Daily Ayurvedic Habits

Daily Ayurvedic Habits to incorporate today!

 

What is Ayurveda?

It literally translates to wisdom of life. It is a 5000 year old eastern medicine practice that originated in India. It has become more and more popular in the west as we seek other ways to treat disease in the body vs. taking pills like has become the norm in our society today.

Daily Habits 

A few of my favorite daily habits that originated through Ayurveda.

• Dry Brushing- improves circulation, helps with varicose veins, removes dead skin
• Oil massage-nourishes the mind and body, delays aging, relieves fatigue, release stress, awakens the senses, supports digestion, shifts the attitude into positivity.

 

Best oils for vata

 

• Sesame oil

 

Best oils for pitta

 

• Coconut oil or sunflower

 

Best oils for kapha

 

• Use corn, mustard or sesame

 

More Daily Ayurvedic Practices 

• Tongue Scrapping- This is a wonderful way to start your day. Before you brush your teeth a metal tongue scrapper can help remove the excess ama (toxins) building up on your tongue from undigested food.

 

• Morning movement- Starting your day with a brisk walk, a few sun salutations, stretches, or even just a round of squats and pushups. Our bodies have been at rest for hopefully 8-10 hours and it's time to bring a little movement into them. It doesn't have to be extensive or exhaustive but 5-10 minutes will go a long way. Especially if you're a kapha dosha.

 

• Nature walks- Getting out in nature is a great way for you to lower your stress levels. Nature is calming to the mind and body. It's a wonderful activity to incorporate into your regular daily routine. Again a little bit will go a long ways. If you live in a city even just walking around a neighborhood that has a few trees or a nearby park will do the trick!

 

• Early, lighter dinners- This is by far my favorite Ayurvedic habit. It helped me lose 40 pounds of  baby weight after my son was born. It helped me regulate my hormones and has helped me improve my digestion. Early dinners consists of eating by 6pm ideally but starting to back up your dinner to at least 2 hours before bedtime is a great place to start. Next eating lighter. Soups, salads, cooked veggies for dinner vs a heavier meat infused meal. Move your biggest meal to the noon hour when your digestion is the strongest.

 

• Going to bed before 10pm- Another important habit. In Ayurveda between 10-2pm/am are pitta hours. Meaning have you ever felt so tired that you just have to go to bed but didn't and stayed up later just to end up getting a second wind and struggled to get to bed? Me too! That is because we hit the pitta hours which are known to be the productive hours, let's get things done time. Slowly trying to take your bedtime back 30 minutes will help you to sleep a little earlier and hit that 10pm goal.

 

• Rising with the sun- If you go to bed around 10pm you might find it's a lot easier to get up with the sun. There is nothing like having a cup of coffee or tea and watching the sun come up over the horizon. It's a peaceful time of day where we really can connect with ourselves. Don't let this time go to waste, learn to tap into your intuition early morning.

 

• Journal or meditation time- Another important practice is journaling or meditation. I find some people enjoy both paired together while others prefer one over the other. This time is a great way to tap into your intuition and get to know yourself on a deeper level. I like to pair this first thing in the morning after I get up with the sun and have a morning movement practice.

 

• Being present at your meals- Finally being present at your meals. Learn to slow down and enjoy what you're eating. Stop scrolling and eating. Put the phone away and really pay attention to what you're eating, the company you're with and slow down. It takes 20 minutes for our bodies to realize we are full. Plus we have a small burp when our bodies are full, but often we miss the burp. Tune in during your next meal to the subtle cues are body is giving us.

 

Where to start?

If you feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the tips know you start with one. Don't think you need to incorporate all of the things on day 1. Which ever tip sounds most appealing is the one to begin with. After that's a habit build on from there. There is no need to rush as Ayurveda is a lifelong practice. You will always be learning and incorporating, and experimenting if you're ready for that adventure dive in!