Broccoli Sprouts – Good Things Can Come in Small Sizes Broccoli, a well-known and healthy vegetable that children don’t like to eat, is back in trend! This time in the form of microgreens or sprouts. This is one of the … Continue reading →
Olive Oil. They Call it Liquid Gold. In ancient times, olive oil was considered a gift from the gods, a natural medicine given by Mother Earth. The inhabitants of the Mediterranean owe their longevity, youth and beauty to olive oil, … Continue reading →
Pomegranate Peels – Treasure for Beauty and Health For Ayurvedic characteristics of pomegranate see: Pomegranate in Ayurveda. Any part of the pomegranate plant ( seeds, peel, juice and leaves) is a storehouse of nutrients, rich in biologically active compounds. The … Continue reading →
Simple Rules about Food Ayurveda has long used diet as a primary means of healing the body and mind. Hundreds of years before Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine,” Ayurveda laid down the principles for putting this advice into … Continue reading →
Jackfruit – the Largest Fruit in the World Jackfruit is the fruit of the Jack tree (a tropical fruit tree in the Moraceae family that is a relative of breadfruit, mulberry, and fig trees). It is considered the largest fruit … Continue reading →
Anorexia – Ayurvedic Explanation Anorexia is a lack of appetite, aversion to food. If a diet is too restrictive, body weight is reduced and the digestive fire (agni) is so suppressed that the ability to accept or retain any food … Continue reading →
Sea Buckthorn – a Unique Storehouse of Vitamins I keep this bright sunny berry frozen for healthy fruit drinks. Sea buckthorn is truly a storehouse of vitamins, known for its healing properties since ancient times. Sea buckthorn is a small … Continue reading →
Proper Attitude towards Food The following rules are given in the ancient Vedic scripture Manu-Samhita, which is a set of laws of social, religious and moral principles. Knowing and following these rules makes a person happier and healthier. Don’t eat … Continue reading →
Sesame Milk Sesame milk is a plant-based, gluten-free drink made from ground sesame seeds. Such milk is suitable for people with lactose intolerance, as well as for those who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet. Due to the pleasant nutty … Continue reading →
If you are Fatigued From the Ayurvedic perspective fatigue results from the misuse of the resources of the mind, emotions and body. For example, when your job is simple, but you have to work a lot and overtime. This leads … Continue reading →
Barley vs Wheat for Weight Loss Barley (Hordeum vulgare L), (Yava Sanskrit) Barley and wheat have different properties and actions, up to the opposite. For example, with obesity, wheat is prohibited, but barley is indicated. The Siddhamantra (a text that … Continue reading →
Pepper in Ayurveda There are many varieties of pepper, each with its own unique properties and uses in Ayurveda. Black Pepper In Sanskrit, black pepper is called marica. This is one of the names of the sun, and black pepper … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Cough Remedy Any cause of disease in Ayurveda is considered an imbalance of the dosha. Ayurvedic doctors divide coughs into three types – kapha, pitta and vata, depending on which of the doshas is out of balance. With appropriate … Continue reading →
Mustard – Tiny Seeds with Huge Potential. Mustard is an annual plant of the cruciferous family (Brassicaceae). It is now widely distributed in North Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. Due to its high taste characteristics and delicate aroma, mustard … Continue reading →
Psychosomatics of Excess Weight: how Emotions Affect the Figure From your body’s point of view, there is no such thing as excess weight. Weight is always what we need at the moment. Weight is the body’s response to psychic reality … Continue reading →
Saffron – the Exquisite Spice of Ayurveda Saffron is obtained from the bright red stamens of a purple flower Crocus sativus. Other names for this precious plant are Saffron Crocus, Kumkum, Kesar, Jafran. At US $5,000 per kg or higher, … Continue reading →
Chestnut – the Rice that Grows on Trees Ayurvedic properties: Rasa (taste in the mouth): sweet and astringent Virya (potency): cold in the first degree Vipak (final transformation, post digestive effect): sweet Prabhava (specific potency): positive – for the heart, … Continue reading →
Heat Waves and Ayurveda According to Ayurveda, hot weather upsets the balance of Pitta dosha (fire). Pitta is responsible for the balance of mind and body, regulates digestion, hormones and all metabolic processes in the body. During the hot season, … Continue reading →
Nuts instead of Pills. Brazil Nut Nuts are natural energizers, and they perfectly restore strength after serious illness and stress. Nuts contain almost all existing vitamins and minerals such as potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. The role of minerals in … Continue reading →
Fermented Food When I was a little girl, I remember how our family ate sauerkraut in the winter, because we knew that all vitamins were preserved in it, unlike other vegetables, which had lost most of them by that time. … Continue reading →
Turmeric Latte for Beautiful Skin Turmeric latte amazingly evens out complexion, gives the skin а natural glow, and clears impurities and red spots in just a few days. Ingredients for one cup of turmeric latte: ½ teaspoon organic turmeric powder … Continue reading →
Cold Water, Obesity, and Disease In 1969, a Soviet radiologist named Prof. V. D. Lindenbraten, was trying to keep barium porridge in the stomachs of patients long enough to conduct an X-ray examination. His team discovered an interesting fact: if … Continue reading →
Is God a Vegetarian? If we think about it carefully, we will realize that there can only be one God, because the supreme is singular. Even when there are two or more very great souls, one is still greater than … Continue reading →
How to Determine your Dosha (Prakriti / Prakruti) from your Birth Chart Prakriti is one’s unique constitution, an inborn metabolic pattern. Prakriti also means Nature, the set of tendencies that was set up at the time of our conception. Prakriti … Continue reading →
Meat and Environment By eating meat, you become an accomplice in the destruction of the ecology of our planet, whether you know about it or not. And therefore, the best thing you can do for the Earth is not to … Continue reading →
Seitan – Tasty Non Violent Alternative to Meat This is proven long ago that protein is contained not exclusively in animal products. In fact, protein is found in all foods. It is very much protein in grains, and the very … Continue reading →
4 Essential Oils to Detoxify and Boost Your Immunity Every day, we are exposed to countless viruses, bacteria, and toxins. It is easy to get sick if your immune system is not robust enough. Luckily, pure essential oils provide an … Continue reading →
Tips for Beginner Vegetarians “If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian.” Paul McCartney Finally, the moment has come – you realized that you will never again eat animal products: for some ideological reasons, or simply decided that … Continue reading →
Natural Painkillers The first reaction to pain in modern man is to take a pill. But this is not the most useful option for our body. The pill simply breaks the neural connections between the nerve endings and the source … Continue reading →
How Sipping Hot Water Will Cleanse Your Body All ingenious things are simple and inexpensive, thus it is not possible to make money selling them. Here is one of them: If you simply sip hot water throughout the day you … Continue reading →
Pomegranate in Ayurveda The pomegranate is considered a sattvic fruit. This means that it promotes pious qualities such as self sufficiency, reality, consciousness, purity, creativity, and clarity of perception. It is good for the heart and has restorative properties. It … Continue reading →
Chyawanprash with Fresh Berries Doubles the Benefits for Body and Mind The most popular Ayurvedic Rasayana (Rejuvenating formula) is Chyawanprash – a blend of herbs with multiple health benefits, derived from a 2,500-year-old Ayurvedic formula. Administration of this preparation provides … Continue reading →
False Claims of Health Benefits from Small Doses of Alcohol Alcohol consumption is known to cause a lot of trouble, but at the same time, many people will tell you with confidence that small doses of wine and … Continue reading →
Prana – The Life Force Prana is the life force that enables our body to act. This energy is present in plants and animals as well. The Chinese name for prana is CHI. Prana flows through subtle energy channels, called … Continue reading →
Cravings. What you Really Want. А craving is a strong desire for something. Usually we crave things that are unhealthy or make us fat. Oftentimes we do not really need this exact product. Below is a list of healthy substitutes … Continue reading →
Is the Sugar You Eat Vegetarian? There is a very clear definition in the Vedas of the difference between a soul (living being) and the Super Soul (God Head). The God Head is able to create things that can reproduce … Continue reading →
Insomnia, Ayurvedic Recommendations Sleep is time for recharging and filling the body with energy. In today’s society, which is exposed to a constant, stressful rush, this basic physiological function has become a luxury for many of us. Almost every day, … Continue reading →
Amaranth – Guarantor of Immortality Mara – is a Sanskrit word meaning “death”, a – “not, without”. So it turns out that AMARANTH literally means denying death, or rather, granting immortality. It might be related to the word AMRITA (drink of … Continue reading →
Why Yogis do not Eat Garlic and Onion. The Vedas include onions and garlic in the list of products unfit for humans because despite some benefit, they cause heavy damage to health and impede spiritual development. History of the emergence … Continue reading →
Ritucharya – Lifestyle Adjusted to Nature When seasons transit, the change is very evident in the environment we live in. We see various changes in bio-life around us, such as flowering in spring and leaf shedding in fall, hibernation of … Continue reading →
Asthma treatment in Ayurveda The most important fact about respiratory diseases, including asthma, which everyone must know, is that they become incurable only when they are allowed to become chronic. If handled in the initial stages by Ayurveda, respiratory ailments … Continue reading →
The Three Reasons Ayurveda doesn’t Appreciate Eggs. Have you noticed that Ayurvedic cook books do not mention eggs at all? When I travelled to India I lived in a traditional family that didn’t use eggs either. Is it a mistake? The western … Continue reading →
Kutee Praveshika and Vata thapika – miraculous rejuvenation practices Rasayana or rejuvenation therapy has been attracting people for thousands of years. Our true Self, the Soul is forever young, that’s why we cannot tolerate the aging of body. Do not … Continue reading →
What plates to dine with Ayurveda states that every aspect of food has an impact on our health: freshness and quality of food, its constitution (every single type of food has its unique Vata, Pitta and Kapha percentage just like … Continue reading →
Asafoetida (Hing) for Better Digestion and Circulation Asafoetida or Hing (botanical name Ferula narthex) is an essential ingredient in most Indian food that is almost unknown in the West. It is famous for its anthelminthic, stimulant, carminative (relieving flatulence), antiseptic, … Continue reading →
Premature Graying of Hair. To Care for your Hair. Part Three. The Sanskrit word for hair graying is Palitya. A white hair is produced by the formation of numerous air spaces throughout the cells composing the hair. Since old age … Continue reading →
Ayurveda on Juices First of all let’s make it clear, that what Ayurveda calls juice is a fresh beverage made from fresh fruit, vegetable, or herb which is consumed right away at room temperature. All other beverages are not juices … Continue reading →
Adjusting Food to my Dosha When you look at the food list for your constitution you notice that food is gradually divided in categories from “best for your dosha” to “eliminate from your diet”. Does it mean that Vata for … Continue reading →
Vegan Eating in Ayurveda Ayurveda considers the body to be the end product of our digestion. What we eat makes up our body and influences our thoughts, emotions, and outlook on life. When talking about Ayurvedic diet we need to … Continue reading →
The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen Finding Harmony through Food Is it possible to eat Ayurvedic and vegan at the same time? The answer is yes. I came across Talya Lutzker’s book The Ayurvedic Vegan Kitchen and was amazed at how well … Continue reading →
Ayurveda on Salt Every manufacturer is eager to sell his product; otherwise their business makes no sense. We understand that they might even believe that their product is better than that of the others. But we also need to realize … Continue reading →
Sattvic, Rajasic or Tamasic Life Gunas are the three forces of material world, which penetrate everything in our life. To understand more about Sattva, Rajas and Tamas read the following articles: The three Gunas. The destiny of all living … Continue reading →
What It Means to Eat Fresh in Ayurveda Ayurveda states that our meals must be as fresh as possible to help maintain health and get more prana (life force) from the food. No matter how good a meal is, and … Continue reading →
Amaroli – the Urine Therapy Urine therapy means using your own urine either externally or internally as a way to promote or maintain health. Its advocates claim it to be a panacea for pretty much any ailment, from burns to … Continue reading →
Chai – the Tasty Indian Tea Ayurveda recommends that you have a warm drink with your meal to help with digestion. It should be no more than a cup. At the end of a meal a cup of lassi (see … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Healing of Gout Gout is a condition when uric acid is deposited in the cartilage of the joints. According to Ayurveda it is a metabolic disorder similar to arthritis and many remedies are the same. Sanskrit name for gout … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Healing of Colds Which dosha causes colds? Winter is the time when Kapha dosha (water and earth) accumulates. Too much of it produces mucus, which results in colds. Lungs and stomach are the sites of Kapha. Phlegm is produced … Continue reading →
Tips to Avoid GMO Genetic Engineering or Genetic Modification of food involves the laboratory process of artificially inserting genes into the DNA of food, crops, or animals. The result is called a genetically modified organism or GMO. GMOs can be … Continue reading →
Myth about Vegetarianism and Anemia It is said that we live at the time of information. Tons of information are poured over on us every day. But information is different than knowledge. Knowledge is information we proved to be true, … Continue reading →
Pitta Season The three Ayurvedic Seasons, Vata, Pitta and Kapha, change each other in everlasting cycle. In India there are six seasons; we here have only four, and they can be divided between the three doshas as following: Vata: … Continue reading →
Four Days Cleansing Diet This is a simple but effective cleansing diet first used by Seneca Indians. Day 1 : Eat only fruit. All kind of fruit will work except bananas. Suggestions: watermelon, pears, peaches, apples, berries, cherries, oranges, grapefruit, … Continue reading →
How to Choose Food The rule of thumb in Ayurveda is: any diet is supposed to promote self-development. If our food choices improve our concentration on the positive, and make us open and friendly they are good for us. … Continue reading →
Warts Warts are common viral infections and can occur in all three doshas. Viruses are all around us but only when immunity is low can they take over and cause warts or another skin growths. Two factors are crucial in … Continue reading →
Three Features Helping to Lose Weight Calorie counting or watching what we eat is good but not enough to get rid of unwanted pounds permanently. There is a psychological factor which causes both the under- and over weight. Let’s see. … Continue reading →
Twenty Ways Ginger Can Serve You Ginger almost needs no introduction. This universal medicine can be given almost to everyone and will have at least one benefit. Dry ginger controls and balances all three doshas, although in excess it may … Continue reading →
Cow Products There are five kinds of products the cow offers to us: milk, butter, yogurt, urine and dung. All of them have a great healing potency. In ancient times, rishis would put a combination of all those products into … Continue reading →
Ayurveda about Colonic Ayurveda teaches that digestion is key for a healthy and happy life. A weak digestive system can not work properly. Working properly means turning foreign substances in our bodies into part of us through adsorbtion, distribution, and … Continue reading →
Non-Animal Protein All foods that we eat have some combination of the three universal powers (gunas): sattva, rajas, and tamas. Ayurvedic knowledge states that according to its dominant principle our food can be blissful, impassioned, or ignorant. You can find … Continue reading →
The liver has a fiery energy and can cause a variety of Pitta disorders, such as inflammation and infection. Pitta is translated as bile and is prone to the range of diseases rooted in the improper function of the liver … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Kidney Flush The proper functioning of kidneys is essential for good health. Their function is closely connected to the nervous and reproductive systems. Things that affect kidneys: – Drinking an incorrect amount of water (too much or too little). – Distilled … Continue reading →
Time for Fall Detox The period from September 15 to October 15 is considered in Ayurveda an optimal time to get rid of toxins that the body has accumulated during the hot Pitta season. Ayurveda offers us Panchakarma, the five … Continue reading →
The Nightshade Family The nightshade family of vegetables includes tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, chili peppers, white potatoes, and tobacco. They are called so because they grow at night, absorbing “deadly night energies”. Ayurveda says they should be avoided or minimized … Continue reading →
How Food affects the Mind (Sattvic, Rajasic and Tamasic Food) Food not only nourishes the body, it affects the mind and consciousness as well. As our physical constitution is characterized by different proportions of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, we also … Continue reading →
Proper Digestion through Orderly Eating The order in which we eat our food is usually overlooked, although it is crucial to good digestion. If we begin by eating an item that takes a long time to be digested and then … Continue reading →
Why Calorie Counting Doesn’t Make Sense in Ayurveda It’s so attractive to think that consuming of a certain amount of calories per day could keep us fit and healthy. Unfortunately this mechanical approach is wrong. It is based on the … Continue reading →
Ayurveda on Grains Grains and vegetables should form the basis of a healthy diet. Grains are a very balancing food for all constitutions in proper amount. The Kapha type should make sure not to overeat them but Vatas and Pittas … Continue reading →
Ayurveda on Jet Lag Traveling disrupts our biological clock and internal rhythms. Movement, air – conditioned environments, and increased altitude increase Vata (the space and air dosha). Dehydration, sluggish digestion, insomnia, hotheadedness, anxiety, spaciness, jet lag, exhaustion, irritability, disorientation, and … Continue reading →
Diet For the Dual –Dosha Types Everyone has all three doshas present in their unique constitution. However, one or two doshas are usually dominant. It is rare that someone is a pure Vata (V), Pitta (P), or Kapha (K) type. … Continue reading →
Menopause – A Great Time for Rejuvenation There is nothing constant in the world except for changes. Night becomes day; spring replaces winter; a child grows up and becomes an adult… Wisdom is not to wrestle with this fact but … Continue reading →
Cook your Food with Love The preparation of food is an art, but even if you are not the best cook, there are things you can do to improve the nutritional value and enjoyment of the food you prepare. Ayurveda … Continue reading →
Acne – the Pitta Imbalance See also Acne-Part two Acne vulgaris or cystic acne is large pimples, which show a Pitta or Kapha imbalance. It is aggravated by overconsumption of sweets, fats, oils, red meat, seafood, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, … Continue reading →
Ayurveda on Wine and Hangover Wine consumption Vedas are against the drinking of any alcohol considering it tamasic (ignorant, lethargic and destroying). One who seeks liberation should certainly avoid all kind of intoxication including coffee, tea and coffeinated drinks. See … Continue reading →
Food List for the Kapha Person Best – consume freely Good – 2 – 3 servings daily Fair – 1 – 2 servings daily Allowed occasionally – 3 – 4 servings weekly Avoid – 1 – 2 servings weekly Eliminate … Continue reading →
Food List for the Pitta Person Best – consume freely Good – 2 – 3 servings daily Fair – 1 – 2 servings daily Allowed occasionally – 3 – 4 servings weekly Avoid – 1 – 2 servings weekly Eliminate … Continue reading →
Food List for the Vata Person Best – consume freely Good – 2 – 3 servings daily Fair – 1 – 2 servings daily Allowed occasionally – 3 – 4 servings weekly Avoid – 1 – 2 servings weekly Eliminate … Continue reading →
Natural Care for Beautiful Breasts Every day we hear about new wonder skin care formulas claiming to make us look great. That means to me that whatever we already have in our bathroom cabinets is not working. I quit using … Continue reading →
Lotus – India’s Most Sacred Plant Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) is a symbol of spiritual unfoldment. It has many names in Sanskrit, for example Padma, Kamala, and Pushkara. Lotus is good for all constitutions, but it can aggravate Kapha when taken … Continue reading →
Triphala – an Ayurvedic Panacea “When in doubt, give Triphala” could easily be the Ayurvedic motto. Triphala (Trifala), which means the three fruits, is one of the main Ayurvedic compounds. It can be used to shampoo the hair or wash … Continue reading →
What and How Much Should I Drink? Many health practitioners advocate daily consumption of large amounts of water. Ayurveda doesn’t agree with this mechanical approach to the body. Different people have different needs when it comes to fluids. The general … Continue reading →
Dairy products in Ayurveda Ayurvedic diet is not about eating Indian food. It is about understanding the energy of food. Western food can be Ayurvedic when eaten in accordance with your constitution (Dosha); season; time of day; and in proper … Continue reading →
Lassi – Yogurt that is Good for You From Ayurvedic point of view yogurt is heavy and mucus forming, not the weight reducing food it is fought to be. Especially unhealthy is yogurt when eaten cold and with fruits or … Continue reading →
Why Herbs will never get approved by the FDA There are few mysteries when it comes to our health. Common sense tells us that our basic habits and attitudes in life determine our overall state of health. The quality of … Continue reading →
Gums, Teeth, and Bad Breath The condition of the gums, teeth, and the freshness of your breath reflects the health of the bones in your body and your overall health. Follow the appropriate Daily Lifestyle regimen for your dosha to … Continue reading →
Raw or Cooked? Yoga’s and Ayurveda’s recommendations about eating raw food seem to be opposed but only at first sight. Ayurveda generally does not recommend raw food for a long term diet but only for short term detoxification. That is … Continue reading →
Sweet or Bitter The Ayurvedic diagnosis of disease is based on the three Doshas (see What is Ayurveda; Dosha test; Portrait of Vata, Pitta and Kapha). In treatment of diseases, the Six tastes are used (see Six tastes). Each taste … Continue reading →
We Are What We Eat According to Ayurveda, the food that is eaten is divided threefold. The gross part becomes excrement. The middle part becomes flesh. The subtle part becomes the mind… The water that is drunk is divided threefold. … Continue reading →
Ten Things that Affect your Health 1. Like increases like. A dosha is increased by things with qualities similar to it. Vata is light, dry, cold, and mobile. That means that dry foods, dry fruit, cold, windy weather, running, being … Continue reading →
Ayurveda and Fasting Long-term fasting is not recommended in Ayurveda. Over restriction aggravates Vata in nearly everyone who attempts it. To fast regularly for one day every week or two is far better than to fast and then to binge. … Continue reading →
Dinacharya – Daily Routine For Your Dosha As long as we are not living in harmony with our constitution we can’t really be healthy. There is no substitute for our own right lifestyle. It cannot be bought at any price … Continue reading →
New Old Secret Of Chyawanprash Chyawanprash has been around for thousands of years. In short, Chyawanprash is an Ayurvedic herbal tonic that is very high in vitamin C content and helps strengthen the immune system hence protecting the body from … Continue reading →
