4 Ayurveda Habits to Boost Your Health

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I’ve been meaning to try Lorilee’s Ashtanga Mix class at Metta Yoga for-ev-ah… and finally did it. It was challenging, rewarding, rejuvenating, and Lorilee gave oodles of those muscle-melting adjustments we all love (ahhhhh….). Luved it! After class, students peppered her with questions, not about the poses and postures, but about ear buzzing and digestion and how to quiet all their complaints. That’s because Lorilee is not only a yoga teacher and a bodywork practitioner, she’s certified in Ayurveda, a 5000-year-old holistic system of medicine, and runs Moksha Ayurveda which focuses on the total well being of an individual. She’s a modern day healer! Here, Lorilee shares 4 Ayurvedic habits that can boost digestion, energy, sleep and health…

Ayurvedic Habits for Health by Lorilee Gilmore
Ayurveda, an ancient science rooted in the Vedic culture, is about maintaining a preventative lifestyle by choosing what and how we eat, what we think about and even what we surround ourselves with. The literal translation of Ayurveda is the “Science of Life.” Consider it a user’s manual for your mind and body – when applied these principals will bring physical, mental and emotional balance. Here are some simple practices one can easily implement into your daily routine to help bring balance.

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Healthy Sleep Habits.
Go to bed before 10pm and arise before dawn. Between 10 and 2 our bodies and minds are busy detoxifying and healing. Waking up before sunrise will actually give you much more energy during the day than if you sleep in until 8 or 9am. Good quality sleep is crucial to help the mind and emotions remain balanced.

Scrape your tongue. When you wake in the morning, have you ever observed a white coating on your tongue? In Ayurveda this is called Ama and it’s a byproduct of weak digestion. You want these toxins out of our mouth otherwise they’ll reabsorb into your system. Using a metal tongue scraper, move from the back to the front of your tongue 7-9 times. This does both wonderful things for your oral hygiene, and there’s also map of your internal organs on your tongue, so you’re essentially giving yourself a little internal massage.

Eat your biggest meal in the middle of the day. Our digestion is strongest during the middle of the day. Think of the heat of the noonday sun. This represents the fire in our belly. We want strong fire to digest our food. Try having a light breakfast and evening meal. A modest dinner will also help you to sleep better in the evening.

Ditch the ice water. Here in the Valley of the Sun, we’re used to big glasses of ice water, but ice water will put out the important digestive fire we need. Instead try room temperature water with mint leaves, cucumber or rose petals. These botanicals are cooling by nature and will actually cool your system better than the frigid water. Plus you will not extinguish your digestive fire, the foundation of your health.

If you want to learn more about Ayurveda, Lorilee is hosting an “Intro to Ayurveda” workshop Saturday Feb 22 & Sunday Feb 23 ($45 per day or $80 for both). Contact Lorilee at 602-524-4546 or lorileegillmore@hotmail.com to sign up.

Lorilee Gilmore
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