Ayurvedic Wellness Spotlight - December 2022
With the new year approaching, now is the perfect time to engage some of ayurveda’s most simple habits for optimal health and wellbeing.
Habit Number 1 - Wake and Sleep at the same time
One of the most important things we can do to create balance, and support both physical and mental wellbeing, is to create a consistent bedtime and rise time. Going to bed and waking up at the same time each day not only ensures that we are getting the proper amount of sleep each and every night, it also supports healthy digestion, and creates structure that brings stability to vata dosha. We all know that, despite our best efforts, our days can be chaotic and unpredictable. The simple act of having a non-negotiable bedtime and wake time can be a much needed point of predictability in your day.
Habit number 2 - Practice
Daily practice is so important! As little as 10-15 minutes of yoga and meditation practice daily can help reset your nervous system, boost your mood, and promote more productivity in your day. Practicing any time of day is beneficial, but for the most benefit, developing a practice at the start of your day is ideal. Early morning practice is recommended in the ancient yoga and ayurvedic texts. According to these texts the mind is at it’s most still and most receptive in the early morning hours. Starting an early morning practice also ensures that you won’t procrastinate and skip your practice. A daily practice also promotes better self-care - one positive action often leads to another. In fact, in my āyurveda practice I find that my most successful clients are those that maintain a consistent and regular practice.
Habit number 3 - scrape your tongue
This is such an easy habit to implement. You brush your teeth each morning already, so it’s super simple to practice “habit stacking” here and start including tongue scraping each morning. Put your tongue scraper right next to your toothbrush or toothpaste so you see it each morning when you brush your teeth. The simple habit of scraping your tongue each morning has amazing benefits. Tongue scraping promotes healthy digestion, helps prevent bad breath, and removes ama and bacteria from your oral cavity. Tongue scraping also improves your sense of taste.
Habit number 4 - start your day with warm water
This one is another simple habit that has a big pay off. You probably already get up and start the coffee pot or tea kettle, so here’s another opportunity for habit stacking. When you head to the kitchen to start that morning cuppa prepare a 6-8oz mug of warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and have that FIRST! Warm water stimulates the digestive system giving you a metabolic boost for the day, and it helps to reduce ama, or metabolic waste, from the digestive tract. A little dash of lemon provides additional digestive benefits by stoking the agni (digestive fire), as well as a shot of Vitamin C. Adding warm water to your morning routine will also help delay your coffee intake, which can have a big impact all on its own. Holding off on the morning coffee until after you have had your breakfast, and your body’s natural cortisol levels have subsided reduces some of the impact of caffeine on the nervous system.
Get a head start on the new year and start implementing these 4 simple habits today!