Secret immune system superfoods used since ancient time.

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.