Winter is synonymous with flu season – but not if you start shifting your routine around.

Here are five all-natural, Ayurvedic inspired ways to enhance your immunity this season.

Inspect & scrape your tongue

Every morning, inspect your tongue prior to brushing your teeth.  Note the quantity and color of the coating on your tongue, it’s a good indicator on how your digestive system and immune system are doing.  Next, use a tongue scraper to gently scrape the coating off by scraping back to front several times.  This practice removes toxins (ama), freshens the breath, and improves digestion (agni).

Clear your nasal passages 

Use a neti pot to clean out your nasal passages at least 2-3 times a week.  The neti pot is a small pot that looks like a toy teapot.  The tip of the pot’s spout is placed in one nostril as the pot is tipped.  The solution enters the nasal passage and flows in one nostril and out the other.  It is important to keep the mouth open and tilt the chin down and the head to one side.  The solution used for general maintenance is body temperature salt water.  The amount of salt used is usually ¼ tsp of salt per half cup of filtered, warm water.  Always follow neti use with properly oiling the nasal passages to avoid dryness.  

Neti pot use removes debris and bacteria from the sinuses, improves breathing and absorption of prana, reduces respiratory allergies, clears headaches, and removes stuck emotions.

Sipping hot water

Sip hot water through the day to soothe, hydrate, improve digestion, and improve lymphatic function.  Carry a thermos of hot water (add some freshly squeezed lemon juice to ignite agni), with you everywhere and take sips every 15 minutes during the day.

Mindful Eating 

One of the most important things you can do for a healthy digestion and proper elimination, is to eat mindful.  To receive the nourishment in your food you need to chew thoroughly, eat slowly, and enjoy each meal in a peaceful, beautiful and quiet environment.  Try this at least once per day where you eat in silence without distraction.  Be sure to stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime for proper digestion and a good night’s rest.

Sleeping 

Take a bath, have a gratitude journal, practice a gentle yoga routine, or read a calming book before bed to quite the mind, ease stress, and ensure a calm and peaceful night’s rest.  Avoid electronics at least 1 hour before bedtime to ensure the body is able to relax and wind down before retiring to bed.  Try to get at least 7-8 hours of rest each night, which is the ultimate way to strengthen your immune system and your resilience to stress.

If you would like to know more how Ayurveda can strengthen your immune system and slow down biological aging, join my program AYURVEDA FOR LIFE.  Program will be available for purchase through November 18, 2017.