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By Karen Vasil-Busch
Let’s face it, we live in a culture that worships youth, encouraging us to become dissatisfied after the age of 25 for not being 25. Our body and mind change over the years, and while we may not do things in the same way we did in our 20s, we have tools to customize our life cycle through the path of Ayurveda, one of the world’s oldest mind-body health systems.
Now is the time to take charge of your life, Baby Boomers, to remain active, attractive and in demand! The following tips for winter care will help.
A – Abhyanga not only leaves your skin with a luxurious glow, it deeply nourishes the body. This is a self-massage with warm oil that you can perform every morning before a warm shower or at night to help you sleep. Winter oil selection is very important, along with the technique. Use an organic sesame oil because of it’s quality of warmth and viscosity in the winter and apply circular motions over the joints and long strokes over the long bones in the body with your hands. For a full 70-minute treatment, seek out an experienced Ayurvedic practitioner who has been trained to deliver this traditional massage.
B- Bundle up and take a walk outside in the early morning. Living in the Northeast, we may not receive the optimal amount of vitamin D. Taking a brisk morning walk exposes you to the sun’s rays even when it’s cloudy outside. This boosts the serotonin levels in your body, adding to your sense of well-being.
C – get Cooking! Not only is it economical, but when you cook your own food you are putting your energy into the food. Organic root vegetables are the choice for the winter months because of their grounding, nourishing quality. Sauté, steam, slow cooking are some of the methods recommended by Ayurveda, because the juiciness of the vegetables balances out the Vata season.
D- plan some Down Time to “empty your cup.” The cycle of the busy time of summer is over. This is the time to take stock of what you have accomplished, slow down to feel, see, and listen to the new rhythms presenting themselves.
E- Exercise with moderation during the winter months. This cold, dry season of the year holds the qualities of air and space, known in Ayurveda as the Vata season. Activities such as restorative yoga, Chi Gong or weight bearing exercises will ground and strengthen your physical body, calm your mind and replenish your energy.
F- Family and Friends are important social contacts in the winter months, when we naturally gravitate inside. Sharing a cup of tea over a good conversation with a friend raises our levels of oxytocin, the tend and befriend hormone.
G- Get to bed by 10 p.m.Sleep is an important part of health hygiene, repairing and refreshing the myriad systems in the body. We are diurnal animals, so night time is the right time for restful sleep. Ayurveda addresses sleep disorders naturally, which can be very effective. Ask an Ayurvedic practitioner for a consultation.
H – Health is wealth! By heeding simple, natural laws of life’s rhythms you can create harmony in your life.
Karen Vasil-Busch, LMT, registered Ayurveda practitioner and CYYT, is the owner of Body Wise Therapy Massage & Ayurveda in Buckfield. She can be reached at 207-336-2065.
