Early to Bed Early to Rise… Early morning is a precious time to rise. Wake up before 6 AM if possible. Grasp the freshness that is present in the air and carry it into the rest of your day.

Hot Water… Start your day with a hot water tea drink—preferably hot wate and lemon, or chamomile tea. Warm water stimulates digestion and lemon is said to clear out toxins. You might add other herbs to suit your constitution.

Food Choices… Take a close look at your food choices. Emphasize fresh, seasonal, organic fruits and vegetables. Eat whole foods as close as possible to their natural states. Stay away from oily junk foods, high sugar, and overly processed foods and much as possible. This one tip can add the most to your daily health and well being. You can include foods that are beneficial to your constitutional type. *Speak to your doctor or nutritionist before making any dietary changes. Access my recipes on the Peaceful Dumpling blog.

Mindful Eating… GIve yourself 4-5 hours between meals to fully digest. Eat slowly, mindfully, and gratefully. Say a blessing of gratitude for your food, saying “thank you” with each bite and honoring the food as an offering to yourself, within the circle of life.

Restful Sleep… The body needs time to rejuvenate and detoxify. The best time for this is during sleep. If possible, go to bed before 10 PM each day.

Abhyanga and Dry Bath… Using a dry brush, gently exfoliate your dead skin cells to clear toxins. Then, tend to your skin with a regular oil massage. Use only natural oils that you could ingest (sunflower oils, sesame oils, even olive oil). You can do this before bed at night, or in the morning, but make it regular. Oil in the shower helps to clear excess oil from the skin. Massage the feet iwth oil before you go to bed for a more restful sleep.

Routine… Regular rising and sleeping, regular meals, regualr time for exercise, yoga, walking, and daily meditation help to promote wellness for your body and mind. Your body and mind become accustomed to patterns that are grounding and nourishing.

Limit Sensory Input… Be careful about the type of media and images you allow to filter into your life. We digest images and experiences the way we do with food. We take these images into our body and they become a part of our mental processes. If you wouldn’t “eat” what you are seeing, watching, or reading, maybe it shouldn’t be in your life. Find a way to put healthy boundaries around social media and news if you choose to use them.

Tongue Scraping and Neti… Clear out “ama,” or toxins in the body, by scraping your tongue first thing in the morning (and possibly at night too). You can purchase a silver tongue scraper from Ayurvedic supply companies, or you can use the back of a spoon. Many people use a Neti pot to help clear out their sinus passages and prevent colds. *Speak to your doctor to see if a Neti pot might be good for you.

Find the Joy… Ayurveda is about joyful living, not about restrictions. It shouldn’t feel like a “chore” to follow such guidelines. Be compassionate with yourself. you are a work of art in progress. Don’t wallow in guilt. Find the joy in the small moments of your day.