Ayurveda, an ancient system of illness prevention and treatment, emphasizes on maintaining mind and body balance through healthy lifestyle practices , certain herbs, following daily and seasonal routines and following diet and lifestyle as per prakriti.
Here are some wonderful ways to bring best out of your health
1) Oiling your body
Massaging oil into your body brings immediate benefits: it not only improves the texture of your skin and brings a healthy glow, but improves your sleep and reduces Vata dosha in your system. When Vata dosha accumulates in the body, It can lead to various physical ailments and mental agitation. Vata dosha has qualities that are rough, dry, light, mobile and cool, so an application of warm oil works as an antidote to all these qualities.
The best time external oleation is in the morning before taking shower. Because it’s light, slightly heating and penetrates well, sesame oil is good for general use for everyone. Apply oil in the direction of the growth of the hairs on your body to prevent friction. Then shower or bathe in warm water to allow your pores to open and the oil to penetrate more effectively.
2) Drinking hot water and herbal decoctions
Due to today’s fast paced lifestyle, eating incompatible foods, dealing with the general stress of everyday life, something called ama/toxins accumulates in your body. Ama is basically ‘undigested food juice’,( or we call toxins in our language ) and it floats around your bloodstream looking for places to lodge and start the disease process.
The qualities of ama are heaviness, cold, dampness and dullness; hot water, with its opposite properties, helps to dispel the production of ama in the digestive system.
Boil water for ten minutes, decant into a flask to keep it warm, and sip it about every half an hour throughout the day. (Heating makes the water lighter in quality.) You can put a couple of slices of ginger in it to improve the effect.
3) Meditating for mental health
Ayurveda gives much importance to mental health and Meditation is an important foundation for having an optimum emotional health .Meditation gives your mind much-needed nourishment when you just switch off – it’s a deeper relaxation than sleeping even. Over time, you’ll notice that you’re able to make better choices and more easily ward off the effects of stress. It’s said that through meditation, both left and right hemispheres of the brain begin to work synchronously, creating a calmer, happier you.
Start with 20 minutes of meditation twice daily, and once you make the commitment, events will unite to help you.
4) Taking Triphala
What meditation does for you on the mental level, Triphala can do on the physical. This herb is mentioned various times in the Ayurvedic scriptures for its rejuvenating properties. You can use it for many purposes, but it’s most widely used to keep the colon cleansed and toned.
Triphala improves immunity, slows the ageing process, improves mental faculties and serves all the different tissues of the body. It’s very safe and quite economical. Having Triphala powder in the house is useful for cleansing the teeth and treating bleeding gums. Rinsing your hair with a triphala decoction adds lustre and prevents greying.
Get into the habit (particularly between seasons) of taking half a teaspoon in a cup of warm water before bed.
5) Boost your immunity:
Ayurveda emphasizes on building immunity for a long lasting health. There are certain herbs like Amrita, Amla, Mulethi, Shankhpushpi, Turmeric, Tulsi, Ashwagandha, Triphala etc. which can improve the immunity of the body to a great extent. Chywan Prash was also designed to promote the immunity of the body.
It’s important to consult an Ayurveda practitioner to understand the physiology of body and immunoboosting herbs before starting any regime.
Wishing you Health and Happiness
Dr Taruna
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