Lifestyle Ayurvedic Sleeping & Eating

The ideal Ayurvedic Lifestyle daily routine is based on the patterns of nature. It is best to have a regulated daily routine as it establishes a balance in the bodily constitution and helps to regulate the biological clock, which helps the body function properly.

TIME
Time like matter, is measurable and like time, the bodily humors are constantly in motion. There is a relationship between the passage of time and the movement of the Tri-dosha. The increase or decrease of the three humors of the body is related to the cycles of time.

During the morning and evening (dawn and dusk) Vata is greatest. During early morning from 2 am to sunrise, Vata creates movement and people wake up and tend to excrete waste. Late afternoon from 2 pm to sunset Vata’s influence make a person feel active and light.

The organs have a time of the day when they function the best. Morning time is best for the lungs. Midday the stomach (which is why it is a good time to eat), afternoon is the liver and late afternoon is best for the colon and kidneys.

The Doshas change according to the time of the day and the seasons. Understanding these changes can help one to stay connected to the external and internal environments and causes one to act properly during the day and seasons.

TIME DOSHA HOW FEEL
2 am to 6 am Vata Because Vata creates movement, people wake up and excrete waste.

6 am to 10 am Kapha Because of predominance of Kapha, one feels energetic and fresh, and a little heavy.

10 am to 2 pm Pitta At mid-morning Kapha slowly merges into Pitta. Pitta is secreted and hunger increases. Feels light, hot and hungry.

Seasons
The seasons of the years are related to the movements of the Doshas. In the fall, September to November, temperature begins to drop and leaves fall from the tree. During this time Vata predominates.

During Winter, from December to February, the weather is cold and it snows. There is an increase in Kapha and at this time colds, bronchitis, cough and congestion are prevalent.

Spring, March to May, is between winter and summer. In the early spring Kapha is aggravated. In early spring the accumulated Kapha or winter is liquefied and slowly dries. During late spring the Pitta of the body increases, and there is a tendency for Pitta disorders, such as diarrhea, sunburn, rash, burning feet, dermatitis and burning eyes.

Sun and Moon
The bodily humors relates with the Sun and Moon. The Sun relates to human awareness or consciousness.

Moon is related to the mind, which creates changes in emotion and mental faculties. Moon’s attributes are white, slow, cool and dense, which are the attributes of Kapha. During the full moon Kapha is aggravated in the body and water is stimulated. The water in the oceans rise to a higher level creating a high tide. This causes excess water. During the full moon women tend to have more menstrual cramps. Person’s suffering from Kapha-related asthma or epilepsy will often have worst attacks during the full moon.

Age
There are three main times of human life: childhood, adulthood and old age.

Childhood (birth to 16) is time for Kapha. During this time children may suffer from Kapha problems such as lung congestion, cold, mucus secretions and cough. As a baby’s only food is a mother’s milk, this can aggravate Kapha.

Adulthood (16 to 50) is time of Pitta, when a person is active and full of life. During this time Pitta disorders are more common.

Old age (after 50) is the time of Vata. During this time one may suffer from Vata disorders such as loss of memory, wrinkles, breathlessness, arthritis and emaciation.

Bad Odors
Bad Breath may indicate poor digestion and an unclean mouth may indicate toxins in the colon, or constipation. Body odors indicate there are toxins in the body.

Don’t Repress Bodily Urges
It is not good to repress the natural urges of the body. This includes defecation, coughing, sneezing, yawning, passing gas, belching and urination.

Waking Time
It is best for regular health to have a steady routine. The best time to rise is during the Brahma Muhurta time (also called Amrita Bela) which is 1½ hours to a half-hour before sunrise. Brahma Muhurta means the “time of Brahma.” At this time there is a positive flow of energy and mental facilities are at their highest. By rising at this time the body can synchronize with the rhythm of the sun.

The last part of the night is ruled by Vata (has the qualities of irregularity and lightness), which does not encourage good sleep. Since Vata deals with elimination, the time before sunrise is the best time to eliminate the body’s waste.

It is best to wake up before the sun rises. Pure qualities are in nature. It is best that a Vata person wakes at 6 am, Pitta by 5:30 am and Kapha by 4:30 am.

Right after waking look at your hands for a few moments and then gently move them over face, neck, chest and then the waist. This brings alertness to the body.

It is good to look at the rays of the sun for five minutes, which improves eyesight. Staring at a steady flame for ten minutes in the morning and evening is good for the eyes.

On getting up you should check to see which nostril is open. Whichever side is working is the side you should take the first step out of bed. It is a good idea to say a prayer right after waking.

Wash Mouth, Eyes and Face
Then splash the face with cold water a few times. Rinse out the mouth. Wash eyes with cool water and massage eyelids by gently rubbing them. Blink eyes seven times. Rotate eyes in all directions, side to side and up and down, diagonally, clockwise and counter clockwise. This helps to make you feel more alert.

Drink Glass of Water
Drink a room-temperature glass of water. Preferably from a copper cup or put copper pennies in the water (10 of them), as this is good for the liver and spleen. It is not a good idea to drink cold water. It is best that Vata and Kapha people drink hot water. Pitta persons should drink luke-warm water. Drinking water helps to stimulate the digestive system, helps flush out the kidneys and also helps out to have a good bowel movement.

It is not a good idea to start the day with coffee or black tea, as this will drain the kidney’s energy, over-stimulate the adrenals and promote constipation.

It is not good for the body to add a chemical stimulant such as coffee or tea before emptying the bowels and bladder. It is best to move slowly in the morning. Adding a stimulant to the body causes the waste-charger gases that accumulate in the bowls and bladder to move upward and circulate through the body.

Then put 4 or 5 ounces of warm (not hot) oil on the head and body. Massage helps circulation, makes the mind calm and reduces excess Vata. It helps keep the skin soft, brightened and smooth.

Gently massaging the scalp with oil helps start the day and also prevents headaches and slows graying of hairs and balding.

Bathroom
Then try to go to the bathroom. Even if you do not have to go then try to for a few minutes (after drinking water) and this will help you develop the habit of evacuating after getting up.

The bowels and bladder should then be emptied and the body cleaned. All the waste from the previous day should be eliminated before new food in the form of fuel is added. Just as ashes are first removed from a fireplace before making a new fire. The waste products include urine, feces, dirt that accumulates on the sense organs, plus mental wastes such as emotions, delusion and obsessions.

You should not spend too much time on the toilet as it can disturb the gases of the lower tract, which can cause a bunch of ailments. It is not a good idea to read while going to the bathroom.

It is best to past stool while squatting, not when sitting as one would do on a modern toilet. It is best to use cold water to clean the anus after defecating

Eliminating properly helps to get rid of the Kapha that accumulates during the night. It is best to defecate only once or twice in a day, not more. Three or more times increases Vata, the force (air) that pushes out the waste and this encourages food to go through the digestive system too fast, which keeps it from being properly absorbed.

It is best not to defecate right after a meal, but it is good to past urine. It is best for the body that no meditation, physical activities, eating or drinking is done during defecation.

A problem with urine or feces indicates a problem with the digestion and the presence of Ama. After waking up urine should be clear (beer-colored) and feces should be the consistency of a ripe banana and light brown in color. If urine has a bad odor, or the feces has an offensive odor and it comes out with a large amount of gas, this can mean there is a good amount of undigested food in the digestive tracts and that Ama is present.

If there is a coating on the tongue, Ama toxins are present because of improperly digested food in the digestive system. The presence of Ama on the tongue is an excellent reason to scrap your tongue in the morning with a tongue scraper.

Bathing
Then wash with warm water. Washing the face, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet purifies the sense organs.

Daily bathing is essential. Bathing more than twice a day can overtax the system. It is best not to bath in very hot or very cold water. Too hot water can expand the muscles, which can gradually making them loose and flaccid. These effects may not be felt right away, but may be manifest in old age.

It is a good idea not to take a bath for a half-hour after getting up, because the skin temperature increases during sleep, so it best to allow the skin temperature to become normal. Water should be lukewarm, not hot enough to steam up a mirror. The water should be around the air temperature.

After urination and defecation you should wash your hands and face. In the morning the teeth and eyes should also be clean.

It is best to only use organic, natural product for cleaning the body as they are absorbed into the skin. Putting mustard or olive oil on the skin helps to alleviate dryness.

Some reasons to not bath are if you have a fever, constipation, gastric upset or an ear infection. It is best to not bath if the left or both nostrils are working.

It is best to dry off immediately, rubbing rigorously to increase circulation and energize the system. Dry hair right after bathing to prevent sinus problems.

Cleaning Face
The face should be cleaned as a whole. If only part of the body is cleaned it can cause an imbalance in energy that affects taste, sinuses, hearing and vision.

The eyes should be washed with water slightly above room temperature. The eyes can be cleansed by rosewater (which should be kept in a blue bottle). Mustard oil and honey are also good for cleaning the eyes. The eyes should be washed with water that has been in the mouth for a few moments, as saliva is good for the eyes. Once a week eye drops made of honey, castor oil, rose water or Triphala should be used, which gets rid of excess Kapha.

Mustard oil and hydrogen peroxide can be used to clean the ears. Each week two or three drops of oil shall be put in each ear for cleaning and lubrication (to forestall increase in Vata).

The nose should be cleaned daily. The best way to clean the nose is to inhale water through the nostrils, spitting the water out through the mouth. A pint of lukewarm water should be mixed with a teaspoon each of salt and butter. You can add a few drops of mustard seed, olive or sesame oil to the nose and let it sit for a minute and then rinse the nose again.

Clean your teeth with a herbal powder or paste made of astringent, pungent and bitter herbs. Best to only use a soft tooth brush. Teeth should be brushed lightly to prevent any damage to the teeth or gum. Indians use well-chewed twigs that are used once and thrown away. Toothbrushes can harbor pathogenic bacteria that can cause problems with infections. Toothbrushes should be kept clean and dry and it should be changed often.

Then scrape your tongue. If there is plenty of coating on the tongue this means there is much Ama or toxicity in the system. Use a stainless-steel (also silver or copper) scraper. Scrape 7 to 15 times, scraping from back to front. Scraping sends a message to the internal organs and digestive enzymes.

Then gargle with warm water or sesame oil, and swish around your mouth. Spit out and gently massage the gums. Gargling should also be done in the afternoon. Occasionally gargle with salt water and a pinch of turmeric to keep the mouth, gum and throat healthy.

Then put 3 to 5 drops of warm ghee or sesame oil into each nostril of the nose. This helps to clean the sinuses and improves vision, mental clarity and voice and it also nourishes Prana and enlivens the consciousness.

It is then good to sit in front of a natural wood fire with the front of the body facing the fire.

Exercise
Then exercise should be done. The best exercise to do is yoga. Brisk morning walk and yoga exercises are very good. It is a good idea to take a half-hour walk in the morning.

Kapha persons benefit from bicycling, aerobic, jogging, mountain climbing, bicycling and hiking. Pitta persons benefit from moderate swimming. Vata do best with walking, easy swimming and yoga exercises.

Ayurveda recommends that one exercise to half of their capacity. It is good to exercise until sweat comes from the forehead, under the arms and on the back, but it is best not to strain.

A person should not exercise within three hours of eating, heavy work, long travel or sex. It is best not to exercise if you feel tire and confused. A person should not eat, bite or chew while exercising. It is best to wait at least 30 minutes before eating after exercising.

People with a chronic cough, chest colds, blood disorders or respiratory ailments should not exercise.

After exercising one should walk for several minutes. It is best to wait at least 30 minutes before taking a shower, which means you should not leap right into a shower after exercising.

A light oil massage of the hands and feet is good after exercising, as it helps aid circulation of blood and the nervous energy and to counteract the dryness produced by physical labor.

Lying on the back for fifteen minutes (shavasan) relaxes the body and calms the mind.

Clothing
Fresh clothes should be put on daily and should only be used for one day. Clothes should be made of natural loose (light and airy), free-flowing materials such as cotton, wool or linen.

Always wear clean clothing. Don’t wear clothing that other people have worn (also flowers and footwear), as these can pick up the former wearers individual’s innate personality vibrations. No ones vibration is better for you than your own, except for a saintly person’s. Clothes from a saintly person help to harmonize you.

Indians do not bring their shoes inside the house because they absorb polluted energy and pollute what they come into, just as muddy shoes track dirt over a clean floor.

It is best to go barefoot when possible, especially within the house. Leather, being the skin of a dead animal, pollutes the consciousness. Shoe made of rubber are better, but adversely affect the eyes. India yogis wear wooden sandals.

Drinking During Meals
Do not drink too much during meal. Drink a sip between two mouthfuls of food. Drinking a cup of water during a meal improves digestion. Best to drink a cup of water an hour before or after lunch. Water should not be drunk immediately after a meal, as this slows the digestion process down and causes Ama.

Eating
It is best to seat up straight with the back erect while eating. A straight backbone helps the energy flow upward and can maintain awareness.

Don’t watch television while eating. Pay attention to food, which becomes meditation.

If have a fever don’t eat, but fast by drinking just ginger tea. It is good for the body to fast one day a week to clean the toxins from the body.

It is a good idea to clean the mouth after meals. Each day it is good to massage the gums with finger and sesame oil. Good to take a short walk fifteen minutes after meals.

Breakfast
Breakfast should be fairly light in the summer and heavier in the colder months. Vata and Pitta persons should eat breakfast. Kaphas should not eat breakfast, since eating during a Kapha time will increase Kapha in the body.

Meal Time For Doshas
It is best to eat while the sun is up. Eating late at night changes the body’s chemistry, sleep is disturbed and a person will have bad dreams, which will cause them when they wake up to not feel rested. If meal times are changed to be in rhythm with the Tri-dosha, there will be a drastic change in a person’s lifestyle for the better. It is best that no snacks should be taken between meals.

Breakfast should not be taken after 8 am. During the day it is best to drink warm water or fruit juice and it is best not to drink coffee or tea in the morning.

Lunch
It is best to eat lunch at the beginning of the Pitta time, between 10 am to 11 pm. A Good lunch is a bowl of soup, salad, rice and vegetables.

Supper
It is good to eat supper around 6 pm. If you eat at 6 pm, the stomach will be empty by 9 pm and you will sleep well.

It is best to eat while the sun is up. Eating later will change the body’s chemistry which will cause sleep to be disturbed and a person will not feel rested in the morning.

Bedtime Milk
Before bed drink a cup of hot milk with a little ginger, turmeric and cardamom. Drinking milk at night helps to induce sound sleep. The milk nourishes Shukra Dhatu (the highly refined reproductive tissue).

Massage Feet & Head Before Bedtime
Massage the soles of the feet and the scalp with a little oil (best is sesame oil). This promotes a calm, restful sleep. Putting oil on the head calms the mind and gives a restful sleep. Oil massage relieves excess Vata and helps the circulation. Just before going to bed it is a good idea to meditate by sitting quietly and to watch your breath.

Sex
Kapha persons can have sex two or three times a week. Pitta persons once every two weeks and Vata persons once or twice a month

The best time for sex is 10 pm to 11 pm. Sex in the morning or daytime is not suggested. It is especially bad to have sex during the sunset hours, as it can cause defective children.

Too much sex reduces Ojas, the body’s vital energy, and leaves a person weak and prone to disease. It also aggravates the Vata Dosha. Too much masturbation can harm the body, by causing a deranged Vata. Oral and anal sex can cause a deranged Vata.

After sex, hot milk with raw cashews and raw sugar added, promotes strength and maintain sexual energy. Almond milk is also good. A massage helps replenish Ojas and restores strength after sex.

Menstruation
It is bad to have sex during the menstruation, as it causes a deranged Vata. It is best to avoid physical exercise such as running or yoga during menstruation.

Stress
A structured life helps to reduce stress. How you react to stress is determined by your constitution.

Stress can cause diseases such as asthma and can make pre-existing diseases worse. Stress can weaken the immune system and the ability of the system to combat invading parasites, allowing viruses and cancer causing cells to increase. Stress can increase stomach acid and blood cholesterol.

When a person has to adapt to a new situation stress can occur. When there is a change in the environment, then a person’s physical, mental, emotional, social surrounding changes and a person has to develop a new equilibrium.

Stress causes the immune system to be strained, and if the strain becomes too much then disease may occur.
A flight across the country causes stresses for persons of all constitutions.

Blowing the nose to forcibly may harm the eyes, nose and ears.
Too much tendency to pick nose or scratch the anus may indicate the present of worms in the body.

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