Ayurveda means “the science of life,” and the practice of ayurveda focuses on ways you can bring greater vitality into your life.
It helps in physical, mental and spiritual aspects and has effective and simple practices for self-care and energy management from skin care routines to tips on how to improve urinary incontinence.
One of the ways ayurveda is unique in its view of women’s health and wellness is that it sees every woman as an individual, and each stage of life is taken into consideration.
What might have been great for you in your 30s might no longer be effective in your 50s.
You might not have needed to pay attention to some of the symptoms of early menopause when you were 30, but it’s certainly a consideration that starts to show up for many women in their 50s.
Working with an ayurveda health counselor can help bring greater awareness to how your diet and lifestyle routines are affecting your efficiency, energy, concentration and emotional health.
I see many women who are wondering why their overall health is suffering. I ask them to take a look at the complete picture of their day, which seems to take some by surprise. Between waking in the morning and going to bed in the evening, the roles and duties women carry are endless.
Try this exercise for yourself.
On one half of a sheet of paper, write down all the roles you have in a day. (Mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, boss, mentor, co-worker, runner, teacher, student and so on.)
On the other half, list the duties associated with those roles. For example, mother — wake to prepare for the day, help others prepare for their day, cooking, cleaning, loving, teaching, chauffeur and more.
Are you surprised by the length of your list?
It’s not surprising that a woman’s health would begin to suffer if she does not have a solid routine in place to include ways to stay in balance, energized and healthy. The everyday load we carry can wear down even the strongest woman.
Sometimes, just a small tweak to our daily routine can make a great difference in our energy levels.
Try this for a morning boost: Before your morning cup of coffee, have one mug of hot water with lemon and honey. This will send a signal to your body that it’s time to get moving and put some pep in your step with this bright, warming start.
Another way ayurveda can help you feel more balanced in your day-to-day life is by helping you discover your natural tendencies and how they might be hindering your progress.
Once you explore your strengths, you can start to put techniques into place that build up those strengths and help you feel greater success in managing the balancing act of life.
Tonia Mayerle is an ayurveda health counselor at Statera Integrated Health and Wellness Solutions in Dubuque.
