The immune systems in your body are always at work trying to fend of many of the attacks that happen on it every day. Although it is able to protect the body most of the time, sometimes it fails in doing so. While medicines can help to restore the balance, it is advisable to include certain food items in your diet, which boost the immune system naturally. Let's take a look at six vegetables which can help your immune system in getting supercharged:

Ginger - This food item is very good in regulating mobility within the gut and regulating bowel movement and is also known to relieve nausea, cramping and bloating. Ginger is also known to have many anti-inflammatory properties as well as being an antioxidant and antimicrobial. All of this makes ginger very good for the immune system.

Wheatgrass - One of the most densely packed green nutritional food ingredients when consumed in the form of a juice, it helps the liver by increasing its ability to flush out toxins. This results in an improved immune system. Wheatgrass is also rich in B complex vitamins, beta carotene, chlorophyll, magnesium, potassium and many other vital nutrients.

Garlic - This vegetable has been used for centuries in home remedies such as to lower blood pressure, prevent blood clots and many others. Garlic is also known to boost healthy cholesterol. Inclusion of garlic in your diet will not only boost your immune system but it also contains 'allicin', which is known to improve the health of your heart.

Papaya - An extremely good food for digestion as well as digestion problems, the extracted enzyme from this plant known as papain, is used in many medications. Papaya is full of beta-carotene that is very well known to be good for the health of tissue, skin and the eyes as well as boosting the immune system through the production of vitamin A within the body.

Carrots - This is one vegetable which has been encouraged to be included in diets as it contains copious amounts of beta carotene and is extremely good for the eyes as well as boosting the immune system.

Turmeric - Possibly the most talked about ingredient on this list in the last few years, it is known to have almost an unending list of health benefits. Turmeric has detoxifying properties as well as being anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and is great for digestion along with boosting the immune system.It is a rich source of minerals, such as Zinc, Iron, B group vitamins and Manganese, turmeric is also known to have cancer preventive properties.

Top 6 Vegetables that Supercharge your Immune System

Catching a cold once in a while is nothing to worry about, but needing to take sick leave every few weeks is a sign of low immunity. Immunity can be defined as our ability to fight infections. By eating right and making a few lifestyle changes, you can easily strengthen your immune system and lower your risk of catching infections. On that note, here are 10 ways to strengthen your immune system.

Eat a balanced meal: Along with fruits and vegetables, your body also requires carbohydrates and proteins. Eating a balanced diet helps keep your blood sugar levels stable and allows your body to prioritize building your immune system over generating energy to perform normal tasks.
Drink plenty of water: When you re ill, fluids help transport nutrients to the infected area and flush out toxins from the same. Hence, it is important to stay hydrated in order to recover faster from an illness and to build your immune system.
Probiotics: 80% of your immune system is located in the gut. Probiotics help the body produce more healthy gut bacteria. Thus, probiotics directly boost the immune system.
A good night s sleep: Ideally, a person should get 8 to 10 hours of sleep on a daily basis. While we are asleep, the body produces cytokines ad antibodies that are vital to a strong immune system. Depriving the body of this sleep can thus make us more susceptible to infections.
Get some sun: While we put a lot of effort into protecting ourselves from the harmful UV rays of the sun, sunlight is also a rich source of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps protect us from a number of serious illnesses. Apart from sunlight we can also get vitamin D by adding cod liver oil, egg yolks and fatty fish to our diet.
Quit sugar: Sugar is an immunosuppressant and hence cutting out added sugar from your diet can have a drastic effect on your immunity. Added sugar refers only to refined sugar in cubed, crystal or powdered form and not the natural sweetners in fruits.
Exercise: Regular exercise improves blood circulation and boosts the production of antibodies. A healthy circulatory system combined with antibodies enables your body to fight infections in any part of your body.
Avoid tobacco and alcohol: Alcohol impairs the immune system and tobacco smoke weakens the body s basic immune system. This holds true for both first hand and second hand smoke.
Reduce stress: Stress increases the production of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol suppresses the immune system and thus makes us more susceptible to illnesses.
Prevent germs from spreading: Lastly, make simple things like washing your hands before eating and after coming home or using the toilet a habit. This prevents germs from spreading and entering our bodies.

10 Ways You Can Strengthen Your Immune System

Over time, we have caused tremendous harm to our immune system. Day in and day out, we have potentially risked our lives by being so casual with our health choices. But still, is it possible to leverage some of this burden and thus make our immune system stronger? What if we incorporate some healthy habits into our daily regime? What if we improvise on our diet? Take certain additional vitamin supplements perhaps? Make other lifestyle changes in the hope of achieving a near-perfect immune system?

What exactly is the Immune System?

The immune system in layman language can be considered as a protective cover of the human health system. We are surrounded by millions of pathogens (disease causing germs) that have the ability to enter into the body and cause damage to it. Here comes in the importance of the immune system, the body s natural shield against these pathogens.

How can you boost your Immunity?

You definitely cannot evade all the pathogens and get a top-notch, impeccable immune system, but you can at least try and listen to what your body has to say, and take steps accordingly.

The first and foremost protective measure can be to follow certain general good-health guidelines.

Do not smoke. There can be no compromise on this issue. Smoking or consuming tobacco in any form brings about a host of health complications; the most pronounced of them all is probably cancer. Smoking, in more ways than one, can spell real trouble for your immune system. So better cut down on your puffs or gear up to face the various medical banes of smoking.

Eat a diet which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low in saturated fat. Some examples may include citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables such as spinach or lettuce, yoghurt, almonds, lean meat. Sipping on green tea thrice a day is a wise choice in this regard. These measures not only strengthen the immune system but also enhance the Immune System.

Drink plenty of water. Water keeps the body hydrated, the ultimate prerequisite for a strong immune system. It helps to flush out all the toxins and ensures that the cells get the optimum levels of oxygen. Drinking a glass of lukewarm water mixed with honey and lemon on an empty stomach after getting up in the morning can prove to be one of the best health choices that you can make for your body.

If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. Excessive alcohol consumption causes dehydration and it can deprive your body of the valuable immunity boosting nutrients. It also impairs the body s ability to fight off germs and infections.

Get adequate sleep. One reason behind stressing on the need to get adequate sleep is because it s so closely linked to the immune system. While you sleep, the body secretes certain hormones and substances which help better fight infections and diseases. This makes these hormones so vital and indispensable at the same time. So now you know what wonders can those 8 hours of sleep do to you.

Exercise Regularly. If you're looking for a safe and smart way to boost your immunity, regular exercise is the answer to it. But we are not talking about being an ardent, hard-core gym-junkie; rather exercising in moderate amounts would suffice. Cardiovascular exercises such as walking or swimming, performed 30-45 minutes a day, can prove to be very beneficial.

Including good hygiene habits in your daily routine, such as washing your hands properly, bathing and brushing your teeth daily, etc. can be useful as well. Good sanitary habits can be the most basic way to ward off infections at the germination stage. Keep a hand sanitizer with you all the time.

7 Healthy Habits That Keep Your Immune System Strong

As indicated by Ayurveda, good digestion, solid  agni  (the metabolic flame), quality functioning of the liver and an adjusted endocrine framework result in strong immunity. Immunity of the human body is said to be associated to an entity called  ojas  which is believed to be the subtle and positive essence of  kapha  an aspect which provides the body with vigour, strength, immunity and vitality. The general notion is that stronger the Agni, healthier the  ojas , although other factors play a major role too. Therefore, it becomes important to protect your  ojas . Protection of 'ojas' is possible when you are able to live in the present with pure and complete awareness. A number of ways to promote  ojas  and thereby, develop your immunity are listed below:

Diet: Agni is bolstered by a dietary routine that minimizes refined sugars, stimulants and processed foods. The focus must be shifted to consumption of whole and healthy foods while maintaining a proper schedule. Inclusion of garlic, ginger, black pepper, long pepper, cinnamon, asafoetida in the diet is advised as it destroys poisons and bad bacteria, kindles Agni, promotes normal body temperature maintenance and eliminates the extra kapha.
Get adequate sleep: It is proven that sleep deprivation in humans can cause a total loss of the immune functions of the body. Thus it becomes mandatory to adopt a balanced sleeping schedule where the minimum duration to be regularly maintained is 8 hours.
Exercise: Appropriate exercise discharges collected strain, moves stagnant emotional and mental energy, enhances circulation, encourages proper elimination, improves digestion, supports sound sleep and promotes relaxation in the body. All these contribute to a healthy maintenance of the immune system. Adversely, improper exercise can prove to be damaging.
Meditation and yoga: The different types of Ayurvedic practices, each having a different set of benefits, are advised to be adapted so that you can sustain immunity. Some of these practices include yoga, pranayama, meditation, etc.
Herbal support: Different types of herbs in the Ayurvedic tradition, each having an affinity for a certain type of tissue, are capable of supporting the immune system. The advisable herbal supports include chyavanprash, turmeric, ginger, Tulsi, Shatavatri, Ashwagandha, turmeric, tulsi, trifla, giloy, Bronchial Support Herbal Syrup, Immune Support tablets, etc.
Regular detoxification: Regular detoxification (by Panchkarma procedures) of body as advised in Ayurveda , keeps basic body doshas ( Vats, pitta, kapha) in balance.
Rejuvenation therapy- After detoxification certain ayurvedic drugs, herbs are given for a long duration for rejuvenation, longevity of life, immunity boosting. It also prevents and cure diseases.

How Ayurveda Helps in Boosting Your General Immunity?

Handling an Auto Immune Disease

What are Autoimmune Disorders?
It is a disorder of the immune system where the immune system can get ‘hyperactive’ or on the other end of the spectrum can become exceptional slow in its response to germs and bacterium, leaving the individual vulnerable to a host of infections and diseases.
When in ‘Hyper mode’ the body’s immune system starts producing antibodies (White Blood Cells) attacking and damaging the body’s own tissues (Red Blood Cells) beyond repair. Treatment of the Auto-Immune diseases generally focuses on reducing the activity levels of the immune system so as to let the Red Blood Cells multiply and heal the body to an extent.
Not all Auto Immune diseases are life threatening or terminal in nature. Some are even classified as “commonly occurring” disorders in the larger population. Examples of these would be –
1) Psoriasis – A Skin disorder where overactive immune system blood cells called T-cells collect in the skin. The immune system activity stimulates skin cells to replicate rapidly, producing layers of silvery scaly plaques on the skin. These often look like ‘Dandruff’ and can be seen all over the individual’s body, accompanied by severe itching and skin irritability. Psoriasis is often triggered due to stress and hormonal imbalances along with other environmental factors such as poor hygiene, inadequate diet, lack of sleep etc. Along with oral medication, lifestyle changes such as reducing stress at work or home, making sure one gets at least 8 hours of restful sleep per night and regular head and body massages are known to help reduce the severity of the problem to a great extent.

2) Rheumatoid Arthritis – The hyper immune system produces antibodies that attach themselves to the joint linings and then start to eat away at the cartilage and tissues causing swelling or inflammation and a sharp stabbing continuous pain. Oral medication along with gentle cardio (slow walking) and stretching exercise routines such as Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates are known to have countered the ill-effects of this movement restricting disorder, to a large extent.


3) Aggravated Thyroid – An aggravated thyroid is a result of the excessive antibodies produced by an overactive immune system which attack the thyroid gland and slowly destroy the cells that produce the all-important thyroid hormone. Prolonged negligence or when left undetected for long, it often leads to Grave’s Disease (linked to hyperthyroidism) or Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis (linked to hypothyroidism.) The former can lead to weight-loss, bulging eyes, rapid heart-rate, and chronic fatigue while the later often causes sudden weight gain, depressed state of mind, dry skin and severe constipation.  A good way to avoid diseases of the thyroid would be to maintain a healthy active lifestyle and a stable healthy body weight. It is also recommended that one goes in for regular preventive health check-ups for early detection of any thyroid related disorders.

A little can go a long way in limiting ill effects of autoimmune disorders.


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How To Live With or Handle Auto Immune Disease

Eating healthy food and getting enough rest and exercise may not be enough to boost your immune system, particularly when you are being exposed to bacteria and viruses in your increasingly polluted environment. Your immune system needs a bit more help and Homeopathy offers more than a helping hand, find why it should be the first line of treatment? 

The immune system is like a fort to protect the body against foreign invaders (or pathogens) like fungi or parasites, bacteria, viruses etc. Inimical entities are also being created from within, auto-immune disorders and diseases like cancer. Proper immune function is a complex balancing act which nature has to carry out but with a little help. While functioning properly, our immune systems are able to discriminate effectively, between body s own tissues and foreign pathogens. A weakened immune system makes you vulnerable to virtually every type of illness. If the immune response becomes overactive or misdirected it begins to target the body s own tissues for foreign invaders and starts attacking them

Immunity is influenced by the digestive capabilities and our ability to digest, assimilate and absorb nutrients in our bodies. In a healthy body where immune function is strong, any invaders are neutralized or destroyed and then expelled and normalcy is restored. If digestive capabilities are impaired by an imbalance, metabolism is affected and the immune response and natural resistance are lowered. If the body is unhealthy by stored toxins from undigested food, then an environment is created in which invaders are encouraged to thrive. What makes us sick is the deranged, disturbed immune system not the disease tonsillitis or headache or bacteria. These are all end products of disease.The disturbance in the normal functioning of vitality is the real sickness.
Boosting the Immune System:

It is absolutely vital that you have a good strong immune system. A strong immune system means your body can fight back very well when it is under attack. Thousands of times a day your immune system helps combat all sorts of minor invasions, from bacteria, viruses, parasites and many other "intruders". However, this internal self-defence mechanism can sometimes function poorly. There are many reasons for this and at these times it is important to try and recover as quickly as possible.

A point well worth remembering is that prevention is always better than cure. So a strong immune system can stop one getting ill in the first place.

Why Homeopathy to boost your immunity?

Unlike antibiotics homeopathy does not  neutralize  an infection, instead it strengthens the body s immune system to fight disease or infection.
The modern system of homeopathy looks towards systemic detoxification that causes weakening of defense mechanism. It, therefore, works on removing poisoning or toxicity from bone marrow, liver, spleen, lymphocytes, lymph nodes that play a vital role in immune defense mechanism.
Homeopathy is more palatable than many conventional medicines since the mildly sweet pills, powders or liquids are easy to dispense and consume.
Homeopathy is effective in any problem associated with a compromised immune system or lowered immune response.
Patient on Homeopathy regains appetite after few days thus helping the patient gain weight.
Homeopathy helps control opportunistic infections associated with a compromised immune system.
Homeopathy decreases the viral load after few months of regular consumption.
Homeopathy is well tolerated in patients of all age groups and has been used by thousands of patients in several countries with no adverse effects reported.
Being totally natural, homeopathic medicines are ideal. Homeopathy uses a very small amount of therapeutic substances for easing several symptoms and conditions. The top homeopathic medicines used in boosting your overall immunity are as follows:

Allium cepa- This medicine contains a low amount of red onion. It is used for relieving nasal congestion and treats teary eyes. It is ideal for improving immunity against cold and influenza.
Gelsemium- This remedy is derived from the vine called Gelsemium sempervirens. It treats cold and flu symptoms. Your immunity against body aches and fever get reduced.
Oscillococcinuim- This homeopathic medicine is also known as Oscillo. This remedy contains a small amount of duck liver and duck heart. It should be taken on the first day when you experience flu symptoms. It strengthens your immune system against germs, which cause cold and related conditions.
There is no specific homeopathic medicine, which is only meant for boosting your immunity. The medicines are actually used for treating some specific conditions and symptoms, and they also improve your immunity against the conditions it fights. It is always recommended to consult a specialized homeopath before you undergo any medication.

How Homeopathy Boosts Immunity And Why It Should Be The First Line Of Treatment?

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