24 May 5 Ancient Secrets of Ayurveda

Ayurveda provides several solutions that help to balance your doshas and make a significant contribution to your overall well-being. As a result of our modern lifestyle, we have become a generation of hustlers and pill poppers. This is due to the fact that most of us want to be fit for life in a short period of time. All while, we overlook the potential benefits that Ayurveda provides.  

Here are a few simple Ayurvedic-inspired ideas to make your life less stressful and more magical.

1. Meditation –

We almost always bring all of our emotional issues from our lives to the dining table or wherever we eat. Every decision is the result of our eco system, conditioning, thought patterns, and behaviours. How can we break a non-life-sustaining food habit when these patterns are so predetermined?

It is not a luxury to have a few minutes of silence and meditation. It is an absolute necessity. For thousands of years, people have meditated. Meditation is a form of alternative medicines that benefits both the mind and the body. Meditation can induce state of relaxation and mental calmness. Meditation requires you to focus your attention and free your head of the jumbled thoughts that may be swamping your mind and inflicting stress. After experiencing the effects of meditation, it is difficult to ignore its benefits.

2. Yoga and Ayurveda should be practised in tandem –

Yoga and Ayurveda work together in a beautiful way. In reality, one is nearly impossible to practise without the other. For asanas to be beneficial, a sattvic diet – a fresh diet consisting primarily of seasonal fruits and vegetables, is recommended. Too much meat, processed foods, and sugar deplete the body’s prana, or energy level. The intersection of Yoga and Ayurveda is important for understanding one’s body type and how to plan an asana sequence that is nourishing rather than depleting for the body.

3. Use plenty of warming spices –

According to Ayurveda, cold weather increases the vata, or air element, in the body. Warming spices such as cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and turmeric help to balance the body during the winter holiday season. These spices help to reduce the air element, which relieves seasonal mood disorders, joint pains, arthritis aggravated by the cold and even depression.

4. Consume hot water –

The effect on dousing the agni, or fire, which is the foundation of your digestive health in Ayurveda, is almost immediate. When you pour cold water over your digestive system, it takes a beating. Choose a hot cup of plain water or herbal tea after most meals to balance overeating, eating too much sugar or savoury food, or even eating heavy or fried foods, especially during the holidays.

5. Stop counting calories –

Nature’s blessings and bounty are numerous. Calories are simply not the right way to count them. That is the road to deprivation and denial of what can be a pleasurable and fulfilling experience. Nourishing good fats like ghee, olive oil, and coconut oil send happy signals to the brain, which may reduce our cravings.

Instead of complaining or comparing while eating, focus on praising, appreciating, and expressing gratitude. Offering a prayer or any words of gratitude has been a magical act in all cultures, an opportunity to bless and express gratitude for the abundance. It is a sublime intention to hold sacred what nourishes every cell in your bodies. Eating with joy and gratitude cannot be overstated.

Hymns are found in ancient Ayurvedic texts that are recited to honour our food. Remember that food is not a commodity to be measured in calories. Eat mindfully in a pleasant and calm environment.