Dinacharya: Ayurvedic Daily Routine

Do you want to avoid all diseases in your life? Do you want to live a healthier, happier and longer life?

If yes, this article is going to be an important asset in your life. The facts that I will discuss in this article will help you to stay healthy and happy forever. It will further help to prevent all types of mental as well as physical ailments in your life. The tips in this article are based on ayurvedic principles.

What is Dinacharya?

Dinacharya (दिनचर्या) refers to ayurvedic daily routine recommendationsthat educate how to live a healthier, happier and longer life and avoid all diseases.

Ayurvedic Daily routine helps in maintaining balance and harmony in your body and nature by regulating your biological clock and advocating a healthy lifestyle. It also helps in proper digestion, absorption, and assimilation of food. The discipline that you adopt in daily routine also improves self-esteem, brings happiness and promotes longevity.

Let’s start with the daily routine steps:

1. Wake Up in Brahma Muhurta

ब्राह्म मुहूर्त उत्तिष्ठेत् स्वस्थो रक्षार्थमायुषः।।

Ayurveda recommends waking up early in the morning. According to ayurveda, you should wake up 96
minutes (around 1.5 hours) before sunrise. It is called Brahma Muhurta in ayurveda and yoga science. This is the perfect time for waking up for a healthy person.

However, the time of sunrise may vary according to season and country. So, you should fix your time for waking up for supporting the rhythm of your biological clock. For example, if you are living in India, then 4:30 am is a perfect time to wake up for healthy people.

Timings can be changed according to your body’s requirement during disease. If you suffer from any Kapha Disease, then you must get up by 4 am in the morning.

If you suffer from any Pitta Disease, then you should wake up before 5 am.

If you suffer from any Vata Disease, then you should wake up by 5:30 am in the morning.

Children, pregnant women, and aged people may require more rest, so they can get up just before sunrise.

However, if you don’t suffer from any disease and want to keep yourself healthy and happy, you should wake up by 4:30 am in the morning. If you cannot get up so early, you should try to wake up as early as possible, but you must wake up at least before
sunrise.

Don’t sleep for a longer duration after sunrise, otherwise, the stool in the bowel starts spoiling your
health. It will start causing gas, bloating, acid reflux, and several other diseases later in the day. If you don’t experience these symptoms yet, they may appear later in your life.

Expressing Gratitude

Yoga Ratnakar recommends you
should express your gratitude toward God by
reciting its name for 1-2 minutes immediately after waking up.

You can meditate for 1 –
2 minutes and feel the surroundings and nature. You can also do prayer. If you
want to do prayer, it should be in your own words.

The most important thing
when you do any of these rituals, you should feel happiness, peacefulness and
kindness in your mind and keep a sweet smile on your face. This thing is more
essential for living a stress-free life and improving your memory, intelligence,
mental capabilities and analytic skills.

Evacuation

शरीरचिन्तां तिर्वर्त्य कृतशौचविधिस्ततः॥१॥

After waking up, you will
feel the urge for urination and bowel
evacuation. Follow your urge and rush to the toilet
for evacuating your bowel and urinary bladder. In most people, this is an autonomic
reflex for a bowel movement and urination in the morning. This urge should
commence on its own. Do not force to evacuate the bowel. Sometimes, you may
need to walk a few steps before getting this urge.

If you suffer from
constipation or you don’t get the natural
urge in the morning, you must treat it with healthy foods and Triphala Rasayana. In such
cases, you should follow the rules of Vagbhata’s Triphala Rasayana. According
to him, you should take 3 grams Triphala Churna along with 2.5 grams of ghee and 5 grams of honey in the evening after
taking the evening meal. Following this
Rasayana, you will start getting a bowel
evacuation urge in the morning. You can continue this Rasayana throughout life. Because Triphala
contains powder of three fruits – Amla (आंवला), Behera
(बहेड़ा) and Harad (हरड़), which also provide
nourishing and antioxidant benefits like other fruits. It also helps in the
prevention of several diseases.

After evacuating bowel
and urinary bladder, wash your hands and face with cold water. It can be your
tap water or water kept in an earthen
pot.

Ayurveda also recommends
washing face with medicated water or milk. I will discuss this in my later articles.

You should also wash your hands before and after eating food, after cleaning nasal discharge and dried rheum from eyes and after touching hair or another person and after returning home.

Wash Hands

Wash your hands after immediately after waking up and after evacuation helps to reduce the likelihood of diseases.

5 Minutes Meditation

After passing the urge for urination and bowel movement, you must
meditate for 5 minutes. Our mind has three states:

1. Elevated
   State – Happiness.
2. Neutral State
   – Pure State of Mind.
3. Suppressed
   State – Sadness.

Meditation restores your neutral
state. The neutral state is a pure state of your mind. It is beyond happiness
and sadness.

The best time to restore the neutral
state of mind is before sleep at night and after waking up in the morning.

Meditation before sleep helps to release whole day stress
and restores the neutral state of the mind. It prevents all stress disorders,
depression, and anxiety in your life.  It helps you to sleep better.

Psychology says the first-morning
thought affects your whole day. So, meditation after waking up helps you to get
positive energy and make your day more constructive, joyful and energy fulfilling.

Drinking Water

Acamana: Sipping Water

Vagbhata in Ashtanga
Sangrah recommends Acamana. Acamana is an ancient ritual of
sipping water on a specific occasion. He recommends sipping a small amount of
water:

1. After getting
   up from sleep.
2. After
   sneezing.
3. After taking a
   bath.
4. At the beginning
   and end of meals.
5. At the commencement
   of worship.
6. After traveling.
7. After the
   usual daily activities.

How much water should
I take for Acamana?

The water that you can
hold in one hand making a concavity with your fingers and palm, you should take
it for Acamana.

Ushapan: Drinking Water in Morning

Drinking water in the
morning in large quantity is not written in Dinacharya by Charak, Vagbhata and Sushruta. It is mentioned by Nighantu
Ratnakar in Rasayana Chapter. Drinking water in the morning is a kind of
ayurvedic water therapy, which helps to prevent and manage several diseases.
So, it is called Rasayana (rejuvenation therapy). Here is a brief introduction:

Timing of Drinking Water in the morning	Dawn – a few minutes (about 20-30 minutes) before sunrise.
Water quantity	8 Anjali #
Contraindications	During panchakarma, Chest injuries, excessive hiccup, loss of appetite due to Kapha and Vata disorders, indigestion, abdominal heaviness or stiffness.

# Anjali means concavity formed by adjoining both hands. 8 Anjali means the quantity of water that you hold 8 times in the concavity formed by adjoining both hands. For example, if you can hold 50 ml water in 1 Anjali, then your drinkable water recommendation is 400 ml. The amount of water varies person-to-person.

Read More: Ushapan – Drinking Water in the Morning According to Ayurveda

Cleaning the Teeth

Use plant twigs or herbal tooth powder. Do not use any
toothpaste.

Most people are using
toothpaste, but ayurveda don’t recommend it. Ayurveda recommends the use of
plant twigs or herbal powder for cleaning teeth.

Ayurveda recommends the
use of astringent, bitter and pungent tree stems (twigs). You can use any of
the following plant twigs:

Tree Twigs	Most suitable for Body Type
Bargad (वट or बरगद) – Banyan – Ficus benghalensis	Kapha and Pitta
Asana (आसन or साज) – Terminalia alata	Kapha and Pitta
Arka (अर्क) – Calotropis procera	Kapha
Khadira (catechu) – Acacia catechu	Kapha, Pitta and Vata
Karanja – Pongamia pinnata	Kapha and Vata
Karavira – Nerium indicum	Kapha
Sarja -Vateria indica	Pitta and Vata
Irimeda (Sweet acacia) – Acacia farnesiana	Pitta and Kapha
Apamarga (अपामार्ग) – Achyranthes aspera	Kapha and Vata
Malati (मालती) – Aganosma heynei	–
Arjuna – Terminalia arjuna	Pitta and Kapha
Babul (Kikar) – Acacia arabica	Pitta and Kapha
Neem – Azadirachta indica	Pitta and Kapha

The twig should be
straight, soft and healthy and without knots and leaves. The thickness of twig should be around that of your
little finger. Tree twigs should be
collected from the unpolluted area. They
must not be foul smelling, sticky to teeth or dry.

Khadira stems can be used
by anyone. A person with Pitta Body Type can use twigs of neem or arjuna tree. People with Vata-Pitta body type
should use a stem of banyan (Bargad) tree. Vata body type people can
use Khadira stem or Apamarga. twigs. People with Kapha body type should use
Karaj stem. You can select the most
suitable plant twigs for you according to the above
table.

You can check your body type for free here: Ayurvedic Body Type Test.

Children should use the stem of the licorice
(Mulethi) plant.
People with Vata and Pitta body type can also use licorice stem. Neem or
catechu (Khadira) stems provides additional benefits for people suffering from
skin diseases.

Contraindications of Teeth Cleaning with
Twigs

Who should not use tree
twigs?

People suffering from the
following diseases should not use plant twigs for cleansing the teeth:

• Indigestion.
• Vomiting.
• Severe breathing trouble.
• Persistent cough.
• Fever.
• Facial paralysis.
• Excessive thirst.
• Mouth ulcers.
• Heart diseases.
• Eye diseases.
• Diseases related to head.
• Ear disorders.

In such cases, tooth
powder should be used for cleaning the teeth.

Tooth Powder

We can understand, it is
not possible for everyone to collect fresh plant twigs on a daily basis. So, ayurveda also provides a solution for it. You can use herbal tooth
powder. Please do not use marketed products. It is better to prepare your tooth
powder at home. Here is a recipe:

Note: In the case
of children, you can also add 25 grams of Yashtimadhu (Mulethi) Powder
in this formulation.

How to Use Tooth Powder

1. Take a small amount of tooth powder in your hand.
2. Add some water or honey in it to make a paste.
3. Now, do gentle massage of teeth and gums with this paste for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Then gargle with warm water and clean your mouth.
5. If you suffer from pyorrhea or any gum or dental problems, then mix this powder in mustard oil instead of water or honey.

How Many Times Should You Clean Your Teeth?

According to Ayurveda, you should clean your teeth 3 times a
day.

1. In the morning after evacuating bowel and urinary bladder.
2. After morning meal.
3. After evening meal.

Check Here: How to Make Herbal Tooth Powder at Home

Gum Massage

After cleaning teeth, you
should also do massage of gums with the fine herbal powder made of Kuth (Saussurea Lappa), Triphala, Trikatu and Trijataka.

How to Use

1. Mix all ingredients in a given ratio.
2. Then take 3 grams of this powder and add
   sufficient honey to it.
3. Mix this powder with honey to make a thin paste.
4. Apply this paste on gums and do gentle massage
   with the index finger for 3 to 5 minutes.

Note: If you use herbal tooth powder as recommended
above, then you do not need this powder. Because herbal tooth powder can also
be used for gums.

Cleaning Tongue

According to ayurveda,
you should clean your tongue using tongue scraper made of copper, silver or
gold. You can also use tongue cleaner made of wood or plant twig.

However, tongue scraper made of gold is considered best, silver
is better, and copper is good. You can use any. Tongue cleaner made of copper
and silver are easily available. You can buy any according to your
affordability.

In most case, we
recommend using a copper tongue scraper.
It helps in removing bad breath, kills microbes and improves the function of
taste buds. It is most suitable for Kapha
Body Type people.

However, if you suffer
from frequent mouth ulcer, sour taste in the mouth,
hyperacidity, peptic ulcer, GERD or any acid peptic disorder, then silver
tongue scraper is best for you.  It is
most suitable for people with Vata
body type and Pitta
body type.

Tongue scraper made of
gold is more suitable for children and adults who have low immunity and frequently suffer from common cold, cough and fever. Regardless
of the body type, anyone can use a
gold tongue scraper. It also increases
glow on face, improves memory, boosts intelligence and removes all toxins from
the mouth.

Benefits of Tongue Cleaning

• Tongue cleaning removes dirt from the tongue.
• It removes bad taste and smell of the tongue,
  mouth and teeth.
• It produces better taste in the mouth.
• It is also helpful in the prevention and treatment of diseases related to tongue, mouth and teeth.
• After using a tongue
  cleaner, you will experience the feeling
  of softness and cleanliness in the mouth.

Splashing Cold Water into Eyes

Vagbhata recommends splashing
cold water into eyes in the morning every day during the summer and autumn seasons. It helps to improve
vision and reduces tension and tiredness of the eyes. But he did not talk about
what should be done in other seasons. So, splashing water into the eyes is only recommendable for two seasons –
summer and autumn. In other seasons, you must avoid it.

How to Splash Water into Eyes

1. Take water
   into your mouth.
2. Keep the mouth
   filled with water.
3. Now, take
   drinkable cold water (kept in the earthen
   pot overnight) in hands and splash water into the eyes.
4. Repeat this
   process 5 times.

Precautions

• Polluted or contaminated water can cause an eye infection. Therefore, water should be
  drinkable water and free from germs and dirt.
• In ayurveda, cold water does not mean water kept
  in the refrigerator. It means water kept
  in the earthen pot overnight and this pot
  is kept in a place where natural air circulates. So, you must not use chilled
  or cold water kept in the refrigerator.
• Splash water into eyes only in recommended seasons
  – summer and autumn. Don’t do it in other seasons. Some suggest splashing warm
  water into eyes during winter, but the use of warm water for eyes is not recommendable.
  It can cause harms to eyes instead of any benefits. If you require splashing
  water into eyes due to any reason in other seasons, use drinkable water with
  normal temperature.

Nasya (Nasal Therapy)

Charak Samhita recommends putting a few drops of Anu Thailam in each nostril every day in the morning. This process is called Nasya or nasal therapy in ayurveda. Charak advocates it during three seasons:

1. Raining
   Season.
2. Autumn.
3. Spring.

He further advises that
Nasya should be done during clear weather when there is no cloud in the sky.

Note: Vagbhata has no restriction on its use according
to season. So, question is – can I take nasya
during other seasons? Yes, you just need to check that the weather is clear and there is no rainy cloud in
the sky.

How to Do Nasya

1. Lie down with
   straight back and tilt your head slightly back, so your nose opens towards the
   sky.
2. Instill 3
   drops of Anu Thailam in each nostril. Put drops lateral side of each nostril so that drops move
   into the nose through the lateral wall of each nostril.
3. Inhale or
   sniff deeply for 1-2 times. Then take rest for about 5 minutes in the same position.

Benefits of Nasya

Nasya has many benefits
as follows:

• It helps in the prevention
  of diseases of eyes, ears and nose.
• If you take nasya on a regular basis, it will help to prevent white or grey hair and hair
  fall. It also promotes hair growth.
• It is highly useful in the prevention and treatment of headache, torticollis, facial
  paralysis, lockjaw, rhinitis, hemicrania and tremors.
• It improves the strength
  of the neck.
• It provides nourishment to blood vessels, joints,
  ligaments and tendons of head and neck.
• Your face will become more cheerful and plumpy.
• The voice becomes sweet and more stabilized.
• Sense organs become clearer.
• A person who regularly take Nasya never suffer
  from head and neck diseases even in old age.

Precautions & Contraindications

A person should not
administer Nasya in the following conditions:

• Immediately after drinking water.
• After drinking alcohol.
• After eating food.
• After head wash.
• After blood donation or blood-letting therapy.
• For the first
  4 days of the common cold (acute phase).
• Patients with asthma and cough.
• When the weather
  is not clear.
• People who stop the natural urge of urination and bowel movement should not take Nasya.

Gandusha (Ayurvedic Mouth Wash)

After nasya, Vagbhata
recommends Gandusha. Gandusha is an ayurvedic mouth wash. It has 3 types:

1. Oil Gandusha
   (Oil Pulling).
2. Decoction
   Gandusha.
3. Warm Water
   Gandusha.

Type of Gandusha	Indications & Benefits
Oil Gandusha or Oil Pulling (Oils: Coconut Oil, Sesame Oil or Arimedadi Thailam)	The roughness of lips, Cracking of lips, Dryness of mouth, Diseases of Teeth and disorders of the voice.
Decoction Gandusha (Herbs for decoction: Khadira and Irimeda)	Loss of appetite, bad taste and excessive salivation.
Warm Water Gandusha	Make the mouth clear.

Oil pulling is originated
from ayurveda and become famous in the West due to its huge beneficial effects
in oral hygiene. Gandusha also alleviates throat irritation caused by Nasya.

How to Do Gandusha & Oil Pulling

1. Take warm Arimedadi
   Thailam or coconut oil into your mouth.
2. Keep the
   mouth filled with it for a while.

Note: The procedure of taking all
types of Gandusha remains the same, but
only medicine changes.

Abhyanga (Body Massage)

According to ayurveda,
morning massage helps to delay aging, reduces tiredness, prevents Vata
disorders, improves eyesight, nourishes the body, increases lifespan and
improves sleep quality.

Abhyanga mitigates vata dosha, promotes
strength, improves sleep quality, increases the firmness
of the hairs and boost growth in children. It also improves skin tone and tactile
sensation. Therefore, you must massage your body on a daily basis.

It is also useful in the prevention and treatment of body pains,
tiredness, debility and old age disability.

Which oil should I use for Massage?

1. Sesame Oil.
2. Castor Oil.
3. Mustard Oil.
4. Coconut Oil.
5. Ayurvedic Medicated Oils.

Sesame Oil

According to Sushruta Samhita, sesame oil is beneficial for the
skin. He uses the word “TWAK PRASAADANAM (त्वक्प्रसादनं)”, which means it is soothing and gratifying for the skin. So, it has demulcena
t (emollient) action on the skin. You
can take sesame oil internally and apply externally. (S. S. Ch. 45, Verse –
112).

Castor Oil

Then Sushruta has written about castor oil. He uses word TWACHYAM (त्वच्यं), which means beneficial for the skin. It also means restorative for the skin. So, it restores the natural health of the skin. (S. S. Ch. 45, Verse – 113-114).

Mustard Oil

Then Sushruta has talked about several oils including Mustard Oil. For mustard oil, he says KRIMIGHANAM (कृमिघ्नं), which means anthelmintic (kills parasites), KANDU KUSTHA HARAM (कण्डूकुष्ठापहं), which means antipruritic (reduces itching) and treating skin diseases. According to the description, mustard oil is highly useful for people suffering from itching and skin infections with Kapha dosha dominance. You should also note it has warming nature. Therefore, mustard oil is not suitable for people with Pitta Body Type and Pitta Dosha dominance in their skin. (S. S. Ch. 45, Verse – 115 & 117).

कृमिघ्नं सार्षपं
तैलं कण्डूकुष्ठापहं लघु। कफमेदोऽनिलहरं लेखनं कटु
दीपनम्।। (S. S. Ch. 45,
Verse – 115).

Yoga Ratnakar recommends the use of mustard oil, fragrance oils and ayurvedic medicated oils for Abhyanga or any of medicated ayurvedic oils.

Medicated Oils

Some of the most useful oils include:

1. Maha Narayan
   Oil.
2. Dhanwantharam oil.
3. Maharajaprasarini
   Thailam.
4. Balaswagandhadi
   Thailam.
5. Chandanadi
   Thailam.

However, you can use any
oil according to your personal needs. However, mustard oil is best for daily
Abhyanga.

Before using mustard oil,
boil it once. Then added a pinch of turmeric powder in it when it is hot. Leave
it for 24 hours. After 24 hours, filter the oil and use this oil for daily
massage. This process is not required for medicated oils.

Also Read: Ayurvedic Massage Oils.

How to Take Abhyanga

1. First, apply
   oil to the head and ear. Do a gentle head and ear massage for 5 minutes.
2. Then apply
   oil on feet and get a proper feet massage of about 5 minutes.
3. Then apply
   oil to other parts of the body and get a gentle massage for every organ. This
   process may take 20 to 30 minutes.

Contraindications of Abhyanga or Massage

People suffering from the
following health conditions should not get oil massage or abhyanga:

• Kapha disorders.
• Fever.
• Indigestion.
• Ama Dosha.
• After taking purgatives or emetics.
• Obesity.

Pre-Workout Massage

Ayurveda recommends both pre-workout
(before exercise) and post-workout (after exercise) body massage. First,
discuss the pre-workout massage. After discussing exercise, I will talk about
post-workout massage.

Pre-workout massage helps
in warming up the muscles and make them more flexible. It prevents muscle tension
and strengthens the body. Gentle massage with medicated ayurvedic oils also
helps to prevent muscle soreness that can occur after a workout in a few people, especially sportspeople. It further speeds
up cell recovery and reduces inflammation.

However, massage should
be gentle. Deep tissue massage is not recommendable before a workout. The procedure of massage is already
given above.

Exercise

Your body is not made for
a sedentary lifestyle. Due to the current scenario, most people are suffering from lifestyle disorders. These
diseases are a result of a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating. You
eat more than you require and do no physical activity that produces sweating. Therefore,
daily exercise becomes more important for everyone.

You must do the exercise according to your physical capacity.
Normally, 45 minutes of daily exercise
helps in the prevention of lifestyle
diseases. If you never did any exercise or physical work before, you should
gradually increase the duration of exercise to 45 minutes over several weeks.

In ayurveda, exercise is
termed as Vyayama. Activities that produce
tiredness in the body are known as Vyayama. So, you should stop doing
exercise when you feel tired.

In winters (cold season), people who eat more fatty foods
must exercise half of their capacity. Half of the capacity means when they start feeling the dryness of the mouth and get sweating on the forehead, nose,
axillae and joints of the limbs. It is
the time when you should stop exercising in winters.

Note: Whatever the recommendations, you must listen
to your body and stay within your limits.

Benefits of Exercise

1. Exercise increases work capacity.
2. It produces a sensation
   of lightness in the body.
3. It aids in improving and having a good appetite.
4. It reduces excess body fats.
5. Your body becomes firm and you gain more
   strength in your muscles.
6. It helps to prevent constipation, diabetes, high
   blood pressure, hormonal imbalance, obesity, osteoporosis, respiratory diseases
   and several other diseases.

Who should not Exercise?

• People suffering from Vata and Pitta disorders
  should avoid exercise.
• Young children.
• Old persons.
• Patients suffering from indigestion.

Side Effects of Doing Exercise beyond Limits

If you do exercise beyond
your limits, you may suffer from the following health conditions:

• Excessive thirst.
• Emaciation.
• Breathing difficulties.
• Exhaustion.
• Fatigue (even without doing anything).
• Cough.
• Fever.
• Sometimes, excessive exercise also leads to vomiting.

Post-Workout Massage

After exercise, you must
get a body massage. Ayurveda strongly recommends getting full body oil massage
after exercise. In ayurveda, oil massage before exercise and after exercise
both are equally important.

Post-workout massage
helps to speed up muscle recovery. It also improves flexibility and strength.
It reduces muscle soreness, which may occur when you exercise. It relieves soft
tissue tension.

Udvartana Massage

Massage with a fine powder of astringent herbs is called
Udvartana. This type of massage is helpful for liquefying fats underneath the
skin. It also mitigates the Kapha Dosha. It is highly
recommendable for over-weight and obese people.

Read More: Udvartana (Udwarthanam) – Ayurvedic Powder Massage

Bath

After the massage, take rest for a few minutes (around
15-30 minutes). Then you can take a bath.
In ayurveda, the bath is termed Snana.
It improves appetite, vigor, lifespan and
strength. It alleviates itching and removes dirt and sweat.

• Hot or warm water should not be poured on the
  head. Too cold water should also be avoided. According to ayurveda, hot or warm
  water head bath diminishes vision and strength of hairs.
• The warm water bath is suitable for the lower body – below the neck. Water should not
  be too hot.

How to Take a Bath

Ayurveda does not recommend
the use of soap for taking bath. Instead,
it recommends using Amla in place of soap.

1. Take 5 grams of amla powder. Mix it in lemon juice. Add
   some water to make it thin.
2. Apply and gently
   rub it on the head and your body. In a similar way, as you were taking a bath with soap or shampoo.
3. Then take a shower
   and wash away the amla lemon from your head and body with water.
4. Pat dry your
   body with a soft towel.

Alternatively, you can
also use gram flour instead of amla. You can also use Amla water for taking
bath.

How to Make Amla Water for Bath

Amla water is recommended
by Yoga Ratnakar for a bath.

1. For making
   amla water, take 1280 ml water. Add 10 grams coarse powder of amla fruit pulp.
2. Boil water
   with Amla and then filter it.
3. Add this
   water in your bathtub with 30 liters of water. Take a bath with this water. While
   taking a bath, you should rub all parts
   of the body with your palms.

Who should not take a bath?

People suffering from the
following diseases should not take bath:

• The acute phase of facial paralysis.
• Acute diseases of the eyes, mouth and ears.
• Diarrhea.
• Abdominal distension.
• Runny nose.
• Indigestion.
• Soon after taking a meal.

20 Minutes Meditation

After following above
routines, the next step is meditation or
chanting mantra for 108 times. Vagbhata recommends repeating the name of god for 108 times and ask to do Pranama to god and elder members of the
family.

You can recite any name
of a god or any mantra that provides you
feeling of peacefulness, kindness, gracefulness and
joyfulness.

In Sikhism, we chant Mool Mantra for 108 times or meditate for 20 minutes.

Instead of chanting mantra, you can also meditate for 20 minutes. 20 minutes meditation provides excellent results in the prevention of neurological disorders and psychosomatic diseases.

Meditation or chanting
mantra may or may not relate to god, but it surely relates to mental health. It
is also important to feel and understand the surrounding mother nature. Several
research studies have shown positive effects of meditation and mantra chanting in
the prevention and treatment of stress
disorders, depression and anxiety.

In breathing meditation,
you just need to watch the process of inhaling (breathe
in) and exhaling (breathe out) for a
couple of minutes.

If you cannot do this,
you can practice deep breathing. Take a deep breathe in and hold it in the abdomen for a few seconds and release the breath out.

You should also express
your gratitude toward mother nature by saying thank you for a wonderful life,
thank you for a wonderful day or anything that you want to say to express your
gratitude.

During meditation, chanting mantra or deep breathing or while expressing your gratitude toward mother nature, keep a smile on your face and feel joyfulness, gracefulness, kindness and peacefulness in your mind. It is more important than anything else.

Pranama

You should also Pranama
to your elders in your family. They could be your parents and grandparents. Pranama
is a respectful salutation, which is done by adjoining both hands, bowing the head and saying Pranama (प्रणाम), Namaskar (नमस्कार) or Sat Shri Akaal (सत श्री अकाल). Whichever tradition you follow, you can do it
accordingly.

Pranama helps in better communication in the family and improves the relation between family members. It also makes a person feel connected
with each other and their importance and respectfulness in the family. It is
most important in terms of social health.

Taking Meal

Ayurveda recommend taking food two times a day. So, you should have two primary meals a day. The best timings are:

Morning Mealtime	Approx. 3 hours after sunrise.
Evening Mealtime	Approx. 40 minutes before sunset.

However, above timings may not be suitable in every country and season. Therefore, the following is the ideal timings:

Meal Timings	During Long Days	During Short Days
Morning Meal	8 am to 9 am	9 am to 10 am
Evening Meal	5 pm to 6 pm	4 pm to 5 pm

You should keep at least 6 hours gap between morning and evening meals. The total gap period between morning and evening meals should not exceed from 10 hours.

Morning Meal Food Ratio

Solid Foods	1/2 part of the stomach
Water-rich foods	1/4 part of the stomach
Keep Stomach Empty	1/4 part of the stomach

Evening Meal Food Ratio

Solid Foods	1/4 part of the stomach
Water-rich foods	1/2 part of the stomach
Keep Stomach Empty	1/4 part of the stomach

Find More Detail Here: Ayurvedic Diet Plan

Rules of Drinking Water

When should I drink
water – before, during or after a meal?

1. You should drink water whenever you naturally feel thirsty.
2. If you drink water and feel fullness and heaviness in the abdomen, you are drinking a large amount of water, which your body does not require. So, you should drink water by sipping and checking if your thirst is gone away.
3. If you are eating solid foods like grains and cereals, rice, chapatis in excess, then you can take water in between meal. In between meal means when you finish half of the meal. Alternatively, you can also sip water frequently after every 2-3 spoons of solid foods.
4. If you eat foods, which are already rich in water content such as fruits, vegetables and salad, then you should avoid drinking water during your meal.
5. You should also avoid drinking water before sleep.
6. If you suffer from frequent urination and diabetes, you should avoid drinking water, milk or any liquid food after sunset.

References

1. Ashtang Hridaya, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 2, Dinacharya.
2. Ashtang Sangrah, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 3, Dinacharya.
3. Ashtanga Sangraha, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 11, Matrashitiya.
4. Nighantu Ratnakar, Rasayana Chapter.
5. Yoga Ratnakar, Nitya Prabriti Prakar Maah.
6. Bhava Prakash.
7. Sushruta Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 46, Annpaanvidhhi
8. Charak Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 5.
9. Charak Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 6.
10. Charak Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 25.
11. Charak Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 26.
12. Charak Samhita, Sutra Sthana, Chapter 27.