While modern medicine has been disease oriented for much of its history, focusing primarily on the treatment of diseases, Ayurveda has always been regarded as a way of life and a form of preventive medicine. Its goal has always been to promote wellness and prevent the onset of diseases through a variety of natural methods. This holistic approach to health has been Ayurveda’s defining feature and it is now changing the way that we look at healthcare. The use of Ayurvedic medicine has also received support from the World Health Organization, which has come to regard such traditional forms of medicine as essential to avert a public health crisis due to spiralling medical costs and also due to its sustainable nature. So, it’s worth adopting some of the simplest tips for wellness from this ancient Indian medical science.
5 Wellness Tips from Ayurveda
Follow a Daily Routine
Ayurveda is the first medical science to recognize the importance of following a disciplined daily routine, with fixed meal times and sleep-wake times. The benefits of such a daily regimen are only now recognized as scientists have begun to understand the role of the circadian rhythm in human health and wellness. The Dinacharya or Ayurvedic daily routine helps to strengthen your internal biological clock, reducing the risk of illness.
Eat Fresh, Seasonal and Local
The most basic rule of any Ayurvedic diet is to eat fresh foods or whole foods, dominated by fresh fruits and vegetables, while eliminating your intake of processed foods. Additionally, it is always a good idea to eat local and seasonal produce as such foods are naturally suited to our nutritional requirements, which also vary according to changing seasons and the environment.
Have Light Dinner
With urban lifestyles dinner has often become the main meal of the day as this is the only meal that families get to eat together. While communal eating is highly recommended, dinner should be the lightest meal of the day as it could otherwise increase your risk of digestive problems such as acidity, heartburn, GERD and indigestion, as well as sleep disturbances.
Use Herbs and Spices as Medicine
In Ayurveda, herbs and spices are more than condiments for flavouring, but also offer great medicinal value because of their nutritional complexity and the presence of therapeutic compounds in these ingredients. For example, turmeric is known to offer anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective benefits because of the presence of curcumin, while gingerols in ginger aid digestion and can also help support immune function.
Practice Yoga and Meditation
The importance of exercise is well-recognized in Ayurveda and Yoga is regarded as the best choice because it offers both physical and mental health benefits through the combination of Asanas or physical poses, pranayamas or breathing exercises and meditation. The regular practice of yoga is therefore one of the best ways to promote both physical and mental wellness and healthy habits, lowering the risk of common health problems.
Ayurveda is such a rich source of traditional health wisdom that it’s hard to narrow down a list of wellness tips to just 5. However, these are some of the most important tips that you can follow to get started. Once you get started, you can also explore other Ayurvedic practices such as Abhyanga, oil pulling, tongue scraping, Nasya, Neti and lots more.
