Ayurveda teaches not just about massages or herbal medicines. Being a science and art of living healthy, it deals with all those aspects of our life which can influence our health and well being. One of the important teaching in Ayurveda is about how to live a day for better health. If this is followed as recommended, then all our problems related to “bad lifestyle” will be solved.
This part of teaching has been named as “Dinacharya”. Dinacharya is made up of two words from Sanskrit meaning Dina – routine and Charya – activities. Hence, it is a guideline to spend our day in a better and healthy way.
Here below are the routine activities that need to be followed religiously for a healthy life:
• Like the saying goes, ‘Early to bed, early to rise makes the man healthy, wealthy and wise’, rise early in the morning, before sunrise. Then it is an ideal time to let the body cells soak in the strength of a tempered sun, thus ready to be charged for the day.
• Wash your face and then fill your mouth with water and spit it after gargling for a while. Then splash normal water into the open eyes.
• There after go to the toilet for evacuation of bowels. Empty your bowel as soon as possible. The proper elimination ensures that body is functioning right. If you delay the process to late in the morning, it means during the day you are creating favourable condition for the diseases to manifest.
• Brush your teeth and scrape your tongue with a right tongue scraper.
• Drinking a glass of warm water in the morning helps one to flush out all toxins accumulated overnight in the body.
• Self-massage with oil is necessary for every person. A regular self-massage with herbal oils at least once in three days is usually adequate, but needs to be supplemented with professional attention, occasionally.
• Regular exercise is definitely a must. Regular exercise not only increases the stamina of the body, but also increases the resistance to diseases by boosting the immune system.
• Take bath daily, if possible twice a day and also regular shower, may be every alternate day
• Always wear comfortable clothes at home as well as while going out. Use perfumes, preferably of natural fragrance which will make you feel good.
• Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It should be fresh, warm and nutritious.
• While in work give your 100 per cent. At frequent intervals keep resting. One can take a deep breath and relax for sometime in between work. At least drink a fruit juice once a day while in work, preferably when thirsty and tired.
• Lunch intake should be between 12.00 noon to 2.00 pm, which is according to Ayurveda is Pittakala, a period favourable for good digestion. Don’t eat in a hurry. Chew the food you eat properly and concentrate on what you eat.
• Don’t take office-related tension or worries home. Relax, maintain calm and rest for sometime once back home
• Take a shower with warm water.
• In the evening it is good to avoid beverages such as tea, coffee, hot drinks as well as indulge in activities that might disturb one for all these stimulates your mind.
• Dinner time should be ideally between 7.00 pm to 8.00 pm. Make it a point to have dinner with family or friends. Dinner should always be lighter than lunch.
• Remember to spend some quality time in company of family, friends or just yourself by reading or simply relaxing.
• The most ideal bed time is between 9.00 pm to 10.00 pm. Practice some deep breathing or just pray before you sleep.
When the said routine activities are done continuously, automatically it becomes part of your routine with body and mind getting accustomed to it leading you towards the path of health.
Have a healthy life ahead…
