“Every small step you take toward an Ayurvedic lifestyle will have an immediate and positive effect on your body, mind, and consciousness.” Dr Vasant Lad
Simply starting the day right is a step towards the right direction (and towards an Ayurvedic lifestyle) in reducing toxicity in your your body and increasing energy and vitality.
Ayurveda gives us many signs to detect toxins (or ama) building up in the body, but there are 8 that I find are pretty common:
- wake up grumpy and stiff in the morning
- coating on your tongue in the morning
- achy, painful joints
- bad breath
- exercise (yoga practice) is hard – not easy
- low appetite or you feel heavy after eating a meal
- dullness in skin & eyes
- depression & irritability during the day
You might not experience all of these signs, but if you experience even one, it’s a good idea to take steps to address this toxicity, and one of the first things that Ayurveda tells us to do is to start the day right with a morning Daily Rhythm.
Your Morning Checklist:
- Wake up early (ideally – before sunrise)
- Urinate
- Examine your tongue, then scrape it with a tongue scraper
- Apply sesame oil or nasya oil in your nostrils
- Drink 1-2 cups of hot water with lemon to hydrate and increase alkalinity
- Continue to hydrate with water until you have a bowel movement
- Move your body (increase your heart rate) for at least 30 minutes
- Have a green smoothie or a green juice made with organic greens – this is an excellent way to get oxygen and nutrients into every cell of your body. If you’re still hungry have some oatmeal or stewed organic apples.
If you start the day right and you eat right, you are more likely to continue with better habits the rest of the day. It’s all about taking small steps towards a healthier lifestyle which ultimately makes a huge impact in your health evolution over time.
References: Living Ayurveda
