Ayurvedic values can be applied to every aspect of life—from physical health to mental well-being, beauty rituals, and diet. “The literal definition of ayur is ’life’ and veda is ‘knowledge,’” ayurvedic health counselor and Yoga Medicine instructor Cristina Kuhn tells mbg. “[It] is the knowledge of life or the knowledge of how to maintain health in daily life and therefore support longevity.” Here are 10 modern well-being practices that actually stem from this ancient mind-body medicine. “[Oil pulling can help with] ridding the mouth of ama (excess impurities and toxins), freshening breath, and even whitening the teeth,” explains Holecek. “It can also feel like a massage on the gums and tongue.” It’s recommended that oil pulling be done first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, for up to (ideally) 20 minutes straight. There isn’t enough scientific evidence to definitively say that oil pulling is beneficial for oral hygiene, but the morning ritual has nonetheless affected Western culture. Even celebrities like Ashley Benson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Miranda Kerr swear by the practice. The healthy habit of drinking lemon water first thing in the morning is also rooted in ayurveda. The nutrients in the lemon are thought to help stimulate stomach acid and aid in digestion. “When we sleep, our digestive system remains awake, removing toxins from our body by depositing them onto the surface of our tongue,” Gillian Mandich, M.S., Ph.D., previously told mbg. The benefits of tongue scraping include preventing halitosis (aka bad breath), boosting your immunity, improving your dental health overall, and enhancing your sense of taste. If you don’t scrape away these toxins, however, “they get reabsorbed by the body and can lead to respiratory difficulties, digestive problems, and a compromised immune system,” Mandich warns. “Ayurveda teaches us that not only is the quality of the food we consume essential for health, but how we connect with food is just as important to our well-being,” explains clinical herbalist Lindsay Kluge, M.S., CNS, LDN. Cooking, working with fresh ingredients, sharing meals with loved ones, and eating mindfully (chewing slowly, identifying the different flavors, smelling what’s on your plate, etc.) all help make food so medicinal in ayurveda. “[According to ayurveda,] we are best served to align our daily routines, as well as modern wellness strategies to leverage these default functions,” certified yoga and ayurveda health coach Carly Banks tells mbg. One of these strategies is intermittent fasting, which requires eating during a time-restricted window. (You could eat for eight hours, then fast for 16, for example.) Recently, Western culture especially has embraced this way of eating as a tool for weight loss, glucose tolerance, immune system support, and brain functionality. “What has long been theorized in ayurveda and is now proven by modern science is when the sun is highest in the sky, our digestion is at its strongest,” Banks explains. “When aligning this approach to ayurveda and circadian living, that eight-hour window specifically becomes 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the largest meal being taken at noon.” “Udwarthanam or ubtan is the equivalent [of dry brushing],” says Sukumaran. “It is a massaging of the body with dry powders made of sweet spices and mung pastes, mustard paste, etc., to wash off the excess oils, to soften and reduce cellulite, and to help strengthen the body.” Udwarthanam is often administered in ayurvedic healing centers, but the practice of dry brushing can also be done at home using a stiff bristle brush. “Acupuncture believes in the meridian lines throughout the body and [that] when these energy patterns become blocked or imbalanced, this is when medical symptoms may arise,” Samantha Parker, C-IAYT and personal trainer tells mbg. Those who practice ayurveda also believe in the flow of energy, and the interconnectivity of energies, which is where the two systems run parallel2: “Both aim to enhance health and overall quality of life by creating balance in the individual rather than focusing on the disease.” “Yoga [and other meditative practices] has become more commonplace,” says Monisha Bhanote, M.D., FASCP, FCAP, a triple board-certified physician and yoga medicine teacher. “[It] has transformed into different types of practices, most with roots which remain in the original purpose of combining breath and movement.” “Ayurveda is rooted in our connection with nature, and its influence upon us (i.e., how we respond and adapt to our natural world) [is what makes this system so timeless],” Kluge tells mbg. “Simply by being more in touch with and observant of our own environment and habitat around us, we can use that practice to be more attuned to our own body and cultivate a deeper understanding of what we need to live a happy, healthy, joyful, and abundant life.” “Ayurveda will see expansion over the globe and each region will discover their own ayurveda from the past,” Sukumaran tells mbg. “This is the ayurveda that will work for the people of that region. While it may benefit a Westerner to incorporate food and supplements that grow in India in abundance, this is not a sustainable practice as each region has its own ancient wisdom, its own plant medicine to rediscover.” While some ancient practices fade as their culture progresses, ayurvedic practices have withstood the test of time. From spiritual values to well-being rituals, the foods we eat and our relationship with nature, so much of our daily lives are rooted in ayurvedic influence, and it will be exciting to see where these practices take us next.
