New Year, New You!
Whether your New Year's resolution involves the loss of weight or not, Ayurveda’a simple, realistic and practical recommendations will support your goals to better healthier you. Here are a few suggestions to starting your new year as a new and improved you.
SLEEP
The most important thing you can do to improve your sleep quality is to follow an Ayurvedic routine and eat foods suitable for your body type. Exercising in the morning at Kapha time, doing yoga asanas and greeting the sun helps to bring mind and body into balance, and sleep becomes easier in the evening. An Ayurvedic diet that suits your body type and follows an Ayuvedic daily or seasonal routine is the best way to prevent the formation of toxins at the cellular level in the digestive tract.
Create a sleep ritual that gets you to bed an hour earlier than last year. Start the New Year with relaxation, refreshment and ready for a peaceful sleep by sipping on Ayurveda Pura’s Orange & Fennel Bliss™.
Ayurveda recognises that small changes in our daily habits can be the catalyst for immense improvements in health, mind and general well-being. A personalised Ayurvedic health consultation can give you additional advice on how best to structure your diet, lifestyle and daily routine.
WRITE IT DOWN
If you read this article, you are likely interested in health and you probably have some New Year's resolutions for your well-being. The New Year's resolution shouldn’t be just about losing weight or eating healthier, but to evolve as individuals and improve our self, body, mind and spirit. In order to clarify the decisions and changes that need to be made, take the time to sit down and think a few thoughts. Do not type them out but take time to write your thoughts down by hand. Writing is a powerful way to do self-study; it helps to process our experiences and gain greater insight in ourselves. In the Vedic spiritual tradition, contemplation and handwriting go hand in hand. It is the critical step in the process of acquiring knowledge. It is the link between receiving knowledge and acting upon it.
What we love about the idea of making resolutions is execution, but execution can be a bit sticky. Good intentions are a strong incentive for change, but it can be difficult to implement our intentions. When the first month of the new year is over, the year of resolutions is a thing of the past. When we write down our intentions, our goals, we can revisit and remind ourselves of what is most important. This causes the heart and mind to become in sync with the original intention and self evaluation.
The good news is that Ayurveda is full of natural health tips that can change your life forever. At the other end of the spectrum, it stresses that we should not suppress our natural instincts, including the need for food. Dr. Deepa Apté advises us to listen to our bodies and eat when we are hungry, not just for the sake of social grace.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, we should practice certain routines that honour the natural rhythms of body and mind. When you eat what your body needs and what your mind craves, you are on the way to more vitality and better health. Even if you are not ready to commit to an Ayuvedic lifestyle, there are elements that you can integrate into your life. These routines facilitate body and mind, help with proper digestion and stabilise sleep.
TAKE ACTION
Another important Ayurvedic health tip is to enable the body to live in harmony with nature and to create natural circulations in the body. Regular exercises of deep breathing and yoga can bring about a lot of changes in our body and mind.
Through meditation you create a sense of separation of ego and mind and begin to observe your life instead of reacting to it. You will be surprised to see how your mind works when it is fed and rested. Instead of your mind racing as you continue to eat or quickly get angry, you will begin to realise that it is happening and that change is taking place.
See how you work on wellness practices in your existing relationships. Add more to your work schedule so that you feel in tune with how it feels and chances are that you will be inspired to add life choices that bring more balance to your life.
Go to the mat and do yoga and open your mind, body and soul to experience life in the purest and most pleasant way.
ACTION
Books, journalism, preparing food (especially soups during cold months), turning social events into wellness-oriented events and Ayurvedic massages are wonderful practices that can be integrated into intimate relationships. Moreover, if we respect the cycle of time and allow our bodies to get used to it, they will be able to support us better. The novelty of a changing year has the appeal of a time to start afresh.
According to Ayurveda, a sattwic (pure) lifestyle is the best way to develop strength, clarity of mind, health and longevity. One of the best Ayurvedic health tips is to eat properly, regardless of the current constitution or vikruti. Allow your body enough time to digest a meal every four hours.
Food nourishes the body and calms the mind. The basic premise of body and mind is that a healthy mind and body are an integral part of overall health and well-being. Body and mind need to be in balance in order to appreciate joy and happiness without feeling stress.
According to the ancient teachings of Ayurveda, there are aspects of our lives that contribute to our overall health and well-being. Knowing your mind and body type (called dosha) will give you insights into food, lifestyle, body shape and how you can be healthier and more your unique self.
Learn more about our Ayurvedic Wellness Consultations with Dr. Deepa Apté.
Discover your dosha and learn more about yourself and what products are best for you.