Build Your Immunity, Naturally!

Reduce Acidity

According to naturopathy, your body should be 80 per cent alkaline and 20 per cent acidic. A more acidic body is prone to viral and bacterial attacks. Naturopathy recommends avoiding processed and canned foods, sugar, alcohol, and refined items. You are encouraged to have a more alkaline diet full of antioxidant- and fibre-rich fruits and vegetables that promote gut and kidney health and flush out toxins from the body.

Hydration is key. Drink plenty of water and fluids such as lemon water, coconut water, amla juice, fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Include healing foods from your kitchen, such as ginger, garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and rock salt in your diet.

Try Intermittent Fasting

Give your body a food break from time to time. If you can’t fast for a whole 24 hours, try this simple trick. Eat your dinner at 6 pm, sleep early and have the next meal at 12 noon the following day. Since you would be asleep through most of it, this method of fasting is easier to follow and will help detox your body and mind. 

Get Some Sun

Make sure you get 10-15 minutes of early morning sunlight to boost your body’s Vitamin D supply.

According to a research paper published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, US, “at least 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body are now thought to be regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, the active form of the vitamin, including several involved in calcium metabolism and neuromuscular and immune system functioning”. 

Power Up Your Lungs 

Stop smoking because it hits your lungs hard. Make your lungs function better by practising deep breathing and yoga kriyas such as narishodhan, jalneeti and ujjayi pranayama. Deep abdominal breathing is especially great for increasing oxygen supply to the body.

Try Gargling and Steam Inhalation

Cleanse your respiratory tract and nasal cavity by doing salt-water gargles and steam inhalation. They reduce inflammation and throat ache and improve breathing by clearing out your nasal passages.

As told to Mohini Mehrotra

Dr Salila Tewari is vice president, International Naturopathy Organisation, governing body member, National Institute of Naturopathy, and founder, Swasth Bachao Andolan.