10 Tips For A More Healthy Life With Ayurveda
Ayurveda, the science of life, is more a way of life than a way to treat people. Prevention is far better than curing a disease according to Ayurveda. I will now share with you some tips that will help you lead a more healthier and better life.

1.  Have A Daily Routine
Ayurveda suggests to have a daily routine and to stick with it. Sleeping and waking times are very crucial in Ayurveda. For example, the liver cleanses itself during the night (12 am to be exact) which during this time one should be fully asleep and is why Ayurveda recommends the time to sleep to be around 10 PM. Similarly, waking up should be around 6 AM. Eating at regular times should also be  adopted, this way the body and Agni (the digestive fire) work optimally and food will then be digested properly.

2. Eat Hot Food
Make sure not to make your diet strictly raw. Eating a small salad as a side dish is ok. However, food itself should be warm and seasoned with spices to aid digestion. Drinking large amounts of liquids during meals will only dilute the digestive acids which will then result in poor digestion and assimilation. Drinking sips of warm ginger water is more appropriate. A tip from Bhavaprakash: few slices of fresh ginger, sprinkled with rock salt and few drops of lemon chewed before food will aid in digestion and even helps in the prevention of gas formation.

3. Eat When You Are Hungry
When we feel hunger and know that the previous meal has been properly digested only then is Agni ready to digest the next meal. Eating when there is no hunger will often lead to Kapha disorders [i.e. gaining weight] and result in poor assimilation and indigestion.

4. Drink When You Are Thirsty
Don’t drink 3 litres per day or whatever these rumours tell you. Our body knows exactly when it needs liquid and will alert you with the thirst sensation. When drinking more than needed, Kapha problems are more likely to occur [i.e. kidney problems, edema, etc].

5. Never Suppress Your Body’s Natural Urges
Yes, we live in a civilized and cultural community and we can’t just burp, right? Wrong! When suppressing bodily urges (cough, burp, flatus etc.), it will result in a disturbance of vata and when vata is disturbed it may lead to problems such as gas not leaving the body, breathing problems, bloating etc. Therefore, one must always find a proper way to not suppress natural bodily urges.

6. Walk during the day. Practice Yoga
A bit of exercise is very important for the body. Not only does the brain release endorphins and serotonin during exercise to make us feel good but the whole body benefits from exercise. Agni is maintained in its optimal state when practicing Yoga or any other sport. Even walking a bit everyday will be beneficial. Getting off the bus two stations before your destination and walking to your final destination is a nice routine to follow. According to Ayurveda, one should exercise only till one gets sweaty with that being the optimal limit for one’s exercise regimen.

7. Drink Room Temperature Water Upon Waking Up
Drinking water that is room temperature (a “bit” cold is also ok) will help to promote bowel movement as this will stimulate Apana Vata [downward movement of the body]. During sleep we are in a natural state of fasting and therefore returning liquid to the body is very important.

8. Advice from Vimalananda (Dr. Robert Svoboda’s Mentor)
Keep your body moving, keep your bowels moving, keep your breath moving. By keeping to this one simple rule, surely, will help lead to a long and healthy life. We have discussed the benefits of exercise and avoiding constipation (i.e. promoting regular bowel movements) but above all – the most important movement of the body is the breath. Therefore, make sure to breathe well, deep, and fully.

9. Practice Meditation At Least 20 Minutes A Day
Practicing meditation daily for 20 minutes will help one cope with all of life’s daily activities. Meditation has been proven to help with the resistance to stress and to provide better understanding in order to help make the complexities of life more simple.

10. Look At The Bright Side Of Life
Life isn’t all that bad. After all, when you really look at it – life has lots of surprises. Some of those surprises may not always make us happy, however, learning from each incident is the most insightful thing to do. Therefore, make sure to look at all the beautiful things you do have rather than focusing on the negative aspects of life.

May you all lead a healthy and fruitful life!