How to Live Healthy Life?

Ayurveda Rules of Dinacharya for Better Life

The word Ayurveda is derived from two words; Ayur + Veda. Ayur means life/ longevity and Veda means the understanding of. The understanding or knowledge of life is known as Ayurveda. Ayurveda is a complex system of holistic healing of the mind and body which began thousands of years ago. Ayurveda is not merely a medical science but also the science of life. It does everything in sync with nature. Thus, Ayurveda helps to maintain a healthy lifestyle going according to the laws created by nature. Ayu consists of 4 elements senses, soul, mind and body.

We are also inclined towards what we see with our eyes but there is more to everything we see. Our mind not just sways our thoughts but also helps us in doing our basic daily life tasks such as breathing, digesting, excreting etc. there is an amazing synchronization between our mind and body to deal with our daily life routine. If we expect our mind to properly aid the body then we must utilize our senses in a proper way.

Every individual is built up of 5 important elements [panchamahabhutas] which are space, air, fire, water, earth. Even the Doshas are formed by the combination of these elements.

Tridosh Elementary Composition
Vata Space + Air
Pitta Fire + Water
Kapha Water + Earth

When any of the dosha gets vitiated then certain diet and lifestyle changes are recommended to overcome the person’s personal health problems. If the body is not getting detoxified then Panchkarma can be suggested to get rid of these toxins.

Knowing about Dinacharya

The word Dinacharya is derived from Sanskrit which means everyday regime. According to Ayurveda, if we want to lead a healthy life, we must adapt ourselves according to Nature’s theory. There are two sets in each day which keeps each dosha superior to the others twice a day. We shall now describe Dinacharya according to Ayurveda.

First Set

  1. 6 am to 10 am [Kapha]
  2. 10 am to 2 pm [Pitta]
  3. 2 pm to 6 pm [Vata]

Second Set

  1. 6 pm to 10 pm [Kapha]
  2. 10 pm to 2 am [Pitta]
  3. 2 am to 6 am [Vata]

Dawn

Waking up 2 hours before the first light is recommended as Vata is superior at that time. As vata is flimsy, lucid and very fine so it aids the body to know the tricky signals nature sends. This time is the most invigorating and keeps you charged throughout the day.

Removal of the waste material

Gulp down two to three glasses of lukewarm water to activate your cells and it helps you expel out the fecal matter with ease. This should be the first thing to do in the morning as delaying the process of elimination will lead to slowly poisoning the body and you will feel irritated and lethargic for the rest of the day.

Cleanse your sense organs

Wash your eyes with plain water. Lemon water, Triphala, rose water are also good for eyesight.

Brush your teeth with babool [prickly acacia] stem and massage your teeth and gums with sesame oil. The coating on the tongue refers to the toxins in the colon, so clean your tongue for freshness and for better taste. Gargle with warm water or a herbal concoction to strengthen your teeth and clean your throat. Then put a tiny amount of oil in your nose to clean the sinuses and improve your smelling power. Inhaling smoke of herbs is also suggested to refine your body, mind.

Massage

Massaging the body preferably with sesame oil to strengthen our body and it is also considered to be age reversing. Massaging for 5 – 10 minutes is enough if done correctly.

Exercise

Exercising in an open atmosphere is the best. Doing a little yoga, walk, swimming, sun salutations. You can do any exercises you wish to. It gets rid of any stiffness. Exercising early in the morning helps in strengthening, regulates metabolism. You should always exercise half of your body strength and avoid excessive exertion.

Bathing

To remove the sweat and oil from the body after exercising taking lukewarm water showers are beneficial. Wear clean clothes after bathing.

Meditation

Close your eyes and sit down in a calm room away from noises for 30 – 60 minutes. Try to sit in peace.

Breakfast

Breakfast should not be delayed after10:00 AM. The digestive fire is quite low so it is recommended to consume easily digestible meals which keep you charged without making you lethargic.

Mid Day

Lunch

Pitta is superior from 10 AM to 2 PM so it is advised to eat heavy meals as Pitta is in charge of the digestive process. No meals should be skipped in order to keep the body functioning normally.

DUSK

This time the most suitable for saying your prayers as it an amazing stable time of day and night.

Supper

Having your supper at 7 PM gives you enough time to digest your food. You should put at least three hours of gap between your dinner and bedtime. Sleeping right after having food should be discouraged. You should take a stroll after dinner to ignite the digestive fire.

Bedtime

The most suitable time for going to bed between 10 to 11 pm as it gives ample time to sleep. If you are unable to take a sound sleep then you can bathe with warm water, massaging your body before sleeping helps to sleep comfortably. Taking a teaspoon of Triphala with warm water before sleeping helps to regulate digestion.