Ayurvedic Remedies: Dinacharya – The Daily Routine for a Balanced Life

The regimen during daytime :- One should get up from bed early in the morning, before sunrise. This is considered to be an auspicious time when the air is fresh and there is minimum noise in the atmosphere. One should offer prayers according to one's own religion or belief. Before actually leaving the bed one should think of one's programmer during the day.

Cleaning the face :- One should wash one's face with water immediately after getting up from the bed. This helps in the cleaning of the dirt accumulated in the eyes, nose and mouth during night and gives freshness winter season, luke-warm water can be used for this purpose.

Protecting eyesight :- While washing the face, one should take a mouthful of water, keep the mouth closed and keeping the eyes open as far as possible, sprinkle cold water on them. Water should be sprinkled over the eyes. This is considered to be very useful for preserving and promoting eyesight. After sprinkling water, eyelids should be gently rubbed so that the eye-balls get a tender massage.

Drinking a glass of water :- After washing the face and mouth, one should take a glass of water. This is prescribed for all seasons and on all days. This helps in the smooth passing of stool and urine. Some people are in the habit of taking bed tea for this purpose. The reflex action produced by bed tea is different from the one produced by the glass of cold water. The latter only produces pressure, thus stimulating the intestines to start their movement for evacuation. Tea being hot stimulates the intestines so strongly that its simulating effect loses its significance after some days and the individual starts developing constipation. The caffeine content of the tea or coffee produces some adverse effect on the glands of the stomach and intestines which the cold water does not do. Besides, the cold water is a very good tonic for the body. Taking cold water is, however, prohibited if the individual is suffering from cold, cough or sore throat.

Evacuation of bowels :- One should make a regular habit of evacuating bowels immediately after getting up from bed. If one does not feel the urge for it, there could be two reasons. Either the meals have not been properly digested, or the individual had inadequate sleep. The habit of taking a glass of cold water in the morning overcomes the difficulties caused by indigestion and inadequate sleep, and thus, the individual gets clear motion.

People who think very much or those who are short-tempered, sensitive or wrathful, do get lot of wind in their stomach. This accumulates in the intestines during the night. Wind is also formed because of the intake of certain pulses and fried things. They are also formed if the individual does not take leafy vegetables and fruits in adequate quantities. Whatever the cause may be, when the wind is formed, it creates some obstruction in the bowel movement. One may feel that he has complete evacuation but after sometime, he gets the urge again. There are people who go to the toilet 3-4 times in the morning itself, before they are satisfied with their evacuation.

This causes lot of inconvenience and in many cases, the evacuation remains incomplete which causes suppression of appetite, indigestion, headache, uneasy feeling, fatigue and sleeplessness. Wind, when formed in excess, puts pressure on the heart and may increase palpitation. It is, therefore, necessary for the individual to take necessary steps in his food, drinks and sleep, so that he gets a clear motion in the morning. However, if he has an urge for the second time, it should not be stopped per force. That will not be good for health.

Cleaning teeth :- One should use the twig of neem, babul or any other tree which is astringent, pungent or bitter in taste. The top of the twig should be crushed to make it soft so that the gums are not affected. This removes the foul smell and tastelessness. It removes the dirt of the tongue, teeth and mouth.

Tongue scraping :- Tongue scrapers, which should not be sharp edged and are curved, are available in metals like gold, silver, copper, tin and brass. The dirt deposited at the root of the tongue, obstructs expiration and gives rise to foul smell. So the tongue should be scraped regularly.

Use of nasal drops :- One should inhale Anu taila during the rainy season, the autumn and the spring. One who practices nasal therapy according to the prescribed method, his eyes, nose and ears are not affected by any morbidity. His hair and beard never become grey and he never experiences falling of hair.

Gargles :- Til oil gargling is beneficial for the strength of jaws, depth of voice, gustatory sensation and good taste for food. One used to such gargles never gets sore throat, cracked lips, offensive breath or toothache.

Application of oil on the head : One who applies til oil on his head regularly does not suffer from headache, baldness or greying of hair. The hair remains black, long and deep-rooted. The skin of his face becomes bright and induces sound sleep.

Oil drops in the ears :- Ear diseases due to vitiated vata, tortiscollis, lock aw, hardness of hearing and deafness are prevented if oil is regularly dropped into the ears.

Oil massage :- Vayu dominates in the tactile sensory organ, and this sensory organ is lodged in the skin. The massage is exceedingly beneficial to the skin, so one should practice oil massage regularly. One who undergoes oil massage regularly, enjoys a good physique, strong and charming. By implying oil regularly, the onslaught of ageing is slackened.

Exercise :- Physical exercise brings about lightness, ability to work, stability, 'resistance to discomfort and alleviation of doshas (specially kapha). It stimulates the power of digestion. But physical exercise in excess may cause exertion, exhaustion, consumption, thirst, bleeding from different parts of the body (rakta pitta), pratamka (a type of dyspnoea), cough, fever and vomiting. Perspiration, enhanced respiration, lightness of the body, inhibition of the heart and such other organs of the body are indicative of the exercise being performed correctly.

Exercise is contra-indicated for persons who are emaciated due to excessive sexual activity, already exhausted, in grip of anger, grief, fear, and for persons having vatika constitution and profession of speaking too much: One should not do exercise while he is hungry and thirsty.

Bathing :- Bathing is purifying, libidinal stimulant and life-giving: it removes fatigue, sweating and dirt. It brings about strength in the body and is an aid par excellence for the enhancement of ojas.