Practicing An Ayurvedic Lifestyle…Beyond The Food

By Kiran Bissoon | June 7, 2018

The word, Ayurveda, (Ayurvedic) is derived from Sanskrit meaning, “the knowledge of life,” and defines an ancient Indian practice of healing wisdom that has been in practice for over 5,000 years.

At Ki’s Kitchen, we tend to focus on the food aspect of Ayurveda, simply because that is our specialty and our passion. However, the practice of Ayurveda (and Ayurvedic) is more than just a diet – it is a lifestyle, and today, we wanted to share some other ways that you can incorporate this beautiful, healthy way of life into your day to day routine.

When we are trying to maintain balance between mind, body, and spirit, it is important that we focus on several elements of self-care. A state of equilibrium within oneself is called “svasthya,” and can be achieved through the practice of the modalities listed here.

Ayurvedic Self-Care Practices

Go for a walk – a walk in nature calms the mind and nourishes the senses. It balances all three doshas and doesn’t put undue stress on the body.

Drink water – drink water throughout the day to flush out accumulated “ama” (undigested toxins) and to promote healing. Start each day with a glass of warm water and lemon to get your digestive system running.

Take a minute– throughout the day, stop for a minute and close your eyes. Take deep breaths and try to disconnect from the noise around you.

Call a friend– people who we love and who love us in return help to heal us and keep our soul happy.

Drink herbal tea– all natural, caffeine free tea helps us to relax and recharge.

Go for a massage– it is important to pamper your body and relax your muscles. Massage can also effectively drain toxins from your lymphatic system.

Connect with nature– immerse yourself in the beauty around you (flowers, plants, trees, animals) as they are calming, healing, and soothing.

Rise early– rising with the sun helps you to enjoy the morning calm of nature.

Go to bed early– getting enough sleep is the basis of dynamic activity. In order to be productive and energetic throughout the day, we must get sufficient rest.

In an Ayurvedic Lifestyle, Good Sleep Matters …

Breathe deeply– is a calming activity and helps to send oxygen to the most vital parts of the body.

Care for your skin and your hair– when we take time to ensure we look our best, we feel our best. These daily rituals are an important part of self-care and are both calming and restorative.

Meditation– this can start with a few minutes a day and can progress from there. It is wonderful for establishing equilibrium within your body and mind.

Avoiding stress– obviously, we can’t avoid all stress in life, but we can put some limits on what stressors we expose ourselves too. One easy way is to avoid watching the news or violent TV programs in the evening when your body is trying to relax before sleep.

Aromatherapy– take some time to discover what scents appeal to you and what scents make you feel calm and restored. Essential oils can be used during a self-massage, or, added to an oil diffuser.

Practicing yoga– stretches stiff muscles, provides relaxation and peace, and awakens the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Begin slowly and gently.

Mindful eating – as we have discussed in great detail, eating a fresh diet of whole, plant-based foods are ideal. Minimizing the amount of processed foods we eat will reduce the amount of toxins in our body.

We hope that some or many of these activities become a priority in your life as you seek to achieve more balance and awareness of Ayurveda and its many benefits to our health. Please reach out to us for more information about our healthy take-out options, or to cater your next event.

Lastly, thank you so much for visiting! I hope you have found some valuable information, if so, I’d love to hear about it!

Please feel free to share this post with anyone who might benefit, and comments are always welcome!

I look forward to connecting with you next time!

And be sure to check out why you should order your family’s next meal courtesy of Ki’s Kitchen