Supplements, recipes and techniques to boost the immune system from home this Winter

Following its opening on 1st December 2020, RAKxa, the integrative wellness and medical retreat located in Bangkok’s ‘Green Lung’, introduces a selection of at home wellness tips to ensure a healthy body and mind as we head into the Winter of 2021 and lockdown 3.0. The smallest of changes made at home can go a long way in maintaining a positive wellbeing such as staying active, staying hydrated, taking time for meditation and breathing exercises, taking supplements, an at home foot massage and mindful eating while avoiding television and phones. RAKxa’s expert doctors have shared their top at home wellness tips to kick off 2021 and help get travellers through the winter, offering a sneak peak of what’s to come at this incredible wellness and medical retreat located along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River:

Breathing Exercises from Home

As Covid-19 has developed the understanding is how significantly respiratory systems can be affected. Dr Dinesh, Ayurveda Doctor at RAKxa, shares the following 9-minute breathing exercises to help slow the mind and improve the lungs so guests can breathe better:

Abdominal breathing, 3 minutes: Sit down on a chair with a straight back. Place one hand on your belly and another on your chest. Inhale deeply, concentrating on keeping the hand on your chest still, while the hand on your abdomen moves up with inhalation and down with exhalation. Now gradually begin to deepen the breath, with inhalation expanding the abdominal muscles as much as possible and exhale with the contraction of the muscles. Continue for four deep breaths.

Chest breathing, 3 minutes: Sit down on a chair with a straight back. Become aware of natural spontaneous breath while concentrating on the sides of the chest. Begin to inhale slowly expanding the rib cage, feel the outward and upward movements of rib cage. Expand the chest as much as possible with inhalation and exhale by relaxing the chest muscles. Continue for four slow and deep breath.

Mouth to Nose breathing, 3 minutes: Sit down on a chair with a straight back. Inhale deeply through your mouth for four counts and close your mouth. Hold it for four counts. Exhale through your nose until the count of eight. Continue this cycle for four breaths.

Cardio activities such as running, swimming, walking, dancing and cycling are also recommended to strengthen the lungs and maintain an active lifestyle.

Meditation from Home

Breathing exercises combined with 30 minutes of meditation every morning will help calm the mind creating a positive start to the day. Dr Dinesh, shares the following tips for meditation at home:

Put your phone in another room or on “Do Not Disturb.”

Find a quiet place to sit or lie down. Make sure you are warm enough and get a blanket if you feel you may need it.

Take a moment to shift your body around until you feel completely comfortable. Now close your eyes.

Take one long, slow, deep breath in and then let it out slowly. Take another long, slow, deep inhale, but hold it for a moment this time. Then let it go.

Slowly bring awareness to each limb in your body, starting with your left leg, then right leg, moving up to the glutes and hips, torse, right arm, left arm, neck and head.

Slowly start to notice the feeling of the ground on your body, notice the smells in the air, draw on the inner peace created before opening your eyes.

Sit up if you haven’t already and have a wonderful day.

Spend Time in Nature

RAKxa’s Medical Gym Manager, Ludovica Ungaretti, suggests spending time within nature. If you can, it important to go outside for a walk or run in a green space. If you cannot leave your house due to lockdown regulations or other preventions, taking time to look out of your window can help. Take five minutes to notice five different aspects of nature such as:

Looking and appreciating your house plants

Observing the cloud patterns in the sky

Listening to birds singing or the sound of rainfall outside

Feeling the cool air against your skin

Smelling the scent of some flowers or herbs

At Home Supplements

Dr. Narinthorn Surasinthon, Medical Director, VitalLife recommends introducing herbs such as curcumin, echinacea and mushroom extract into the diet and shares supplement suggestions which will boost the immune system ahead of the winter months:

Vitamin C 1000 mg/day

Vitamin D 1000 unit/day

Zinc 20 mg/day

RAKxa has a special team in VitalLife that designs oral supplements to support each programme. For example, the Detox Programme offers supplements which contain medication and herbs that support detoxification. Personalised supplements are also available for guests, specifically tailored to guests’ body and condition.

Mindful Eating of Immunity Boosting Foods

RAKxa recommends eating without distractions this winter by setting the phone aside and avoiding the television to help appreciate the art of cooking and eating. RAKxa shares the following immune boosting cauliflower soup recipe as the glucosinolates in cauliflower activate the body's detoxification system, and research suggests that they may play a role in preventing various types of cancer. Health benefits of garam masala include boosting immunity, promoting weight loss, helping with digestive processes, alleviating pain and lowering blood sugar levels.

Spiced Cauliflower Soup:

Ingredients (serves 2) – Use organic ingredients where possible

1 cup cauliflower, cut into florets

12 oz (1½ cups) broth (vegetable or chicken)

4 oz (½ cup) coconut milk or cream

1 tsp garam masala (black peppercorns, cinnamon, clove, cardamon, nutmeg)

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 pinch sea salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 small handful coriander leaves, to serve

Directions:

Add everything to pot and simmer for 7-10 minutes

Add the soup to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth

At Home Foot Massage

Dr Dinesh, Ayurveda Doctor suggests following a daily ritual to encourage a calm, relaxed and deep sleep which includes an at home foot massage:

Take few drops of warm sesame oil.

Massage feet one by one with a firm hand, and apply the oil on soles and between the toes.

Press each toe gently and stroke the length of foot.

Continue the massage for at least 5 minutes for a better effect

If you feel your feet are too oily, you can lightly dab warm towel on them. Make sure you don’t rub the oil off completely

RAKxa will offer programmes ranging from three to fourteen days offering guests a chance to escape the environmental stresses of everyday life in Bangkok’s preserved ‘Green Lung’, a protected jungle-clad island on the Chao Phraya River. Each programme will be enhanced with a bespoke diet plan including anti-inflammatory foods. Through a combination of unprocessed, seasonal, local, organic foods with minimal use of refined sugar or additives, a precise menu will be drawn up accompanied with nutrition counselling to ensure maximum results all with an anti-inflammatory philosophy in mind.

Nightly rates at RAKxa start from $2,000 per person for the Immunity Booster Package, with a minimum of a three-night stay.