Is your sleeping schedule messed up? Do you find yourself with a bowl of chips while scrolling on Instagram or while watching Netflix late at night? Well, you are not the only one.
At the beginning of the pandemic, this was the situation everyone was facing, which might have seemed fun and looked at as a coping mechanism for all that was going on but, little did we know about the adverse effects it had on us.
Hence, we at Amrutam thought that as the pandemic is slowing down how can we help our community to get back to living a healthier life. So here we are with a blog that will help you to live a healthier life according to Ayurveda.
How does Ayurveda define health?
Ayurveda defines health in Sutrasthana as:
“Samadosha, samagnischa samadhatumala kriyaha prasanna atmenindriya manaha swasthya ityabhidheeyate”
Loosely translating to “that the doshas must be in equilibrium, the digestive fire must be in a balanced state and the tissues (dhatus) and malas (wastes) must work in a normal state. The sensory and motor organs and mind, atma must also be in a pleasant state. Such a person is called a healthy person or Swastha.”
Although maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be very difficult because we always go
We always plan to start exercising from the Monday of the next week but that rarely happens. The Mondays of the whole year pass by but we have still not started leading the healthy life we want to. So how about we start with these small tips suggested by Ayurveda to reach the goal.
Tips on living a healthy life according to Ayurveda:
1. Diet and more
Ayurveda emphasizes diet as one of the essential parts of healthy life. According to Acharya Charaka, there are three pillars of life one is ahara or diet, the second is Nidra, and the third is Brahmacharya. The balance of these three pillars helps to maintain a healthy state of body and mind.
When asked "Does diet differs from person to person ?" this is what our Team Doctor, Dr. Surabhi had to say about it -
A diet is different for each and every individual depending on the constitution of their body and mind, also known as Prakriti. But there are few foods that can be consumed habitually by anyone such as wheat, rice, barley, jivanti herb, young radish, amla, dry grapes, Pointed gourd, green gram, ghee, clarified jaggery, milk, honey, pomegranate, rock salt (Saindhava), etc. Also, this food should be consumed according to the seasons.
Now the ideal time for consuming meals is usually after the elimination of waste in the morning when the mind is clean, the Doshas are moving, and naturally, in a balanced state, the urge of hunger is well manifested which helps in proper digestion.
It is not what you eat that kills you; it is what eats you (negative thoughts) that kills you. I've read somewhere these beautiful lines and I absolutely believe that not only our food but how we live our lives are responsible for what we are today.
Dr Deepa Godara (Team Amrutam Global Doctor)
2. Meditation
According to Patanjali, Dhyana is the seventh limb of Ashtanga Yoga. Dhyana means meditation. Dhyana helps in attaining oneness with self or self-realization, which is the main aim of ashtanga yoga.
The regular practice of meditation not only helps to attain self-realization but is also beneficial in conditions such as anxiety, stress, hypertension, insomnia & depression. Even though it might not alter the symptoms but make a difference in how they manage or relate to their ailments.
With our busy schedule, one can meditate whenever they get a small break but it can be beneficial if one practices yoga in the early morning from 3-6 am. This time is known as the ‘magic hours’ where time sits still, and you can connect to the energy of the universe uninterrupted.
3. Maintaining a proper sleep schedule
It is suggested by Ayurveda that one should sleep at 10 pm and wake up early in the morning (Brahma muhuratthat) as this not only helps us feel refreshed and energized but also helps to reduce the risk of heart-related diseases.
Also one should fix a specific time to sleep and continue with that timing as this helps to sleep better and after as it becomes a habit and further becomes a balanced sleep schedule. Now there might be times when it is difficult to sleep, where one can try to meditate which will help their mind to calm down and hence help to sleep or even try something like Ashwagandha Milk.
Recipe for Ashwagandha Milk
Ingredients
- 1 cup of milk of choice
- 1/2 tsp. ground ashwagandha churna/powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- a pinch of ground nutmeg
- Honey or sweetener as per taste
Directions:
- Bring the milk to a low simmer.
- Once the milk is hot, whisk in the ashwagandha,
cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Gently simmer for 5 minutes. - Stir and add honey or any sweetener, if desired.
4. Practicing the principles of right conduct
In classical ayurvedic texts for the maintenance of health and to achieve a long healthy active life one should implement these three principles -
- dincharya (daily regime),
- ritucharya (seasonal regimen) and,
- sadvritta (good conduct)
We have previously talked about dincharya and ritucharya, coming to Sadrvitta which are a few rules prescribed by Ayurveda for maintaining a healthy mind. These are principles of right conduct that are applicable to all people at all times and places. These conducts can be anything from being patient, meditating every day, observing self-control, controlling your sense organs, avoiding overeating, oversleeping, over-talking, and acting in a polite manner.
These conducts help a person to bring balance and harmony to their mind, in long term helping to live a healthy and peaceful life.
5. Using Ayurvedic medicines
A lot of us use products with artificial ingredients which can harm our body, hence using ayurvedic products can help. As these products are made out of natural products they don't have any harmful side effects.
You can try: Amrutam Chawanprash- Ancient Ayurvedic Recipe for your Overall Health
6. Drinking Water
Drinking water can be beneficial for one's health as it helps to get rid of all the toxins, increases energy, helps in feeling less fatigued, helps in maintaining clear skin, and many other things. It also suggested one should drink water first thing in the morning as it helps in flushing all the toxins in the body and cleanses your intestines.
We hope this helps the #AmrutamFamily to gain some insight on how one can live the long and healthy life that we all dream of.
Links:
https://www.theayurvedicclinic.com/ayurvedic-definition-of-health/
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCJN9uKjOII/?utm_medium=copy_link
