| Healthy habits bring the body in harmony with nature and keep imbalances at bay. Vata, Pita and Kapha—the tridoshas—are not just impurities which need balancing for a healthy life, they are also called stambhas (pillars) of life. The three upstambhs (the support of stambhs) which support these three pillars are :
1. Ahar (food)
2. Nidra (sleep)
3. Brahmcharya (celibacy)
The above three are to be maintained in balance with the aid of a healthy routine. Waking up around the time of sunrise is essential as the body begins to synchronise itself with the rhythm of the sun. As I wrote in my previous articles, the sun is called the source of certain very vital pranas and is a must for the process of life to go on.
Cleanliness comes first and foremost, as it removes used up prana or waste from the system and prepares the body for absorption of fresh prana required for the day. Bowels should be eliminated as soon as you get up or toxins accumulate in the body. If you are not able to do so you may have two glasses of hot water and then sit on the toilet. Do not apply pressure even if there is no bowel movement as the purpose is to align the apana vayu with the rhythms of the universe vis a vis the individual’s body. After a few days the bowels will move. As the last part of the night is ruled by vata which is responsible for elimination so it becomes all the more important to use the toilet first thing early morning.
Observe your urine and stools every morning to get an early diagnosis of impending diseases. If the urine is dark yellow and continues to be for more than three days at a stretch then it is indicative of rise in pitta and pitta-related diseases. Same goes for stools if they are towards the blackish side. Immediate medical intervention is advised if the above two continue for more than three days at a stretch. A healthy stool should float in water; if it is sinking then you can be sure of toxin (ama) accumulation in the body.
Every morning after emptying the bowels one should check the tongue for coating. A coated tongue indicates the presence of toxins in the body. The mouth and teeth should be thoroughly cleaned. Chewing and flossing the teeth with neem twigs is still the best and most effective remedy for strengthening teeth and gums.
Bad breath is indicative of decay, either in the tooth cavity, gums or in the digestive organs. Besides correcting the imbalances causing the decay, one can also frequently rinse the mouth and gargle with mint tea. This can be obtained by boiling some mint leaves in water or steeping the leaves for five minutes in hot water. Dried and powdered mint leaves with some rock salt can be used as a tooth powder.
The tongue should also be scraped everyday. This can be done using a neem twig, a wooden tongue cleaner or a silver spoon. This practice removes ama and is also effective in improving digestion. For the maintenance of healthy teeth and gums and prevention of tooth decay, sesame oil gargling and massaging the gums is very beneficial. Regular practice is good not only for the teeth and gums but entire face, head and hair. Sesame oil gargling promotes hair growth and lustre and retards premature greying and hair fall. It also strengthens the sense organs and prevents cough and throat infections. It nourishes the skin and prevents early advent of wrinkles, promoting glow and suppleness to the face.
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