You’ve probably heard it said that health is wealth. Therefore, it’s not surprising that many people are very careful about staying in great health and shape. In the US alone, illnesses cost the government almost $580 billion annually.
Also, a CDC report shows that $315 billion was spent on cardiovascular diseases, and cancer care cost $157 billion, all in 2010 alone. In 2012 too, it was estimated that $245 billion was spent on diabetes diagnosis and care.
This goes to show that illnesses are not just personally expensive, they also cost the government a ton of money. Now, if you’re unsympathetic with the government, how about personal productivity?
No matter how strong or determined you are, your productivity is bound to suffer when you or your loved ones are weak and ill. Then, there are other attendant risks such as the loss of job –an employer can only be sympathetic for so long, you know-, lost revenue and income.
This is why you need to do your best to prevent illnesses in your home and household. Now, while there are many ways to go about this, a natural process is better. This is where Ayurveda comes in.
At its core, the practice of Ayurveda is simply about the balance between your social well-being, mind, spirit and body. This is important because whenever there’s an imbalance, it leaves us exposed and vulnerable to diseases. Ayurvedic practices usually attempt to quickly correct this balance so that your body can become a formidable fortress against illnesses.
This guide is aimed at teaching and showing you simple ways through which you can avoid illnesses and strengthen your health. The following are some of the most effective ways to maintain that crucial balance, boost your body’s immune system and become healthier for longer.
Many of these tips may appear to be common sense, but in our experience, it’s those simple mistakes compounded over time that weaken our bodies and leave us exposed to ailments.
Let's dive into the top Ayurvedic medicine tips:
1. Start Your Day With Warm Lemon Water
Many people routinely take smoothies, shakes, coffee and tea in the morning. Yet they don’t bother about drinking normal water and hydrating in the morning. This is interesting because coffee and tea actually tend to cause dehydration.
This means therefore, that most people stay dehydrated for the better part of 12-16 hours daily, yet they wonder why their bodies are failing. If your body isn’t getting the major fluid medium it runs on, how in the world is it going to function optimally?
This is why more smart, health conscious people are beginning to take hydration seriously. They are hydrating with water and lemon not just during the day, but early in the morning as against just coffee and tea.
The water and lemon routine in the morning has even caught on in mainstream TV -you even see that in the 2nd episode of the 6th season of the Mike and Molly TV show.
That said, the practice of taking lemon infused warm water in the morning was originally common among Ayurveda practitioners. Not only is this good for keeping your body hydrated, the lemon which adds an extra zing to your water and is rich in oxidants, helps clear out the free radicals your body has stored up during the night.
Doing this also helps get your digestive tract moving, and clears out the waste your body must have piled up during the night.
This is a guaranteed way to get rid of the crap in your GI tract every morning –in fact we recommend that you take at least two glasses of this every morning for max benefits. It’s also effective as a kidney and liver cleanser, whilst supplying your body with some important minerals and vitamins.
Do this every day and you will find your immune system strengthened and boosted, thus shoring up your body’s capacity to fight off diseases and ailments.
2. Employ Moderation in Both Your Drinking and Eating
Drinking and eating are both fine, as long as they are done in moderation, and you’re actually eating and drinking healthy. When you eat, make sure that you do not eat to the point of feeling like you had too much. Eat moderately and take note of how full you feel.
A general rule of thumb is this: once you find that you’re feeling unusually heavy, push away from the table and walk away. Your meals should fuel you, not slow you down. The same goes for your drinks. If you take alcohol, drink in moderation.
If possible, opt for wines which are rich in antioxidants and tannins. For you, this is healthier than beer. If you’ll be eating soon, ensure that you leave at least 30 minutes between when you drink any fluids and when you eat. Also, wait an hour after meals to least before drinking any fluids.
This is important because drinking fluids while eating dilutes the digestive enzymes and acid in your belly. When this happens, your food tends to digest slower than they should. When this happens, your body just looks for a way to store some of the excess –this is what contributes to your fatty deposits- and leaves a sizable part of the food you ate unused.
If you must drink water during your meals, don’t take more than 250ml –that’s no more than half a glass- and make sure that it’s warm or at least lukewarm water. By all means, avoid cold water whilst eating. Warm water aids the digestive processes, while cold water slows it down.
3. Properly Space Your Meals
This is a controversial one for some people –particularly those who eat in small portions throughout the day in a bid to control their weight. However, it is important to allow at least 4-5 hours between meals.
This is to allow for the total breakdown of the previous meal before taking in another. Not only is this great for keeping off the weight, it also allows your body recover from the previous digestive process, and gives your body enough time to prepare for the next one.
4. Scrape Your Tongue Daily
Yes, we know you probably run your toothbrush over your tongue a few times every day, while brushing. The thing is it’s not enough to get rid of the white layer that’s home to tons of bacteria that cause halitosis, plaques, tartar buildup and gingivitis.
You need to consistently get rid of that in order to keep the putrefaction processes in your mouth to its barest minimum using tongue scrapers –you can find any in your local department stores or on Amazon. In Ayurveda, this is referred to as the removal of Ama or toxic substances from your body and mind.
This works like gangbusters to reduce sugar and salt cravings. And even when you do take them, because your tongue is more sensitive, you’ll need less sugar or salt. This can do wonders for your health as excess sugar and salt intake result in diabetes and heart related issues respectively.
Make sure you run a tongue scraper over your tongue daily before brushing. This way, when you brush, you will actually get rid of any residues. Then drink your lemon water after brushing. This is the best way to start your day.
5. Take Advantage of the Oil Swishing Technique
Also known as oil pulling, this is an effective way to pull toxins from the body. It also has the added benefits of improving sleep providing relief from migraines and headaches, eliminating bad breath and whitening your teeth.
It’s a perfectly natural way to improve your oral health because of its ability to lower your risk of developing oral problems like tooth decays, gingivitis, and tartar buildup. Most people notice an improvement in their teeth’s colors after the first time they do it.
To do this, you’ll need coconut or sesame oil –you could use other oils, but these two are the most commonly used oils. First thing in the morning, before brushing take a tablespoon of the oil and swill around your mouth for about 10-20 minutes.
When you’re done, spit it out, rinse your mouth with a warm water and salt solution, and then brush properly. You’ll need to do this every day for two weeks and then repeat after another 8-12 weeks.
6. Relax With Abhyanga Massage
Also known as Ayurvedic oil massage, this massage is routinely recommended for healing the body and mind as well promoting an overwhelming sense of well-being.
Other benefits of this massage include improved blood circulation, increased productivity courtesy of higher mental alertness, improvement of your skin’s complexion, elimination of clogged pores, enhances your energy levels, completely relaxes you and improves your sleep. For best results, you should do this every day.
If you cannot, aim for at least twice a week, and it should be done in the morning before having your bath. This is to help get rid of all toxin buildup from the previous night.
7. Stay Active As Much as Possible
Most adults spend the better parts of their lives sitting down. Whether it’s at work, at home in front of the TV or at your reading table, we mostly spend a lot of time on our behinds.
Unfortunately, this does nothing for our health. In fact, studies have showed that individuals who spend more time sitting down are at risk of becoming obese and worse still, developing a condition known as the metabolic syndrome.
This summarily means that the more time you spend sitting down, the higher your chances of suffering a heart attack or generally dying from any cause. Some people feel that all they have to do to offset the effect of all that sitting is to simply workout at the gym for at least half an hour 3-5 times a week.
Unfortunately, studies have shown that these workouts do not offset the effects. The solution therefore is an overall increase in physical activity. This means that if you walk around more often, stand from your desk frequently and just move a lot more during the course of the day, you will offset these effects.
So, while working out is good, it’s even better to find ways to move around regularly. We have found that working in time blocks and getting up after the alarm or whenever the opportunity presents itself is always effective.
For instance, you can sit for 40-45 minutes, stand or walk around for 15-20 minutes each time. This works even better and promotes blood circulation, increases your heart rate, lowers your risk of suffering from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and your body breaks down sugars and fats a lot faster.
8. Adopt Healthy Routines
The adoption of healthy routines is just as important as your daily food and drink intake. You need to start inculcating healthy habits into your life.
Stop eating junk, drink more water, meditate, pray or do whatever helps calm you, sit on the porch and rest, take long walks among nature, breathe deeper intentionally, get rid of all sugary drinks like pepsi-cola or coca-cola –here’s a report on what these drinks do to your body, laugh more –there’s a bevy of standup comedy shows in the average city or comedy TV shows that will help you laugh more, get more sunshine, eat more healthy veggies and fruits, stimulate your mind by reading and thinking… there are so many things you can do.
The important thing is to pick a few of these, incorporate them into your daily life, and you’ll find that you’ll live more fully and in great health.
Ayurvedic Medicine Conclusion
There you have it: the Ayurveda medicine tips that can help you prevent sickness and keep you in perpetual good health. Whilst this is by no mean a conclusive list of things to do, you can easily start with them.
Most people who have incorporated a few of these practices into their lives have found themselves in tremendous health usually within 8 weeks of consistent application. So, what’s stopping you? You can start enjoying a disease-free life today. Start now and watch your health get better every day for as long as you live.
