I address our immunity as a shield because immunity is protection for our body and protecting our body from getting sick, so immunity is our shield. I will tell you the secrets of Ayurveda that are given by Aacharyas to enhance immunity.
Now days everyone wants to have a healthy and happy lifestyle. For a healthy and happy lifestyle, we all need good immunity, but how to get that immunity?? By doing exercise?? By following diet?? or are you using home remedies?? What else by following internet searching?? The first thing we’ve got to understand is that everyone has a different constitution, so don’t follow blindly everything for immunity.
For best-immunity Aacharya Charak describes the Vyadhikshamatva concept as immunity. Aacharya charak mentioned in Sutrasthan about this concept and described that resistance to disease and immunity against disease are of two kinds, i.e., one that reduces the effect of manifested disease and the other that prevents the manifestation of disease. And also, the main aim and object of Ayurveda is the maintenance of the equilibrium state of tissue elements; by using useful etiological factors, it’ll benefit the body and mind, and they indulge in the protection of elements of the body and mind. Aacharya also mentioned that the following persons are unable to resist diseases: an over-obese individual, an over emaciated person, whose muscles and blood are diminished markedly, a debilitated person, one who consumes unwholesome food, one who consumes less amount of food, and one whose mental health is weak.
Now we wonder how to get good immunity; don’t worry. Aacharya Charak describes about Bala, 3 types of Bala (Strength) mentioned: Sahaja (constitutional), Kalaja (temporal), and Yuktikruta (acquired). Sahaja Bala (Constitutional Strength) is an inherent characteristic property of an individual present since birth; Kalaja Bala (Temporal Strength) is dependent on season and age; Yuktikrut Bala (Acquired Strength) is dependent on an individual’s healthy practices related to Aahar (diet) and vihara (activities).
Aacharya Charak also mentioned the diet and activities to get the best immunity; do follow Dincharya (daily regimen), Ritucharya (seasonal regimen), and Aachar Rasayana (behavioral therapy). Dincharya, as mentioned, follows a daily routine from waking up in bramha muhrut (4 to 6 am) and daily routine, doing regularly abhyanga (oil massage), which leads to a strong body physique, and doing exercises with proper methods by giving rest. Aacharya considers yoga as Rasayan therapy, and Vajikarana yoga helps us to require strength by fulfilling deficiencies in body elements. During every season, gaining of strength and loss of strength occur due to changes in the body as well as in the weather. To keep fit our body during seasonal changes, one must follow a seasonal regimen and In a seasonal regimen, follow the diet as per season and do panchakarma therapy as mentioned.
For immunity, proper use of action and diet, properties of Place, time, and self-play an important role. By following daily regimen, seasonal regimen, and discipline actions, we can achieve the excellence of all dhatus, including mental faculties, and be endowed with great strength, happiness, and resistance to disease. The following persons are having good immunity: consumption of a wholesome diet, observation of wholesome behaviour, who donates, who always says the truth, who is devoted to learned people, clarity in understanding, observation of spiritual activities, and continuing yogic practices. This is all mentioned under the Aachar Rasayana.
We’ve talked about physical strength, but in the Aachar Rasayana we can find references to improving personality and social relationships. For improvement of personality and social relationship: moral value, internal happiness, ability to say bad activities and addiction, following religious rites, being stable in thoughts, practicing meditation regularly, etc. Good conducts mentioned by Aacharya Charak in Aachar rasayan all play an important role in building a healthy body.
Now we wonder, what’s the benefit of following all these?? We need good immunity. Does this play a role in the resistance of disease?? Yes, they help us to relive mental stress and physical fatigue, improve tolerance capacity, and enhance the patience level, and we’ve all known that body and mind are all connected, so for a healthy life, mental fitness is important as much as physical fitness.
We’ve understood that physical fitness can be gained by following a regimen and mental fitness can be achieved by Aachar rasayan. For Rasayan therapy (rejuvenation therapy), Aacharyas has a different chapter, and that is the Rasayana chapter. In this chapter, they’ve mentioned about different herbal products like bramha rasayana, chyawanprashan, amalaka rasyaana, etc., like this Vajikarana therapy also mentioned. Both therapies we can take as per an ayurvedic physician’s advice.
How beautifully Aacharyas described all this for good physical and mental health and all connected for one, and that enhances the immunity. Let’s follow some of these tips and get our shield strong.