Explainer | 8 gut health benefits of living according to Ayurveda, Indian traditional medicine, and how it strengthens your immune system

Experts on the Indian traditional medicine explain the benefits of Ayurveda and what foods such as honey, turmeric and cumin do for your body

Eating food that is good for gut health is key to fitness and immunity, according to Ayurveda, whose followers include celebrities Katy Perry and Sofia Vergara

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Raw honey is one of the foods to include in an Ayurvedic diet to boost your gut health and in turn strengthen your immunity, according to an expert on Ayurveda - Indian traditional medicine. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 12:45pm, 3 Mar 2022Updated: 1:00pm, 3 Mar 2022

Ayurveda, India’s 5,000-year-old system of natural medicine, has followers around the world, including in Hollywood. American pop star Katy Perry uses a gut-cleansing treatment rooted in Ayurveda, for instance, and Colombia-born US TV star Sofia Vergara takes capsules of Indian gooseberry – amla – to boost immunity.

Scientists estimate that over 30 trillion tiny organisms, collectively known as the microbiome, occupy the human gut. The gut, of course, is responsible for vital processes in the body, like digestion and metabolism, the synthesis of vitamins and nutrients, and maintaining energy balance.

A 2012 study published under the US National Institutes of Health Human Microbiome Project revealed that a balanced and diverse microbiome is critical for maintaining health and immunological balance.

One of the primary rules of Ayurveda is that eating food that is right for your gut is the key to overall health and immunity. Two Ayurvedic experts weigh in on this, and offer important guidelines for maintaining optimal gut health.

Varalakshmi Yanamandra is an Ayurvedic practitioner and managing director of Ayur Wellness and Pain Centre in Birmingham in the UK. Photo: Ayur Wellness and Pain Centre

1. Honour your hunger

Varalakshmi Yanamandra is an Ayurvedic practitioner and managing director of Ayur Wellness and Pain Centre in Birmingham, in the UK. An expert in gut health disorders and chronic pain, she says the most important factor when it comes to gut health is to honour your hunger.