Editorial Reflections Music & Art Events Travel Humour Women & Society Int. Women's Day Health Short Story Poetry Prev Issue Next Issue

Have An Ayurvedic Day !! Shubhra Krishan Shubhra Krishan is a television and print journalists from India. she and her husband have been producing health series on Indian TV for a long, long time. Presently they are working on projects in the USA.

What's the first thing that you think of when you talk about Ayurveda? Vaidyas? Herbal concoctions? Yoga? Yes, Ayurveda is all of these, but it is also much more.

Away with the idea that going to a vaidya means getting ready to down thick syrups and swallow green tablets, the vaidya may, instead, have some surprising questions for you. He could ask you about your meal routine and your hours of sleep. He might even point out that your tongue is coated with toxins, and that seems to be the root cause of your problem. Ayurveda insists on good hygiene and a regular routine. It insists on these things to the point of being fussy. Rather like Grandma, who was always saying those same old things in her croaking old voice: "Brush your teeth. wash your face eat your greens."

It might surprise you to know that great Grandmas in India were saying these things even 5000 years ago! The difference is, their sons, the wise sages of India, followed their advice, and lived to be more than 300 years old!! These healthy people jotted down their recipes for a long, blissful life-and their study of long life came to be called Ayurveda. Ayu:' Life, Veda: Study.

The Indian Grandma's maxim was astonishingly simple: "A time for everything and everything on its time." It seems almost incredible that something so simplistic can actually change the length and quality of your life. But yes, it can.

Here it is: try it today and it could be the first day of the rest of your long, long life!

Rise early, ideally by six o'clock. Your body functions are at their peak right now. Summer or winter, Ayurvedic healers recommend rising before the sun does. But before you jump out of bed, take a few moments to think about the day that stretches ahead. Wake up to sunny, optimistic thoughts. Wash your face. Clean your eyes, nose and mouth. Small ablutions--big on health benefits.

Stick out your tongue and watch it in the mirror. Is it coated with white? That's "ama" or undigested toxic matter. If it stays there, your breath will be clouded and your taste-buds unable to do their job. Scrape your tongue with a specially designed silver or stainless steel scraper. Clean your teeth with an Ayurvedic Toothpaste and gargle with Ayurvedic oils or herbal preparations. No idea where to get these pastes and oils? Just click on mapi.com.

Drink a glass full of water. This will get your kidneys in gear. Try to have your bowel movement at a fixed time in the morning. This will keep your systems in harmony. However rushed you are, never be too rushed to answer nature's call.

Have a bath or warm-water shower. After bathing, apply a good-quality Ayurvedic oil-usually sesame oil works best.

Take some physical exercise before breakfast. Yoga is ideal as you can do it anytime, anywhere, with no fuss of special gear or equipment. Exercise will boost your circulation and get your body-engine rivving for the day. It is also a wonderful anti-depressant!

Eat breakfast before eight o'clock. Wash your hands before and after eating. Clean your teeth and tongue after every meal. if possible, take some gentle exercise to aid digestion.

Apply a soothing Ayurvedic perfume, made from essential oils. Dress with care-the colour and texture of your clothes should reflect the harmony within you.

Have a good lunch. Make it your main meal. How to tell how much is enough? Ayurveda says the ideal quantity of food for a single meal is that amount which can be scooped up with both hands. Don't gobble. Chew. Be aware of the food you are eating: concentrate on it. If possible eat in silence, without talking or laughing - and certainly without arguing. You'll help your metabolic process.

The often-asked question: to drink or not to drink water with your meal? The vaidya says Don't. Just sip some water to moisten your digestive tract. But do drink water through the day-just how much you need depends on your individual constitution. Limit tea and coffee to not more than two a day.

Do not 'snack' between meals as snacking leads to an erratic appetite. Make sure that each meal is properly digested before attacking the next one. Give it at least 4 hours to digest.

Meditate for 20 minutes. Meditation gives you a rest deeper and more refreshing than your 8 hours of sleep. Scientific research has proved that long-term benefits of meditation include adding years to your life!.

Eat the evening meal early and allow time for it to be properly digested before going to bed. Whenever possible, go for a gentle walk (around 30 minutes) before retiring.

Bedtime. Relax with light music or a good book or whatever it is that nourishes your senses. Ideally, lights should be out at ten o'clock. Do not sleep on your stomach, but try to sleep on your side with your knees slightly bent.

Wake up to a brilliant, happy day!

Credit

View and Post comment on this article