Dincharya

Ayurveda in daily life

(Behaviour Patterns and Food habits during the day and night time)

Ayurveda Lifestyle

Routine for 24 hours • Wake up

• Exercise

• Cooking

• Working

• Meals

• Sleep

• Study

• Sex

Rising 2 hour before sunrise

There is peace, Freshness, happiness

Provide mental peace and joy

Rising early gives adequate time for all routine

Planning out routine before leaving the bed ensure all work in time

Washing Face Washing face with fresh cool water after leaving bed

clear dirts from eyes, nose, mouth and face

Relieves early morning dullness

In winter luke warm water can be used

Water Intake 1-4 glasses of water should be taken after washing face

in morning

Preferable stored in copper vessel at night

It helps in smooth and regular elimination of urine and stool in morning

Ablutions/Excretion Early morning clearing bowel is must

Early rush to evacuate is necessary for regular bowel and ensure the proper digestion

Cleaning Teeth Teeth should be cleaned with twigs that have bitter,

pungent or astringent taste

The movement should be from top to bottom and vice versa

The tongue should be cleaned after teeth

Gargling Gargling after brushing is necessary regularly

Substance with bitter essence boiled in water are excellent for garling

It also helps drying of throat and chapping of lips

It helps teeth, improves voice, smooth skin of face , boost taste and appetite

Oiling Head Head should be oiled with sesame or coconut oil

It prevent hair fall, graying, headache, drying scalp, improves sensory organs

Oil Massage Massage helps body stronger and smoothens the skin

It destroys premature ageing, fatigue, wrinkles, roughness and dryness

It clears vision, strengthens body, and smoothes skin

Relief body odour, dirt, itches, sweat, heaviness

Exercise Physical activities leading to tiring is exercise

Exercise leads strength and stability of body

During winter and spring it should be done in half body strength

Yoga

Yoga • Choose according to body type and imbalance

• Take precaution for special position, breathing…. • Follow the rules of Yoga to get the maximum benefits • Yama (Self realization)

• Niyama (Self discipline)

• Asana (postures)

• Pranayama (breathing exercise)

• Pratyahar (withdrawl of senses)

• Dharana (concentration)

• Dhyan (meditation)

• Samadhi (Identification of pure conciousness)

Body pastes • Massaging body with medicated powders and pastes

• It is helpful before bathing

• It destroys dirts, odour and clearing pores and smooth the skin

• Mustard powder, or gram flour mixed with milk and oil or curd cream mixed with oils

• Triphala powder,………….

Face packs Face packs should be used to avoid wrinkles,

blackheads and increase softness, glow, and uniformity and shine

Paste is removed until wet if it dries it cause wrinkles

Sandalwood, papaya, turmeric, rose water, almond,

Bathing • Bathing daily is must for cleaning and refreshing body.

• Bathing rejuvenates body

• Nose, ear, feet should be cleaned specifically during bath

• Bathing is avoided immediate after eating an suffering from illness of eyes, mouth and ear, diarrhoea, cold, indigestion

• Warm water for body, normal water for head.

Clothing Clean clothes worn after bathing

Good clean and appropiate clothe worn as season

White or light coloured thin clothes in summer and dark, heavy and thick clothes in winter

Perfumes Body can be adorned with seasonal flowers and

perfumes

It improves the quality of life leading to its prolonging

Ornaments and Gemstone Similar to perfumes wearing gems of gold, silver add

attractiveness leading to glow on face increased life span

It resolves the fear and vice versa

Gems as per planets Manikya (Ruby) - Surya (Sun)

Mukta (Pearl) - Chandra (Moon)

Praval (Coral) - Mangal (Mars)

Panna (Emerald) - Budha (Mercury)

Pushparaga (Topaz) - Guru (Jupiter)

Vajra (Diamond) - Sukra (Venus)

Neelam (Sapphire) - Shani (Saturn)

Gomed (Zircon) - Rahu

Vaidurya Cat’s eye - Ketu

Chewing Fragranced substance To keep mouth fresh nutmeg, betel nut, cardamom,

clove, betel leaves should be chewed

It increase taste perception and provide protection against oral disease

Footwear Footwear protects against heat, thorns, insects and

germs and provide comfort to the feet

It protects the skin healthy and aid maitaing motion

Footwear should be selected according to season

Nail and Hair care Trimming the hair and nail should be regular habit

Nail is accumulated with dirts and germs

It nesure hygiene beauty and freshness

Kohl application Eyes should be nourished with kohl or eye drops

It makes the eyes watering cleaning process

Diet Diet is crucial for mainting health

It should be taken in adequate quantity at appropiate time

Light, easily digestable food according to season should be used

Ratricharya • Pattern of behaviour and food

habits at night

• 12hr of day light plus 12 hrs of darkness together referred to one day

• Sleep is the described first for primary activity

Sleep To maintain good health and spirits sound adequate

sleep is necessary

Both the sense and motor organs are drained

Only breathing, blood circulation etc are continue during sleep

Night time is most conductive for sleep

Silence, darkness, low temperature during night induce sleep

Physical fatigue caused by hardwork, mental peace and enjoy sound sleep

Who cannot sleep suffer from several mental and physical disorders

Day time sleep • Sleeping during the day is harmful for health as it

increase kapha and pitta

• Problem like jaundice, headache, heaviness, body ache, weakening of digestion, swelling, loss of appetite, nauseous feeling, migraine, boils, itching, languour, cough, blockage of weakness, sensory and motor organs

Exceptions • Due to loss of water and shorter nights, sleeping during the

day during summers is not harmful

• But after rigourous music practice, studying, walking, consumption of alcohol, suffering from weakness, fatigue, thirst, diarrhoea, stool, asthma, hiccups, weak constitution during childhood and old age

Lack of sleep, being drained to anger, fear or sorrow,

Eating Dinner Digestion of food and sleep are inextricably linked

Two hour gap between dinner and sleep is a must

Only light and easily digestable food should be eaten

Walking after dinner is recommended as it improves digestion and aid sleep

Avoid curd at Night Curd has a tendency to block body channels

Eating curd at night should be avoided as one has to sleep after dinner

The digestion process continue at a very slow pace during sleep. The chances of srotas (body channels) getting blocked increase

Patient of asthma, cough, cold and arthritis must not eat cud even during the day

Studying at Night Adequate light while studying is a must to ensure

healthy eyesight

It is remembered sunlight is far better than artificial light

Studying at night should be kept to the minimum

Writing is stressful on the eyes, hence it is avoided as night

Sexual Activity • Ayurveda place certain limits on sexual activity

• It is avoided during: During Menstruation or when suffering from infection or disease

• In case of lack of friendly, lack of sexual desire, attraction to another, married women, women belonging to another caste

• At secred place, public areas, crossroads, gardens, graveyards, slaughter houses, water hospital, temples, residence of brahmans, teacher

• Without eating or overeating

While fasting, doing physical labour or experiencing fatigue and urge to urinate

Inapropiate place or lack of privacy

Sexual intercourse with other than sexual organs is prohibited

A glass of milk with sugar should be taken before and after intercourse

Full moon nights, nights of new moon.

Suppression of Natural urges Natural urges is not to be supressed

Timely satisfaction of these urges is paramount to good health postponing or ignoring them can lead to various kids of ailments

• Urination: Pain in bladder and genital organs, dysuria, headache, distension in the abdomen,

• Defaecation: Colic pain, severe headache, constipation, cramps, distension in lower abdomen,

• Sexual gratification: Pain in genital organs, testicles, cardiac pain

• Flatus: prevent elimination of stool and urine and lead gas formation, distension of abdomen

• Vomiting: Itching, uritcaria, anorexia, oedema, nausea, anaemia,

• Sneezing: headache, paralysis, hemicrania, weakness of sense,

• Eructation: Hiccups, breathlessness, tremors, malfunction of heart and lungs

• Yawning : Cunvulsion, numbness and tremors in the organs

• Hunger: Emaciation, weakness, anorexia, giddiness, change in complexion

• Thirst : Dryness of throat, and mouth, deafness, cardiac pain, dizziness

• Weeping: rhinitis, eye disease, heart disease, anorexia, giddiness,

• Sleep: Yawning, exhaustion, headache, fatigue, heaviness and giddiness

Ritucharya • Ritu means Season and Charya means discipline or following.

• Seasons and environment affect our health as much as food

• Doshas changes according to Season

• Ayurveda recommend diet and lifestyle pattern through out the year

• Season are based according to the movement of sun

• A. Uttarayan : Sun moves toward north.. Sunrays and wind are very hot and dry absorb moisture rapid

Dakshinayan: Sun moves towards the south

Sunrays and wind are neither hot nor dry. Due to environment, food and medicinal preparation acquire smoothness increase physical strength in both animals and human beings

Shishir: Mid jan-march Early Winter

Vasanta : Mid march-May (Spring)

Grishma : Mid may-July (Summer)

Varsha : Mid July-Sept(Rainy)

Sharad : Mid Sept-Nov (Autumn)

Hemant : Mid Nov-Jan (Winter)

Hemanta (WINTER) In this season the digestive activity becomes more

powerful. Vayu is accentuated and needs to be satisfied by a heavy diet.

Diet Lifestyle

Intake of sweet, sour and salty taste foods helps reducing the vaata. Wheat/gram flour products, milk products, sugarcane products and corn/edible oils can be taken as a part of food. Carrots, tomatoes, figs, dates, cane sugar, nuts can be taken. Warm water should be taken as it aids digestion and also increases life span. Bitter, astringent and pungent food must be avoided Under feeding / reducing quantities should be avoided

Massage with oil followed by steam bath. Udvartana with fine paste /powder of kumkum (kesar). Exercise (vyaayaama). Clothing should be of leather, silk and wool. Exposure to sunlight and fire to keep yourself warm.

Sisira (LATE WINTER)

Ritucharya )T’S A (EAD)NG AGA)N

In Sisira ritu or late winter, the diet and regimen of Hemanta ritu is to be followed

Vasanta (SPRING) Ritucharya In this season, increased kapha is liquified by the heat of sun and comes out of its receptacle and spreads all over

the body. This causes diminished agni (digestive activity) causing diseases of kapha origin like cold, cough,

heaviness and fluid accumulation in the joints, increased phlegm in the lungs,etc.

Diet Lifestyle

Easily digestible food. Barley, honey, roasted meat, mango juice can be taken as food. Avoid foods that are hard to digest, cold, sour, sweet and fatty. Such food increase kapha and hence genesis of disease.

Physical exercise. Dry massage. Nasal medication can be done after massage and bath with karpura / chandan/kumkum. Avoid sleep during day Cut down your smoking habit.

Greeshma (SUMMER)

Ritucharya Grishma ritu is the season of dehydration, exhaustion,

lack of energy and lethargy. During summer, there occurs decrease of kapha due to the heat of the sun and dryness in the air. Hence the kapha which increased in Vasant is pacified in Greeshma. At the same time, there occurs mild increase of Vaata dosha due to the dryness of the atmosphere.

Diet Lifestyle

Sweet, light, fatty and liquid food can be taken. Wine should not be taken as it can cause burning sensation and even debility. Boiled rice , meat, cornflour, curd (yoghurt) can be taken in food. Drink cold water from mud pot. Fresh juices and juicy fruits, salads, buttermilk can be taken in abundance.

Anoint body with chandan paste and take bath with cold water. Stay in cool places. Wear loose and light cotton dresses to keep the body temperature cool. Sleep during day is permitted as nights are short. Too much exertion and sunshine should be avoided.

Varsha (RAIN) Ritucharya The agni (digestive activity) weakens further and gets vitiated by Vaata. Lack of sunshine and cloudy

atmosphere are uncongenial to health. Hence all methods to mitigate doshas and measures to

enhance digestive activity should be adopted.

Diet Lifestyle

Easily digestible food to be taken. Pulses, meat juice, soups, old grains and mastu (thin water of yoghurt ) can be taken in food. Ginger, black pepper and lemon juice may be taken to reinforce appetite. Leafy vegetables should be taken sparingly. Foods should be hot and light with ghee, curd and honey. River water is to be avoided for drinking.

Perfumes can be used. Avoid sleep in the day. Avoid exertion and too much exposure to sunlight. Avoid bathing in rivers Wear a bit warmer clothes due to cold winds.

Sharad (Autumn) Ritucharya

The dry and hot atmosphere aggravates pitta. Sudden exposure to

sunlight after the rains and cool atmosphere increases pitta.

Diet Lifestyle

Ghee processed with bitter herbs can be taken. Bitter, astringent and sweet taste can be included in food. Take easily digestible food like rice, green gram, aamla, honey and sugar. Avoid heavy food, curd, oil, strong liquors.

Udvartan with chandan. Bath with warm water. Pearls give soothing effect from aggravated pitta. Avoid breeze, liquor and sleep during day

Ritu Sandhi and its significance • Sandhi means conjunction. Here Ritu Sandhi is the period

of the last 7 days of the present ritu and the first 7 days of the subsequent ritu. For instance, it is Vasanta ritu during Vaishakha month, after which it will be Greeshma ritu during Jyeshta month. So Ritu Sandhi will be the last 7 days of Vaishaaka and the first 7 days of Jyeshta.

• During Ritu sandhi the diet and regimen that is being followed should be stopped gradually and that of the subsequent ritu be followed.