Confinement, teleworking: 9 Ayurvedic reflexes to put in place every day to stay motivated

The benefits of Ayurveda on the body and mind

Ayurvedic medicine is traditional Indian medicine, and can be translated as “The science of how to live well for a long time”. The objective of Ayurveda is to balance the state of health of the person, in order to prevent everyday ailments and diseases. In Ayurvedic medicine, there are 3 doshas (vital energies), which constitute, in more or less high proportions, the person (dosha Vata, dosha Kapha and dosha Pitta).

If the protocols offered by Ayurvedic medicine must be personalized to be effective, these reflexes, from Ayurveda, can be applied to everyone. They will improve the well-being of everyone, the mood, the contraction, and the motivation of those who are currently teleworking.

Detox on waking, in 4 steps

This little routine of “ detoxifying morning purification “, allows to start the day on the right foot, and to evacuate all the toxins accumulated during the night. Thus, we start without stress, the mind clear and the body “clean”. Must be done on an empty stomach!

• Step 1: drink a large glass of lukewarm water. An essential gesture to promote digestion and hydrate after a night’s sleep.
• Step 2: Make a mouthwash with sesame oil. This gesture, called “Gandush”, helps prevent oral problems such as cavities. Leave a teaspoon of organic sesame oil in your mouth for 5 to 10 minutes, and rinse with water.
• Step 3: clean your tongue. This daily reflex helps eliminate the remains of toxins present in the mouth when you wake up. You can clean your tongue before a tongue scraper, or with a silver spoon.
• Step 4: perform a nasal rinse. To eliminate phlegm, strengthen your immune system and optimize your breathing, you wash your nose with a little salt water or physiological serum.

The beneficial self-massage, to do after the shower

If keeping a rhythm during confinement and getting ready in the morning as if you were going to work is important for keeping motivation and morale, a soothing massage after your shower can be a real plus.

Thus, we will choose the most suitable oil for its predominant dosha:

• Sunflower oil or olive oil for Kapha and Pitta dosha types
• Sesame oil for dosha type Vata

Take the oil suited to your Ayurvedic profile and self-massage the whole body for about ten minutes. Take the time to do it, to enjoy this moment for you.

This massage will put you in good condition to start the day, and the ideal is to follow up with some breathing exercises or the realization of some yoga postures.

Organize your meals

To keep a rhythm during the day, it is necessary to respect schedules for the meals. And Ayurvedic medicine even gives its recommendations on the ideal joint and meal preparation.

Breakfast: between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Take your time, as with all meals, but don’t rush into the kitchen pretending that you are hungry when you get up. On the menu: cereals, toast and jam to fuel the body. As a hot drink, we avoid coffee, and we prefer tea. Those who are not hungry when they wake up can skip breakfast, no question of going against nature.

Lunch: between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

This is the main meal of the day, so don’t miss it… On the menu: pulses (for protein), salad and “freshly cooked” vegetables.

Dinner: between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The last meal of the day should be light to help you fall asleep. On the menu: cereals, rice or vegetables, and a small dessert for those who wish. However, we avoid raw vegetables and spicy, acidic or salty foods which will put too much strain on the digestive system.

Focus on spices

In Ayurvedic medicine, spices occupy an important place: their purifying and detoxifying properties give a boost to the body.

We can therefore slip spices into culinary preparations, or prepare spicy drinks.

• Water with spices. In the morning, we prepare a hot drink made from pieces of fresh ginger, to boost the brain. You can add turmeric, excellent for brain functions and immune defenses.
• Le Golden Milk. This drink made from turmeric, vegetable milk, ginger, cinnamon, coconut oil and black pepper, is a good alternative to tea or coffee.

Take a meditative break in case of stress, loss of concentration or motivation …

Meditation is an excellent practice for health and well-being, it would be wrong to deprive yourself of it during this period of confinement! Practicing regularly, it significantly reduces stress, reboosting the mind by soothing it and achieving general well-being, body and mind.

So, as soon as you feel the need (in the morning when you wake up, before having lunch, in the afternoon when concentration is more difficult, or in the evening to ease tensions), practice meditation for a few minutes.

In a quiet place, or accompanied by soft and relaxing music, or sounds of nature (the wind in the trees, the sound of the waves…), take some time for yourself, to refocus, recharge your batteries. Switch off your phone, shut down your computer and make yourself comfortable for a moment (even 5 minutes if you are short on time!). Do not try to be in the performance, focus only on your breathing, observing your inhales, your exhalations … Once you feel ready, resume the course of your day, or that file on which you were losing patience and no longer manage to move forward!

Plan a return to calm at the end of the day

After having been efficient and in great demand on all sides during the day, it is important to plan for a return to calm before bedtime. When possible, a digestive walk of about ten minutes after dinner is recommended, and the practice of gentle activities such as a yoga session, reading a book that you like, a little meditation … Just to get in condition to sleep better, ideally before 10 pm.

Source: SpaDreams press release, Motivation Teleworking: the best Ayurvedic tips for more concentration. More info on www.spadreams.fr

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