As the days grow shorter and colder, it’s important to protect your health. The following tips will help you release stress, find peace, and feel happy inside and out! Without further ado, here are our Ayurvedic tips for optimum winter health!
Ayurveda is a harmonizing system of medicine dating back thousands of years. The premise of Ayurveda is BALANCE. According to this complex science, there are ways to optimize your health during every season. We will focus today on harmonizing your system for driving out the winter cold, and insulating your well being!
Having a consistent schedule during these cold months will help ground and stabilize you all winter long, but especially, during the holiday season!
Here is a simple morning regimen to optimize your health and well being, and maintain a warm and loving mentality through these cold months:
Wake Up: Try and be up by or before 7am, this helps the organ systems wake up and vitalize the body!
Oblations/prayer/mantra: Upon waking set your intention for the day with meditation, prayer or affirmations. Something as simple as saying âToday will be greatâ has a profound effect on shaping your day.
Hygienic Practices: Â Cleanse your digestive system, wash up, then lightly brush your teeth with only warm water, scrape your tongue and rinse mouth with warm water. Next, take warm sesame oil or coconut oil and swish around mouth for 5-10 min making sure not to swallow- this clears out all the membranes of the nose, throat and ears, and is a practice called âOil-Pullingâ practiced for maintaining health and optimizing the sensory organs. Third, brush teeth with either natural tooth powder, or toothpaste. Lastly, wash face with cool water.
Drink 8oz glass of warm water: The warm water will help you strengthen digestive system and detox the body.
10-15 min of exercise: This can be anything, yoga, tai chi, mild stretches-anything that’s not too vigorous and will get the blood flowing and heat up the body.
Light sesame oil massage of body: More details on this in another post, but the practice is simple, from your toes up to your scalp, rub sesame oil all over(as it is very nourishing to the body tissues- please donât use coconut oil for this as it’s too cooling to the body in winter). The amount of oil is enough for a light coating. You can also implement essential oils here. Citrus, Thyme, Rosemary, Eucalyptus..as per your requirements.
Shower Take a long and relaxing shower- take your time- wash well, really enjoy washing your body and starting your day. Good showers are known to nourish the soul.
Hearty and nourishing breakfast Eat a well balanced breakfast, all warm foods- no cereal and cold milk, no coffee and pastry- nourish your body to nourish your mind! Warm porridge, soups, baked apples..etc.
Dress warm in warming colors and enjoy your day!
Try on this practice and let us know how it works for keeping you warm & grounded this winter!
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