Tag Archives: Ayurveda

I still remember it like it was yesterday. I was 22, had a great paying job and was in the prime of my life…..right? Wrong. I was 40 pounds overweight, had no energy, and was tired CONSTANTLY no matter how many hours of sleep I got or how many naps …

Save your money. All the high-dollar, big-hype superfoods or energy-boosting foods out there AREN’T going to cure your fatigue. There’s a lot of information out there about what to eat to boost your energy and increase your health overall. What to Eat—Not So Important? I want to cut through the …

Hey! Did you know that the food you choose directly affects your mood? Maybe you did, cause you are so Ayurvedically smart (if so, permission to high kick with pride!). You should know that every morsel we put into our body has energy connected to it. Consider it mood food. …

Pranayamas, or yogic breathing techniques, have effects upon the doshas in the body. Vata – Wind, Pitta – Bile and Kapha – Phlegm. Pranayamas also have specific effects on the mind, as per the four levels of the mind: Chitta, or unconscious mind / mind-stuff Buddhi, or the intellect, which …

My first memory of being a highly sensitive person is from grade school – first grade, to be exact. I watched as the classmate sitting in front of me slowly wet his pants, the teacher oblivious. To me, it felt as though his embarrassment and shame filled the whole room, …

Do you have trouble digesting gluten?  (Or dairy?  Or other types of foods?) While eliminating the “problem” ingredients from your diet—the ever-popular modern way of responding to food sensitivities—can relieve your symptoms, it does nothing to relieve the root problem. The biggest problem isn’t the gluten; it’s your digestion. Gluten …

Ayurvedic approach to cancer: Ayurveda names diseases with infinite possibilities of terminology, yet the word cancer does not exist. In fact, Ayurveda sees the world and the human body in terms of elements or forces constituting it and creating troubles when in imbalance. Here are some key points to understand …

“Ayurveda is all about digestion. The food we eat, the beverages we drink, the sights we see, the books we read, the conversations we have and emotions we feel. How do you digest your life experiences?” One of the Ayurvedic principles that helps digestion is the element of Fire. Fire …

Āyurveda teaches that understanding the components which create human life, allows one to understand what can possibly malfunction and create disease. This allows a healer to distinguish the source of a disorder in a patient and guide them to the most efficient treatments. The components which create life and therefore …

Due to hectic schedules, unavailability, social manners, we may find ourselves suppressing natural urges. We wait for a moment to be free or to be alone. We live in a modern world where we are constantly solicited, busy or surrounded by people and we have to stand up to expectations …

During the festive season we find ourselves often on the move and out of our normal routine, causing us to feel imbalanced, fatigued or “out of sorts”. Traveling has been a big part of my life, visiting over twenty countries living and working abroad. Travel, especially via air, can be …

Chikitsa Padah literally means “4 limbs of a treatment” and is one of the key points to understand the Ayurvedic approach. Nowadays, it is unfortunately common to see people putting their health in the hands of a practitioner in the hope that he or she would save them from their …

This is my favorite time of the year. It is not because of the gatherings nor the Christmas lights. It is my favorite time of year because it is a time of drawing inward and a time of quiet. We have lived through some very unusual months and many of …

Sage is a Middle English word based on an Old French word that translates as “be wise”.  The Latin root is sapere. In Vedic times such wise people were called ŗśi`s, Ones Who See. Wisdom is conjective. It is whole brain. The ancient reptilian conjoins with the superior limbic, which …

A wise Ayurvedic Practitioner came to our Yoga Center to talk on Ayurveda. While enlightening the audience, he casually mentioned, ‘This is an age of aggravated Vata, creating unrest everywhere.” “How true it is!” I thought. Vata means “Vayu” or ‘”Air” or “Movement.” It is the characteristic of “Vata” to …

I’m just old enough to remember the good old days when the milkman delivered fresh un-homogenized milk straight to your door every few days. How good was it as a kid peeling off those foil lids and gorging on the creamy tops and the precious liquid that lay beneath?! I …

We are naturally designed to wake up in the earlier hours of the morning. (Yes, that includes you!) If you have trouble dragging yourself out of bed in the morning, it’s an indication that you’re somehow going against nature—in Ayurvedic understanding, that you’re going against health, that something is out …

Following seasonal rhythms is not something that only happens in nature. Our bodies, too, need fall to readjust…it’s the perfect time to slow down, restore and renew ourselves. Although we’ve set the clocks back, some may be having a hard time adjusting to a new sleep routine. A lack of …

Masala chai is an ancient medicinal drink originating from India and Southeast Asia. Simply known as chai in western countries, it has gained popularity and is offered along with coffee in many cafes. Many countries around the world use the word ‘chai’ to refer to plain black tea, and ‘masala’ …

The concepts of desa, kala, patra are very informative for the way in which Ayurveda treats imbalance and disease. Treatment needs to be appropriate to the patients’ circumstance/locality (desa), time period (kala) in which he or she lives, season of the year, and to the personality/identity of the patient (patra). …

Shilajit (asphaltum) is known for its rejuvenating and aphrodisiac properties. It contains approximately 85 minerals and trace elements the human body needs to function optimally as well as fulvic acid which helps the body absorb these minerals at a cellular level.   Where Shilajit Comes From When direct sun rays …

We have varying cultural ideations and practices when it comes to a woman’s menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is perceived broadly, among which a female may be seen as undergoing a purification process or could be seen as needing to avoid the public eye as it is recognized as a …

Do you have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night? If that’s you—to any degree—you’re dealing with insomnia. A main key to Ayurveda’s cure for insomnia is RHYTHM in your life.  And in most cases, your sleep rhythm is off because your foundational biorhythm or circadian rhythm is off. …

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 …

We’re super excited to share that Freida’s Pantry, a postpartum nutrition bar is now available in the U.S. Freida’s Pantry bars are inspired by Ayurvedic principles and formulated to meet the needs of new moms. “Freida’s Pantry was born from necessity after the difficult birth of my third son,” said …