Indian Embassy marks ‘Ayurveda Day’ with four-day webinar

In celebration of 'Ayurveda Day,' the Indian Embassy is hosting a four-day webinar with the theme “Ayurveda for Nutrition,” from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3. The webinar aims to share with Filipinos the various benefits of India's pathway to health and wellness. 

Ayurveda is a healthy lifestyle system that people from India has adhered to for more than 5,000 years.

“I learned about Ayurveda through the teachings of my guru in India. It was a big part of our curriculum when I took up my yoga teacher training there,” nutritionist and international yoga and meditation teacher Clara Day Herrera shared during the webinar’s first session.

 “No matter where in the world they are, you can incorporate Ayurveda in your life. Just take what resonates and then slowly build up from there,” Herrera added.

Herrera explained that the ancient health practice Ayurveda is based on the energies of our body and the laws of nature.

"The digestive fire, the agni, is strongest during lunch. The main meal should be eaten between 12 noon to 1 p.m. while the lightest meal or dinner, should be between 6 to 7 p.m," she explained. "Be mindful of the food you eat. Opt for seasonal fruits and use easily available herbs like ginger, turmeric, cinnamon in your daily diet. Most of these herbs are easily available in the Filipino kitchens,” Herrera said. 

On Ayurveda and sleep pattern, the nutritionist said that avoiding blue light exposure and turning off all gadgets at least an hour or two before bedtime can help you sleep better and influence your mood positively.

She cited that her daily routine or dinacharya involves inner and outer cleansing, which helps in preventing diseases and bringing balance in her life. 

“Here is what I do everyday—tongue scraping, neti forclearing nasal passages, oil pulling with coconut oil, hydrating the body preferably with warm water and then abhyanga (oil massage) before bath. The practice of neti clears the nasal passages, which are the doorways of our prana or our life force,” she said. 

Practitioners believe that everything we see, hear, taste, smell and touch can alter the state of our health and well-being.

Another example is yoga, which helps detoxify toxins in the body through the different positions taken during meditation.

“Meditation helps me cleanse all the thoughts that do not serve us, thoughts that distracting us. It helps us focus on what matters,” Herrera said. 

The last of the lecture series, which features Ayurveda experts from India and the Philippines, will be held Nov. 3 at 5pm on the Embassy of India’s official Facebook page (India in Philippines) and Youtube page (Indian Embassy, Manila).

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