Ayurveda Tips for Actors

As actors, the need to feel and look our best is a consistent necessity so I’ve turned to actress and certified Ayurvedic Practitioner of Veda Health and Wellness, Stacey Wiren, for some solid advice that has stood the test of time. 4000 years to be exact! Ayurveda is a holistic healing system from India that uses food and lifestyle choices, herbs and an understanding of your individual constitution to create health in the mind, body and spirit.

Ayurveda is most effective when a practitioner who understands your unique individual constitution guides you to create a specific lifestyle plan. However, these are some fantastic tips that all actors can easily use to amp up their energy and glow from the inside out!

Overall Health / Weight Management

Auditions and jobs don’t usually work around your sick days or ick days, so here are some tips to keep things chuggin’ along so you look and feel your best!

Food:

1. Eat only when you’re hungry! It’s all about listening to your body and giving it what it needs, not more, not less.
2. Train your body to eat 3 meals a day and a couple of light snacks in between. This allows for your body to go through the full digestive process before having to start all over again. Eating too many small meals taxes your body as it’s constantly in several stages of the digestive process at once. Maintaining a consistent schedule helps your body know that it will be fed when it’s hungry.  The North American portion size, as we all know, can be a little cray cray, which means we’ve gotten used to that very full feeling. When eating, it’s best to stop eating when you still feel you could eat more.
3. After a meal, your stomach should be ½ Full of Solids, ¼ Full of Liquids, and ¼ Empty.
4. Add as much “Prana” or “Life Force” to your meals as possible. The closer to fresh your ingredients are, the more Prana is present (and the more health benefits you get from it).
5. Avoid too much Frozen food. Though it may retain nutrients, it lacks the Prana the fresh version would contain.
6. Aim for variety on your plate with a balance of tastes. The more colorful the better.
7. You don’t need to eat too much raw. In Ayurveda, they recommend ¼ of what you eat should be raw and ¾ cooked.

Water:

1. Drink when you’re thirsty! Again, it’s all about listening to your body.
2. Drinking water at room temperature helps with digestion, so skip the ice.
3. It’s best to drink water BEFORE eating, sip water during eating, and then wait an hour after a meal to drink again. This aids with digestion as well so you don’t have food hanging out in your insides for longer than you’d want, which can lead to weight gain.
4. Adding lemon to a glass of warm water you drink first thing in the morning really aids in digestion as well!
5. Drinking Ginger Tea an hour after eating a large meals aids in digestion.

Skin Care / Beauty

Oil:

1. Massage your body with oil (Coconut and Almond Oils are a great option) to aid in maintaining skin elasticity.
2. If you have dry skin on your face, you can also apply the oils (but avoid this if you are acne prone).
3. You can even use a small amount of the oil in your hair for moisture and shine!
4. Massaging your face and doing facial stretches actually helps to reduce wrinkles and keep your skin more supple! Great news for actors!
5. For acne prone skin: avoid spicy, greasy and acidic foods. Examples of acid foods are tomatoes, vinegar, coffee and red meat.

Energy

1. The ideal sleep cycle according to Ayurveda would be sleeping by 10pm and awake at 6am. The most restful hours of sleep occur between 10pm – 2am. Obviously, this is a “do your best” kinda thing!
2. Turn your screens off at least 20 minutes before hitting the sack. This will prepare your mind for a more restful sleep.
3. For a boost, drink a juice made up of leafy greens, ginger, lemon, and touch of apple. Or eat dates for a quick pick-me-up.
4. Meditation (which some studies have shown can be more restful than sleep).

Eating for your unique constitution can make a huge difference, so consulting with an Ayurvedic practitioner to find out what a Dosha is and what your Dosha balance is can get you on a path to better health, more energy and to glowing beauty!

You can reach Stacey at info@vedahealthandwellness.com with individual questions!