According to Ayurvedacharya Dr. Partap Chauhan, Director Jiva Ayurveda, “Ayurveda believes that there are three types of immunity:
1. Sahaj (hereditary), or immunity you’re born with.
2. Kalaj (seasonal), or immunity that comes and goes with seasons /age/time.
3. Yuktikrit (established), or immunity you can develop with a regular and balanced diet, and systemic practice of yoga.
It is the third type of immunity we want to bolster during the winters, which you can easily do by adopting an Ayurvedic lifestyle. Here’s our guide to eating healthy and staying strong this winter season.In the wintertime, we often feel cold and more dry. Our skin gets dry, our sinuses begin to dry out, and even our joints dry out. As a result, the mucus membranes in the body start to become irritated and produce more mucus—and mucus is a breeding ground for colds, flu, and bacteria, says John Douillard, founder of LifeSpa.com and the co-leader of Yoga Journal’s upcoming online course, Ayurveda 101. But don’t worry—nature provides the antidote for all this dryness in the harvest of the foods we eat, Douillard explains.”In winter, or vata season, from November to February, you want to eat more nuts, seeds, grains, soups, stews … higher protein, higher fat foods that are more dense and more insulating for the body.
1. Kindle the fire in your stomach
More than half your immunity is driven by the process of digestion. Ayurveda equates digestive strength with a “fire” (known as ‘agni’ in Sanskrit) in the stomach. Because we tend to become fairly lethargic during winters, this agni may lose some of its potency. That’s why it’s important to include generous amounts of natural oils, desi ghee, and butter in your diet to keep this flame alive.
2. Boil your food
Boiled food is one of the best options for winter. Have plenty of soup, stews, and broths made of winter foods. Carrots, beets, green leafy vegetables as well as other root-based vegetables are extremely beneficial and can be had steamed or otherwise. Food we eat in the winter season should always be warm. Try to avoid pre-cooked or packaged meals and choose freshly cooked seasonal vegetables and fruits for your winter diet.
3. Go Nuts
Dry-fruits are a must for the winters. Cashews, pista, dates, almonds, walnuts – you name it, you eat it! Not only do they help generate heat within the body, they also give you the energy needed to fight winter laziness.Some nuts are higher in certain nutrients than others. For instance, just one Brazil nut provides more than 100% of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for selenium .The carb content of nuts is highly variable. Hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, and Brazil nuts have fewer than 2 grams of digestible carbs per serving, while cashews have almost 8 digestible carbs per serving.
