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Oct 20, 2016

4 Fall Ayurveda Tips

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Look outside your window and you’ll see the seasons in transition. The days are becoming shorter each day, the leaves are falling from trees and warm summer air is being replaced with cool, dry winter air. All of these changes can take a toll on your body.

Listed below are a few daily rituals rooted in Ayurveda that can help your body adjust to the changing seasons and prevent sickness.

But first, what is Ayurveda?

Ayurveda is a healthy lifestyle science that has been used for thousands of years. Ayurveda emphasizes good health, prevention and treatment of illness through lifestyle practices such as yoga, meditation, massage therapy, a good diet, and the use of herbal remedies.

According to Ayurveda, each individual and all of nature is made up of a certain combination of the five elements: Space, Air, Fire, Water and Earth. These elements uniquely design each one of us, creating a distinct blueprint known as our Dosha.

There are three main Doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. These Doshas relate closely to the basic elements of nature and to specific functions of the body. A balance of these Doshas is thought to be required for optimal wellness. You can discover your Dosha type by taking a simple quiz that gathers information about your basic nature.

Here are 4 simple Ayurveda practices that will help keep you healthy this Fall:

  1. Adjust your diet: Warm foods and drinks will help bring Vata into balance, so try to emphasize eating cooked foods over raw foods. Focus on eating fresh vegetables that are in season.
  2. Be Active and Exercise: Vata is calmed when you create heat in the body.  By practicing you can focus on postures that help you create internal heat.
  3. Self-Massage: NHI Massage Therapy Instructor, Reina Frankfort, recommends doing self-massage during this time of year specifically on your head and face with sesame oil. A good method is to apply the oil before taking a hot shower and gently massaging it into your head and face. The sesame oil will trap the toxins and when you wash your body with warm water the toxins will be removed. Doing this will help reduce excess vata to improve your overall health.
  4. Breathe: Using your Ujjayi breath is a great way to help you create inner heat. Ujjayi (ooh-JAH-yee) is one technique that helps calm the mind and warm the body. When practicing Ujjayi, you completely fill your lungs, while slightly contracting your throat, and breathe through your nose. Take periodic breaks throughout the day to activate your ujjayi breath, clear your mind and ground yourself.

Do you practice Ayurveda? What is your Dosha Type?