Secret
immune system superfoods used in Ayurveda, since ancient time.
Super foods rich in
antioxidants can boost our immune systems to better cure infections and prevent
disease. Many have been eaten for thousands of years.
At times of extraordinary stress such as the current coronavirus
pandemic, our first line of defence should be to choose a healthy diet, and to
reach for natural immunity boosters.
Gooseberries :
Gooseberries have 20
times more vitamin C than lime juice, and in Indian Ayurvedic medicine it is
used as a dietary supplement called chyawanprash, a cooked mixture of sugar,
honey, ghee, Indian gooseberry, sesame oil, berries, herbs and spices etc.
The most common formulation is chyawanprash – a jammy
preparation made primarily with gooseberries and spices, which has been a staple
in Indian households for years. Chyawanprash has been known to improve
digestion, strengthen the respiratory system, and boost immunity.
Gooseberries are easy to eat: grated and raw with honey, sliced
and mixed in with salads, or in powdered form – add a teaspoonful to a glass of
juice or smoothie.
Neem:
Almost all of the neem plant – its bark, leaves and flowers – is
used in Ayurvedic medicine to benefit the body in several ways, from purifying
the blood to regulating blood sugar levels
neem’s
bark is used to help relieve fevers and intestinal disorders. Neem leaf preparations
are used to alleviate body heat, nosebleeds, intestinal worms, loss of
appetite, diabetes and gum disease. The flower is used to
reduce bile and to help eliminate phlegm.
This plant is also integral to personal care and household products from toothpaste to natural pest control remedies.
While neem capsules are convenient to take, fresh neem leaves,
with their striking bitter taste, have the highest potency and the most healing
properties.
Giloy:
Another powerful plant-based medicinal product, giloy, or Tinospora cordifolia,
is
used in Ayurveda for its power to heal recurrent fevers and
digestive disorders and to help manage type 2 diabetes.
A Tinospora cordifolia
bush. Called guduchi, giloy or heart leaved moonseed, it is used in Ayurveda to
heal fevers and digestive disorders.
The best way to have it is to mix 15-30 ml of giloy juice with
water and drink it on an empty stomach, in the morning. Pregnant and
breastfeeding women should avoid this superfood, Scott says.