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10 Steps to Start Your Day the Right Way According To Ayurveda

Girl waking up in bed, young woman sitting on bed yawning in early morning, stretching arms. Everyday routine at home, bedroom modern interior design.

If you love Ayurveda and want to begin your journey with it, but you have no idea where to start.   Don’t worry, I’m here to help.   In this blog, I’ll walk you through some of the most important Ayurvedic daily routines that can help you improve your health, digestion, longevity, and overall well-being.   Understanding the Foundation of Ayurveda: Digestion   One of the most basic concepts you need to understand when you think about Ayurveda is digestion.   Ayurveda primarily believes in the power of digestion to heal diseases, help you look good, feel good, and become your highest self. According to Ayurvedic principles, many health issues begin when digestion is weak or impaired. That is why almost every routine described in Ayurveda focuses on improving digestion and supporting the body’s natural healing processes.   With that understanding, let’s go through the Ayurvedic morning routine step by step.   1. Wake Up Early in the Morning   The first and most important routine that Ayurveda describes is waking up early.   Why is it important to wake up early?   The period before sunrise is known as the Vata Kala, a time when the Vata energy in the body naturally helps push bowel movements downward and supports elimination.   This sacred period before sunrise is traditionally known as Brahma Muhurta. Ideally, you should wake up during this time. However, if waking up extremely early feels difficult, try to wake up at least before sunrise or with the sunrise.   Starting your day early aligns your body with nature’s rhythms and helps in healthy digestion and elimination.   2. Brush Your Teeth the Ayurvedic Way   Now that you’ve woken up early, the next step is brushing your teeth.   Brushing should be done using a good toothpaste that is Ayurvedically compliant. But what makes a toothpaste Ayurvedically compliant?   One that doesn’t have a sweet taste. Today, many toothpaste brands offer sweet flavors, but Ayurveda recommends avoiding them.   Instead, prefer tastes that help cleanse and stimulate your mouth rather than sweetening it. Like the Katu(spicy), Tikta(bitter), or Kashaya(astrigent).   3. Practice Tongue Scraping   After brushing comes tongue scraping.   Why are brushing and tongue scraping so important?   As I mentioned earlier, Ayurveda places tremendous emphasis on digestion. Digestion begins in the mouth. The food you eat mixes with saliva, which contains salivary amylase, an enzyme that begins the digestive process.   Because digestion starts in the mouth, maintaining oral hygiene is considered a crucial part of overall health.   Tongue scraping is very simple. Just stick out your tongue and gently scrape it.   For tongue scraping, Ayurveda recommends using a copper tongue scraper. If copper is not available, a stainless steel tongue scraper is also acceptable. However, it is best to avoid plastic tongue scrapers.   4. Try Oil Pulling   Once you’ve completed brushing and tongue scraping, it’s time for oil pulling.   Oil pulling involves holding oil in your mouth for a period of time.   Ayurveda states that the best oil for oil pulling is organic black sesame oil. You may have heard many influencers and brands recommending coconut oil for oil pulling, but Ayurveda recommends using organic black sesame oil.   Warm water or even milk can also be used, but sesame oil is generally considered the best option for most people.   5. Drink Warm Water   The next step is simple but powerful: drink warm water.   You can choose plain warm water or water infused with herbs.   Warm water helps gently stimulate digestion and prepares your digestive system for the day ahead.   6. Perform Abhyanga (Daily Oil Massage)   One of the most important practices in Ayurveda is Abhyanga, or daily oil massage.   Ayurveda has immense love for oil massages, not only because they help improve longevity and prevent health issues, but also because they play a vital role in maintaining overall health and vitality.   Abhyanga is considered an anti-aging practice. Everyone can benefit from it, whether they are a small child, an adult, or an elderly person.   On your extremely busy days, even a quick two- to three-minute oil massage can be beneficial. On days when you have more time, try to perform Abhyanga for five to ten minutes.   You can find my complete guide to Abhyanga here.   This simple daily ritual nourishes the body, supports circulation, and promotes relaxation.   7. Get Some Sunshine   While you have oil on your body after during Abhyanga, try standing in the sunlight for a few minutes if possible.   This can help you improve your vitamin D levels.   Vitamin D is often called the “sunshine vitamin” because sunlight remains one of the most effective ways for your body to obtain it. While food and supplements help, direct sunlight exposure plays an important role.   Combining a gentle oil massage with a few minutes of morning sunlight can be a wonderful way to start your day.   8. Move Your Joints   After Abhyanga, the next step is to move all your joints.   Just like how machines work better when lubricated with oil. In a similar way, our joints work more smoothly with oil and movement.   Have you ever noticed that people who practice yoga consistently often appear youthful even in their sixties and seventies? One reason is the flexibility of the muscles, bones, and joints.   9. Take a Warm Shower   Once you’ve completed your oil massage and joint movements, it’s time for a shower.   Ayurveda recommends using warm water for the body while using normal, room-temperature water for the hair.   Warm water helps cleanse the oil and keeps the body comfortable, however, when it comes to your head, scalp, and hair, excessive heat on the scalp can lead to hair fall and hair loss.   The head is considered an area that should remain relatively cool. Therefore, use cool or room-temperature… Continue reading 10 Steps to Start Your Day the Right Way According To Ayurveda

What are Vata, Pitta and Kapha Doshas in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a traditional system of medicine. Beyond that, it is a way of life that helps you reach the ultimate goal of overall wellness. In Ayurveda, the status of your health primarily  revolves around the balance of  your biophysical energies or Doshas.  There are three types of Doshas – Vata, Pitta and Kapha, collectively called Tridoshas.  They are derived  from the 5 basic elements known as “Panchamahabhutas.” The Panchamahabhutas are space or ether, air, fire, water and  earth. All these Doshas must be known to understand the unique constitution of one’s body and how to maintain a balanced manner to attain good health.    The Panchamahabhutas: The Basis of Doshas   The Panchamahabhutas are the fundamental elements that all matter in the universe is based on. These elements, in different combinations, make up the Doshas.  Knowing them can delve deeper into the Doshas’ nature and influence on our bodies and minds. Ether (Space): This is the most subtle of all the elements. It symbolizes emptiness and the possibility of creation. Air: Associated with motion, lightness, and actionability. Fire: Associated with transformation, heat, and metabolism. Water: Fluidity, cohesion, lubrication. Earth: Most solid elements are related to stability and structure. Each Dosha gets its uniqueness from a different combination of these elements, which explains their distinct characteristics and effects on our bodies.   What Are the Doshas?   Doshas are biophysical energies that govern our inner and  outer environments. These energies or Doshas, are present in everybody and everything. They are found in a unique ratio in each individual. This determines one’s Prakriti or physiological and psychological profile.  If your Doshas are in balance, you have health and well-being. They, when in imbalance due to diet, lifestyle, or environmental factors, give rise to diseases.   Vata   Vata is the energy of movement. It constitutes air and  ether.  Vata Dosha governs  bodily functions, like breathing, nerve impulses, and  circulation. When in balance, there is much creativity and vitality. If it’s out of balance, the result is anxiety, dryness, and irregularity in the functions. Characteristics: Light, cold, dry, irregular, quick. Physical Characteristics: Thin build, dry skin, cold hands and feet. Mental Characteristics: Imaginative, anxious, quick learner. Imbalances: Result in anxiety, insomnia, xerosis, and constipation. You can balance your Vata Dosha by following a routine that includes warm, nutrient packed food, proper sleep, and activities like yoga or meditation.   Pitta   Pitta is composed of fire and water. It governs your digestion and metabolism. This fuels the drive of appetite, intelligence, and body heat.  A balanced Pitta Dosha is marked by clarity and energy. However,when it’s out of balance, it results in anger, inflammation and digestive problems. Characteristics: Sharp, oily, hot, intense, and light Physical Traits: Medium build, warm skin, sharp features. Mental Traits: Intelligent, competitive, driven. Imbalances: Marked by symptoms, such as anger, indigestion, skin rashes, heartburn. Balancing the Pitta would require cooling food, relaxing exercises or techniques, and avoiding overwork. Fresh fruits, lots of vegetables and whole grains can nullify the inflamed nature of the Pittas.   Kapha   Kapha Dosha constitutes earth and water. It is the energy of body stability and structure. It controls growth, hydration and immune responses. A person with a proper and well-balanced Kapha will, consequently, be calm, patient, and, moreover, an endurance expert. A Kapha  imbalance will result in lethargy, weight increase, and congestion. Characteristics: Heavy, slow, steady, oily, and cool. Physical Traits: Compact, soft-skinned, big-eyed. Mental Traits: Loyal, patient, compassionate. Imbalances: Results in obesity, slowdown in digestion, depression, and allergies. Massage-reviving functions and a balanced diet with light spicy foods maintain Kapha. Exercise and abstinence from heavy, oily foods will keep Kapha in harmony.   What is Prakriti?   Your Prakriti is your constitution and  fixed at the moment of conception. This is a blueprint of your inborn strengths and weaknesses.  By knowing your Prakriti, you can devise your lifestyle in a manner that will maintain a balance of your Doshas. Are you looking for more valuable insights? Head onto our blog section!   How to Know Your Prakriti?   Knowing your Prakriti means knowing which Doshas are most operative in your constitution based on that knowledge. We can guess these by looking within ourselves or consulting an Ayurvedic professional. Here’s a brief overview of how the Doshas may manifest in your physical and mental attributes: Vata Dominant: Thin and lean, dry skin, quick mind, active, anxious, and sleepless. Pitta Dominant: Medium-built, warm-skinned, sharp intellect, ambitious, irritable, and easily inflamed. Kapha Dominant: Heavier in build, smooth skin, calm disposition, steady energy, tends to put on weight and become lethargic. Knowing your Prakriti helps you tailor a diet, exercise, and daily routines suitable for bringing out balance in life. Balancing the Doshas   Keeping your Doshas in balance is what keeps you healthy. The Doshas are particularly sensitive to continued influences, such as diet, lifestyle, stress and environmental elements that disturb your balance.   What to do to Balance Vata?   Diet: Have warm, freshly-cooked food with spices, such as ginger and cinnamon. Lifestyle: Follow a daily routine. Engage in activities that ground you in life, such as meditation and yoga. Season: Vata is provoked by a cold, dry & windy climate. Keep warm and moist.   Tips to Pacify Pitta   Diet: Consume cooling foods like greens, melons and cucumbers. Stay away from hot, spicy, and oily foods. Lifestyle: Moderate work and exercise. Moreover, engage in cool recreation activities like swimming or, alternatively, walking in nature to calm down Season: One shouldn’t disturb the natural order of Doshas. Avoid hot and humid seasons. Always be cautious at the seasonal end.   Tips for Balancing Kapha   Diet: Light, spicy foods; avoid dairy and heavy foods; include stimulating spices like black pepper and turmeric. Lifestyle: Be active & get regular exercise, but avoid too much sleeping and sedentary habits. Season: In cold, damp weather, Kapha Dosha is dominant. So, stay warm and dry.   Consult an Ayurvedic doctor to guide you regarding your right… Continue reading What are Vata, Pitta and Kapha Doshas in Ayurveda?