According to Ayurveda there’s actually an art to drinking water to make sure your body gets the most out of it.

Drinking water in big gulps and chugging it down will mean that most of it does not get absorbed or it may drain important salts from your body. Drinking too much water is actually not good for you. Instead, it’s important to sip water throughout the day at a steady rate. Here are some Ayurveda tips to get you started and find the right balance.

 Ayurveda tips for drinking water

•  Sit down to drink
•  Take small sips
•  Sip throughout the day
•  Do not drink too much during meals
•  Avoid drinking water straight after a meal
•  Drink warm water
•  Drink a glass of warm water upon waking
•  Sip hot water for a hot water detox
•  Ensure you do not get dehydrated
•  Drink when you’re thirsty

Drinking warm and hot water has long been a practice in Ayurveda. Sipping it between meals can help flush out toxins and prevent digestive problems. It is also known to enhance the radiance of the skin and calm skin conditions.

Warm or hot water helps to combat fatigue and balance the energy in your body. Cold water can slow digestion but warm or hot water can do the opposite and help nutrients be absorbed more easily.

Adding herbs and spices to water can help rejuvenate and help digestion. Both Fennel and ginger have been used to calm and settle the stomach. Basil leaves, mint leaves, cumin, lemon and rose buds can also be added to help balance your body with the three doshas.

We’re advised to drink 1.5 litres or eight glass of water a day. According to Ayurveda, the amount of water we should drink depends on many factors. There is no one-size-fits-all.
Depending on age, weather, workload and diet, the amount of water we should consume varies. But a good rule of thumb is to drink every time you’re thirsty, and continue to sip water throughout the day.

If you are interested in taking an Ayurveda holiday and practice Ayurveda techniques, visit this page to see what Neal’s Yard Holidays have available. Yoga goes had in hand with Ayurveda, see here also for yoga holidays.

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Are you eating on the go? Or are you tired after a meal?
Try these simple Ayurveda tips for good digestion.

Ayurveda relies on balance of the three doshas – vata, pitta and kapha – for good health.  A healthy digestive system therefore relies on balance of the doshas and in particular – pitta, which governs the metabolism and digestive system.

Digestive problems are common and usually caused by a combination of poor diet and eating ‘on the go’. Many people rarely take the time to eat a good breakfast, usually eating a slice of toast in the car on the way to work, or not eating anything at all. Lunch time is much of the same with people eating at their desks or wolfing something down quickly before their next meeting.

Ayurveda can help improve our digestive health by not only focussing on what we eat but how we eat it. Ideally we should eat in a comfortable, relaxing environment or at least sitting down without distractions. This helps us to focus on the food, the taste and smell, and when we focus, we eat slowly, which helps digestion.

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’

Another way to aid digestion is to stimulate the digestive fire or ‘agni’, which is controlled by the pitta dosha. If the agni is weak, then this can make us tired after eating. If it is too strong, then it can ‘burn’ the food. Ayurveda recommends finding a balance so we can digest efficiently. To boost your digestive fire, try eating a 1-inch pinch of fresh ginger with a drop of lemon before meals.

Mixing cold drinks with hot food can cause stomach cramps or bloating so one way to help balance the agni is to avoid food or drinks that are too cold. This means drinking water or juices at room temperature and avoiding ice. Think of it like a burning fire – you don’t want to extinguish the flame!

Agni is strongest between 12-2pm, so Ayurveda recommends that lunch is the largest meal of the day. Eating too late at night can also mean the agni struggles to digest food, leaving you feeling tired in the mornings, so try to eat dinner before 8pm.

Another tip for good digestion is to have a yoghurt drink called lassi during or after meals. Lassi contains lactobacilli or ‘good bacteria’ and helps to lubricate the intestines for smooth digestion. It is made with fresh yoghurt, water and sugar to taste.

If you find that your agni goes too much the other way and you have excess acid, try eating a spoonful of pomegranate chutney before meals as this is known to control stomach acid and decrease digestive gases.

Remember, Ayurveda tips for digestion:

1. Eat in a calm environment, without distractions
2. Sit down and focus on the taste, smell and texture of the food
3. Avoid food and drinks that are too cold
4. Have a yoghurt drink that contains lactobacilli during or after meals
5. Eat a piece of fresh ginger with lemon before meals to increase digestive fire
6. Eat a spoonful of pomegranate chutney to decrease digestive fire and control acid
7. Make lunch the biggest meal of the day
8. Avoid eating dinner after 8pm

For more Ayurveda tips, see our previous blogs on Ayurveda tips for drinking water and Ayurveda tips for better health.

For our holidays where you can practise this ancient tradition of Ayurveda, see this page

The post Ayurveda Tips for Good Digestion appeared first on Neals Yard Holidays Blog.

It’s relatively common to feel sluggish in the morning, lethargic in the afternoon and restless at night. According to Ayurveda, to have good health and feel energised, we should live in tune with nature’s cycles. By implementing a simple morning and night routine, you can achieve harmony.

Ayurveda recommends morning and night time practices called Dinacharya. The morning routine promotes focus, a calm outlook and sustainable energy to help you throughout your busy day. The night time routine will help you wind down and prepare you for sleep.

Ayurveda Morning routine

Waking

According to Ayurveda, before sunrise is the ideal time to get up in the morning because of the vata dosha – a subtle energy. The atmosphere is still quiet at this time, which also makes it easier to meditate. Energy after the sun rises, is heavy, which can make you feel heavy and tired.

Washing

Clean out your nostrils using a warm saline solution of warm water and sea salt in order to flush out germs, pollution and dust that has accumulated overnight. According to yoga tradition, it equalises the flow of breath between the nostrils and balances your energy.

Ayurveda also recommends tongue-scraping to get rid of toxins that lead to illness. Then, before you brush your teeth, drink a glass of warm water flavoured with a slice of lemon or lime. This helps to flush the digestive tract and kick-start your metabolism.

Massage

According to Ayurveda, massaging your body with warm, pure oils promotes detoxification and moisturises skin. Just 10 minutes in the morning is enough. Start with your temples, face and neck then work your way down using circular motions. If you have time, let the oil sit for a few minutes, then shower.

Ayurveda Evening routine

Wind down

As the sun goes down, keep lights dim. Lessen your exposure to electronics and don’t use any at all an hour before going to bed. It’s time to tell your body to ‘switch off.’ Light some candles or a stick of incense fused with vanilla, which has a calming effect. Add some essential oils to a bath and have a relaxing soak.

Soothe

Give yourself a foot massage with a drop of sesame oil for ten minutes. There are several pressure points in the feet that correspond to the whole body, which means you can relax within just a few minutes.

Drink

Before bed, heat some organic milk (or rice milk or similar) and add ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Warm whole milk is used in Ayurveda as an insomnia remedy, so it’s perfect to help you drift off to sleep.

Breathe

Just before going to bed, or before evening meditation, practice nostril breathing known as Nadi Shodhana. Do this by using your thumb and finger to open and close each nostril, while you breathe through the other. This will help you transition from activity to stillness, which will relax the body and mind.

Following this Ayurveda routine can help you focus, energise and relax when you need to. You will experience more peace of mind and it’s an opportunity to focus on yourself. Start with just one or two of these practices and gradually build more into your daily routine. You’ll feel better in no time.

To see what Ayurveda holidays we have available, click here.

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