A UC San Francisco study found participants who meditated for 30 minutes a day for four months lost more belly fat and showed a reduction in cortisol levels, which is linked to stress, than those in the control group.There are various ways to meditate. Find what works for you so you stick with it.

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Dr Manoj Kutteri, wellness director at Atmantan Wellness Resort instructed a leading women’s magazine that practising oil pulling as part of your oral hygiene routine as soon as you wake up is essential. "Using coconut oil or sesame oil as a mouthwash is an age-old technique to extract bacteria and germs from your mouth. It's a general Ayurvedic treatment prescribed for improving your ENT (ear, nose and throat) functions and prevents infections from taking place," he said. "The density of oil helps the muscles of mastication that aid in chewing and swallowing,” he added. It also prevents mouth ulcers and inflammation of tonsils and salivary glands.

Dr Manoj advises using a tongue scraper to remove the bacterial layer present on it. "In Ayurveda, we recommend using coconut leaves, the bark of a neem tree and scrapers made out of gold and copper as opposed to stainless steel scrapers which harm the tongue and make it rough. The right way to do it is to be gentle and not apply too much pressure. Tongue scraping keeps bad breath at bay, removes undigested food particles from the tongue, eliminates food problems and improves the sensation of taste," he said. He also added that it aids your digestion process.

“Ginger has a stimulative effect on your body — it triggers your metabolism. Hence, consuming ginger tea acts as a wonderful digestive, and is best consumed early morning or post a heavy meal. Ginger also acts as an analgesic, whether used externally or consumed and is a good mouth cleanser,” Dr Manoj said. “Lemon has alkaline properties which gives a low oxidative effect on the body. It's best had with warm water, not piping hot water, as the latter can destroy the vitamin C,” he added.

“Massaging your body with warm oil works as a great muscle relaxant because of the temperature of the oil and the pressure applied. Ayurveda recommends using herbal oils with a base of sesame oil and coconut oil that are anti-inflammatory and have sedative properties,” he said. "Skin, as an organ, is composed of lipoproteins, which are molecules of lipid and protein, and oil consists of the same. That's why when you apply or rub oil, the skin absorbs it better," said Dr Manoj. He suggests the practice of Abhyanga, which is self-massaging your body with warm oil, right before you hit the shower.