There is so much I could write about Ayurveda, but I realise for many people it may be quite a new concept, so I’ll try to keep it simple for now. Also if I’m being completely honest, I’m still learning too. Because it is one of the oldest holistic health systems in the world (about 5000 years old) so that’s a lot of knowledge to unpick.
I started my Ayurveda journey when I started therapy. It was one of the first things my therapist taught me about, before we dived into any of my past or what was going on in my mind. That’s because Ayurveda is a complete way of life that guides you to achieve optimal mental, physical and spiritual health. If I wanted to unpack the heavy stuff I had to start with the basics – lifestyle, nutrition, self-care, yoga and breathing. Ayurveda is not just about treating disease, but also preventing it. Although it’s a beautiful, individualised approach to wellness (because every body has a unique dosha balance), I can share a few things everyone can get started with. And what I love about this list is that Ayurveda proves time and time again that everything healthy doesn't have to be complicated or expensive.
“Because we cannot scrub our inner body we need to learn a few skills to help cleanse our tissues, organs and mind. This is the art of Ayurveda.” – Sebastian Pole
1. Nutrition and digestion
Everyone understands the importance of healthy eating, but Ayurveda has long used food as medicine and believes the root cause of all disease is due to poor metabolism or digestive fire (agni). It’s a powerful statement and might raise some eyebrows, but I’ve come to truly believe that what we eat, when we eat it and our state of awareness whilst eating can play a huge role in our overall health and wellbeing. It’s too much for me to delve into it in detail here, but ultimately Ayurvedic principles are built on eating or restricting certain foods based on your dosha to maintain harmony in the body. If you don’t yet know your dosha (more on this another time), there are some takeaways you can implement straight away:
Try to eliminate snacking as this disrupts the digestive cycle. Give your food enough time to digest in between meals.
Eat until you are satisfied and not full – excessive food smothers the digestive fire.
Eat as much fresh food as possible as it has more life force energy in it. Reheating food lacks life force so try to make as many meals as you can from scratch.
Eliminate distractions whilst eating. I know this is hard (eating socially, TV dinners, checking emails), but try to eat with awareness. Focus on the colours and taste and consider where the food has come from.
Try to eat at least 3 hours before bedtime to give your body a chance to digest your food properly before it gets to work healing overnight.
Always start each morning with a warm drink (not cold!) as it increases the digestive fire.
2. A daily routine
Having a daily routine is essential to maintaining your wellness. In Ayurveda it is believed that a daily routine helps to establish balance in your body by working with your biological clock, aiding digestion and teaching you discipline and peace. See your routine as an opportunity to carve time out in your day to prioritise your own wellbeing. In a demanding world where someone or something always requires your attention, this is sacred time to check in with yourself and your needs. Because as I’m sure you’ve heard before, you can’t pour from an empty cup. It doesn’t need to be complicated, and it’s best to start small. Perhaps one morning and one evening ritual to frame your day. I’ve added some ideas that I like to do:
Morning
Hot water before consuming anything else (increases digestive fire)
Meditation - I like to use the guided meditations on the Deliciously Ella app, especially the morning breathwork practices
Yoga – just an easy flow to wake my body up
Journaling – I love to check in with how I’m feeling and set some intentions for the day
Skincare – I have a 5 step routine and I love taking my time with each product if I’m not in a rush
Dry brushing – This feels great and it is believed to support natural detoxification
Tongue scraping – A staple in Ayurvedic morning routines. I don’t do it religiously but am fully on board with the benefits.
Evening
A candle lit bath with Epsom salts and meditation music
Self massage – known as Abhyanga in Ayurveda, massaging your body with oil helps promote overall wellness. Whilst we would all love a personal massage therapist, it can easily be done yourself. I like to give myself a womb massage
Journaling – again! It’s a great way to offload your day and get rid of any anxieties you’re holding onto before bed
Stretching – It feels so good to stretch before bed, especially with some chilled music and candles
Reading – I prefer not to watch TV right before bed and I find reading sends me to sleep much quicker
Prepare for the next day – It makes the following morning so much easier, starting your day off on the best foot.
There is so much to share on Ayurveda, and I'm excited to keep learning more myself. These small changes have helped me a huge amount already, and I hope you can take some inspiration and consider making a few small changes yourself. Like I said before, it's a way of life and takes time to adjust. There's lots more to come on this topic, this is just the start :)
Comments