10 Step Guide to Health and Happpines with Āyurveda: Your Daily Routine

Feeling less than 100%?  Confused by the conflicting information out there about what to do for your body? You are in the right place! This guide lays out 10 simple steps you can take to achieve your long term goals, live the life you want and deserve, and feel great while you do it! Based on the teachings of Āyurveda, the oldest medical science in the world, these tenets are time tested, and will put you on the road to radiant wellness.  These steps are simple, but require commitment, motivation, and a burning desire for real change! Are you ready? Let's go!

 

 

 

A major contributor to stress and disease is the fact that we don’t take the time to properly care for our bodies! Can you imagine what your friends would say if your car broke down because you had NEVER changed the oil in your car? They would say,“You’re crazy! No wonder your car broke down!” 

That’s the way most people manage their physical health! These ten steps will give you a daily tune up to help your body feel good! And when your body feels good, your mind feels good.  Win-win!

 

A little tip- Your morning routine is by far the most important, and here’s why-  By doing everything that feeds our body, mind, and spirit first thing, we greatly decrease the chance that we will skip it later because we are too tired!  However, if your mornings are too hectic with kids or trying to beat rush hour traffic, no problem!  More important is that these things are done regularly. And if you feel overwhelmed, go slowly! Incorporate 1-2 of these steps each week, until you get the hang of it all. You will see many wonderful benefits, like increased energy, better sleep, improved digestion, compliments on great you look, and much more!

 

1) Wake up at the same or similar time every day.  Our bodies LOVE routine- it’s true! Ever noticed how off you feel when you skip breakfast, or your morning shower, or even that cup of coffee you are so used to? Keeping a consistent waking time even on weekends helps our bodies stay on track, and keeps our circadian rhythms functioning properly  so we can feel our best.

 

 

 

2) Drink a glass of warm water upon waking. We haven’t had water for hours, our body has been working all night detoxing us from the pollution of the previous day, and we need to flush this stuff out and wake up our g.i. tract.  Starting the day by immediately consuming stimulants such as coffee robs us of the chance to get in touch with the true energy levels of our body, and dries us out through the diuretic action of caffeine. Go for a nice, big glass of room temp water with a squeeze of lime and a pinch of salt & sugar first and see how much better you feel!

 

3)Scrape your tongue.  Your tongue is a map of your organs and gig tract, and scraping it will stimulate these friends who are so integral to sustaining your health.  It also allows you to see how well you are digesting foods- If your tongue has a thick coating, you likely have āma (pronounced with a long a, aama), or undigested food stuff/toxins, clogging your system. Doing this regularly can become an internal diary of sorts in which we are able to review the effects of yesterday’s actions on our digestive systems.  It allows to see which foods yield greater coating, and which leave us free and clear! The time to do it is in the morning, before you drink your first glass of water. Copper tongue scrapers are good for vāta and kapha people, while silver is best for pitta. Don’t have a scraper? Use a spoon!