Wellness Wednesday: Introduce Ancient Ayurvedic Healing Techniques Into Your Life In 10 Steps

PUBLISHED October 23rd, 2019 06:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 05:18 pm

Ayurveda (literally, life knowledge in Sanskrit) is one of the world’s oldest holistic healing systems, based on the concept that individual wellness rests on a delicate balance between three elements and energies called the ‘Tridoshas’. They are Pitta (fire and the expression of the body’s metabolic system), Vatta (air and the energy associated with movement), and Kapha – water and the energy that forms the body’s structure. So if balance is what you’re after, consider taking these tips on board, courtesy of Dr. Prasanth, COMO Shambhala Escape‘s Ayurvedic expert.

1. Wake up naturally, not abruptly. Living in the tropics means it’s easy for us to incorporate sunlight into this routine for our body clocks.
2. Drink a glass of warm water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning – preferably water that has been stored in a copper vessel overnight.
3. Clean your eyes using eye cups once a week with high quality, organic, additive-free rose water (also known as rose hydrosol) and warm water. This helps to reduce dark circles and rehydrate tired, overworked eyes.
4. Scrape your tongue daily. Besides clearing toxins, bacteria and dead cells from the tongue to prevent bad breath, it also enhances the sense of taste and promotes digestive health.
5. Apply Dosha-specific oil to your head and body 15 minutes before shower as oils bind fat soluble toxins through the skin and pull them out of the cellular system. Organic, cold-pressed, unrefined oils are the best.
6. Chew your food well.
7. Have regular meal times and stop eating before you’re completely full.
8. Select foods and beverages in accordance with your Dosha, seasons and time of the day. For instance, Vatas should have warm, nourishing foods with moderately heavy texture like soups, stews, herbal teas, and well ripened fruit while Kaphas do best with lightly cooked foods, raw fruits, and spicy food.
9. Do a physical activity daily and regularly, combined with breathing techniques and meditation/prayer.
10. Have a minimum 3-hour gap between your dinner and sleep, and go to bed at same time every night.

This article was contributed by Dr Prasanth, an Ayurveda Consultant at COMO Shambhala Escape. With an integrative medical philosophy based on Ayurvedic science, naturopathy, yoga and conventional science, Dr Prasanth conducts classical and therapeutic yoga classes, on top of tailoring individual wellness programmes that detox, rejuvenate, and de-stress. He also specialises in Marma therapy, a specific branch of Ayurveda focusing on the manipulation of prana (subtle energy) in the body, aiding the healing process.