Your only weapon against COVID-19 is your own immunity

Amidst what looks like a pandemic, we are all trying our best to protect ourselves and our loved ones from this unknown virus. Protecting yourself from contracting the virus is extremely crucial. But, what happens if you still get it? What then?

From what we understand so far, this virus has a fairly low mortality rate. The only ones who are in danger are those with a suppressed immunity. Senior citizens, children and individuals living with Cancer, HIV, and other similar immunity-related health concerns are the ones who need to take precautions.

Right now, boosting your immunity is your one and only weapon. Follow all the below steps and make sure each and every person in your household is doing so as well.

ADD THE FOLLOWING FOODS TO YOUR DAILY DIET
This is a big’ish list but it must be done! These foods are all rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Zinc & Selenium.

Fruits – amla, guava, gooseberry, papaya, dried dates, orange
Nuts & Oilseeds – almonds, sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds
Spices – garlic, ginger, parsley, mint leaves, ajwain, star anise, turmeric
Vegetables – pumpkin, carrots, capsicum, celery, agathi leaves (called agasti in Hindi), amaranth leaves, drumstick leaves, arbi leaves, broad beans, radish leaves, fenugreek leaves, sweet potato
Grains – jowar, samai, masoor, chana dal
Whole eggs

Also, use these basic remedies to keep you and your family healthy:
– 30ml of Bitter Gourd Juice per person daily, you can add Amla juice to this as well
– 1 tsp of raw Ghee in the morning
– 1 tsp Virgin Coconut Oil in your cooking or salads
– 1 tsp Chyawanprash daily

IMMUNE BOOSTING RECIPES:
All the above foods can become a part of your everyday diet without too much hassle. In addition to those, try and add at least one of the following into your day as well, especially if you fall in the “immunosuppressed” group.

1. Kadha – Herbal Tea: This is the “Kadhha” we all must have had reluctantly at some point or another. It’s really easy to make. Boil ginger, haldi, tulsi leaf, cinnamon, ajwain, peppercorn and orange peel in water till it reduces to a third the original volume. Add honey and lime juice and your done! Drink about 100 ml of this tea daily.
2. Immune Boost Chutney: Make a chutney with curry leaves, raw garlic, ginger, lime, mint, coriander leaves, salt.
3. Ghee with Pepper: Have a spoon of Ghee with a pinch of black pepper powder.
4. Samahan – This is a Sri Lankan herbal mix which is great for your respiratory system. Have a sachet daily.

SUPPLEMENTS:
In order to boost your immunity, you need to first ensure that you don’t have a deficiency of any single nutrient. Vitamin D, B12, Iron are some of the most common deficiencies right now.
Take the following supplements daily for the next 2-3 weeks to keep your immunity up.

1. Vitamin C – 500 mg daily
2. Vitamin D- 2000 IU daily, if you have a deficiency speak to your doctor and get it sorted on priority.
3. Zinc – 7 mg elemental zinc daily
4. N-Acetyl L Cysteine – 600 mg daily

OTHER TIPS

1. Mild exercise – Suryanamaskar is perfect!
2. Daily pranayama – Anulom Vilom, Ujjayi Pranayama, Deep Breathing, Bhastrika
3. Camphor Dhui at home: close all the windows, heat a piece of coal. Once it turns red, take it in a small metal or terracotta bowl and put a spoonful of camphor powder. Take this around the house and let everyone at home breathe these fumes as well. Camphor is known to protect you from upper respiratory tract infections.
4. Sleep is very important. 7-8 hours of sleep is crucial for the maintenance of your immune system.
5. Stay hydrated!

The above guidelines are general ones, that should benefit most individuals. However, if you are pregnant, lactating or suffer from any disorder, it is advisable to run this past your nutritionist or doctor.

That’s it for now! Stay healthy, stay safe.