April 21, 2015 | 48 minutes, 1 second
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When we think of immunity, we may think of a nebulous set of factors that contribute to our resistance against illness and infection. It’s a fact that the immunity, or protective mechanism of our bodies, is affected by many factors, some of which stand out among the rest as being especially influential.
One of these, according to Ayurveda is, not surprisingly, the strength and health of the digestive system. Eighty percent of the immune system lies in the half inch between the intestinal villi and the lymphatic drainage that surrounds the gut. That means that any digestive disturbance or discomfort may be impacting the villi, which in turn may impact the efficiency of the lymphatic drainage system on the other side of that half inch.
To safeguard immunity, Ayurveda proposes a stress-less lifestyle achieved by living “downstream,” which is basically living in harmony with the cycles of nature. Eating seasonally and having a supportive daily routine are two of the biggest steps in accomplishing this.
