My Balanced Morning Routine
To be in balance with the world around you, establishing a nurturing morning routine devoted to self-care rituals is a smart path to take. Inspired by the mind-body connection, sages of India created Ayurvedic medicine long ago for natural healing. As a bustling writer and editor, sticking to my Ayurvedic morning routine as often as possible keeps my mind sharp, my body healthy and my soul in peace.
Mornings are a sacred space, the world quiet before the daylight demands the many tasks we all have. Before I open my computer, I allot an hour of time to practice self-care. It is important to be patient and forgiving to yourself as every morning is not perfect. Be grateful for what you do accomplish, not what you don’t. The first step is accepting yourself as you are, and being grateful for each day you work towards bettering all that is you.
Shortly after the sun rises, I turn off my alarm without checking my phone’s notifications (airplane mode works best to avoid this distraction). After a few morning stretches, it’s bathroom time: tongue scraping, nasya (nose oiling), abhyanga (oil massage) and oil pulling.
I scrape my tongue with a tool about six times, removing the white coat on top, stimulating the detoxification process right away. Then I take nasya oil (any nasal lubricant works) and place two drops on my palm. With my pinky, I coat the oil in each nostril and inhale sharply to increase distribution of the product. Lastly, I swish around a tablespoon of coconut oil in my mouth for roughly 10 minutes, being careful not to swallow any of it, while I begin my skincare routine. Oil pulling is an excellent practice for oral health, “pulling” toxins out of the mouth and moisturizing the gums. After I brush my teeth.
Starting with my body, I exfoliate my skin using a dry brush to activate cell turnover and remove dead skin. The practice calls for stroking upward towards the heart, and using circular motions around the joints. It helps with reducing bloating, smoothing skin and improved kidney function. For abhyanga, or oil massage, I use sesame oil with the same strokes as the exfoliation process. Let the oil absorb into your skin, and maybe even smile at yourself in the mirror while you wait!
For my face, I use a face wash infused with neem oil, which is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat blemishes. Then I put witch hazel on my face with a (reusable if possible) cotton swab as a toner, and moisturize using sea buckthorn oil, which is healing and smells ah-mazing.
Onto the kitchen. I sip water while preparing my first meal of the day — oatmeal. Warm foods are great in the morning, especially as Denver still remains chilly this time of year. Here’s the recipe:
In a bowl, mix a cup of boiling water with half a cup of oats. Stir.
In a blender, mix one or two bananas with half a cup of plant milk and a tablespoon of flax seeds.
Once the oats have absorbed the water, stir in the banana smoothie.
Add frozen berries (it turns the oats a beautiful purple color!), and any other toppings you choose. Try cinnamon, walnuts, sliced almonds and/or peanut butter.
