Immune health is a measure of inner reserves
“I’ve had a really rough couple of weeks - bumping along the bottom health wise with an infection and virus that has been very hard to shake. My GP thinks fluid in the ears played a role in the last month of poor immunity - so am tackling that and finally on the mend. Just in time to go surfing for a week! It’s been so demoralising after my wonderful 6 months of good health!” - JM, client
A strong, healthy immune system allows us to look and feel our best, pursue our passions and goals, and enjoy our lives to the fullest. There is nothing worse than being in poor health, and it’s only when we lose our health that we realise how much it impacts our quality of life. If you are ill more than twice a year, your immune system is asking for help. When we are frequently unwell, it erodes our physical, mental and emotional capacity - we are no longer ourselves. But what is the immune system built on, and how do we fuel it?
The immune system literally allows us to surf the waves of infections from environmental pathogens in the air, soil, food and other people. A strong immune system allows us a tackle a big wave of virus or bacteria without being wiped out. A good analogy is that a healthy immune system is the well-equipped surfboard, and our general health is the skilled surfer who has learnt to navigate the waves. From the Ayurvedic perspective, the immune system is sustained by Ojas, which is the grounding and stabilising energy formed by a combination of the earth and water elements. You can think of ojas as the reserves in the bank - what is left over at the end of the day after all the energy inputs (food, breath, rest, relaxation, joy) and outputs (exertion, exercise, work, stress). If there is more input than output, then the body will take the excess and transform it into energy reserves, and this is the foundation of the immune system. Quality and quantity both matter, so eating excessively and not exercising is not going to build a strong immune system! But constantly running ourselves into the ground with exertion, and not giving ourselves enough good quality fuel and recovery time, is often the pathway to frequent infections and ongoing immune issues. And these days, autoimmune conditions, food allergies and sensitivities, immunodeficiencies, inflammatory arthritis and immune-related skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis are increasingly common, so we need to ensure we have a strong foundation for our immune health.
Immunity is a classic example of mind-body health, so here are three solutions that touch on each of the parts of us that contribute (and subtract from) our immune health or ojas:
Start with the gut - One of the earliest signs of an immune condition is poor gut health, and it is a case of the chicken- and- egg; which came first? Many people suffer from a ‘weak gut’ for years before being diagnosed with autoimmune conditions. Healing gut issues such as bloating, constipation, irritable bowels and food sensitivities, and optimising the absorption of nutrients, is a key aspect to stronger immunity, and it can reduce the reliance on expensive immune and probiotic supplements.
Manage stress and anger - Frequent illness takes a toll because the body requires large reserves to fight infections and recover from illness. Going back to the analogy of energy input and output, we want to minimise unnecessary and unproductive energy expenditure, and one of the typical situations where we ‘burn’ through our reserves in through stress and anger. While it can be challenging (and sometimes justifiable) to have strong emotions, big feelings come with heightened blood pressure, heart rate and internet heat - all of which deplete ojas. Take pause the next time you feel triggered and ask yourself “is this worth my health?”
Prevention is better than cure - Recovery is energetically and emotionally expensive. While there is always so much to do and so many people to meet, there is only one of you - one mind, one body, one life. We live in a culture of constant doing and proving, and feeling constantly run down. Take the time to get to know your body. Be generous with the quality and quantity of input you give it, and be discerning about the people and places you choose to give your output to. A full day can be met well with the right diet and lifestyle that works for you, and this is the best form of prevention you can gift yourself. Have you started yet?
“Treatment without prevention is simply unsustainable. ”
