Monsoon is one of the best seasons to watch Mother Nature reveal its true magnificence. From lush green mountainsides to joyfully flowing rivers, every inch and corner of the earth reflects pristine natural beauty. It is during this same mesmerizing season that one’s immunity levels are put to test.

Do’s

Drink plenty of water.

Wash fruits and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them.

Eating amla (Indian gooseberry) helps detoxify the liver and aids in digestion.

Bitter foods like bitter gourd, neem and fenugreek can help balance the pitta level in the body.

Don’ts

Avoid consuming junk food.

Avoid eating heavy, acidic, spicy and salty foods.

Monsoons are particularly infamous for the endless bouts of flu and cold. And it doesn’t end there. There’s always a risk of falling prey to cholera, dengue and other disturbing diseases. So how does one enjoy monsoons the way they are meant to be and yet stay safe and healthy?

Precautionary measures are always helpful in warding off diseases and keeping them at bay during monsoons. Good food habits, regular exercise and sound sleep are a couple of things that can help you stay safe. To further ensure optimum health, incorporating natural and side-effect free remedies like ayurveda and yoga are highly recommended.

Yoga is an ancient Indian technique that boosts physical and mental health. It is a time-tested natural remedy for innumerable diseases and medical conditions. A few minutes spent practicing yoga at the comfort of your home can improve your immunity drastically and let you enjoy monsoons better.

These simple pranayamas and yoga poses will equip you against monsoons’ grim side-effects:

Kapal Bhati pranayama: This pranayama clears the respiratory tract and improves its resistance level.

Nadi Shodhan pranayama: This pranayama helps open up blocked nose and increases the resistance of sinuses.

Adho Mukha Svanasana: This is an inverted pose that opens up blocked sinuses.

Setu Bandhasana: This pose helps improve the body’s immunity by stimulating the thymus gland.

Bhujangasana: This pose opens the chest and stimulates the thymus gland, thus boosting the immune system by release of T cells.

Naukasana: This is another thymus stimulating pose that helps improve the body’s immunity.

Tips to be safe

There is an unexplainable deep connection between rainy days and the urge to consume deep fried food. Most of the time we resort to picking up fried food from roadside stalls. Though their food is delicious, these roadside eateries can be very unhygienic and serve as breeding ground for harmful bacteria. It is highly recommended to keep away from such eateries and consume home-cooked food only.

Apart from eating habits, it is important to minimize health hazards by keeping the house and surroundings clean. Always wear proper weather protective gear and if you get soaked, dry yourself as soon as you can. Avoid consuming excessive coffee or tea as it may lead to dehydration and indigestion.

Ayurveda to the rescue

The body’s pitta level can raise drastically during monsoons and thus hinder in functions like digestion. This in turn can lead to ulcers, eczema, boils, indigestion and rashes. To counter this pitta aggravation, it is highly recommended to adopt an ayurvedic diet as it can balance the body’s prakriti and also improve the immunity level. This can also serve as an excellent opportunity to try your hand at ayurvedic cooking and relish some delicious sattvic preparations.

Yoga and ayurveda are known as two inseparable sisters who complement each other very well. Adopting a regular practice of yoga and an ayurvedic lifestyle keeps the body fit and mind healthy. They both improve the immunity level and let you enjoy the ravishing monsoons without any strings attached.

BDST: 1849 HRS, Aug-21, 2014