The Nature of Herbs in Ayurvedic and Chinese Systems Today, more than three-quarters of the world’s population still rely on the use of the medical herbs for the primary health care. The food-like qualities of herbs make it easier for … 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 →
Bija Mantra – the Energized Sound Mantra, the sacred word, is the most common yogic practice. It is the main tool for working on the mind. While asanas are postures for the body, mantras are postures for the mind. They … Continue reading →
The Law of Attraction – Daily Positive Affirmations “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” These words of Mahatma Gandhi fully correspond with the Ayurvedic law of attraction. This universal law states, that … Continue reading →
The Seven Chakras and Seven Stages of Human Life The main nadis (subtle energy channels of the body) Ida, Pingala and Shushumna run along the spinal column in a curved path and cross one another several times. At the points … 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 →
Sankalpa – The Power of the Will Sankalpa means will and motivation. We are the result of our Sankalpas, creating ourselves and our karmas through our intentions at the heart level. Yoga cultivates the will or Sankalpa for Self-Realization. Ayurveda … Continue reading →
Erectile Dysfunction and Ayurveda One in four men over the age of 50, or some 20 million American men, experience some form of impotence. It strikes up to half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 (according … Continue reading →
Benefits of Meditation Meditation is a culmination of the Yogic and Ayurvedic knowledge. Meditation is not just a matter of closing one’s eyes and sitting silently. It is our ability to contact our true Self which is the source of … Continue reading →
How to Meditate Meditation works for everyone who is willing to devote some time to the practice. For a beginner, a successful meditation is simply one that leaves you feeling tranquil and rested. Find a place in your home where … Continue reading →
Innocence – Affirmation Today’s affirmation is about innocence. Make it your promise for today. Today I will look at everything through the eyes of innocence. I will not compare, evaluate, label, or judge. I will respond to everything as if … Continue reading →
Affirmation – Reloading your Mind’s Software Our thoughts, emotions and feelings, this constant conversation going on in our mind highly influences all aspects of our life. But we are not limited to the mind, don’t mistake it for yourself. We … Continue reading →
Meditation for Kapha Kapha types (see Portrait of Kapha) should practice meditation in order to let go of emotional attachment and to counter mental stagnation and lethargy. Meditation helps them release possessiveness and heaviness. Kaphas may require encouragement or motivation … Continue reading →
Meditation for Pitta Pitta people (see Portrait of Pitta) need to meditate in order to release their anger and aggression and let go of their controlling approach to life. They usually have good concentration and meditate more easily than Vata … Continue reading →
Meditation for Vata Vata types (see Portrait of Vata) should practice meditation in order to calm their restless minds and nerves and to relieve their inherent tendency to fear and anxiety. Meditation helps them sleep, alleviates their digestion, and strengthens … 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 →
Aphrodisiacs in Ayurveda Ayurveda has a whole science of Aphrodisiacs. It is one of the seven branches of its medical system. Ayurvedic Aphrodisiacs (Vajikarana in Sanskrit) are more than substances exiting sexual activity; they are tonics that nurture and give … 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 →
Premature Balding or Graying of the Hair Balding and graying of the hair does not necessarily indicate old age and poor health. It occurs earlier in the Pitta (fiery) constitution, sometimes in the late twenties and often in the thirties. … 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 →
Tampons and Pads – Watch out! If you are having any kind of chronic menstrual problem or have difficulties in becoming pregnant it may be a good time to check on what kind of tampons and pads you use. Atreya … Continue reading →
What is Yoga? Yoga is a common term in our culture today, and yoga classes can be found in every city or neighborhood. Most people identify yoga with the physical postures that are the most evident side of the system. … Continue reading →
Depression – Ayurvedic Understanding To understand depression from the Ayurvedic standpoint, it is necessary to understand how the mind, emotions, and feelings function. The Ayurvedic view is that thoughts, emotions, and feelings pass through the field of conscious awareness in … Continue reading →
Nasya – Therapeutic Cleansing of the Head Region Nasya and Shirovirechana are terms that are used interchangeably. This procedure is a part of Panchakarma main elimination procedures (see Panchakarma, Vamana, Virechana, Basti, Rakta mokshana) but can be applied separately if … Continue reading →
Raktamokshana – Therapeutic Withdrawal of Blood The father of Ayurvedic internal medicine Charaka, describes the five actions (karmas) of Panchakarma as Vamana (emesis), Nasya (administrating medicine through the nasal passages), Virechana (purging) and two types of Basti (cleansing and nourishing … Continue reading →
Nadi Shodhana – Alternate Nostril Breathing Long ago ancient yogis detected what scientists now refer to as the nasal cycle. During the day our nostrils alternate periods of activity, ranging from a few minutes to a few hours. The breath … Continue reading →
Triphala Eye Treatment Triphala (Trifala), which means the three fruits, is one of the main Ayurvedic compounds. It is the best laxative and bowel tonic; a balanced Rasayana (see Rasayana-Ayurvedic rejuvenation), and an effective astringent for external use. Haritaki (Terminalia … Continue reading →
The Three Gunas- the Never Ending Play of the Universe Everything in the universe has three primary phases of activity called the three Gunas. Sattva – creative phase – brings life into manifestation. Rajas – organizing, activating phase – builds … Continue reading →
Basti (Vasti) – Purification and Rejuvenation of the Colon Basti therapy is the most powerful of the five procedures of Panchakarma (see Panchakarma). Basti is the introduction of medical liquids into the colon through the rectum. Since colon is linked … Continue reading →
Virechana – Therapeutic Purging Virechana is one of the five procedures of Panchakarma (see Panchakarma) which is specified for Pitta issues. This is a controlled process that gathers ama (toxins) from many Pitta locations in the body, concentrates it in … Continue reading →
Vamana – Therapeutic Emesis Vamana is one of the least understood of Ayurveda’s five elimination therapies (see Panchakarma). Most people associate emesis or vomiting with nausea and sickness and are repulsed by it. However, the emesis procedure used in Vamana … Continue reading →
Panchakarma – Five Actions that Change your Life The miracle of the human body is that it has natural healing intelligence which is capable of constantly rejuvenating itself. However, doshic imbalance and low agni (digestive fire) can block this natural … 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 is it bad to work at night? Why is it bad to work at night? Many artists or other people find it a good time to work. Let’s see what happens in our body if we break the nature’s … Continue reading →
All You Need is Love Ayurveda doesn’t consider a person to be healthy if he or she isn’t happy. Happiness is at least as important as the proper functioning of the body. We are trained to be callous and unfeeling … 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 →
Do Man Made Supplements Really Get Absorbed? Did you ever wonder why your urine is always so yellow when you take vitamins? Because you are either unable to use or do not need this portion of the vitamin. Do humans … Continue reading →
Lack of Touch Ayurveda points out 10 reasons we get sick (see Ten things that affect our health). One of them is the wrong use of our sense organs which includes overuse, under use, and misuse of senses. Interestingly enough, … Continue reading →
Healing power inside each of us From Ayurvedic point of view all diseases are rooted in our habits. Symptoms arise from the way we live, eat, think, and behave. Ayurveda, the oldest, continually practiced medical system in the world provides … Continue reading →
Are You Special or Just a Number? It takes very little observation to realize that we are all different types of individuals. Why does one diet program work for your friend and not for you? Why one medicine or herb … 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 →
Aromatherapy in Weight Control The latest findings in physiology suggest that the mind isn’t really located in the brain but travels the whole body on billions of hormones and enzymes analyzing signals from our senses of taste, touch, smell, hearing, … 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 →
Why We Get Sick Disease grows in the body according to a process known as Samprapti, literally ‘the birth of pain’. Ayurveda recognizes six stages of disease: 1) Accumulation; 2) Aggravation; 3) Overflow; 4) Relocation; 5)Manifestation; 6) Diversification. Disease does … Continue reading →
What is Health? Concept of Agni Are sickness and health just a matter of luck, or of which bacteria you happen to encounter in your daily life? Is it possible to maintain lifelong health? Ayurveda has studied those questions and … Continue reading →
Toxic Ama – root of all diseases According to Ayurveda, digestion is the cornerstone of health because good digestion nourishes the body. However, not only material food, but everything we see, hear, taste, smell, feel, and think affects our health … Continue reading →
Portrait of Pitta Pitta = Fire + Water Key word: Intensity People in whom Pitta predominates are intense and fiery, with strong drive, self-control. They are alert and intelligent and have good powers of comprehension and concentration. They are usually … 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 →
Sun Salutation Surya Namaskara is a salutation to the sun, the source of our life. Sun Salutation is a flowing, full body exercise that is designed to work all the major muscle groups and joints and massage our internal organs. … Continue reading →
Yoga Postures in Ayurveda Ayurveda recommends asanas (yoga postures) as its most important lifestyle recommendation for exercise. It also prescribes asanas as an important treatment measure to cure different diseases. Asanas and food are the two most important physical treatment … Continue reading →
The Four Stages of Life Yoga and Ayurveda divide human life into four stages of twenty five years each. Each stage has its appropriate behavior and activity that is the same for everyone. Stage of life Behavior Period Activity 1. … Continue reading →
Prakruti (Prakriti) – Know Yourself Better Ayurveda is a very common – sense sort of medical system. It uses very simple principles to determinate one’s unique constitution, inborn metabolic pattern called Prakuiti. Prakruti also means Nature, the set of tendencies … 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 →
Nasal cleansing – Jala Neti I fell in love with Jala Neti (nasal cleansing procedure) even before I learned about Ayurveda. I tried it without hesitation and was amazed that not only my nose but also my mind and eyes … Continue reading →
Brahmi (Gotu Kola) Botanical names: Hydrocotyle asiatica; Centella asiatica; Bacopa monniera Gotu Kola (Brahmi) is a renowned rejuvenative herb for the brain and nerves in Ayurvedic medicine. It is traditionally used to promote the intellect, enhance mental performance, and support … Continue reading →
Yoga, Ayurveda and Tantra Every embodied individual is composed of a body, a mind and a spirit. India’s ancient seers (rishis) organized the wisdom, which became the Science of Life, into three bodies of knowledge. Ayurveda deals mainly with the … 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 →
Rasayana – Ayurvedic Rejuvenation The word for rejuvenation in Ayurveda is Rasayana. After your body is prepared by Panchakarma or another type of detoxification, for example: Kitchari diet you can take Rasayana – collection of herbs that nourish and rejuvenate. … Continue reading →
Five Things to Get Your Memory Back Everyone can occasionally forget where he or she has parked the car, but if your forgetfulness makes you frustrated, the following recommendations will help you improve your memory: 1. A five day Kitchary … Continue reading →
Kitchari – Your Body’s Reset Button Kitchari (Kicheri, Kichadi, Khichari), a soupy porridge made from rice and mung beans, is used to purify digestion and cleanse systemic toxins. Ayurvedic physicians often prescribe a kitchari diet before, during, and after panchakarma, … Continue reading →
Simple Home Purification (Panchakarma) In Ayurveda the transitional time between seasons is traditionally the time for personal renewal. In never-ending cycle nature shifts from old energy to new energy. Both for prevention and to deal with a specific health problem, … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Hair Care Problems you may have with your hair and scalp generally relate to your overall health. Like skin and fingernails, hair is an outward reflection of your inner wellbeing. Eating a balanced diet appropriate to your dosha, reducing … Continue reading →
Three Cosmic Forces Ayurveda has a wonderful practical philosophy of life and healing. It sees the universe as a play of two primary forces, the power of consciousness or what is called the Purusha in Sanskrit, our inner being, and … Continue reading →
Hair And Your Dosha The hair and its luster are important indicators of overall health. Hair is closely related to Prana, the body’s vital force. Vata hair is usually dry, but may vary from dry to oily in different spots … Continue reading →
Oil Massage (Abhyanga) Abhyanga is one of the several purification techniques known as pancha karma. Applying oil to your skin lubricates, protects, detoxifies, and rejuvenates your skin and nervous system, while soothing your endocrine system. The best time to do … Continue reading →
Early to Bed and Early to Rise Makes a Man Healthy Wealthy and Wise? Are morning people born or made? In my case it was definitely made. Before learning Ayurveda, I never thought it mattered when you go to bed … Continue reading →
Basic Skin Care Routine Ayurveda sets much higher standards for beauty products than government regulators or Western medicine, because its concept of “natural” is more encompassing and refined. Our skin is one of the body’s major organs of absorption. Although … Continue reading →
Unresolved (bad) emotions. Unresolved emotions can cause health disorders and need to be eliminated as soon as possible. The following technique has been suggested by Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad in her book “Say Good Bye to Illness”. The best time … Continue reading →
Seasons and the Doshas In the life of everything that exists in nature, there is always a beginning, a middle and an end in regards to time. Ayurveda uses the doshas to designate these three divisions in a way that … Continue reading →
Spice therapy, six tastes In Ayurveda, foods are classified into six tastes –sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. Many foods have more than one taste–Turmeric, for example, contains three–bitter, pungent and astringent. Ayurvedic healers recommend that you include all … Continue reading →
Ayurvedic Diet and Eating habits Ayurveda teaches that food is medicine when used correctly. If you eat right, you won’t need medicine, if not then no medicine can help you. All foods and beverages are imprinted with a vital memory. … Continue reading →
