A holistic and practical approach to living a naturally healthy life

Āyurveda is a holistic system of natural medicine that originated in India over 3,000 years ago. The word means  the study of life and understanding the human body in terms of certain life forces known as doshas. It also encompasses connection to our senses, inner self and the Universe. This whole-body approach involves nutrition, lifestyle routines and natural treatments that are used to support balance and a return to overall health.

Everyday Āyurveda is an enlightening book written by licensed physician, Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya, who integrates required (or good) medicine with the practice of Āyurveda. This ancient holistic approach focuses on healthy living with treatments personalised to the individual to help them heal their body and eradicate disease. This follows the principle of natural healing where remedies focus on addressing the cause of issues rather than treating symptoms in never-ending prescriptions of harmful pharmaceutical drugs.

Everyday Āyurveda is a beautifully written practical guide to practising Āyurveda as part of a busy lifestyle. Dr Bhaswati explains the research behind certain approaches and sound reasoning for introducing beneficial and nourishing daily habits into our lives. Dr Bhaswati shares how she incorporates healthy routines into her busy day and especially when travelling around the world.

The family way

Everyday Āyurveda is interlaced with many childhood memories and endearing accounts of Dr Bhaswati's elderly father (affectionately known as Babi) who continues to enrich his days with sacred protocols such as bathing, cleansing, stretching, appreciating and praying. 

Whole chapters are dedicated to Morning Ablutions, Washing Hands, Washing the Face and its Orifices, Cleaning the Teeth, Cleaning the Tongue and Water in the Morning. These might seem to be too personal for us westerners to discuss in public, when in actual fact, as Dr Bhaswati says: a large advance in public health and hygiene occurred in the western world when they recognised the importance of hand washing in the early 1900s.

This discovery of basic hygiene transformed lives in the west and it is most unfortunate that in modern times, hygiene practices are less about natural daily cleansing with plain soap and water, and more about using costly chemical laiden cleansers, shampoos, conditioners, skin creams, hand sanitizers, alcohol sprays, mouthwashes, wet wipes, plastic ear buds, paper towels and so on. All of these products contain harmful trace elements that when combined and used regularly have a long-term detremental impact on our skin, our general health and the health of the environment. 

The healthy ritual

I was lucky to have parents who taught me (often under duress) the importance of daily routines to get the basic chores in life done with the minimum amount of fuss or bother. My Dad used to say to me: When you turn a chore into a healthy habit, it stops being a chore. It was great advice and he taught me how to enjoy the process (from preparation to completion) of things like washing up the dishes, cleaning my shoes and tidying up my things.

In terms of keeping ourselves clean - naturally and consistently - Everyday Āyurveda provides answers in detail which are supported by reasoning, research and common sense. Dr Bhaswati shows how healthy daily rituals not only serve to keep every part of our body clean, they also provide a way for us to connect with our inner self and appreciate the world and the Universe around us.

This bodes well for our longevity, for as long as we invest in looking after our bodies, the longer we can enjoy the gift of an active mind and a serene soul. This is perfectly reflected in the daily routine of Babi who: After the morning cup of tea, watching the sunrise and sharing brief words, asks for today's agenda. Sensing my mother is awake, he begins his journey upstairs to start his daily bath routine.

As Dr Bhaswati says: Though it is a big risk to let him bathe alone, we know that this ritual is one of his only ways of proving to himself that he is still his own person, responsible for his own body.

The holistic approach

It is suggested that adopting an early morning routine aligned with Āyurveda principles help to prevent disease and eliminate its root cause. In addition to the rituals of cleansing, other aspects of self care and mental focus are incorporated.

It starts with rising early to catch the light of dawn which provides the body with a start-of-day serotonin boost that enhances mood and wellbeing. Natural light also helps the body to convert cholesterol into vitamin D which is crucial for immunity and bone health. Morning light naturally boosts cognitive performance and focus by informing our inner circadian clock what time of day it is.

After bathing and cleansing, time is taken to gently stimulate each of the senses as follows:

1. Appreciate objects that hold meaning, reflect on photographs of loved ones that make the heart warm.
2. Light a candle or gaze at the early morning light while meditating to connect with inner stillness.
3. Burn incense or take in the scent of fresh flowers such as Rose, Lavender or Jasmine.
4. Say an inspiring prayer, give thanks for all good things and tune into the abundance of life.
5. Hum a mantra or a favourite tune that brings about good feelings or fond memories.
6. Appreciate the flavour of a fresh Mint leaf or a slice of Lemon to waken the taste buds.
7. Look in the mirror to appreciate who you are and how happy you are to be YOU!

The whole self

Many of us have developed healthy routines and rituals over the years and for me, this is always a work in progress as I learn new things and my needs and preferences change over time. It helps to keep an open mind about these things so that we can make amendments, try new things and switch things up to avoid the problem of too much repetition becoming unhealthy in the long term.

It is certainly interesting to learn about ancient and (therefore) wise customs that have stood the test of time. Such traditions are passed down through generations - just like in Dr Bhaswati's family. Her belief in such family rituals, customs and health practices, enables her to offer her patients preventative natural healing where she always treats the individual person and the real causes of disease. In many cases, the elimination of toxins and the introduction of healthy routines, nutritious food and a more spiritual lifestyle are enough to bring patients back to full health.

Everyday Āyurveda brings hope and promise that basic hygiene and self-care routines are not only simple and affordable but extremely beneficial to our whole being. It gives us the opportunity to choose which of the Āyurveda principles might be most helpful and how to incorporate them into our daily routines.

We can also learn about how natural herbs and spices can be used to support our health and the importance of spending time in Nature. As Dr Bhaswati says: Āyurveda is alive. Not through books or writings, but through the knowledge that lives deeply within the plants and the way they live together harmoniously in their eco-system.

The Nature fix 

Books like Everyday Āyurveda are a wonderful discovery for those of us who are interested in eastern culture and the more natural, sensual and spiritual aspects of maintaining good health.

It is interesting (and healthy) to keep seeking out ways stimulate, appreciate and nourish our whole Self as we mature and grow on our life journey.

Remember that we have a perfect, willing and able friend to help us in this endeavour. Spending time steeped in Nature does more good than we realise - without even having to think about it.

Sue Cartwright

Spiral Leaf

Buy the book!

Everyday Āyurveda - Daily habits that can change your life by Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya

This book was published in 2015 and is available from Abe Books which is the online site I use for buying second-hand (and new) books that are out of print or not sold by mainstream providers. I do not earn any commission on these sales.