Building a Healthy Immune System

Building a Healthy Immune System

An Ayurvedic Guide to Strengthening Ojas

We have all experienced the disappointment of having to put everything on hold when our bodies crash and our health deteriorates, usually just when we think we can least afford to slow down or take a break. Deep down, most of us know that there is often an inherent wisdom in the irony of those moments. Nevertheless, most of us would rather avoid the inconvenience altogether—whether it’s a cold, a cough, the flu, shingles, or something else. Given the choice, who among us would refuse a hardy immune system? We all want to be healthy and would rather avoid illness and disease. So, how do we support robust immunity?

At its core, Ayurveda is not about suppressing symptoms, but about addressing the root cause of our imbalances. If our immune systems are compromised, we have to ask ourselves why, and we must be willing to change course to correct the underlying issues—whatever they may be. Of course, each individual is unique, and working with an Ayurvedic practitioner to specifically address the current dynamics in your system is a fantastic way to support positive change. Still, there are a number of general strategies that can help to support immunity in all of us.

At first glance, some of the recommendations you will find below may seem quite basic. In fact, many of them are. These strategies are built on the premise that our bodies are inherently intelligent and that, given proper support, our physiology already knows exactly how to foster and protect optimal health. As you will see, there is an elegant beauty in the Ayurvedic approach to bolstering the immune system; it is simple, intuitive, and it reminds us just how amazing the body’s self-regulatory systems are. As a starting point, let’s first focus on how Ayurveda views immunity and the immune system.

Ayurveda on Immunity