How to Improve and Maintain Health in a Time of Pandemic:
Greetings. Here are some tips that have been gathered from teachers, experts in the field, and texts on improving immunity and overall health in this time of pandemic. I’ve made it as brief as I can. It is said in the ancient Ayurveda texts that if “we start to work on immunity in our 30s, we won’t have ill health later in life.” There’s a qualitative difference between health span and lifespan!
Coronavirus affects both the respiratory and lymph systems. The virus is a strand of RNA coated by a capsule with proteins. It attaches to cell walls of respiratory cells, dumps its contents in the cell, which then go to the nucleus of our cell where our DNA and RNA replication material is and takes over the cell nucleus (much like invasion of a factory). It directs the cell to use its machinery now to make more RNA (nucleotides) and then capsule proteins in the cytoplasm outside the nucleus to coat the new viral particles. When the cell factory has been “exhausted” with this, it basically explodes the factory causing cell death, and releases the new replicated virions to infect other cells. This creates the acute infection which releases inflammatory proteins and molecules from our immune systems into the circulation. This is when the potential “cytokine storm” occurs in some people with already overwhelmed immune systems. This overwhelm causes infiltration of the lung parenchyma with inflammatory molecules that cause capillaries to leak (this is not the bronchi –which are involved in wheezing, asthma, etc.) which disrupts oxygen exchange, and in some mandates oxygen therapy and or a ventilator with oxygen. At this phase, it is called ARDS (acute respiratory distress system) and it’s often impossible to cure this, as increased oxygen, ventilator pressures etc. still do not help oxygenate the blood in the lungs and then other major organ systems fail. For the elderly, the immunocompromised, and those who are younger with weak digestion, toxicity, poor lifestyle and dietary habits, it is a big problem. This is the short story.
The long story is that if we have strong digestive systems and respiratory systems to start with, and we don’t have a lot of toxic buildup in our bodies to start with, our immune systems (Ojas in Ayurveda, Jing in Chinese medicine), which are the distillation of good digestion or Agni (digestive fire), can work properly. That is, our immune system can fend off the virus BEFORE it even reaches the respiratory cells. This is indicated in the 25% of the population who have the virus but are completely asymptomatic! And this is true for any virus or bacteria: if our immune systems are strong to begin with, we either have a very mild infection or no symptoms at all! The natural wisdom of the body (called prajna in Sanskrit) keeps the virus in check and doesn’t allow it to enter our cells! It is said in Ayurveda, “there is NO COMMON COLD!” We can ameliorate or prevent viral and bacterial infections.
Over time, due to our poor diets (refined grains, antibiotics and growth hormones in dairy, overeating and/or eating frequently throughout the day, eating the wrong types of foods for the seasons, pollution, etc.), and poor lifestyle habits (drinking excessive caffeine and alcohol, 30% of Americans sleeping <6 hours per night, under or over exercising, not getting enough outside time, overuse of “digital” drugs, etc.) we create the environment in our bodies for disease to take hold.
The key is how to build strong digestion and decrease toxic buildup in our bodies and this takes time, usually on the order of weeks to months. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda (the “science of life”, 5000 years old) spells out what we can do to achieve improved immunity and these are outlined below. One of the most important things we can do in this time of pandemic (called janapadadhwansa roga in Sanskrit or community wide disease resulting from the misuse of earth, air and water) is to have a daily practice to achieve good health for ourselves AND the planet. It’s a wonderful opportunity for a reset.
Here are the steps for adopting a daily ritual (dinacharya) during this time, specifically:
1. Start your morning with hot water. BEFORE anything else. You can add a pinch of grated fresh ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon (all of which help prevent viral attachment in respiratory tree). This will also help you eliminate first thing in the morning, if you already aren’t doing so. Not having a bowel movement first thing in the morning is a sign of poor digestive health and toxicity, and you’ll see this improve. Over time!
2. Limit all mucus producing foods (which we want to reduce anyway in the winter to spring transition) including yogurt, cheese, ice cream, smoothies, tofu and have NO COLD water with meals, no iced drinks. These all depress digestive fire, increase toxicity and lead to lymph stagnation and stasis—empirically, the virus is caused by both COLD and DAMP (phlegm) in the digestive system, which migrates to the lungs. The lymph system is what carries our immunity. Limit ALL refined sugar and refined grains. These clog the respiratory and immune channels. During the winter, we should be having cooked food with pepper, very little raw (this is cold, dry and depresses digestion). Cooked soups, kitchari (see: http://www.kateodonnell.yoga/blog/ayurvedic-kichari-recipe) and warm foods! Please understand that if digestion and elimination aren’t working well, the herbs and medicines you might be taking are also not bioavailable to your body! You can aid digestion by making a thermos of tea with cumin, coriander and fennel 1:1:1 in proportion, 1 tsp in two cups of hot water and sip throughout the day. Since you’re staying indoors so much(!), take vitamin D, please at least 2000IU daily. If you can get outdoors, do so!
3. Apply a few drops of almond oil or sesame oil to the tip of your pinkie and put in your nostrils each morning and evening. Respiratory viruses attach to nasal mucosa first, usually, so this is a protective mechanism and it keeps the mucosa from drying out, this is a first line of defense against viruses. This is why they do nasal swabs to test for the virus in the nose!
4. In the morning, right after hot water and evacuation: To strengthen your lungs and respiratory tract, do at least ten minutes of pranayama (see the video on alternate nostril breathing). This strengthens the lungs and respiratory tract, balances hormones and the nervous system. Do something to move your body, preferably yoga sun salutations x7 or chi gong, which takes about 15-20 minutes. This stimulates the respiratory system, the lymphatic system and the internal organs as well as digestion. If you already have a practice of pranayama, it is suggested you do the four purifications to balance the entire body. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6yTFzmLyTEThen at LEAST ten minutes of sitting quietly or meditation, your choice, with focus on the in and out breaths. This whole sequence can take as little as 30 minutes.
5. Limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol (especially!), marijuana, digital media, news, overuse of your voice (depletes prana (breath) or vital life energy and you need your prana more than ever now!), eyes (again, limit screen use).
6. Self-oiling (called abhyanga) is crucial to build up immunity! This means oiling the body. Why? The skin is the largest part of our immune system and it is also called the “third lung.” In addition, it is a huge part of our nervous system and hormonal system (neuroendocrine system). So, it’s a QUADRUPLE whammy to do oiling at least three times a week to improve immunity, respiratory function, sleep and hormonal balance especially in this winter to spring transition. Always use warm oil, leave it on at least ten minutes (preferably at night before bed), then either shower off or wear old PJs and hop into bed with it on. See the excellent 8 minute video below from BANYAN Botanicals. (You can order sesame oil from them or their daily massage oil which is also called tridoshic oil, it’s yummy and you can cut it with pure sesame oil if you want it to last longer). Since you aren’t getting touch (because of the self-isolation), this also helps with oxytocin release and just plain feeling better. It’s body-centered therapy you can do for yourself! Be kind to yourself.
7. Clapping or drumming. The Italians are doing it naturally. Do it each night for a bit, for gratitude for those front-line health care workers who are risking their lives daily. And do it for your own health: there are multiple marmas (similar to acupressure points in Chinese medicine) for the heart, lung and kidneys, three of our most vital organs that are stimulated in the hands with clapping or drumming. Do it. Every day, 6 pm or 7 pm! Take deep breaths throughout the day, too!
8. Lastly, there are several herbal teas that are helpful to improve respiratory including: ginger tea with 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger in hot water, or tulsi tea (Organic India or Yogi Tea makes this). And sambuca (elderberry syrup) is great to take prophylactically.