With the summer heat almost here, people are shedding their layers of clothes and going light. Its time to shed those layers from your feet too and give your feet some breathing space. Please find an article about Barefoot Walking. This has been a tradition in many cultures, but perhaps many years ago. Its amazing to observe how many hours are spent with our feet closed up in shoes. Read my article about the principles, reasons and aspects of barefoot walking. Click Here
One essential element of practising Ayurveda is all about routines. Dinacharya is the name given to daily routine. But what is most important is how you start your day.
In Ayurveda, how you start your day is very essential. Its the same exact way that when you start cooking, even the temperature of the pan or the amount of oil you put into the pan to cook with or the amount herbs or spices used will affect the end result of that dish. How you start your morning affects the whole day. Read below morning routines of some people who have written to me.
Click Here to read my daily morning routine. But most importantly continue reading and you will find out about how many other holistic practitioners start their day too.
Fruit – Phala in Ayurveda
With summer here, fruits are always a hot topic although many fruits can be cooling for the body. I regularly read posts about fruits especially from an Ayurvedic stand point. And hence this post clarifying certain misconceptions.
In Ayurveda there is a saying – Either eat Fruit alone or leave Fruit alone.
Fruits are never cooked or heated. Hence when l read about stewed apples for breakfast or fruits cooked with meals. This is not an Ayurvedic principle. Fruits are wonderful foods. They carry their own inherent Agni and hence always eaten in their natural form. Never cooked, stewed, baked, steamed etc
Fruits are always eaten as snacks. They are never a part of the main meal. Instead of biscuits, cakes etc Ayurveda talks about fruits for snacks. Fruits are never combined or eaten with milk – any kind of milk. Especially dairy. Also best to avoid combining with almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, rice milk etc. Energetics of such extracted milks are not compatible with fruits. Such combinations may lead to dyspepsia, acidity, indigestion etc. Remember – Either eat fruit alone or leave it alone.
The only exceptions are nuts like almonds, cashews or raisins etc. One could also add raw vegetables to fruits as part of smoothies if need be. Also one could add spices like cinnamon cardamom ginger etc to fruits. Fruits are usually consumed in plenty on days of fasting. Hence all traditional Vedic fasting is usually with fruits.