Care of the sensory organs

Ayurveda offers simple suggestions for the daily body routine to care for the sensory organs:

1. Mouth:
   very morning before brushing your teeth, carefully remove the coating on your tongue with a tongue scraper (plastic, copper or silver) from the base to the tip of your tongue. Tongue coating is an overnight secretion. If it is not removed, it will be swallowed again. A tooth powder recipe from Ayurveda for brushing your teeth: finely grind cloves, pepper, cinnamon, nieve tree bark and cardamom with rock salt. Use a pinch on the toothbrush.
2. Nose:
   Lubricate the edges of the nose with sesame oil using your little fingers. This makes you more resistant to infections, irritations and allergies (pollen dust). In the evening, it has a calming effect and helps you fall asleep.
3. Ears:
   Massage the outer ear canal with sesame oil using your little fingers. Protects and strengthens.
4. Eyes:
   Apply cool rose water compresses to tired, strained eyes. In Asia, jasmine blossom water is used for this treatment. The compresses relax, cool and prevent inflammation.
5. Skin:
   Before showering, use silk gloves to rub the body moving up and down and the joints in circular motions. This activates the metabolism of our largest bodily organ. To make the skin more resilient and supple, Ayurveda offers various massage oils that are individually suited to Vata, Pitta or Kapha skin. Vata skin needs a warming and soothing massage oil, pitta skin needs a cooling, soothing massage oil and kapha skin needs a warming, stimulating massage oil. A pure organic cooking oil is always well tolerated and absorbed by all types. You can make your own type-appropriate massage oil with local oils and flavours at any time.

Source: Birgit Heyn (Die Zeit – Volume 2001)