Want to incorporate ayurveda in your life but too busy to make it work? Here are 5 tips for you to make ayurveda work in your routine

You may have come across Ayurveda before, but shied away due to the abundance of information you encountered all at once. Therefore, you may have come to the conclusion that this lifestyle is simply not for you because you simply don’t have the time. However, I, Sahara Rose, author of the bestseller Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda, am here to share with you a few easy ways in which you can integrate Ayurveda into your daily life, no matter who you are and how busy your life may be!

 

Still curious to know more about ayurveda? Watch this video:

 

Five Tips To Make Ayurveda Work For You:

 

1. Incorporate Ayurveda into your existing morning routine.

We all follow different morning routines to prepare for the day ahead. Whatever your current morning routine is, the fact that you have one is already an Ayurvedic practice. it is referred to as dinacharya, which means being in touch with the Earth’s natural cycles, such as waking up when the sun rises and sleeping when it sets. The way you start your mornings can determine the way you feel throughout the day, so incorporating even more Ayurvedic practices into it can help you find balance and perform better throughout the day. 

Here are some morning practices that will help kickstart your day: 

• Oil pulling: Swish oil (sesame oil, coconut oil, olive oil etc.) in your mouth to remove toxins, similar to how you use mouthwash.
• Tongue scraping: Use a copper scraper to remove toxic buildup by scraping your tongue, like how you would brush your tongue with your toothbrush.
• Abhyanga: Just like you would apply lotion to moisturize, massage yourself with warm oil to stimulate your lymphatic system.
• Dry brushing: brush your skin, just as you would with a loofah,but with a dry brush to exfoliate and get rid of dead skin cells.

 

2. Switch out your daily cup of coffee for a cup of herbal tea

Although a cup of coffee may give you the burst of energy you may think you need to push through your day, it comes with many side effects such as dehydration and crashing, which can actually make you more tired. This is why it is better to opt for a cup of warm herbal tea. In Ayurveda, herbal teas are actually considered medicine because there is tea, for literally every issue! There is also a wide range of teas to choose from, in both supermarkets and cafes all around! Popular ones you may have heard of are chamomile and rooibos. You can even create your own so you know exactly what is going into your tea and create the perfect blend for you!

Here are some great herbal teas and what they can help you with:

• Ginger tea: improves digestion and reduces inflammation + medicinal for arthritis
• Fennel tea: relieves gas, bloating, and constipation + detoxifies the liver
• Peppermint tea: relieves nausea, vomiting, and stomachaches + cools the body

 

3. Discover and understand your Dosha 

We are all comprised of unique energies called Doshas. There are three Doshas–Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. It is important to understand your Dosha in order to truly understand what your body and mind need to thrive.

You can take my free dosha quiz here to discover your Dosha!

 

If you are a Vata:

You are a creative, independent thinker who craves constant change. You are easily bored with tedious tasks and schedule. Ideas are usually flying through your mind like thousands of butterflies fluttering around, and you often find it difficult to grasp onto them and create organization within.

Your body is cold and dry. You have dry skin and hair and always feel cold. Your appetite can also vary, from having all the cravings in the world at times and other times not wanting to eat anything at all. You may also experience accumulation of air in your body, which shows up as bloating or gasiness and dryness in the colon, which is why you might experience constipation . The keyword to think about when trying to balance yourself as a Vata is grounding.

If you are a Pitta:

You are motivated, hard-working and flourish in competition. A realist goal-oriented individual who will do whatever it takes to reach your goal, you hold a great amount of heat in your body, which needs to be released. You may notice the Pitta manifesting in your body as red tones in your hair or a flushed face.

You easily become overheated and cannot stand elevated temperatures and humid weather. Pittas can easily digest most foods, due to the heat in your body. You also may often expel superfluous stomach acid, and suffer from heartburn and hyperacidity. The keyword  to think about when trying to balance yourself as a Pitta is chilling

If you are a Kapha:

You are happy-go-lucky, calm and patient. Kaphas like to take your time and care to ensure you fully complete tasks. You like to give to others around, even more than you give to yourself. Kaphas are very kind and make sure you always bring happiness to the ones you love.

Your body will tend to overheat and be susceptible to water retention, low metabolism, and sluggishness after eating. You tend to have sugar cravings and gravitate towards rich and creamy foods. The keyword to think about when trying to balance yourself as a Kapha is stimulation. 

 

4. Figure out the right lifestyle practices for your Dosha 

Depending on your Dosha, you can determine which lifestyle practices work well for you and fit into your schedule! The best way to incorporate these into your life is to add one practice at a time and build consistency before moving onto the next. 

Vata: 

• Establish a routine that you follow everyday.
• Do one task at a time with your full focus
• Practice grounding, structured, and strength building yoga poses such as sun salutation, warrior pose, and dancer’s pose. 
• Meditate whilst sitting in a comfortable position with back support and focus through a mantra or affirmation

Pitta:

• Set aside some time to rest (spend time in nature, with family, or with yourself disconnecting from your work)
• Find a healthy way to release built up anger and tension (e.g. exercise and dance)
• Practice mindfulness by staying present, especially outside of work
• Avoid direct sunlight, particularly during midday 
• Wear breathable materials such as organic cotton and stay away from nylon and polyester
• Practice yin yoga focusing on poses such as rag doll pose, reclining butterfly pose, and child’s pose.
• Meditate using visualizations and guided meditations 

Kapha:

• Break a sweat first thing in the morning
• Every week, try something new that is out of your comfort zone
• Practice forgiveness and let go of the past
• Practice more active forms of yoga such as Vinayasa or power yoga with a focus on chaturanga push-ups, cobra pose, and abdominal twist.
• Do walking meditations whilst scanning your body. 

 

5. Learn easy Ayurvedic recipes for your Dosha.

Ayurvedic recipes are super quick and easy to make, and you can even make your own recipes using the foods that are best for your Dosha! It only takes a few minutes to cook up a healthy nutritious meal that will keep your body fueled! Here are delicious quick and easy sample meals for each Dosha.

• Vata: Curried Coconut Tofu Curry Over Wild Rice
• Pitta: Cooling Chickpeas and Veggies Over Toasted Quinoa
• Kapha: Spiced Lentil and Vegetable Soup

 

To get instructions on how to cook these meals and 100+ more delicious plant-based gluten-free recipes, check out my book  Eat Feel Fresh.

For more tips on how you can easily adapt Ayurveda into your busy lifestyle, check out my book Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda. 

 

Bio

Sahara Rose is the host of the Highest Self Podcast, ranked as the #1 top podcast in the spirituality category on iTunes and best-selling author of Eat Feel Fresh and Idiot’s Guide to Ayurveda.

 She has been called “a leading voice for the millennial generation into the new paradigm shift” by Deepak Chopra.

 She loves to make spiritual + Ayurvedic wisdom fun and relatable so it can serve the needs of today’s people.

 

Much Love,