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Home Mind Body Wellness
by Women's Health Updated 10/2021
Ayurveda, "the knowledge of life," is a system of health that originated in the
Vedic culture of India more than five thousand years ago. This fantastic
longevity and the growing interest in Ayurveda that we now see in the
Western world speaks to how much the principles of this system of healing
can improve our lives in so many ways, big and small. Ayurveda encourages
finding the balance between your body, mind, and spirit because all three of
these spheres are connected. How do we maintain balance? It is a way of
life, a daily effort in our habits. With the guidance of this ancient wisdom, we
can make choices in our diet and lifestyle that will lead to health, longevity­­
UPDATD: OCT 6, 2021 · ORIGINAL: NOV 14, 2020
10 Ayurvedic Habits and Their Benefits for a
Healthier Life
Ayurveda, is a system of health that originated in the Vedic culture of
India more than five thousand years ago.
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can make choices in our diet and lifestyle that will lead to health, longevity­­
and reaching our fullest potential in life!
In Ayurvedic philosophy, we are born with an intrinsic nature, our Prakriti, that
reflects both physical and mental qualities. We each have a body type, our
Dosha ­­ a unique blend of Air (Vata), Fire (Dosha) and Earth (Kapha), where
one is dominant but all are present. This constitution responds to our diet and
lifestyle choices, our relationships, our environment and even the seasons of
the year. Imbalances can come from the wrong diet, exercising too much or
too little, being exposed to chemicals or germs, not getting enough sleep,
having emotional disturbances and many other factors.
Ayurveda is a holistic practice based on preventing illness and treating
disease by addressing the imbalances that created them. We can restore this
balance with Ayurvedic habits that can become a lifestyle that nurtures us to
become our very best. And while everyone is different, there are some
practices of this ancient wisdom that we can all benefit from incorporating into
our lives.
Eating a light dinner
To improve digestion and the quality of your sleep, Ayurveda recommends
that you enjoy your last meal of the day before 8 PM, and also that it's light
enough that the body can process it before bedtime. This philosophy
considers your digestive system to be most active earlier in the day when it
can handle a more substantial meal. A light dinner will not remain festering in
your stomach all night, leaving you still tired and sluggish the next day. Your

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your stomach all night, leaving you still tired and sluggish the next day. Your
body can concentrate entirely on giving you restorative sleep rather than on
the heavy work of digestion.
Dry Skin Brushing
This invigorating ritual involves using a natural brush (it is essential to avoid
synthetic brushes that can scratch your skin) to brush your entire body, using
long strokes in the direction of your heart. It is a thorough method of
exfoliation that leaves the skin baby soft, while also promoting better health
by helping the lymphatic system to remove toxins.
Neti Pot
This tool looks like a teapot, and it can serve a vital function in preserving
health by helping your nose get rid of the toxins, pollution, and allergens that
it has prevented from entering your body. Use the neti pot to flush saline
water up each nostril, helping to flush out excess mucus and these impurities,
allowing for deeper breathing and relieving the symptoms of allergies and
colds.
Eat Fresh, Seasonal and Local
Ayurveda has many recommendations for the ideal diet, based on your
specific Dosha, but the overlying principle is to eat food that's as fresh, as
seasonal, and as local as you can manage it. Maintain your internal balance
by eating in tune with the seasons and your environment­­ and by eating
foods of the highest possible quality.

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foods of the highest possible quality.
Spices as Medicine
Ayurveda considers spices to be much more than flavor enhancements
because these nutrient­dense foods have wide­ranging healing properties.
Incorporate turmeric to reduce inflammation and protect your heart, ginger to
help your digestion, cinnamon to regulate your blood sugar and allspice as an
antibacterial that can help you fight off infection.
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Self Massage
Called Abyangha, this relaxing ritual also benefits the look and feel of your
skin. Use a high­quality organic oil and luxuriate in massaging your body all
over. It helps the body get rid of waste by stimulating the lymphatic system
and also reduces stress.

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Tongue Scraper
The practice of using a curved tool (often made of copper, gold or brass) to
scrape the tongue has remarkable benefits to the cleanliness of your month
by removing harmful bacteria, reducing bad breath and even improving the
sensitivity of your taste buds.
Exercise
Yoga developed alongside Ayurveda, and the two have a strong connection,
sharing many principles of how to attain optimal health. But even if you don't
want to pursue a yoga practice, what Ayurveda recommends is avoiding a
harmful sedentary lifestyle and incorporating movement you enjoy into your
daily life. Different doshas may benefit more from different types of exercise,
but all bodies are designed to move, and some sort of physical activity is
necessary for good quality of life.
Meditation
One of the guiding principles of this philosophy is that there is a link between
the health of the mind and the health of the body­­they cannot be separated,
and disturbances in your mind can manifest as physical afflictions. A regular
meditation practice, even if it's only 5 minutes every day, helps maintain the
balance necessary for health by reducing stress, cultivating mindfulness, and
increasing your sense of well­being.
Oil Pulling
This practice for detoxification, as well as naturally brightening your teeth, can
be done in the morning while you are getting breakfast ready. Spend 20
minutes swishing a natural oil in your mouth (organic coconut or sesame are
good choices) and spit out the newly white substance. That whiteness is
bacteria and toxins, and your immune system will thank you for helping it
preserve your health.

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Ayurveda maintains that balance is necessary for health and that health is
essential for a good life in which we can reach our real potential. This ancient
system has flourished in modern day because it still has plenty to offer to a
world of busy lives that are increasingly out of balance. Ayurveda teaches us
to attain optimal health by adopting healthy practices to prevent illness and
achieve an optimal sense of well­being.
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References:
1. What is Ayurveda?
2. Intro to Ayurveda: The Three Doshas
3. How to eat for your dosha
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