Dinacharya

Morning Routine

• Wake each morning around the same time, ideally around 6 am or when the sun rises. Give yourself plenty of time for these healthy morning cleansing and consciousness-raising routines. Okay, there is a LOT of stuff here. Start by adding just 1 or 2 of the following practices that are new to you.

• Head to the bathroom first thing to use the toilet.

• Next, scrape your tongue. Ama is a Sanskrit word that means toxins, and overnight ama accumulates on your tongue; that is the yucky white film you see there that gives you morning breath. Use a tongue scraper, scraping from back to the front, at least 3-5 times. Then, brush your teeth and rinse your face.

• Drink a large glass of warm water. I like to pour boiled water over fresh ginger and a squeeze of lemon in a quart-size mason jar. (If you run hot, lukewarm water is great for you.) This stimulates the digestive system, promotes gentle detoxification, hydrates, and alkalizes your body first thing. Do this before consuming any other drink or food to promote a morning bowel movement and to rehydrate after sleep.

• At least a few days each week, practice Abhyanga, self-oil massage. This is one of the most grounding and nourishing practices that I LOOOOVE. Who doesn’t love getting a massage? This is one you can get every day, for free! Abhyanga stimulates the lymphatic system and circulatory systems, promoting a strong immune system and lustrous skin. I like to start at the feet, moving upwards and inwards towards the heart, then the hands towards the heart. Rub circular strokes on joints and long strokes on limbs. Rub clockwise circles over your belly, and pay special attention to the lymph node centers at your groin, armpits, and under your ears. I like Banyan Botanicals massage oils, you can choose one for your dosha. My go-to is the Vata Massage Oil. It’s infused with soothing herbs like ashwagandha, bala, and passionflower, so it’s super grounding and relaxing.

• NOW you are ready for your yoga and meditation practice!

Mealtime Routine

What we put into our body effects us on so many levels! As the old saying goes, you are what you eat. Ayurveda also says you are HOW you eat. Some recommendations for eating more mindfully include:

• Eat regular meals at about the same time each day.

• Eat your biggest meal at lunch, (pitta time) when the digestive fire is strongest.

• Keep your table clean and clear and appealing, with a pleasing centerpiece and calming lighting

• Focus on your food while eating and resist the urge to read or use screens or multitask.

• Chew each bite slowly.

• Drink only room temperature or warm water, and just a little. Sip it, don’t gulp. Too much water puts out the digestive fire.

• Avoid eating fresh fruits with a meal, especially a meal with a lot of protein, as the combination can lead to fermentation in your gut.

• Minimize snacking in between meals to keep the digestion strong. Fresh fruits are best eaten as snacks independently from other foods.

• Digestive, herbal teas are wonderful to keep you hydrated and facilitate better digestion. These are best taken a short while before meals, or at least an hour after meals. Cumin, coriander and fennel, aka CCF, are a super trio of herbs that support optimal digestion.

Bedtime routine

As a person who has suffered from insomnia since becoming a mom, I can tell you that your bedtime routine can make or break your night. If you tend to have trouble falling or staying asleep, or experience disturbing dreams, try a consistent evening ritual. Here are some things to try based on my experience and the teachings of Ayurveda:

• Turn down lights and turn off all screens by 8pm.

• Consider an evening sleepy time drink, either a calming herbal tea, or hot milk with digestive spices like ginger, turmeric, nutmeg and cardamom, at least one hour before bed.

• Get ready for bed (pajamas, teeth brushed, face washed and oiled, and any other evening hygiene practices that are important to you).

• Get on your yoga mat in a dimly lit room for a gentle evening wind down/ stretching practice, then practice at least 15 minutes of seated mantra meditation or yoga nidra.

• Just before bed, massage oil onto your feet. A very grounding, relaxing oil is sesame enhanced with calming essential oils and/or herbs. Banyan makes a wonderful oil for this called Sleep Easy Oil that i love.

Additional Dinacharyas

Depending on your body type and lifestyle, these might feel right for you, either in the morning or evening.

• Use a neti pot, (nasal rinse), to cleanse the nasal passages, especially if you work in a dusty environment or have congestion. You can get a modern, easy version that is a plastic squeeze bottle, at most natural food stores and pharmacies. Heat distilled water to lukewarm and add a small amount of pure non-iodized salt (sodium chloride). Standing over the sink, tilt your head and squeeze the saline rinse into each nostril, letting it drain through your sinuses and pour out the other side.Especially if you tend to have a dry nose, use Nasya oil morning and evening in each nostril. Just a few drops sniffed into each nostril will do it! Nasya oil soothes and lubricates the sinus passages and is especially helpful in a dry climate. It also connects brain nourishing herbs (medhya rasayanas) like brahmi, to the limbic system of your brain. The best application is lying down, giving the oil time to enter your sinus passages, but the speedy version, while standing at the bathroom sink, is to just sniff a few drops into each nostril. (Wait at least 20 minutes if you’re doing neti pot before.)

• Practice oil pulling, 5-15 minutes, with herb infused sesame oil, to strengthen and cleanse your teeth, gums, and voice. Spit it in the garbage, not down the sink. You can get a great oil for this here, or just add some peppermint essential oil to sesame oil