out digestive potency and make for poorly digested and assimilated food resulting in toxic by products in the gut.
10. Incorporate ginger and turmeric in recipes to enhance digestion, assimilation and taste. Drinking warm water with grated ginger (1/2inch piece) is a great way to help with digestion and immunity.
Positive action is the antidote to panic. We need not be sitting ducks waiting for the sky to fall while we pray for a vaccine or pill. There is a lot we CAN DO to take our own health and immunity in our hands. We get to CHOOSE to do them one day or make today Day One!
These recommendations are based on millennia old Sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda.
For more information about personal wellness and resilience training visit www.artofliving.org
For more information about Ayurveda and immunity boosting through it visit https://srisritattvausa.com
About the writer: Vandana is an Art Of Living SKY Breathing Instructor and a long term meditator. She has training in Yoga based wellness techniques including breath-work and meditation.
