Our bodies do better when we lean into circadian rhythms, the 24-hour ebb and flow of light and dark and the rhythms of the season. In this regard, Ayurvedic principles, the ancient medicine of India, can provide us with guidance as to how to better move with the flow of life and improve our wellness and ease.
Ayurveda is defined as the “science of life”. The daily and seasonal routines of Ayurveda describe how best to flow with time over the course of a day, season and life span. Working with this flow preserves our health. Change is the root of aging. Although we cannot escape the changes borne of time, there are aspects to change that are predictable; Days, months, and a life span have identifiable patterns.
In Ayurveda, the primary flow factor is referred to as “Vata” or that which moves. Fall/winter is the “Vata season” in the Northern part of the United States. Vata is the dry, light and rough qualities of space and air. So, ameliorating this quality helps us to move with more ease through these colder months.
Here are some simple guidelines to move with more ease, particularly right now when we can “burn” ourselves out when we should be getting more rest:
1. Lean into Daily Consistent Morning Routines
Dinacharyameans “daily morning routine” and is an essential practice for health. Ayurveda offers up a beautiful consistent morning routine that helps us to move through the rest of the day with ease.
Here are some key guidelines:
Wake Up at the Same Time Each Day: Keeping to a scheduled wake up time gets your body and mind set in a rhythm to gracefully begin your daily activities.
Scrape Tongue: Use a tongue cleaner to remove the bacteria-filled coating on the tongue and to stimulate the digestive system, or just use a stainless steel spoon flipped backwards.
Brush Teeth: Try Tooth Powder, a fluoride-free combination of herbs and minerals for oral hygiene.
Drink Warm Water: Drinking a glass of warm water cleanses and awakens the digestive tract, hydrates the tissues, and encourages a bowel movement.
Oil Pull: Swishing and gargling helps strengthen the teeth, gums, jaw, and voice, while improving the sense of taste. Swish it in your mouth for anywhere from 5–20 minutes.
Rinse Face, Mouth, and Eyes: A splash of cool water is soothing and rejuvenating to the face, mouth, and eyes. It brings a sense of freshness to the body and mind.
Eliminate: A bowel movement each morning is a sign of a healthy digestive system. If you are not eliminating daily, be sure your diet includes of plenty of fluids and fiber. And to support regular bowel movements, try taking Triphala at night.
Take Triphala with Warm Water, 1 Hour Before Sleep Triphala is a traditional Ayurvedic formula and is revered for its unique ability to gently cleanse and detoxify the digestive tract while replenishing, nourishing, and rejuvenating the tissues. It supports healthy elimination upon waking in the morning. You can take the Triphala as a powder,
2. Move the lymph system by Self Massage with Nourishing oils before your shower.
Ayurveda leans into self-massage (Abhyanga), ear lubrication, and nasal lubrication to ameliorate the cold, harsh, dis-settling aspects of winter on our bodies, skin and mental health.
Self-massage is a profound practice of rejuvenation and loving self-care. Performing a self-massage with warm oil calms the nervous system, lubricates and rejuvenates, and promotes healthy circulation. There are many information pieces on Abyangha: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0671/8678/6523/files/Elements_of_Ayurveda_Self-Massage_Guide.pdf
Ear Lubrication: Place 1–2 drops of warm Ear Oil in each ear.
Nasal Lubrication (Nasya): Place a few drops of Nasya Oil in the nose.
3. Nourish your body in way that supports your wellness in this cooler, windy season.
In cold weather:
- Favor sweet, sour and salty taste
- Enjoy foods that build the body such as wheat, oats, dal, organic meat, root vegetables, bananas, and dates
- Drink warming spiced waters with ingredients like cinnamon and ginger
- Sleep a little more
- Exercise a little less
- Practice self-massage at least once per week
- Have a hot bath at least once per week (with Epsom salts)
4. Focus on increased rest and sleep. In the darkness this is moving with the flow of nature.
- Practice to improve sleep in the Vata season
- Eat dinner two to three hours before bedtime
- Consume moist grounding foods such as ghee, whole grains, soups and stews and calming herbal teas
- Try a head massage and/or foot massage before bed
- Be sure the place you’re sleeping is not too hot or too cold and smells pleasant
- Apply a dab of lavender oil on your temples
- Take a 15- to -20-minute “sense break” between 2 to 6 pm to calm “Vata”
- Think positive thoughts; give thanks.
My favorite author in this regard is Katie O’Donnell.
Favorite Fall herbs for night:
Ashwagandha – supports the body’s ability to adapt to stress (is adaptogenic), supports the thyroid, decreases muscular skeletal pain.
Turmeric – anti-inflammatory for joints; small intestine. Utilize in Golden Milk that is prepared or that you make yourself
Brahmi – means mind and improves mental clarity. Use in a mind clarity supplement before you begin a hyperfocus session in the morning.
Note that circadian rhythms suggest that the best time to get a concentrated project done that entails mental focus is between 6 am and 10 am. Set yourself up for this by being well hygiene: Dinacharya completed, warm nourishing foods consumed, hydrated with room temp water, move bowels, stretching and movement completed, and cell phone, emails, notifications 100 percent removed as distractions. 90 to 120 minutes spent this way can accomplish a lot.
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Here are some make your own drinks that heal not only as you drink them but as you prepare. Modify these recipes to make them your own.
Golden Mind Milk
- ½ tsp ashwagandha powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp Sweet Rose Marsala
- 1/8 tsp brahmi powder
- ½ tsp coconut sugar
- Dash of black pepper
- 10 oz of milk substitute of your choice.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the ingredients to steaming. Whisk with a milk frothier/ Strain drink immediately.
Sweet Rose Masala Chai
- 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp dried rose petals
- Pinch of ground cloves
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
Combine into the coffee grinder until uniform. Store in glass jar with airtight lid.
You can order many wonderful organic spices directly through Mountain Rose herbal
5. Find joy, awe and gratitude daily
Be well in the cooler season, find the joys of family and friends; and measured solitude; remember to be grateful for what is yours; and to reach out to someone that needs what you uniquely bring to the world.
Use the QR code below to find a full list of products to support winter wellness at Fullscript.
