Your lifestyle determines how productive and active you are. Following a schedule helps you plan and improve the way your body functions and how you carry out your daily activities.
Ayurveda is an ancient science of the mind, body, and spirit. Rituals like rising early, cleansing properly, and eating appropriately add up to taking good care of yourself. These can improve your energy levels and keep your mind and body strong. Ayurvedic rituals are also known to keep your skin healthy, improve your digestion, and prevent diseases.
Here are 6 rituals you should follow every day to keep you active:
1. Rise Early In The Morning
Although it might be difficult to wake up early, once you make it a habit, your body can enjoy the benefits of rising early. Your sleep cycle can affect the functioning of your body. Waking up before sunrise gives you the vata advantage, making you flexible and enthusiastic and improves your body movement and overall mental functioning. A well-balanced vata favors your mind and body.
The ideal time to wake up in the morning is around 5:30 AM that is considered pure and auspicious. It fills you with energy and positivity, helping you function better throughout the day.1
2. Sip Warm Water
Soon after you wake up in the morning, drink a cup of water to aid digestion. This also eases out your bowel movement. If you have constipation, this practice can be a blessing.2
In addition to stimulating the digestive enzymes, it also helps reduce hemorrhoids, chronic fever, and skin diseases.3
3. Follow The Cleansing Regimen
Cold water can energize you. Splashing cold water on your eyes and face relieves you from the stress and tiredness, making you feel fresh and also improving your eyesight.
Cleaning your tongue from the toxins is another important part of the morning cleansing routine. Maintaining a good oral hygiene is necessary to prevent the bacteria from depositing in your mouth and keeping it free from diseases and bad breath. The thick coating on your tongue shows the number of toxins on it, which needs to be removed. Scrape your tongue to remove ama, the residue of the undigested food.4
4. Massage With Oils
Massaging with oil has a soothing effect on the body and mind. It effectively reduces signs of aging, improves the skin quality, reduces cellulite, and also relieves muscle and joint pain.
Oil massage should be practiced 2 to 3 times a week to help you sleep better. Also, massaging just the soles of your feet can give you a sense of well-being and mental clarity, in case you don’t have time for a full-body massage.5 The self-massage should be followed by a bath to clean the entire body.
5. Exercise Every Day
The benefits of exercise are something everyone is aware of. According to Ayurveda, morning is the best time of the day for exercise and workouts.
Whether it is yoga or any other form of exercise, it will improve your immunity, promote weight loss, promote circulation, and also eliminate toxins. Exercise is also a good way to keep you mentally healthy. Including meditation in your everyday routine is a must to calm your mind.
6. Eat Appropriately
Eating healthy food at the right time can keep you going. Breakfast being the most important meal of the day should include fruits, vegetables, or grains. Also, eat only when you are hungry and till you are satisfied. Following this method helps to digest the food properly.
Skipping breakfast is not a good idea as the body requires the most number of calories in the morning.
7. Fast Once A Month
Your body, especially your digestive system requires a break. Fasting, which doesn’t always mean completely avoiding food, is a great way to cleanse your body of toxins and ama. It also makes you psychologically and physically stronger.
The method of fasting should be chosen based on your will power, stomach strength, dosha, and diet habits.
References
