4 Low-Lift Ways To Incorporate Ayurveda Into Your Daily Routine, From An Expert

Incorporating ayurvedic concepts into your daily routine doesn't have to require too many drastic lifestyle changes. In fact, you can start with just a few simple tweaks:

Coffee lovers, don't rejoice just yet. "The first thing in the morning is the most important time to drink something warm—before coffee," Rose notes. That's because in ayurveda, you want your digestion to quite literally "warm up" before supplying it with food. "You're essentially waking your digestive system back up," she adds. 

Rose recommends any soothing, calming drink like warm water or tea. (Coffee, she says, is too stimulating for the body to handle first thing in the a.m.) She's actually partial to a cumin, coriander, and fennel seed tea (or "CCF tea," as she calls it), as these choice herbs work to balance all three doshas: Just let the herbs simmer in some hot water for about 10 minutes before sipping. Feel free to choose any anti-inflammatory herbs you have on hand, or stick to a simple warm lemon water. Whatever you choose, "A warm drink will rekindle that digestive fire."

On a similar note, you'll want to choose a morning meal that's not too hard on your digestive system. Warm, soft foods should do the trick, says Rose—think oatmeal or porridge. She likes to whip up a warm bowl of "om-meal" (note: not oatmeal; it's a sort of cauliflower and zucchini stew) as her first meal of the day. "It's warm, soupy, and mushy," she says—the perfect meal to gently wake up your digestive system, "so by the time it's lunch, you can absorb and break down nutrients you will provide." 

In terms of when to eat, exactly, Rose recommends eating your biggest meal at lunchtime when the sun is the highest in the sky (your "digestive fire" tends to follow the sun, she says), with smaller meals in the morning and at night. 

Another expert ayurvedic tip: "If you notice every 20 minutes you are getting thirsty, that's a sign you are perpetually dehydrated," Rose says. 

Ayurveda may date back thousands of years, but that doesn't mean you can't incorporate it into daily modern life. Start with small tweaks, like these four basic principles, and see how you feel. If you notice any beneficial changes to your digestion or overall well-being, perhaps take a gander at the other ayurvedic concepts you can incorporate into your life. 

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