The Coronavirus is sweeping the globe at a fast rate. The Prama Institute and Wellness Center has come up with a list of several ways to strengthen your immune system naturally. The digestive system has two functions: to absorb nutrients and to eliminate what the body does not need or want—its toxic waste. So, making sure these two functions are working optimally is the key to good health and a strong immune system. 

It’s all about priorities. For Oprah, spending a little time twice a day with her “self” is the most rewarding work you can do. Like eating regularly, we need to nourish our inner being in order to live fuller and more balanced lives.

In these days of rapid globalization, unhealthy food habits, stress and dangerous viruses are spreading at an unprecedented rate. It is therefore important to have a strong immune system to stay healthy and live longer. But what is the immune system? Where is it located? And what is the best way to keep it healthy?

When John arrived at the Prama Wellness Center a few years ago, he had been diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease which can be quite painful and debilitating. Working a busy IT job during the week, John had very little time for family and friends on the weekend. Not because he could not fit quality family time into his schedule, but simple because he was too tired to get up from bed.

Juicing is definitely healthy as it is one of the best ways to ensure that the body gets a high dose of vitamins and phytonutrients, which most people in the West are lacking in their diet. But is juicing for everybody and can it be done at any time of the year? To answer those questions, Ayurveda, the ancient healing system of yoga, can be very instructive.

The cold season is upon us. Here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, the leaves are turning bright red and yellow. The winds are chilly. Smoke can be seen from early morning chimneys. This is the time for reduced immune systems; the time for chest colds and flu fevers. But these cold season maladies are not inevitable. Not if we take charge and build up a strong defense by bolstering our immune system.

Ayurveda instructs us not only to live in tune with our individual body type, but also the seasonal environment. During the colder vata season, it is important to maintain a regular routine with our meals and to eat warm, soupy foods.

In 2016, the Japanese cellular biologist Yoshinori Oshumi won the Nobel Prize for proving the process of authophagy, the way cells utilizes and recycles unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular components. In other words, I was able to heal my chronic condition during my 14 day juice fast because the fast allowed my cells to detox, regenerate and rebuild themselves.

The Prama Wellness Center recently organized a one-day seminar entitled “Eat to Live: A Lifestyle Program for Health and Longevity” with Dr. Joel Fuhrman. More than 120 enthusiastic participants attended this thought-provoking one-day program on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at the Jubilee Church in downtown Asheville, NC. The Vegan Society and Edible Musings were sponsors for the event.