How to increase Ojas — The Ayurvedic glow

Following an intuitive lifestyle will eventually produce some pretty amazing side effects.

Like looking younger, more alive, and radiant.

There is a glow we get naturally when we lovingly listen to our bodies’ needs and wants.

The keyword behind this joyful process is Ojas.

This is how to increase Ojas, the substance behind the characteristic Ayurvedic glow!

Seeking the glow

You know those people who just glow?

They seem so alive and vital.

The spark in their eyes, their clear skin, their shiny hair. It’s like they never get sick. Plus, they look much younger than they really are.

We wonder, —what is she doing?, what is she eating?

We all have that friend who fits the above description perfectly!

The Ayurvedic explanation of being full of life physically, emotionally, and mentally can be found by understanding the concept of OJAS.

What is Ojas?

OJAS is the essence of all our tissues.

It could be described as a substance or liquid in the body responsible for our overall health, vitality, and liveness as well as the strength of our immune system.

How to increase Ojas is the question.

It is created by our body through the proper digestion of organic foods that are pacifying for our body type, prepared with love, and properly assimilated.

In other words, Ojas is the powerful serum you produce by living a healthy lifestyle. This life juice irrigates all your organs and tissues and nourishes them at a deep level.

Beauty really starts from the inside and then is manifested in the exterior body.

Knowing the definition of OJAS helps us understand why our life choices might be compromising how radiant and beautiful we look.

How often we get sick and for how long.

Or how happy and content we feel with life overall.

The connection with Agni (digestive fire)

It’s also crucial to understand that Agni, our digestive fire, needs to be strong enough to facilitate the digestion of the healthy foods we eat to ultimately create the divine Ojas serum.

Agni is the digestive fire in charge of converting what we eat into the substances our bodies can utilize to thrive.

Therefore, when our Agni fire is weak or overpowering and our digestion is out of whack, so it’s the rest of our health.

It still amazes me knowing that a “trivial” digestive issue like heartburn or bloating, suffered day in and day out, can have, years later, such a big impact in our bodies!

Negative effects include:

• Looking older
• Aging faster
• Having unhealthy, wrinkled and blemished skin
• Hair lacking luster
• Getting sick frequently
• Low-energy levels
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
• A tired, dull look
• Inflammation

Intuitive living

Digestion is not the only important factor in the creation of OJAS.

Our lifestyle is key to ensure we stay radiant and glowing.

We lack Ojas when we drink alcohol frequently, smoke, overwork, and party excessively.

Not getting sufficient sleep, spending too much time on social media, working out beyond our limits, or even having too much sex can reduce the serum of youth too.

In fact, sex needs to be balanced as OJAS is found in the reproductive organs and fluids. In addition, if you are feeling stressed, angry, or depressed you are most likely depleting the essence your body needs so badly to flourish.

What to eat to increase Ojas?

Eating meals full of Prana can purify and increase our OJAS nectar.

These are some of the foods that we can include in our diet regularly to reverse the aging process and glow!

• Freshly cooked foods! Avoid microwaved, frozen, or canned food.
• Almonds
• Sesame seeds
• Pumpkin seeds
• Dates (Actually, dates soaked with ghee are a great OJAS food!)
• Figs
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Ghee
• Avocados
• Sweet potatoes
• Quinoa
• Basmati rice
• Tofu
• Soy milk
• Honey
• Mangoes
• Bananas

You might have noticed that most of the foods above have a bad rap for leading to weight gain.

If you are Kapha dosha dominant and feel like Ojas is low, include these foods in moderate amounts.

Other tips to boost your Ojas

The lifestyle choices we make every day have an important role in building OJAS.

Moreover, our emotions are critical to our digestion -and elimination!- so we must check our daily routine and make some changes if we need to in order to produce some good quality OJAS.

These are some tips that can help you nourish that glow 🙂

• Establish a routine where you wake up and go to bed at the same time every day—or almost every day! Going to bed before 10 pm is an effective way to get the deepest sleep and build some OJAS during the night.
• Meditate! This will calm your mind and nervous system which has positive effects on your OJAS creation process.
• Start your day with a devoted attitude towards God or the Universe. This helps purify your life serum. Pray and set a clear intention for your day.
• Don’t over exercise!
• Practice yin-yoga. This is such a nourishing practice for both your mind and body.
• Do Abhyanga or ayurvedic self-massage with warm oils. This will calm your senses.
• Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
• Keep a positive mind.
• Say sweet words.
• Do good deeds.

Using certain OJAS building herbs like ashwagandha can offer an extra help.

The process of creating OJAS is one that requires willingness and a bit of discipline.

Be consistent every day and do something that soothes your body and emotions. This will in return not only produce more of this precious substance but will make you feel and look wonderful.