AYURVEDA

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PHOTO: PORTISHEAD1/ISTOCKPHOTO.COM

In Ayurvedic medicine, each season brings

a great gift of fresh new energy and the

opportunity to listen to oneself, adapt to

the changing environment, and find

balance.

Winter is governed by the Earth and

Ether elements, (Kapha and Vata dosha)

and if we’re not careful, we can easily start

to feel less motivated to get up for our

morning yoga practice. Feeling heavy

after eating; gaining excess weight and

experiencing sluggishness can occur

when we are out of balance during winter.

Since Ayurveda is a science of balance and

understanding how to harmonise with

our environment, these tendencies can be

easily remedied with some simple warming

and energising daily lifestyle routines and

the use of simple kitchen spices.

Enjoy a cosy, warm winter with vitality

and energy by incorporating these

seven simple Ayurvedic balancing

winter tips into your daily routine:

1.Scrape your tonguefirst thing in the morning

using a tongue scraper (use copper or silver

for best results). This simple ritual will keep

you feeling clean and light by removing

excess toxins that your body has expelled

onto your tongue overnight. And the bonus

is you will have fresh breath!

2.Drink warm water with a squeeze of lemon

and fresh gingerafter you scrape your

tongue. This activates your digestive fire,

(known in Sanskrit as ‘Agni’), gently

cleanses toxins, relaxes your nervous

system and stimulates healthy elimination of

the bowels. A key ingredient to keeping your

metabolism working well is to ensure that

your bowel movements are regular. Warm

water with ginger and lemon is a great drink

for this and it will also help to ease sensations

of gas and bloating.

3.Massage your body for five minutes in the

morning before showeringwith organic

cold-pressed black sesame oil. Focus on

massaging the oil into your joints to

nourish and counterbalance the dryness

(Vatadosha) that can easily accumulate

in the body. Regular oil massage can help

to keep the lymphatic system clean and

circulation strong, which will not only keep

you warm, but can support your immune

system (cold-pressed black sesame oil can

be purchased in most health foodshops, and

should be heated prior to massage).

4.Sip warm water during the day and avoid

cold drinks.Fill a large thermos at the

beginning of the day and take it with you.

Drinking warm water is one of the simplest,

yet more profound Ayurvedic remedies for

treating a range of complex imbalances.

Warm water soothes the nervous system,

hydrates the bowels and relaxes the digestive

tract. This can provide relief from gas,

sluggish bowels, and feelings of congestion.

5.Move your body before breakfast.After your

bathroom/warm water with ginger and lemon

routine, incorporate some form of physical

movement to awaken your body and mind,

stimulate circulation, pump your lymphatic

system, and activate your digestive fire (Agni).

Go for a walk, practice yoga or put on your

favourite music and dance! Find something

you love and be regular with your devotion to

it. You will be surprised at how energised and

inspired you’ll feel for the rest of the day.

6.Cook with warming digestive spicessuch

as turmeric, ginger, black pepper, cumin,

mustard seeds, cinnamon, cardamon and

fennel. These Ayurvedic spices naturally

support your immune system, improve

circulation, aid digestion and keep your

digestive fire (Agni) burning strong.

7.Eat soup!Favour warming, easy-to-digest

foods such as soups, stews, broths, dhal and

porridge. Warm foods are easy for the body

to digest, leading to greater absorption of

nutrients and a stronger metabolism. Looking

after your digestive fire with soupy foods

during winter will ensure you stay well

hydrated, nourished, light and warm.

LORIEN WALDRONis the founder of

wholesomelovinggoodness.com. Check out

her eBook available on the website or connect

on social media @wholesomelovinggoodness

for simple Ayurvedic lifestyle tips and organic

whole food inspiration + education.

Simple

Ayurvedic

7

Nurture a cosy winter glow with nourishing soups and

spices and energising routines to activate and support

your body. Now is the perfect time to cherish the

rhythms of the seasons with a wholesome approach.

By Lorien Waldron

lifestyle tips to create

harmony and warmth

24

july 2016

yogajournal.com.au