Ayurveda for Your Daily Routine

By Dr. Beena Vesikar

To maintain work flow, we have a schedule for our work. In winterwe wear heavy clothing, and in summerwe need to wear lighter clothing. Similarly, we need to change our daily regimen according to the seasons. Ayurveda has explained an ideal daily schedule according to seasons and individual constitution (body type). This daily regimen consists of waking and sleeping hours, exercise, food and food habits, care of our whole body and more. If we overeat at night and get to bed late, the next day we do not feel fresh and have some problem in bowel movements. This is because we’ve disrupted our normal routine. Hence, it is important for us to follow a daily regimen.

‘Dinacharya’ is an ideal daily routine in order to achieve optimum health. To stay healthy the concept of three pillars should be followed. These are Diet, Sleep, and Purity of Thought, Word and Deed (also control over sexual desire). Good health is a state of balance between the mind, body, spirit and environment.

Wake up early in the morning before sunrise. Empty your bladder and bowels. Proper elimination helps to remove all the wastes and toxins from the body. Defecation once or twice daily is best. Examine your elimination each morning. If you notice any disturbance indicating poor digestion, allow the system to rest and correct the system by fasting. While fasting, these things should be followed:

a. Drink lukewarm water.
b. If hungry, eat light—rice cooked with lentils with ghee.
c. Avoid over-exertion. Fasting produces lightness in the body.

Dental care—Teeth should be brushed with medicated pastes or powders having astringent, bitter and slightly pungent taste. Especially made from Mimusops elengi, Eurgenia, Cinamonum zeylonicum, Acacia catechu, Acacia arabica, Glycerrhiza glabra, Hemisdismus indicus, etc.

Tongue care—Tongue should be cleaned with tongue scrapers made of gold, silver, copper, tin or brass. They should be curved and have smooth edges. The tongue should be cleaned gently without much pressure. Cleansing of the tongue freshens the mouth and stimulates digestive secretions.

Mouth care—Gargling strengths teeth, improves the voice, keeps the oral cavity hygienic. Gargling with honey is useful in mouth ulcers and inflammation of oral mucosa. Milk gargles give a cooling effect while gargling with hot water cleanses the oral cavity. Sesame oil is also used for gargling; it prevents stomatitis, cleanses the oral cavity and strengthens teeth and gums.

Skin care—Every morning face and eyes should be washed with cool water. Medicated pastes containing Hemidismus indicus, Manjistha, glycerrhiza glabra, Santalum album, Turmeric, should be applied over the face. Allow it to dry then wash off with water. It helps the skin to glow and tighten.

Eye care—Eyes should be sprinkled with cold water. Collyrium (Kajal) made from decoction of some herbs should be applied in the eyes. It helps to remove the dirt from the eyes and reduces burning and stress from eyes and protects them from photophobia.

Nose Care—Medicated nasal drops should be put in the nostrils to improve efficiency of all sense organs and brain. It prevents neck and head diseases. It also prevents early graying of hair. It is a treatment in cervical spondilitis, headaches, facial paralysis, hemiplegia, frozen shoulder, sinusitis, prakinsonism and many more. It should not be used after a bath, food, sex, during pregnancy, menstruation.

Exercise—Should be done according to your age, constitution and season. Exercise is beneficial in winter and spring. It increases muscle strength and helps the body shape up. Vata constitutions should have regulated and moderate exercise like Yoga. Kapha constitutions should have exercise like aerobics, Pilates etc. Exercise is not good for weak and emaciated people or after heavy meals. Exercise is contraindicated in patients of heart diseases, asthma, vertigo or blood disorders.

Dr. Beena Vesikar received her BAMS and MD degrees from the University of Poona in India and has taught in Ayurvedic colleges in India. She is passionate about Ayurveda and dedicated to spreading this ancient wisdom in the U.S. She is located in Farmington and can be contacted at vesikarbeena@rediffmail.com.