Ayurvedic Daily Routine “Dinacharya”

Wake up - It is crucial to get up at same time keeping a schedule to allow your body and mind to fall into a rhythm this helps you flow through your life more easily Prayer/gratitude- Give thanks upon waking in whatever way works best for you. Tongue scraping- Scraping of the tongue removes excess ama “toxins” / bacteria from the tongue and stimulates the digestive system Brush teeth- thoroughly brush your teeth preferably with an all natural toothpaste/ powder. Nowadays you can even get probiotic toothpaste that actually helps build the oral microbiome instead of killing everything off. Floss- Always important to floss in the morning, after meals and before bed Drink- Warm lemon water “Lemon is anti-inflammatory and helps to alkalize the body” to help cleanse and awaken the digestive tract, hydrate your tissues and encourage a bowel movement. Elimination- Try and have a bowel movement at roughly the same time of day, According to Ayurveda, having 1-3 bowel movements per day is considered healthy and regular. So if you are not having at least one a day you know you need to make some changes. The Ayurvedic formula Triphala can really help along with drinking more warm water, eating healthy oils and demulcent herbs like flax seeds, licorice, and marshmallow . Oil pulling - I would recommend doing this after drinking your Lemon water/ triphala, and brushing you teeth. Great time to do this is while you take a shower. Gargle/swish a little bit of sesame oil for at least 5-20 minutes. This helps strengthen the teeth, gums, jaw and voice, while also pulling out any infection or bacteria lingering in your mouth and throat. Spit in the toilet so as to not clog your drain. Find our Peppermint and Cinnamon Pulling Oils in our store. Neti pot/ Naysa Oil- Cleansing the nasal passage with warm salt water using a neti pot, then adding a few drops of warm Naysa oil into each nostril. Naysa oil is a medicated sesame oil infused with organic herbs that help clear, moisturize, and protect the nasal passageways and sinuses. Cleanse the body- Take a shower or cleanse the face, mouth and eyes with cool water. This is invigorating and rejuvenating bringing a sense of freshness and awakeness. Exercise- It is always good to get the body moving, it improves circulation, strength, and endurance. It helps one relax and have sound sleep, improves digestion and elimination. Exercise daily to half of your capacity, which is until sweat forms on the forehead, armpits, and spine Yoga- 10-30 minutes of balancing asana in the morning to assist in increasing circulation, cultivating balance, improving flexibility, and building strength in both the body and mind. Pranayama- Breathing exercises are known in Sanskrit as pranayama. Prana is the breath, it is our ‘life force energy’ and ayama means ‘to control’. We need prana in order to fulfill our dharma and accomplish goals. We need ayama to control the breath, or prana, and direct our energy where we need it to go. When pranayama is practiced daily, the mind awakens, energy is cultivated and balance is maintained. Dr Lad recommends: 12 alternate nostril breaths for Vata 16 cooling shitali breaths (curling up your tongue lengthwise and breathing through it) for Pitta 100 bhastrika (short, fast breaths) for Kapha. Meditation- calms the mind and sets the tone for the day, 15- 30 minutes in the morning and evening is great Dressing - Wearing clean clothes brings beauty and virtue. Use of Perfumes- Using natural scents, essential oils, or perfumes brings freshness, charm, and joy. It gives vitality to the body and improves self-esteem. Dipana - a digestive stimulant that awakes the digestive juices and lets the body know that food is coming and also helps strengthen digestion and metabolism allowing you to absorb the nutrients from food. Try a bit of chopped ginger with salt, or toasted cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds 15 minutes before eating. Breakfast: Your meal should be light in the hot months or if your digestive fire is low, and more substantial in the cold. It is recommended that your morning routine “Dinacharya” be completed before 10am.