4 Ayurvedic Practices to Enliven your Morning Routine

Sometimes, the secret to balance lies with consistency and routines.

Generally speaking, you either like routines or your don't (we can count on Ayurveda to help explain these personal proclivities). 

Whether you find mornings to be rough, or enjoy rising before the sun, whether you love a good routine tweak or have a hard time following them, here are 4 Ayurvedic practices to enliven your morning routine and set you up for a balanced day. 

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1)         Sip herbal tea, warm water with lemon, or apple cider vinegar upon waking

Sipping a warm beverage blend first thing in the morning stimulates digestion and encourages elimanation. Herbal tea, lemon water and apples cider vinegar are alkaline and detoxifying. The brew flushes the body and provides much needed hydration after a night’s sleep and or before a morning coffee.

2)         Try Oil Pulling (Gandusha)

Tell your mouth wash to move over! Oil pulling is all you need for oral detoxification. Here's how it works, measure a tablespoon of oil and swish it around the mouth for 10-20 minutes. You can  use coconut oil or sesame for best results. Oil puling removes harmful bacterial in the mouth reducing gingivitis, plaque, inflammation and bad breath. Add a drop of tea tree essential oil if you want that minty fresh tingle. 

3)         Use a Tongue Scraper (Jihwa Prakshalana)

According to Ayurveda, the body detoxifies at night while we sleep. Some of these toxins are released onto the surface of the tongue. Using the scraper first thing in the morning helps to remove the toxins so they don’t get reabsorbed into the body.

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4)         Perform an Oil Massage Before Bathing (Abhyanga)

About 30 minutes before your shower, rub yourself down with sesame oil, slip into your bathrobe, enjoy a cup of tea and breakfast, then shower. A little bit goes a long way. The sesame oil massage helps to relieve stress, improves mcirculation, detoxifies the body, reduces wrinkles and blemishes of the skin, and reduces the signs of aging.

There you have it! A few tips to jumpstart an Ayurvedic routine. These are general recommendations that typically work well for all. Keep in mind that the science of Ayurveda is extremely specific and tailored to each individual person. 

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Interested in learning more about Ayurveda, leave a comment below or contact me through this site!