What morning routine to adopt according to Ayurveda?

The morning ritual in Ayurveda is an excellent way to promote the well-being of the body and mind to start your day well. It includes breathing exercises, meditation, yoga and taking natural food supplements to restore the balance of your dosha.

1. Rise with the sun.

Waking up before the sun has beneficial effects on the body and helps improve concentration. Take the opportunity to do some stretches and movements to activate your blood circulation and feel more energetic.

2. Wash your tongue with a tongue scraper.

The tongue is an important diagnostic tool in Ayurveda and should not be neglected. Using a tongue scraper every morning helps eliminate toxins and bacteria accumulated in the mouth during the night. Place the tongue scraper at the back of the tongue, on the furthest area. Move from back to front. Rinse the tongue scraper with lukewarm water and dry it well with a towel to prevent oxidation of the copper. Then brush your teeth.

3. Practice gandoush or oil-pulling.

This involves rinsing your mouth with a tablespoon of organic oil (first cold pressed), such as sesame oil or coconut oil, for 5 to 15 minutes. Time to take a shower or prepare breakfast. Try holding the mouthwash from side to side passing between teeth forward until the oil turns white and milky. If the oil is still yellow when you spit it out, it means that the mouthwash was not done enough or not active enough.
The oil will help catch and eliminate water-insoluble bacteria which are harmful to the body. This Ayurvedic practice improves oral hygiene, cleans dental plaque and helps build facial muscles at the same time. At the end of the session, spit the oil into a tissue and rinse your mouth with lukewarm water.

4. Hydrate well according to your dosha.

Drinking water in the morning helps stimulate the digestive system, kidneys and prevent dehydration. In Ayurveda, however, we recommend adapting to your dosha to know which temperature is best suited. For pitta dosha, prefer temperate or lukewarm water and for kapha and vata dosha, hot water. We recommend taking your AJY treatment in the morning on an empty stomach or with breakfast.

5. Practice self-massage for 5 minutes.

In Ayurveda, the emphasis is on "marma" points, these correspond to acupressure points and are generally positioned on our lymph nodes. Massaging these points using a Kansa Wand is important in Ayurvedic medicine because it releases blocked or stagnant energy and the draining action of the massage allows the elimination of toxins by draining the lymph nodes. Massage also helps combat insomnia, fatigue and cramps. The Kansa Wand is older than "gua sha" or jade roll-on tools and has many uses, because it also helps to enhance the cheekbones and make the skin naturally radiant.

For the massage, choose a vegetable oil adapted to your dosha.

Vata : to use in a hot atmosphere, choose a heavy and nourishing oil.

Pitta : your massage should be relaxing. Avoid hot atmospheres.

Kapha : to use at room temperature, prefer stimulating massages to activate the lymphatic system.

 

 

By putting these principles into practice and trying to integrate them into our daily routine, Ayurvedic medicine offers us all the keys to starting our day well.