The most basic of activities have a profound influence on our well-being. Yet it is these very basic activities that are often accorded second, third or last place in our daily lives. It is time to take a good hard look at our daily routines and re-learn the basics that are essential for health and longevity.Breathe!
Breath is essential for survival, and breathing the first and most basic activity we learn. On average, we breathe 22,000 times a day, and how we breathe is crucial to good health and longevity. The deeper, slower and smoother we breathe, the more prana (life-force) we provide to the physiology. Deep breathing forces us to slow down and relax, helping over the long-term to fight the effects of stress. From the perspective of modern science as well, more oxygen to the blood, brain and muscles helps elevate energy levels and maximize mental performance. But because of sheer lack of attention to this most basic of functions and the multiple stressors we are bombarded with all day long, few of us remember to breathe deeply or correctly. We take quick shallow breaths hurriedly, often through the mouth instead of the nose, as we rush about our daily activities. It's time to re-learn how to breathe for health and longevity...
Drink Water
The elixir of life is the second most important ingredient for well-being, and again, one that is often overlooked by many of us. Water is essential not only for rehydration but also forms the basis of good blood, dewy skin and healthy body tissues. Every cell in your body, as well as the space between cells, every tissue and every organ needs water. From the perspective of modern science as well, drinking about one-half of your weight in fluid ounces of water each day is essential for health. While ayurvedic healers do not specify a blanket quantity, they recommend using your urine as a guide to whether you need to drink more water-if your urine is not clear or it looks too concentrated, you need more water. Inadequate water can cause headaches and grogginess and more severe dehydration has even more serious health repercussions. As we grow older, our body's thirst signals become weaker, and it is then even more important to remember to drink enough water through the day...
Eat Right
This is an exhortation ayurvedic healers never tire of voicing over and over again. The right kind and quantity of food is so important that it is accorded an even higher status than medicine in ayurveda. "Annaha brahmaha" goes the ayurvedic saying--"Food is divine." Eating inappropriate foods or following poor eating routines and habits not only have short-term repercussions on energy levels, mental clarity and emotional well-being, they also seriously damage health and well-being over the long-term sometimes causing irreversible damage to the physiology and shortening our life-span.
Ayurvedic healers do not have a "one-size-fits-all" approach to diet and nutrition. Your dietary needs are unique to you, and you have to develop the diet that is ideal for you over time. There are general guidelines for food choices for people with more or less of each of the three doshas--vata, pitta and kapha--in their prakriti (original constitution) and vikriti (current state of the doshas), but within these general guidelines you can choose what works best for you. Listen to your physiology carefully and it will guide you to the foods that enhance not just your physical but also mental and emotional balance. Whatever your food choices, eat pure, fresh, whole, natural foods...
Sleep
Another basic for health and longevity, sleep is becoming a rare commodity for many in our frenetic, 24/7 society. According to ayurveda as well as modern science, sleep is essential for our minds and bodies to recharge and prepare for the next day. Lack of sleep impairs the digestion, contributes to ama accumulation, clouds the brain and places greater demands on every part of the physiology with each passing day. Modern science has linked sleep deprivation to elevated blood pressure, obesity and depression.
Ayurveda does not prescribe eight hours of sleep each night for everyone. You have to determine the sleep quota that is adequate for you to function at peak levels by monitoring your sleep and activity levels over a period of time. Times of extra pressure need to be compensated with extra sleep time...
Exercise
Just as good quality sleep at night is essential to help the physiology recharge, adequate levels of physical and mental activity during the day are important for well-being and longevity. The ayurvedic daily routine encompasses both physical exercise and mental activity, and the view of modern science as well is that the admonition "use it or lose it" is equally valid for your muscles as it is for your brain.
As with diet and sleep, ayurvedic healers recommend structuring an exercise program that is ideal for your needs. If you are trying to balance Kapha dosha, for instance, you would choose more robust forms of exercise such as aerobics, singles tennis or long-distance jogging. If you are trying to keep Pitta in balance, swimming in summer and skiing in winter might be options to investigate. Walking and yoga are universally beneficial because they can be tailored to individual needs, and convenient because they need no special equipment, can be done alone and everyday...
Cleanse
Staying ama-free--free of toxic build-up--is crucial for well-being and longevity. Ayurvedic healers consider ama to be the breeding ground for imbalances and disorders. From fatigue and vague aches and pains to more serious health problems, ama can cause ongoing problems if not flushed out regularly.
Many of the basics we have discussed above contribute to purification. Deep breathing cleanses the lungs of depleted air and purifies and strengthens the entire respiratory system. Drinking lots of pure water through the day helps flush impurities out through sweat and urine. Eating the right foods and following good dietary routines helps prevent much ama from forming in the first place by helping your digestion function at its best...
Meditate
Take thirty minutes each day to recharge body, mind, senses, heart and spirit with meditation. Research shows that meditation helps enhance your ability to manage stress, it promotes mental clarity and emotional balance and does wonders for physical health from promoting good sleep to reducing hypertension.
Meditation can be done in the morning or the evening or both morning and evening. Meditate in a silent, serene atmosphere, in a room free of clutter or amid nature. Sit erect, facing east or north, and start with a few minutes of aware breathing before beginning your meditation. After your meditation, take a few minutes to rest quietly before resuming your daily routine. The aroma of pure sandalwood and ayurvedic herbs such as Brahmi can help enhance the quality of your meditation.
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