In springtime, according to our digestive fire and constitutional nature, we can incorporate a little more of the lighter, rougher and dryer qualities in our meals because Kapha dosha, the water and earth elements, is at its peak. Yellow Split Peas are a good source of the astringent taste and are therefore Ruksha or drying. They also have a bit of the Khara or rough quality. Turmeric is drying and warm, while fresh ginger adds some umph to your digestive fire. These qualities can be helpful during mid-Spring when accumulated Kapha is in its liquid stage after the late-winter/early spring build up. Continue reading “Spring Mediter-Indian Split Yellow Peas”
Ritucharya–Honoring Seasonal Change
Ayurveda recognizes that we are creatures of our universe not apart from it—our bodies are exquisite symphonies of regulation, metabolism and structure interacting with the external environment. That symphony takes its cues from the daily and seasonal light-dark cycle. When this pattern is disrupted our natural rhythms become disrupted as well. The best way to resist this disruption is to have daily and seasonal routines that we follow which also signal to our internal systems what to expect. Ayurvedic medicine calls these routines dinacharya for daily routine and ritucharya for seasonal routine. Continue reading “Ritucharya–Honoring Seasonal Change”
Abhyanga–Love your Skin!
excerpted article also available on GoFitty.com and EverydayAyurveda.com
If you have ever consulted with an Ayurvedic Practitioner, chances are that they recommended abhyanga to you. Abhyangas are a prized therapy in Ayurvedic Medicine and can be received from a massage therapist or self-administered. Christine Tykeson, fellow Ayurvedic Practitioner and Massage Therapist in Lompoc, CA, has been doing extensive research into the use of Sesame oil and Ayurvedic Body Therapies and shared her insights with me recently. Continue reading “Abhyanga–Love your Skin!”
Detox. Seriously?
These days the media waves are cluttered with diets and products that claim to aide in detoxification. Modern medicine is contemptuous of these claims and is quick to point out that there is very little science to support claims about detoxification. Yet detoxification is an age-old treatment and has been used by traditional medicine systems the world over. In Ayurvedic medicine, detox is a premier treatment, the pinnacle of which is Pancha Karma (PK). PK involves an intensive regimen that includes simplified diet, herbs and therapeutic practices that help the body recover from the lingering results of improper diet, poor digestion and environmental toxins, the effects of which accumulate over time. In short: detoxification. In India, many undergo these treatments in hospitals where the process is supervised by medical professionals. More and more westerners, including myself, have also undergone these treatments. In my case, I underwent PK to address troublesome symptoms of peri-menopause and can say unequivocally that after my Pancha Karma, I no longer experience my symptoms, the most troublesome of which were daily hot flashes. As a side benefit, I lost ten pounds.
Methodical detoxification has a long track record in traditional medical systems other than Ayurveda, as well. Continue reading “Detox. Seriously?”
Gut Check: Biodiveristy in Your Own Belly
At your core, deep inside your gut, you have a garden…a plethora of bacteria creating your very own bio-network. The health and happiness of this intimate ecology influences your health, your likelihood of being obese and a myriad of other health concerns. All of us live in a grand symbiosis where we play host to a trillion little one-celled creatures—they outnumber the cells that make up our tissues by ten to one. We provide the little guys with a place to live and regular access to food, and they help us with digestion and influence how our metabolism and immune system works. But you are not just a passive host—the choices you make about food are your contribution to this system that, in turn, supports your health. Continue reading “Gut Check: Biodiveristy in Your Own Belly”
It’s Spring, Time to Lighten Up!
It’s greening up outside and flowers are starting to blossom. In Ayurvedic medicine, spring is the time to lighten up. Diet, daily routine and exercise can help us enliven and blossom forth, shedding the heaviness accumulated during the winter.
Spring is all about the elements water and earth, i.e., Kapha dosha. Lighter, drier foods, getting up a bit earlier and livelier exercise all help to balance Kapha. Tastes that balance Kapha are pungent, bitter and astringent—these tastes feature prominently in spicier dishes, dark leafy green vegetables and beans. Continue reading “It’s Spring, Time to Lighten Up!”
Haze of Desire–The Promise of Happiness
Dopamine. The name sounds a little sinister like something someone might slip into your drink. But no, dopamine is a neurotransmitter and is released inside our brains when there is a potential reward nearby. It’s a key participant in the way we learn how to seek things that make us happy and give us pleasure. (1) Continue reading “Haze of Desire–The Promise of Happiness”
Spring Cleaning….
Find yourself feeling achy, throat sore and coming down with something? It’s early spring here in San Francisco—the first wildflowers are in bloom, plum trees are blossoming and Chinese New Year is right around the corner. Early spring is a time when the Kapha Dosha is being pushed by Vata Dosha to awaken from its cold and still winter slumber and to get moving. When Kapha starts to increase we might notice a bit more mucus and heaviness in mind and body. Digestion may slow down. If we’re not getting enough rest, not eating well, and are generally run down we can become susceptible to the common cold.
An Ayurvedic approach to this would be to first address the cause. Adequate sleep and a good diet are the first defense against illness. But, if you’ve already caught a cold, here’s what to do…. Continue reading “Spring Cleaning….”
Too Much Holiday Cheer?
What to do when we wake up the next morning after too much celebration? Ayurveda has some helpful suggestions for getting back to an even keel. Continue reading “Too Much Holiday Cheer?”
Ayurdooda!?!
Yes, it’s true, when I tell people that I am an Ayurvedic practitioner, the most common response is, “A what? What is that?” So I thought I’d tell you a little bit about one of the world’s oldest medical systems—Ayurveda.
The science of Ayurveda was born in India, a few millennia ago—long before modern medicine developed–and is informed by a robust reliance on observational science. It consists of a sophisticated and complete body of knowledge focused on eight clinical specialties: internal medicine (Kayachikitsa), surgery (Salya Tantra), diseases of eye, ear, nose, and throat (Salakya), pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology (Kaumarabhtrya), psychiatry (Bhutavidya), toxicology (Agada Tantra), nutrition, rejuvenation and geriatrics (Rasayana Tantra) and sexology (Vajikarana). This body of knowledge is largely contained in medical encyclopedias—the earliest existing text, written around 600 BCE, the Caraka Samhita, is said to be a revised edition of an encyclopedia compiled by Agnivesa, implying that at the time of its writing, the Caraka Samhita was based on an already fully developed medical system. This system was developed over the centuries using the principles of observational science: direct perception (Pratyaksa), logical inference (Anumana), testimony (Aptopadesa) and experimental evidence (Yukti). Continue reading “Ayurdooda!?!”