By Nick Polizzi | Guest Writer
But gosh… there is an awful LOT we can do to preserve that wonderful vital energy and sparkling quality we call “youthfulness” well into our golden years. I’m talking about your late 70s, 80s and maybe even 90s.
A remarkable secret to preserving this vitality lies in the powerful practice of Ayurveda.
Related: Iodine Deficiency Symptoms (And How To Get Enough Iodine)
Ayurveda (meaning “knowledge of life”) is an ancient medicinal system with roots in India that is still practiced all over the world.
It’s foundations lie in the interconnected nature of the body, mind, and spirit, and it’s practices include tools and techniques that help you regain balance in these areas and thus, help the body rid itself of disease.
Since Ayurveda is a healing system – not a lone practice or remedy – I’ve put together my short list of 7 Ayurvedic Practices for Lifelong Vitality.
These are a few of my favourite Ayurvedic techniques for staying healthy, fit, clear, and happily energized throughout life.
I love these practices because they are all simple and easy. Not a single complicated one in the bunch. But boy, do they work!
You’ll recognize some of these:
1. Exercise Daily
You’ve heard it before. Maybe you need to hear it again. I know I often need to hear things multiple times myself.
Just 30 minutes a day of moving your body around in any way you like best (walking, dancing, yoga …) brings an enormous payoff to your quality of life.
Here’s what daily exercise can do for you:
- It’s fantastic for bringing up your mood
- It’s at least as effective as medication in relieving depression.
- It strengthens your bones, increases your energy, and improves your sleep.
- It reduces your risk of heart disease, keeps your brain strong as you age, and even enhances your sexual functioning.
So, find what movements bring you joy and incorporate them into your daily routine!
2. Oil Pull
Okay, this one’s a bit more esoteric. But still simple!
Take some of your favourite oil – say coconut or olive oil – and just swish it around in your mouth for 15 or 20 minutes. (For starters, you may want to do it for shorter periods of time until you get used to it.) Then, simply spit it out into the garbage and rinse your mouth with water.
Oil pulling at least a few times a week, can help preserve the health of your gums and teeth. It also generates powerful antioxidants that destroy harmful bacteria.
3. Meditate Daily
Daily meditation has been scientifically proven to increase grey matter in the brain, strengthen the ability to focus and pay attention, reduce depression and anxiety, and support optimal brain functioning as we age.
It is one of the true elixirs of life!
There are many different meditation techniques out there. I recommend selecting one that’s comfortable for you and that you’ll find easy to do each day. It will quickly become something you relish and look forward to – I guarantee it!
Related: Iodine Deficiency Symptoms (And How To Get Enough Iodine)
4. Fast For One Day Per Month
Really, it’s not so hard to go a day without eating once in a while. It makes you appreciate food all that much more!
Fasting helps fight inflammation, balance your blood sugar, and improve your heart health.
There is also strong evidence that intermittent fasting boosts your brain power and helps ward off dementia.
Moreover, studies have shown specifically that a monthly fasting day increases longevity.
5. Incorporate Triphala
Triphala is an Ayurvedic herbal preparation – a compound of three different herbs – and you do need to get this from an ayurvedic practitioner or retailer.
It’s fantastic stuff. It does everything from strengthening the digestive system to reducing inflammation in the body to improving oral health to relieving anxiety. And more!
Triphala is available in tablets, powders, and capsules.
If you want to give this supplement a try, it’s widely available here.
6. Incorporate Ashwagandha
This widely-available Ayurvedic herb has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood sugar, alleviate depression, and boost testosterone in men.
Research also indicates that ashwagandha strengthens memory and other brain function, reduces bodily inflammation, lowers cholesterol, and increases muscle mass.
Good deal, huh? This power-herb comes as a tincture or in capsules.
If you want to give this supplement a try, it’s widely available here.
7. Take Naps
Okay, full disclosure: I’m not 100% certain that this is specifically an ayurvedic technique, but it’s one of my favourites and I know it works! The science is in!
Napping during the day improves memory, enhances creativity, and boosts the brain’s ability to synthesize information. It’s also great for your mood.
Napping helps to ease stress and lower blood pressure. And – get this – a short nap in the daytime actually helps you sleep better at night!
Even quick naps have a big beneficial effect. You’ve heard the term “power nap”? Well, it’s a real thing.
So if you’ve got the time and you feel the urge, don’t just stand there! Go lie down!
I said this was all easy stuff – but it does take some effort to get into these habits. Maybe just add one at a time to your lifestyle until it feels like second nature.
Any or all of these practices can potentially bring massive health benefits to your life for decades to come, keeping you feeling young and energized and glad to be alive!
Stay Curious, Nick Polizzi.
About the Author
Nick Polizzi has spent his career directing and editing feature length documentaries about natural alternatives to conventional medicine. Nick’s current role as director of “The Sacred Science” documentary and author of “The Sacred Science: An Ancient Healing Path For The Modern World stems from a calling to honour, preserve, and protect the ancient knowledge and rituals of the indigenous peoples of the world.