FOUR GENTLE AYURVEDIC PRACTICES TO FIT INTO YOUR MORNING ROUTINE
MORNINGS can be stressful, but according to Ayurveda, an ancient healing system that developed some 5,000 years ago in India, this hectic ritual could be the reason you feel groggy, irritable, bloated and anxious for the rest of the day.
Ayurvweda has a personalised approach to health, and knowing your mind-body type (Vata, Pitta or Kapha) allows you to make the best diet and exercise choices to suit your personality.
Here are a few practises you could begin today...
USE A TONGUE SCRAPER
USING a tongue scraper first thing in the morning is considered one of the best ways to remove the bacteria (aka that fuzzy tongue feeling) that builds up overnight.
As well as working wonders for your grisly morning breath, Ayurvedic experts say tongue scraping can actually enhance your sense of taste, removing toxins that may obstruct digestive functioning, while activating what’s know as ‘agni’ or ‘the body’s digestive fire’.
TRY OIL PULLING
INSTEAD of using mouthwash, try oil pulling – swishing coconut oil round your mouth for five to 20 minutes. The process is believed to attract and remove bacteria, toxins and parasites from the mouth, while loosening up your sinuses and ridding your throat of mucus build up.
WARM WATER AND LEMON
TRY swapping your coffee for a warm glass of water with a slice of lemon. The warm water is said to help to flush the digestive system and rehydrate the body, while the bitter lemon loosens ‘ama’, or the toxins in your digestive tract that build due to an improper diet, unhealthy habits or pollution.
WAKE UP WITH THE SUNRISE
GETTING to bed early and waking when the sun rises (before 6am) is a basic Ayurvedic practice that can help you feel more energetic. During these hours, the Vata element is dominant, which is said to govern movement in the body and the nervous system.
Not only is waking up with the sun a gentle way to rouse you out of deep REM sleep, but many believe living in tune with the sun’s cycles can help to enhance brain function and improve feelings of positivity.