BALANCING THE IMMUNE SYSTEM
In the word IMM.UNITY we can identify a free reference to being whole, IN UNITY.
Derived from the Latin ' Immunitas', it means protection (although curiously it also referred to the tax exemption offered to Roman senators...) and related to groups of Athenian elderly lords of ancient Greece, who during the plague, even in contact with the sick, did not succumb. They were called the 'immunes'.
An organism in balance is able to develop a healthy relationship between itself and the different elements that surround it, in order to identify the limits from inside to outside and outside to inside. The health of the individual, through the immune system, says something about its relationship with the world. All this, added to the different seasons of the year that bring - each one in its own way - specific conditions, be it the cold and dry weather of autumn / winter, the hot and rainy weather of summer, and the pollen of spring.
A large part of the observed illnesses arise from a vulnerability resulting from objective and subjective elements, from internal deficiencies or external aggressions. They range from genetic constitution to physiology. From food to sleep. From soul experiences to life rhythms.
Processed foods, overloads, stress, demands for high materialistic performance, behavior and beauty standards. Also, the excess of medication that distances us from ourselves, leading us to ignore the signals that our body develops on the path to healing.
All these elements are available and are part of our existence. The way we deal with them can indicate our ability to maintain a healthy state, even while dealing with illnesses.
We can thus observe some essential care:
. Healthy eating - with preference for organic food, rich in fruits, seeds, cereals, vegetables and greens. In special garlic, ginger, shitake mushroom, dark green vegetables, among others.
. Plenty of hydration - including teas and juices, besides water. Also Kefir, a probiotic fermented drink obtained from a mixture of yeast and bacteria.
. Suitable clothing - favoring a healthy ventilation of the skin, avoiding synthetic fabrics.
. Regular physical activity - that activates the circulation and favors the balance of our organism.
. Restorative sleep - try to get the number of hours of sleep that your organism demands and avoid the use of cell phones and similar devices just before you sleep.
. Personal hygiene habits - which also inspire, through example, our children.
. Cultivate a balanced and harmonious environment - avoid excessive stimuli, from loud sounds or too many visual stimuli, to tension and unnecessary demands in our relationships.
. Rhythm - trying to alternate activities that take us inside and outside.
In times when external activities are limited, seek to expand our gaze to broader horizons.
. Sun - taking care to have satisfactory exposure to the Sun, which, besides guaranteeing our Vitamin D levels, brings us the experience of Light and Heat that are reflected in our interior. Equally important is our relationship with the night, valuing both the starry sky and the solitude that the absence of light invites us to. This experience with day and night is fundamental to our life, both on hormonal and soul levels, determining our circadian rhythms.
The Indian tradition also gives us elements and practices that can help, such as the Brahmara Mudra - setting healthy boundaries which brings the subtle experience that "with healthy boundaries my immune system works perfectly".
A big question is, "What I choose, does it nourish me or consume me?"
From this question we can understand the importance of CARING.
Caring for oneself, for others, and for the planet.
When we seek to nourish ourselves with truths, we recognize ourselves as a unity, where trust, joy, and hope emerge.
We do not seek a static state of balance, like a bubble that isolates us from the world, preserving us from elements that are not known and that give us a false sense of security.
On the contrary, we seek to organize ourselves so that we are able to deal with experiences that challenge us and consequently enrich and strengthen us, in a dynamic balance, a true dance of Life!
