PRACTICING AYURVEDA AT HOME

• India has amazing wellness and Ayurveda retreats, and anyone who has spent some time attheses retreats will vouch for the peaceful air, well-being, relaxation, and tranquility these retreats provide.

• Ayurveda means the knowledge and science of life, where Ayur means life and Veda means knowledge or science. This practice is 5000 years old and has a history of curing all medical alignments.

• It seeks to restore balance and promote healing in the body. Ayurveda includes everything from oil treatments to diets prescribed specially for you.

• Ayurveda works on three principles: Pitta, Vata, and Kapha. They aim at holistically healing you; they not only treat your illness but also protect you from falling sick again and build your immunity against that disease.

• According to Ayurveda, each body is different, and each person has their own doshas, which need to be balanced to treat their illness.

• I know you’ll be wondering why I'm suddenly telling you about Ayurveda's drifting away from clothes and jewelry.

• But the reason why I am writing this blog is because Ayurveda helps in getting you some mental clarity, boosting your immunity, making your skin healthy and glowing, and making your hair shine as well.

• I know replacing the whole experience of an Ayurvedic spa at home will be difficult, but there are still a number of Ayurvedic practices that can be undertaken at home, and the best part is you do not even have to go searching for ingredients for the same; you will find them in your kitchen.

• Just be consistent with these treatments, and you will notice a change for the better.

Pranayama: deep breathing exercises

• The most essential foundation of Ayurveda is inhaling more oxygen and exhaling toxins along with carbon dioxide.

• Simple breathing exercises will help you achieve this. I suggest doing this every morning around 7 or 8 a.m. while sitting in the sun for 15 minutes. This will help you rejuvenate and replenish your body.

HOW TO DO PRANAYAMA

• There are multiple ways to do pranayama, but I will tell you the simplest one.

• Take a comfortable seat. Make sure you are not cold; maybe wrap a shawl around yourself or use a meditation shawl. Sit up straight and tall and close your eyes.

• Close the right nostril with the thumb and take a deep breath and hold for 5 seconds, then close the left nostril with your index finger and exhale. Repeat this procedure for 15 minutes, and due to the increase in oxygen levels in your body, you will feel rejuvenated.

• I'll show you another simple way to practice Pranayama.

• Take a comfortable seat, keep yourself warm, and sit up straight and inhale. While inhaling, count 6, then hold your breath for 8 seconds, and then exhale for another 6 seconds. This is a simple, deep breathing exercise.

• Trust me, do this consistently for a month, and you will yourself want to continue it.

ABHYANGA: DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

• Yes, you can enjoy a deep tissue massage from the comfort of your home as well. This massage will help you increase the blood flow and will be very relaxing after a long day of work. You will need the following things to do this massage:

1. Luke warms oil in a squeezable bottle.
2. A pot of warm water.
3. A larger towel to wrap yourself with.
4. A warm space so that you do not feel cold.

• Start by selecting your favorite massage oil. I generally prefer olive oil or almond oil. Put the oil bottle in the pot of warm water so that the oil stays warm.

• Squeeze a little oil in your palm, rub your hands together, and start by massaging your forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck in an upward circular motion. Take a small amount of oil and massage the nose and ear canal as well. Massage your collarbones and shoulders.

• Firm, long strokes while massaging will help release your stress and rejuvenate your skin.

• On the other hand, move from the outside to the inside of the body to increase the blood flow.

• Massage your whole body in a similar manner.

Nidra: Good night, sleep.

• This is the simplest; you just have to sleep, right?. Nidra is the most important aspect of having a healthy life.  A good night's sleep is essential for body balance; it keeps the skin looking younger and keeps the dark circles away.

• Tuck yourself in at 10 p.m. and wake up at 6 a.m. This will give you a proper 8-hour sleep, which is needed to rejuvenate yourself. In case you cannot sleep at 10 p.m., please make sure you are getting at least 8 hours of sleep every day.

• If you have insomnia like me, then try massaging your feet with oil or night cream before you go to bed. You can also play meditating sleep music on a low volume on your phone while you sleep. This music has the sound of water and instruments and will help you sleep instantly.

Turmeric

• Turmeric naturally has antibacterial qualities, is anti-inflammatory, and has lots of antioxidants. Please try and drink the golden milk every day before bed.

• Mix 1 spoon of turmeric powder, ¼ spoon of black pepper, and ½ spoon ghee in one glass of warm milk. Drink this mixture every day.

• You can also mix 1 spoon of turmeric powder, 2 spoons of raw milk, 1 spoon of honey, and 1 spoon of lemon juice and apply it to your face. If you have dry skin, you can add 1 spoon of milk cream to this mixture.

• Keep this face mask for 15 minutes and wash it with cold water.

• This will keep the acne away. Consistent use of this will also help your skin look younger due to the antioxidants present in turmeric.

HAIR LOSS TREATMENT

• I know a lot of us go through this problem at some point in our lives.  And who does not love their hair?. Luckily, the ayurvedic treatment for hair loss and graying of the hair is very simple and requires very few ingredients.

1. spoon lemon juice
2. spoons cinnamon
3. 4 spoons of honey
4. 6 spoons of warm olive oil (do not heat the mixture after adding the other ingredients).

• Apply the above mixture to the scalp and leave for about 30–40 minutes, and then wash your hair with normal shampoo and conditioner.

Insomnia treatment

• I know everyone has days where they struggle to fall asleep.

• Well, luckily, Ayurveda offers a number of solutions for this. Take your pick.

1. Drink a glass of warm milk mixed with green cardamom powder before bed.
2. Drink a glass of warm milk mixed with cinnamon and honey.
3. Heat some water and infuse some mint leaves in it. Let the leaves be in the hot water for 5 minutes. Add half a spoonful of honey and drink this mixture every evening.

MIGRAINE TREATMENTS

• Mix some clove powder with cinnamon oil. Make this mixture warm and apply it to your forehead and temple. Leave this for 30–40 minutes, and your headache will go away.

Cold Treatment

• Are you battling with a cold or flu?.

• This time, try hot water infused with dried hibiscus flowers, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and honey. Drink ¼ cup of this mixture before bed.

• If you have a sore throat, try gargling with lukewarm water mixed with turmeric, honey, and a pinch of salt. This will definitely soothe your throat.

Skin care treatment

• Who does not want clear skin? According to Ayurveda, breakouts happen due to an excess of Pitta dosha.

• Try cooling ingredients like fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and aloe vera. Drink aloe vera juice every morning on an empty stomach. You can drink fennel and coriander seed water every night before sleeping.

• You can also cut an aloe vera stem, apply the pulp directly to your face, and keep it on like a face mask for 40–50 minutes until it dries out. Repeat this 3–4 times a week, and you will surely have clearer skin.

Anxiety Treatment

• Ayurveda can not only treat physical ailments but can also help with emotional and mental wellbeing.

• For treating anxiety Mix rose petals with boiling water and let it cool down until it is lukewarm, then add a pinch of sugar or honey and drink this water.

• You can also mix the powder of the following:

• Coconut, fennel seeds, almonds, sugar, and black pepper—make a mixture of these ingredients and have a spoon or two of it along with 1 cup of warm milk.

I hope these small home remedies help you make a difference in your daily routine. Do tell us about the experiences in the comments below.