Published 19:51 IST, November 13th 2019
Ayurveda Tips for maintaining good and healthy life of your children
Ayurveda is all about nourishing the mind, body, and soul, and becoming in tune with yourself and your body’s needs. Read ahead to know about health tips
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Ayurveda is essentially natural and holistic approach to mental health. Ayurveda is not just for adults but also for children. There are many ways be it nutrition from food, oil massage to infants in which parents, grandparents can support the growth and development of children.
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Tip 1: Vedic sounds for the child’s soul
Gandharva Veda music, which is also used as music therapy, harmonises the doshas and is good for relaxation and inner peace, and not only for children. Nowadays when many children are already under pressure, harmonising sounds can significantly contribute to relaxing both body and mind.
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Tip 2: Start the day with water
Start your day and also inculcate the habit of starting the day for your child with warm water. From an ayurvedic point of view, drinking water helps with inner cleansing and stimulates morning bowel movements. In the case of children, you can apply this recommendation starting at age one.
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Tip 3: Ayurvedic morning routine for children
Similarly to adults, here are ways that children start their day with an ayurvedic morning routine. The detailed steps are as follows:
- Inner cleansing: Make sure your child takes the time to empty its bladder and bowel.
- Abhyanga: For babies, the morning whole-body massage is carried out by parents or another adult. Gently rub the little ones with ripened sesame oil for approx. 10 to 15 minutes. Older children (as of approx. 8 years of age) and teenagers can do the massage themselves and use a massage oil suited to their dosha type: (Vata Massage Oil for dry to normal skin, Pitta Massage Oil for sensitive skin types and Kapha Massage Oil for oily skin to skin that tends to develop blemishes) – each diluted with sesame oil, if necessary.
- Stretching: For infants and young children, you can gently bring their legs back and over their head during the morning massage. Then bring their right arm towards their left leg and vice versa. Not only is this fun for young ones, but it is also simply good for them.
- Body cleansing: After the massage, shower your child. While for young children pure water is often enough, older children and teenagers can use a shower gel or shampoo appropriate to their dosha type.
- Cleaning the tongue and teeth: Besides brushing their teeth, as usual, a tongue cleaner may be used for young children as well. While older children can use the tongue cleaner by themselves with some practice, young children should get help from an adult who then gently runs the tongue cleaner over the tongue.
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17:04 IST, November 13th 2019