The Sutra Sthana of Charaka describes swastha chatusk which means quadruplet on health. The first chapter is devoted to daily routine. Vagbhata devotes the second and third chapters of his classics to Dinacharya and Rutucharya. Both Ancient Scientist emphasize preventive hygiene over curative medicine. Every one should take proper care of his body to maintain good health. The daily routine as described by different classics of Ayurveda is given below. You should always try to follow it.
Rising Early in morning
For some people it is not advisable to get up early in the morning. These include people who suffer from insomnia, indigestion, fever, or diarrhea or who have duties at night keeping them awake for a long time.
Evacuation
The second important daily routine is to evacuate the bowels and bladder. Many people have a bad habit of going to the toilet only after tea or breakfast. Evacuation first thing in the morning is preferable.
Natural evacuation of the bowels without any laxative or any other intake is always desirable. Evacuation once or twice a day is natural. If you are wake up in early in the morning , then it’s a natural evacuation of bowels & bladder. Normally stool should not be very loose. It should be yellow, reddish, or blackish in color. Excessive yellow, black or green or red color in stool is always indicative of pathological condition.
There should be no mucous, fat, indigested particles or broken shape in the stool. They indicate digestive problems which may produce serious problems in forth coming days. Evacuation should not produce pain or strain. It is necessary that the whole concentration of the mind not be diverted from evacuation.
Cleaning of the Teeth and Tongue
The branches of certain trees are used for cleaning the teeth. These branches are cut into brush-size pieces. One end is crushed to make it soft and used to slowly brush the teeth. The green sticks with sap in them are always preferable.
Toothpastes and powders which are sweet in taste are not recommended in Ayurveda. Sweets are generally not healthy for the teeth and gums. Ayurveda recommends herbal brushes for cleaning the teeth. These are bitter, pungent, and astringent in taste. After take a food Cleaning of is must
The following are used for cleansing the teeth :
|
Sanskrit Name
|
Latin name
|
|
Nimba
|
Ayadirachta indica
|
|
Babhool
|
Acasia arabica
|
|
Malati
|
Jasminum grandiflorum
|
|
Kakubha
|
Terminalia arjuna
|
|
Karaveera
|
Arjuna nerium indicum
|
|
Khadir
|
Acacia catechu
|
|
Arka
|
Calotropis gigantea,
|
|
|
Calotrophis procera
|
|
Asana
|
Terminalia tomentosa /
|
|
|
pterocarpus marsupium
|
|
|
Indian kino tree.
|
|
Karanja
|
Caesalpinia bonducella
|
These types of herbal cleansers remove particles from the teeth and gums and foul smells or tastelessness from the mouth. They give strength to the teeth and gums. After cleaning the teeth, the next routine is tongue scraping Scraping cleans the tongue and removes a coating that is produced by Ama.Tongue scrapers are made of silver, copper, , stainless steel, brass, or even gold .They should be blunt. If a scraper is not available, two fingers-index and middle can be used to rub the tongue and clean it. Those people who may avoid tooth cleaning are those with acute cases of indigestion, vomiting, asthma, bronchitis, fever, facial paralysis, thirst, stomatitis, heart disease, or pain in the head, eyes and ears.
Collyrium ( Anjanam)
Collyrium (Anjanam or rasanjanam) is applied in the eyes. This collyrium application removes burning, itching, dirty secretions, and pain from the eyes. Charaka says the vision of humans can become bright and clean if collyrium is used daily, just as metals like gold can be cleaned with oil, brush, cloth and water wash until they are bright and gleaming.
There are two varieties of collyria
1. Souvira anjanam
This is composed of sulphurate of antimony. In Latin it is called antinmonit sulphuretum. Souvera anjanam is white in color. Another from called srotanjaam is black in color. It is a mineral product purified with a specific Ayurvedic method before use. A powder of this collyrium is applied in the eyes with the help of a metal stick called shalaka. This gives brightness to the eyes. Indian ladies are fond of using this anjanam which they call Surma. It is used from historical periods over long ago.
Souver anjanam can be used every day.
2. Rasanjanam
This is made from an extract of Daru haridra (Berberisaristata) cooked with goat's milk. Rasanjam is stimulating to the eyes, therefore it is used only once in 5 to 8 days. With application of this collyrium , the eyes eliminate impurities.
Rasanjanam is applied at night
Nasal administration of oil, oil gargle, chewing of betal leaves
Navanam means nasal administration of herbal oil. It is one type of nasya. Gandusha means oil gargle, and tamboola means chewing of betal leaves.
Ayurvedic Smoking
Dhoomra Panam or Ayurvedic smoking cigarettes are prepared by a specific method and don’t contain tobacco or any addicting drugs. They are prepared from herbal leaves like Aguru (Aquilaria agallocha) Ela (cardmum), Aswatha (Ficus religiosa), Nyagrodha (Ficus Benegalensis), Sarjasasa (Resin) Fleva (yellow resin), Kamala (lotus), etc. which are alleviators of kapha and Vata. Muscle fat,ghee, wax are used to prepare unctuous smoking materials.
There are 3 types of smoking materials-snaihiki (unctuous smoke), prayogiki (daily routine smoke), and vairechanika (evacuative smoke or eliminative smoke).
In daily routine smoke is used only at eight times. With exception No. 3 & 4
|
1)
|
After bath
|
|
2)
|
After meals
|
|
3)
|
After vomiting if it occurs, that means it is not usual
|
|
4)
|
After sneezing if it occurs, that means it is not usual
|
|
5)
|
After tooth brushing
|
|
6)
|
After use of collyrium
|
|
7)
|
After snuffing
|
|
8)
|
After sleep is completed.
|
Medicated smoking can relieve the diseases of the throat, mouth, head, nose, and clavicular region. Excess smoking can cause deafness, blindness, dumbness, internal hemorrhage and vertigo. Smoking is contraindicated for those suffering from bleeding, poison, anxiety, fatigue, pitta diseases, , giddiness, thirst emaciation, injury, and for pregnant women. It is also taken food with honey and curd; who have injury, diabetes or defects in vision.
Oil massage
Abhyanga means oil massage on the body. This process is very important in the daily routine. The massage produces strength in the body and improved performance in muscular activities. It delays the aging process, relieves fatigue, relieves Vata, improves vision, produces corpulence, sound sleep and softness and strength in the skin.
If applied daily, oil on the head prevents headaches, baldness and graying of hair& sleeplessness. It strengthen skull parts, sense organs, person becomes cheerful and has sound sleep. Applied properly, oil applied in the ears prevents deafness, ear deafness, ear diseases, stiffness in back and jaw and Vata diseases of ears. Oil massaged on the soles of feet increases their delicacy and firmness and prevents course ness of feet, stiffness, roughness, fatigue and numbness. It is good for sciatica and cracked feet. Everyone should massage warm oil on the body for at least tento fifteen minutes. Head, face, shoulder, neck, back, flanks, chest, hands, and legs, hips and all parts should be properly massaged. If there is insufficient time to complete a full-body massage, at least the head, ears, and soles of feet should never be missed.
Oil massage should not be done by the people who are suffering from kapha diseases or indigestion.
Physical Exercises
It is defined as the movement of the physical organs of the body by which the body gets stretched. The classics of Ayurveda recommend daily physical exercise. Vagbhata says that proper exercise produces lightness in the body, strength for work, increased gastric fire, and reduced fat. All parts become well developed and in good form.
Physical exercise should be done after oil massage so that the oil applied on the body gets absorbed through the pores of the skin and enters into the tissue level. Ayurveda recommends doing exercises only up to the point of half your capacity.
In the cold season and in spring it is advised to do exercises up to half depletion of energy, but in summer, rainy season and autumn, less than half of the energy should be consumed. Excessive exercise should not be done in any condition. It may cause thirst, tuberculosis, asthma, hemorrhage, fatigue, cough, pyrexia, and vomiting. excess physical exercise (as well as excess coitus, night waking, and talking with a loud voice) is so harmful that it may even cause the death of a person.
Those who should not exercise vigorously include people who suffer from Vata or Pitta disorders like arthritis, Hemiplegia, pyrexia, tendency toward internal hemorrhage, fainting, etc. also children below age ten, those older than seventy, and pregnant women.
There are different kinds of physical exercise described in Vedic and ancient Indian books. Many of these are suitable to a particular type of person or a particular type of condition, but some are generally suitable for anyone.
Bath- After the physical exercise
Every one should take a bath with luke warm water be our it all of rubbing some fine powder whole body For that powder of Awala [ ], Hirda[ ], Behada[ ] Nagarmotha[ ] Kapoorkachari [ ] Swet Chandan[ ], Sariva[ ], daruharidra[ ]. Mixture of this powder use for rubbing It useful for to control excessive Kaph & Meda i.e Lipids. Due to this body became a healthy, Skin became clean. After that luke warm Water Use. Due to whole body bath excreata,Eaching,Tireness, Sweating, Drowsy, Thirst, burning vanish. And increase appetite, Age, Strength . warm bathing is beneficial except head. For head cold water is beneficial. But in rhinnitise & Branchail Asthama, it is contraindicated. Bath should not be taken after taking some food.
Meditation and Religious Act
In Vagbhata's chapter on Dinacharya, after describing the bath, he says that every creature wants to achieve happiness in their life, and that happiness cannot be achieved without following natural laws (dharma).
Religious or virtuous acts are described to enable us to follow the laws of nature. If we violate natural laws, we experience the consequence and fall sick. If we follow them we are always healthy. Everyone should structure his morning and evening time to allow at least 20 to 40 minutes for self-realization, to obtain the knowledge of the unified field, which is the home of all the laws of nature. This is the key real health and all happiness.
Charaka said that all types of physical and psychic disorders are finally ended in yoga (union of self with universal unified field). Only then can people achieve real peace of mind and happiness.
A great deal has been written on this subject in various yoga and religious books. Our purpose here is to present its relationship to perfect health and daily routine. Meditation properly practiced, is the most direct means of experiencing the unified field. It leads to self-realization and ultimately all happiness in life.
Morning breakfast
Ayurveda has recommended only two meals lunch and dinner. But those who are habituated to breakfast may take a light one after meditation.
Study or work
After completing the morning routine described above it is time for study or work. Those who have any dust allergy or pollen allergy should use Pratimarsha Naya - two or four drops of Anu oil in each nostril, before traveling. This will protect the nose respiratory tract from allergy.
Lunch
Lunch time is spoken of in Ayurveda as falling between 10:30 AM and 12:30 PM. Those who take breakfast in the morning can take lunch between 1 PM to 2 PM. There should be at least 6 hours gap between two meals. Food intake in the period of digestion of previous meals in called Adhya-shana, and is considered the main cause of disease. meals should be taken when the previous meal is completely digested, and one should attend to the natural urges or gases, defecation and urination before sitting for lunch or dinner. Afternoon Sleep should avoided for healthy life. Afternoon Sleep is may take who is sleep late in last night. But it must take be four lunch & only 30 to 60 mts .
Intake of food should always be less than required. The meal should be made complete by following dietary principles such as the six tastes, 20 qualities and the nutritive substances.
Study or Work Continued
Study or work should be performed after half an hour of lunch.
Dinner
Evening meals should be taken between 6:30 and 8:30 PM. It is for them who do not take morning breakfast otherwise 6 to 8 Hrs. gap is necessary Dinner should be always lighter than lunch. Due to night being a period for sleep and rest, circulation and digestion are a little dull. The possibility for indigestion and ama production is greater if the load on gastric fire is excessive. Hence the advice to take a light meal in the evenings. Yoghurt should be avoided at night.
You should ideally go for an evening walk after dinner, then relax with family and read or rest.
Early to Bed
It is desirable to go bed early in the evening and sleep soundly until early morning. The latest you should retire is between 10:00 P.M. so that you can complete about 6 to Six and half hours sleep before rising at Brahma Muhurta, between 4:00 and 4:30 AM.
If there is any problem regarding sleep, you can rub ghee on the soles of the feet and then sponge them with cold water before going to bed. This promotes a deep natural sleep. Minor problems of sleep can be solved by an ordinary remedy Wrap a thick cloth like a muffler around your forehead, covering temples and ears. Sleeping pills, tranquilizers and habit forming drugs should not be taken unless there is a serious reason for it and the risk of taking them is lesser than the risk possible without them.
This is the daily routine advised on all climates.
