do the changing seasons affect your immune? - Allergies, Chronic Fatigue, Infections & Immobility

you are your own best healer...

here are our best practices for naturally building & restoring your Immune

practices -

Ujjayi pranayama - boosts metabolism helps circulation and release of accumulations oxygenates - the enemy of bacteria. You can be guided in this on our brave CD, just click the listen link on our site

brahmari (bee sound breath) with tapping at sternum/thymus and whole rib cage - shakes loose accumulations, releases phlegm, stimulates thymus (immune central) helps lung movement circulates air in lowest lobes, encourages expulsion of mucous

asana and practices that allow the rib cage to expand are very beneficial. This can be simple shoulder rolls and spinal flexes like chakravakasana (cat stretch) to more demanding asana like Bhujangasana (cobra)

mudras -

Prana Mudra (Mudra of Life):

Method:Bend ring finger and little finger to touch the tip of thumb –

keep top of tips touching gently and the remaining two fingers out stretched.

Effect: This is the “life giving” mudra, so it improves our life force. Weak, infirm people become stronger. It reduces clamping in blood vessels. If practiced regularly, we become energized and active.There is no particular time duration or limitation for this mudra. Practice by sitting, standing or lying on your bed whenever and wherever you can.

Benefits:It improves immunity, improves the power of eyes and reduces eye related diseases

It removes the vitamin deficiency and fatigue

elements & DOSHA – ether /earth/water = VATA KAPHA PACIFYING

Ayurvedic remedies -

Triphala - this remedy compromises 3 leaves. It is the Ayurvedic remedy for regulating and harmonising digestion. If you are prone to accumulating pitta (heat/acid) a take one teaspoon in warm water in the morning and one at night (+-250mg). If you are not prone to pitta problems take 1 full teaspoon at night in warm water. NB. if you get diarrhea cut down the dosage.

Amla - made from the amla berry.One amla berry = the vitamin C of 4 oranges! It is a immune booster, an astringent and a stabilizer. It improves ones absorption of medicines. Dosage is one teaspoon 200mg tablet in the morning with food.

Ashwagandha - it is an adaptogen and an immune booster. It will aid in the better absorption of nutrients. Dosage 1 teaspoon 200mg in warm milk with a pinch of tumeric in the morning.

Propolis - anti fungal, bacterial and viral. Those beautiful bees!! Take 10 drops3 x per day with honey for 3 days then repeat one dose daily if necessary for a week

Reishi mushroom tea - anti viral and antibiotic. It is one of the most prized Chinese remedies and has 148 antibiotic properties. Boil a about 200ml of water and add mushroom when boiling. Boil for a further 4 minutes and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Only have 70ml once a day for 3 days, then once a week indefinitely?!

Nutrition -

It is best to drink loads of ginger tea made with grated ginger root or only warm water to flush the kidneys and bladder.

Also note that bacteria multiply in kapha (cold wet heavy sweet and salty) and so follow a kapha-vata passifying diet - DON'T EAT KAPHA TASTES especially SALT, AVOID KAPHA ENCOURAGING TEMPERATURES, no cold refrigerated food , NO TINNED food or food in brine

no dairy NO calcium nor minerals (YOU ARE SIMPLY FEED ING THE BEASTS :) and remember that lots of plants contain calcium, eg most nuts.

also AVOID RICH AND HEAVY food... it's hard to digest so you become acidic then the body makes mucous to dilute the acid and so the bacteria once again have a party - no meat, no chickpea, no unsoaked lentils, eat yellow rather than black dahls, barley rather than wheat Consider eating light and simple meals and add a dash of spice. Swap your cream for coconut milk and whip up a nice Thai veg green curry with basmati rice.

Cut back on the fruit. They are COLD, WET & usually create acid -no good. veg (cooked) is better. That includes smoothies protein shakes etc THINK SOUP instead... make the smoothie and then heat until almost boiling and remove from the heat - most vitamins inc C survive to 40 degrees

Try some alkalizing combos, like ginger, beet and apple or cabbage, celery and pear. stew them rather than raw if you must juice - always dilute by 1/2!

remember Your ginger tea - raw grated root rather than powder - if you notice it causes diarrhea, dilute too.

lifestyle changes -

practice rest, relaxation and routine. You can listen to all the brave practices, INCLUDING RELAXATIONS AND YOGA NIDRA live on this listen free of charge or you can make a small donation and download them just click on the listen link or this one

http://www.beingbrave.org/listen

get a dose of early morning or late afternoon SUNSHINE with vitamin D it's the immune systems medicine a good regular dry brush in the shower with a brave bath bag filled with fresh herbs or kapha hemp soap is so exhilarating ( you can also use an old hard towel), followed by an Abhyanga self-massage with VERY LITTLE OIL (see our little brave recovery book, our post on Abhyanga or files section of our face group)

AVOID BATHS AND SWIMMING (COLD, WET, HEAVY)

be disciplined in your daily remedial yoga practice practice in bed if you just cant get out of it. Let your self slowly unfold into the day as mornings are usually the worst. NEVER SLEEP PAST 7.30 or eat breakfast past 8.30

And rest when your symptoms are spiking!

Homeopthatic remedies -

we use the following remedies intensively and find them invaluable, especially with immobility/disability/during hospital and rehab stays ...

STAPH - key note 'intruded upon' mentally and emotionally (think hospital and rehab you have no private space) physically think catheter, trachea, surgery etc anything entering into the body

CALC CARB - think sticky, slimy, pains that wander, super bugs. Made from an oyster shell - think of an oyster (much like mucous ) swimming around in salt and yet immune to infection

CROTALUS HORRIDUS - good for those who are constitutionally prone to ongoing infections, especially where the wound has black areas

we like to start with 200c 3x per day for 3 days then once per day for a week - if you see improvement but still have symptoms move to 1m there are many other rems so consulting a homeopath is always best - pls don't buy off the shelf remedies

Hope this helps. And remember consult your inner and outer yogi!

to learn more pran mudra and others s you can watch SWAMI ATMA's excellent demonstration next to this post or on https://youtu.be/AqM8gNMMUfA

brave is a registered non-profit that has supported over 3000 people through their Recovery from Serious Physical Trauma - on a donation basis. Using an integrated rehabilitative approach, we practice a daily brave Recovery Regime of Breath, Yoga Therapy, Ayurvedic nutrition, Inversion Therapy, Somatics, Homeopathy and Peer to peer support. United, we are committed to using the Physical Trauma Recovery Experience as an opportunity for building a new life filled with unlimited possibility.Based in the BoKaap, Cape Town, over the past 9 years, our community has grown across continents, injuries, abilities and disabilities, cultures and conditions toward one goal - well BEing

The information shared is not intended as a substitute for the advice and treatment by your doctors and/or health care professionals from all disciplines, Allopathic, Homeopathic, Ayurvedic. It is designed to compliment and enhance a Health Care Regime. If you are injured, have an illness and/or are pregnant, you must seek professional treatment and advice from registered, reputable health care provider before practising any of the techniques, practises or treatments recorded, published and depicted by brave and it's members.

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