Preventative Care
I don’t have any major health concerns now, but I want to make sure I’m doing what I can to ensure a healthy future. How can I maintain my health as I grow older?
Ayurveda offers some excellent and simple daily practices that you can do which will contribute significantly to your overall health now and in the future. After all, it is the actions that we take on a daily basis which will have a cumulative effect on our lives.
It is important as we get older to provide our bodies with the highest quality ‘building blocks’ available. For us this comes in the form of fresh, organic foods — especially vegetables, fruits and grains. An assessment of your constitution according to Ayurvedic principles can teach you which foods in each group are balancing for you when you are well, when you are ill, and also seasonally.
Next, a powerful tool for prevention is your own assessment of how you are feeling. Checking in with yourself everyday will allow you to catch minor imbalances before they become major diseases. An important note on assessing your state of health is to learn what is “normal.” Ayurveda describes in detail how each constitution functions when in balance and when out of balance so that you may take corrective measures accordingly.
Incorporating even a few of these practices will improve your overall physical, mental and emotional health. Here are some of the Ayurvedic golden rules of prevention:
· A balanced, productive day begins the night before! Get to bed by 10:00 PM to allow the natural detoxification and rejuvenation process to happen in your body and mind.
· Rise with, or even better, before the sun! Take advantage of the energy provided at this time by starting your day early. (Notice how the later you rise the harder it is to get going…)
· Regularize your daily routines! This will train your physiology to work efficiently and effectively. Irregularity causes undo stress, strain, and confusion of your interconnected body systems.
· Eat your largest meal of the day as close to noon as possible! This is the hour when your digestion is the strongest helping to extract the nutrients and discard the waste of the food you eat. (A balanced meal at this hour may also prevent low energy typically experienced in the late afternoon/early evening).
· Honor your body, mind and spirit daily! Do something harmonious for yourself every day that connects these three aspects of who you are. Maybe you find harmony in a daily walk, a yoga practice, a bath, a massage, or simply sitting quietly with yourself. Choose a practice that brings you joy and do it consistently for maximum benefit.
Above all, remember that you have a great deal of control over your health now and as you get older. Taking preventative measures while you are well is one of the best investments you can make to improve not only the quantity but the quality of your life!