Routines

 Good routines are among the most important things when it comes to creating health - both according to Ayurveda and modern science. Research shows that the body functions differently at different times of the day, which Ayurveda also emphasises. And although it may seem boring, you gain a lot by keeping the same times for food, sleep, etc., every day - even weekends. It is especially important for vata dosha, and it is the leading dosha. The most essential parts of an ideal routine are:

• Get up early, preferably before 6 and get out in the sun in the morning

• Meditate and do yoga morning and early evening

• Exercise in the morning (or if it doesn't work so early in the evening)

• Eat the main meal in the middle of the day and lighter meals in the morning and evening

• Be moderately active during the day. Do something meaningful that you enjoy but don't stress - and unwind in the evening without screens

• Go to bed early, preferably around 9.30pm

 Garlic is a plant about which there are divided opinions in Ayurveda. On the one hand, it has many health benefits. It clears out ama (impurities), reduces atherosclerosis, balances cholesterol, inhibits inflammation (e.g. arthritis) and is generally good for heart health, to name just a few things. On the other hand, it is also tamasic, i.e. not life-promoting and thus not good for spiritual development. And spiritual development is perhaps the most essential thing because it is about consciousness - who we are. At the same time, it is also not good for spiritual development if you have the physical problems that garlic can help with. So what do you do? I'm also a bit divided myself. I use garlic sometimes, but I try to do it sparingly. If nothing else, it's also delicious

Kapha

 Winter is almost over, and we have entered the part of the year dominated by kapha-dosha. That's when nature wakes up, and everything grows. It is also a time when we can grow, rightly or wrongly. It's the best time to build muscle, but it's also when we quickly put on excess fat and build up mucus if we don't live appropriately. To balance kapha, please keep the points below in mind, especially if you have a lot of kapha in your constitution.

• Exercise! Exercise is the most important thing to keep kapha in check. And now we have the chance to strengthen and build up the body. This is the time of year when we can exercise the hardest. Don't overdo it, but it's not wrong to make an effort as long as it feels comfortable. The best time to exercise is the later part of the morning kapha time, at 8-10 (9-11 when we switch to summer time). Alternatively, it is good earlier in the morning (but not before 6) or in the evening but not too close to bedtime. But some other time of day (not at night) is better than not at all.

• Don't sit still. Even if we exercise several times a week, sitting still for large parts of the day is not good. Jump up and move as often as possible. Take breaks from work and jump up and stretch or dance. And if you can vary standing or walking when you work, do it.

• Eat your main meal in the middle of the day and lighter meals in the morning and evening.

• Eat only enough to make you comfortably full, not overfull and don't eat until you're hungry again.

• Sit still when eating and focus on enjoying the food.

• If you are overweight or feel that you have a lot of impurities in your body, you can take one day a week when you only consume liquid food.

• Get up before 6 am and go to bed early, don't sleep during the day.

• Drink hot water before and between meals. Never drink chilled drinks.

• Eat hot food and use lots of spices. All spices except salt are good for kapha.

• Preferably eat vegetarian and at least avoid red meat. Prioritise vegetables and fruit.

• Make sure to get out in the sun now that it returns, preferably in the morning ☀️

• Be kind to yourself – play, laugh and enjoy life 😊

Total health

 In Ayurveda, health is seen as a wholeness that includes more than the body's function. In the Caraka Samhita, one of the most important of the ancient Ayurvedic texts, it is stated, among other things, that "good health is the very foundation of righteous actions, fulfilment of desires and final liberation". Health is described in four areas that are considered fundamental to life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha.

• Dharma is about living in accordance with one's life task. According to Ayurveda, everyone's life has a purpose. There is something that you can do better than any other person in the whole world. It's just a matter of finding it, which isn't always easy in today's messy world. But the closer you get, the better you feel.

• Artha is the material prosperity. This is important for health as many suffer from malnutrition, inadequate hygienic conditions etc. But there is a limit. If we already have decent finances, we usually don't get happier because we get richer. Then it's more about how you appreciate what you have. It is not certain that you enjoy a luxury meal at an exclusive restaurant more than a good cup of tea in your own kitchen. And that leads us over to the next area.

• Kama, which are the pleasures of life. Life is to be enjoyed; the purpose of life is to increase happiness. But it is important not to lose yourself in the pursuit of pleasure. Then it can instead become obsession, frustration and destructive desires. To avoid that, we need to develop our consciousness, which follows in the next area.

• Moksa is enlightenment – when one experiences the whole, that everything is one, everything is consciousness, and everything is divinely beautiful. Then you live in constant happiness and peace. It may take a while to develop it fully. But through yoga, meditation and life-enhancing living, we can continuously strengthen our consciousness and move in that direction. And in this way, we also support all the other areas.

Pancha karma

 I currently have the privilege of being in Kerala in India, for a Pancha karma cure at the Aatma clinic in Anandapuram. Pancha karma is a purification treatment in Ayurveda that very effectively cleans out impurities and strengthens the body. And this clinic is run by Ashtavaidyan Ravi Mooss, one of India's most skilled Ayurvedic doctors. He comes from a family that has been Ayurvedic doctors for many generations. So I'm fine 🙂 

Merry Christmas

 Now it is Christmas again. Christmas can be a health challenge in many ways, with overeating, social stress for some and loneliness for others. To have a good Christmas, here are some tips:

• Enjoy the Christmas food and try to make it as good as possible. Try replacing meat with vegetarian options and try to have regular meals instead of snacking. Much of the Christmas food can actually be healthy, at least if you make it with organic ingredients of good quality, e.g. rice porridge, gingerbread, figs, dates, kale, red cabbage etc

• Remember that Christmas is really about spirituality and not materialism.

• It is more important to be together than to have the most well-decorated and clinically clean home or the largest number of Christmas presents.

• Therefore, try to reduce stress and make sure you find time for yoga and meditation so that you are your balanced and loving self.

• Enjoy everything you have instead of fretting that something might not have turned out the way you planned.

• Slow down and feel the peace and light within and spread that light to everyone you meet - that's how we light a thousand Christmas candles

With a wish for a very Merry Christmas 🎄

 According to Ayurveda, all legumes should be soaked before cooking. They thus become more digestible, and, in addition, they become more nutritious because a germination process begins in them. This is also confirmed by modern food research. So if you are going to cook a dish with beans or lentils etc., soak them first for a few hours or preferably overnight.