If you have read our recent article about the origin of Ayurveda, you would already have a vague idea about what this article will talk about. Before we go into the details, let us try to understand why a 5000-year-old, traditional medicine system would make sense in the modern world we live in. Ayurvedic philosophy views human functioning in terms of the doshas. Variations in the doshic balance manifest as physical and mental ailments. The doshas, or the three energies that regulate our body, are derived from the five fundamental elements of the universe. (To read more about the Doshas and the origin of Ayurveda, follow the link)
Modern Relevenace of Ayurvedic Teachings
Treating these ailments is not as simple as figuring out which dosha is not in sync. Based on the symptoms and an individual’s prakriti and vikruti, Ayurvedic doctors can identify the underlying cause of a disease. Once they have identified the root cause, the treatment process begins. The dcotor usually prescribes a churna or kashayam or formulation, which targets and eliminates the cause of the ailment. The process is particularly beneficial as it helps prevent recurring sicknesses and improves your overall health and immunity.
Despite the age of the practice, Ayurvedic teachings are applicable even today for two main reasons.
1. It aims at completely eliminating the disease and not just the symptoms of the disease.
2. We can personalize Ayurvedic principles, teachings and lifestyles to fit our situations and needs.
While many may not agree wholeheartedly with the second point mentioned, one must admit that the flexibility of the practice (not to mention the various benefits) makes it all the more attractive to newcomers. This flexibility in approach has allowed us to come up with some of our best and most effective products. The Amrutam Onion Oil is a modernist interpretation of Ayurvedic teachings and principles, packaged into a bottle. We would not have been create the concoction if not for the fluidic nature of Ayurveda.
Way to Add a little Ayurveda to you Life
There are many simple ways of incorporating Ayurveda into your life. We have all heard the quote, “Prevention is better than cure”. Ayurvedic philosophies are the conceptual incarnation of this saying. There exists Ayurvedic formulations that will help cure your current sickenss, but it is almost always easier (and better) to ensure that you don’t fall sick in the first place. Introducing healthy habits into your daily life works to keep you in better shape. Speaking of healthy habits, Ayurveda is chock-full of them!
We have compiled a list of things you can do to introduce a bit of Ayurveda into your life. Some points may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised by how many people skip these basic things (I myself am guilty of the same!). Without further ado, let us dive into the simple things you can do to incorporate Ayurveda into your life.
1. Nutrition: Eating a balanced and filling lunch
While this may not seem like a novel concept (we have all had our mothers nag us at some point in our life to eat three meals a day!), consuming appropriate servings of food is quite essential to keep our bodies up and running. Each meal should contain a few key inclusions; proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals. One can obtain these from various sources, giving us plenty of options to mix and match our favourite dishes. Your vikruti also plays a vital role in your diet. An individual’s doshic state decides which foods are good for their body and those that would be counter-productive. There are numerous quizzes and questionnaires that you can take online to find your prakriti and vikruti. Follow the link to find your doshic constitution here.
Ayurveda also preaches about the benefits of doing things according to your body cycles. One such process involves the pita dosha and the body’s digestive fire known as agni. The human body attains maximum digestive ability when the levels of agni are high. And this is usually observed between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eating a hearty lunch is the best and most efficient way of delivering nutrition to our bodies.
2. Following a Regular Daily Routine
If you have been following our blogs, you may have been introduced to the concept of dincharya. For those of you new to the idea, dincharya can be described as a set of Ayurvedic rituals or practices that one observes daily to form a routine. For a more detailed understanding about the same, head on to our article “Dincharya and Hrutucharya – The Wheels of Ayurveda Lifestyle”.
Ayurvedic principles state that following a similar pattern of activities every day helps us find balance and improves our health. While the process in itself is somewhat variable, dincharya follows a general Ayurveda-prescribed pattern. Individuals are expected to wake up at a specific time of the day (preferably during sunrise, to freshen their minds and bodies), followed by cleaning rituals and exercise.
Planning your day out in advance, allocating specific hours to work, family, study and time to unwind puts your mind at ease. You know what your day looks like, what hours of the day to be active, and when you can kick back a bit. This takes a massive load off your mind and lets you focus on the task at hand rather than contemplate what comes next.
3. Include Spices and Seasonal Foods into your diet
Before you get too excited by the first half and go haywire with your mom’s spices, what we mean is that everyone should include moderate amounts of it in their diet. Not that you should regularly consume unhealthy amounts of garam masala every time you make Chole or your favourite Dal Tadka. Research has identified various spices like Turmeric, Curry Leaves, Black Pepper and Laung to have excellent medicinal properties. Eating these spices regularly will help boost immunity, relieve stress, and provide a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, etc. As mentioned before, excess of anything is poison to the mind and body, so be mindful of the quantity of spices you are adding to your dishes.
Consuming seasonal fruits and vegetables ensures that you are eating the freshest, most nutritionally packed foods possible. Ayurveda preaches about the benefits of eating fresh foods. Consumables that haven’t been frozen, packaged or processed with preservatives or other chemicals are considered to be superior foods. The fresher the food is, the greater the life force it contains and the better it is for your health. There are also the conventional bunch of reasons why fresh fruits and veggies are better for your health. They lack any synthetic chemicals that could accumulate in your body and cause diseases. They are better sources of nutrients and, best of all fresh foods taste delicious!
4. Meditating and Practicing Mindfulness
This is another thing that seems commonplace but isn’t really. So many of us get lost running after jobs and money and other material things. We end up spending less time every day with ourselves. Meditating allows one to revert to a calmer, more aware and stable state. It enables you to get in touch with your inner self. It brings peace of mind and lets you focus better on the here and now, see the little joys of life and the beauty of the world around you. Your body also uses this time to rest and recover. Rsearchers have studied the effects of meditation on the body, and the general conclusion is that our body goes into a deep sleep-like state during meditation.
5. Practising Proper Self-Hygeine
Keeping yourself and your surroundings clean is another no-brainer. We all obviously know the basic ways one can do so, taking a bath, brushing and scraping ones tongue. Sweeping, dusting and cleaning can be considered as extensions to these. There are however several Ayurvedic practises for personal and general hygeine. For example, Ayurveda frowns upon the practise of suppressing the urge to urinate or poop. In addition to brushing, we must make sure to scrape the tongue carefully in order to remove accumulated mala. The practise of massaging, especially self-massaging, is a common Ayurvedic concept. The physical sensation of pressure that massaging ineself creates, in addition to the absorption of the nutrients and vitamins from the massage oil makes the process doubly enjoyable. Our Poshak Key Massage Oil is a combination of almond and olive oil into which various other potent herbs and spices have been added to create the most luxurious and relaxing massage oil imaginable!
We at Amrutam firmly believe that Being Healthy is a Choice. Every action we take adds up, and at the end of the day, we reap the benefits of what we do. We have done our bit by making this article and sending it to you folks out there. Now it is time for you to decide and make a Choice.
