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AYURVEDA

Ayurveda is traditional Indian medicine.  Ayurveda came from the Rig Vedas and Artharva Veda, which were published about 4,5000 B.C. and have also been carried down orally via wise men(rishis). Ayurveda is a verb (give, eat, drink, make practice). Do less, be more is one description of Ayurveda.  The goal of Ayurveda is to awaken the doctor within. Ayurveda is living in sync with your vibrations.  One is a part of the universe just needs to link into it.    

 

Ayurveda is about finding what elements are out balance.  Western medicine focuses on the symptoms, while Ayurveda focuses on the need for balance in the three doshas. 

 

In India most people see their Vaidya (Ayurveda doctor) before they get sick.  The Vaidya looks for patterns in that person and the composition that is likely to create problems and practices preventative medicine.  It’s important to eat the right foods for the body to prevent ama (undigested food).   The Vaidya aims to catch ama early.  Each person’s unique body composition can cause ama from different sources.  Digestion is where we see things out of balance first, and it’s important to change behavior and eating habits when digestion changes.  Fire of digestion, Jathragni, was the seat for all physical balance and harmony. Fire needs a balance of air and light to burn it up.

GENERAL AYURVEDA TIPS

RITUALS

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  • Scrape ones’ tongue daily with a tongue scraper to remove toxins, bacteria, and dead cells as well an enhance your breath.  You won’t be able to stop after you discover how much stuff you never removed.

  • Use a neti pot (jal) or cloths (sutra) to clean out navel passages

  • Splash the face in the morning with rosewater to cool inflammation

  • Oil pulling or rising your mouth with sesame oil rinse for 10 minutes on a dry stomach is believed to draw out toxins.  Kaphas may to replace oil with a dry rub.

  • Get enough easy exercise but not too much vigorous exercise which can cause injury.

  • Oil ears or use peroxide for Kaphas.

  • Take oil bath—use coconut, castor, and almond oil. Castor should be heated first as can be too thick. Afterwards use soap-nut powder and arappu powder and hot water to remove with circle motions. Castor oil and sonamukhi leaves (cassia angustifolia) can also help with constipation if taken.

  • Consider a daily shoulder stand to stimulate the thyroid and may help with weight. See below for a full list of yoga postures for various health conditions, but always be sure to consult a doctor and yoga teacher to be sure these tips are right for you.  One’s weight is driven by past life karmas.

  • Dhauti, drink 2L of saltwater and then purging ones’ self.

  • Nauli, contract one’s digestive muscles.

  • Kapalbhati breathing, breathing done to dispel toxins from the deepest part of the lung.  See detailed description above.

  • Asana is the ultimate detox that cleans one from the inside. Like gold emerges from boiled metal, our blood gets purified when it boils. If one has a regular asana practice one won’t need the others

EATING​

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In Ayurveda, humans are described as sattva (purity), rajas (activity), and tamas (darkness).  In the spirit of these three types of humans there are three types of foods.

  1. Sattvic foods are calming and light and include legumes, grains, fruits, climbing vegetables, and sprouts. Sattvic foods are spiritual foods and eaten by yogis.  Most are grown above ground.  Milk is sattvic. Guruji and Krishnamacharya loved milk. Milk is easier to digest with saffron, turmeric, black pepper, and cinnamon and when heated. If lactose is an issue try cottage cheese or yogurt and ghee.

  2. Ragic foods are stimulants and bring out aggression, passion, and control and include coffee, chocolate, salmon, tuna, eggs, chicken, alcohol, and sugar.   Onion and garlic are the worst.  Eating meat is opposed to the yama of ahimsa and is also rajasic and often has chemicals in processing and can be hard to digest.

  3. Tamasic foods are over processed and increase the need for sex and greed. They include red meat, deli meat, and other pungent items.  People with excess pitta should avoid pickles, otherwise they are generally okay in moderation.

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  • Drink lots of water

  • Eat only until one is half full. Swallowing the tongue quells hunger. Kechari mudra (tongue to Uvula) also helps.

  • Eat less to live longer and fasting can cure some diseases.  Fasts help siddhi (psychic power)

  • Consider a fast once every 15 days. Many religions fast. Hindus fast according to the lunar calendar (typically 11th day after moon day). Fasting must come from deep within the soul.

  • Raw food is better.   

  • Don’t eat more for 5-6 hours after one eats. Let food digest.

  • Replace sugar with honey and eat mostly vegetables.  

  • Use a smaller plate.

  • Love is vibrations. Food fills based upon the love with which it was cooked.

  • Traditionally do not eat until 9am. A big meal at noon and 7pm-ish. Do not drink (even water) 4 hours after a meal.

  • Food should always be offered to the lord.

  • Use cold pressed oils and eat simple foods. Eat what is grown locally.

  • Drink warm water to flush out toxins. Cook one’s own food to infuse it with love.

  • Egg whites and wine irritate the sexual nerve (raw foods are best, especially fruit)

  • Drink pure, clean water.

  • Avoid high carb foods.

  • Eat warm foods

  • Rajasic foods such as meat, eggs, garlic, and onion activate the body and can overheat an active yogi.  Yogis should avoid these foods as it draws prana away from the sun and their practice.

  • Ghee (clarified butter) has cooling properties that can be helpful when angry or there is too much fire in one’s composition.

  • Eat peace promoting foods such almonds, apples, and yogurt if appropriate for your dosha (much more on dosha appropriate foods to come)

  • Foods that heal are light, nutritious, and filled with energy

  • Rice stimulates vata and cures pitta.

  •  Ghee increases our intellect; milk increases our lifespan. Ghee reduces inflammation in the gut and increases good bacteria. Ghee reduces excess vata.

  • Dahl is heavy with kapha and should be avoided at night. 

  • Coconut water hydrates with electrolytes. One should not drink too much as it is high in vata, making it bad for people with asthma.

  • Burns may benefit from a mix lavender, chamomile, gold chamomile, and yarrow.

  • Pine, lavender, eucalyptus, and rosemary mixed together has antiseptic properties as does tea tree oil.

  • Thyme, yarrow, and chamomile mixed together has an antifungal property.

  • Rosemary, basil, chamomile and mint can offer a tea that may help with metal clarity.   

  • Jaggery is a good source of energy in sweets in small doses, given it is unprocessed.

  • Compresses may help someone who is sick.  Experiment under the supervision of a doctor with the following remedies:

  • Colds: eucalyptus, rosemary, camphor

  • Flu: thyme and cajeput

  • Depression: bergamot, geranium, and lemongrass

  • Sinusitis: Angelica, eucalyptus, neroli, cypress, and yarrow

  • Cough: hyssop, sage, anise, and sandalwood

  • Fever: chamomile 

  • Store water overnight in a copper vessel.

  • Cook one’s own foods to take care, infuse love, and feel reverence.   

  • Wait at least 40 minutes after exercise before one eats.

  • Lemon water is alkali. Drink as third glass of water.

  • Gargle saltwater to improve breath.

  • Don’t drink after meal to let food settle. Go for a walk after a meal.

  • Don’t throw out rice water, drink it and cook with it.

  • Fresh herbs are the best, dried herbs are second best, oil is third best.

  • Diets heavy in locally grown plants and legumes and moderate exercise as well as social connectiveness are important.

  • Ama are toxins we did not digest. 

  • We need to eat earlier.

  • Using herbs is not unique to India.  Herbs and oils were used by Egyptians to preserve mummies and used to avoid the black plague.  In both cases herbs worked.

  • I am NOT a doctor, and strongly urge you to use these tips for consulting with your doctor.  Do not try anything without speaking with your doctor to make sure it’s right for you.

 

Shatyu Bhava! May you live 100 years!

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KARMA TIPS

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  • Do seva quietly

  • Do seva for one’s country be honest, pay one’s taxes, follow the rules.

  • Donate part of one’s income to a good charity.

  • Put family first.

  • Moderation in all things.

DOSHAS

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Doshas come from traditional Indian medicine, Ayurveda.  Ayurveda believes that five substances are dominate in the body: earth (stability), water (change), fire (transformation), air (dynamic), and ether (space).  Fire is agni which creates anger. Air moves all. Water lubricates.  Karmas from our past lives create Samskaras or patterns.  These patterns yield doshas or types.

 

According to traditional Ayurveda there are three main body makeups:

  • Vatas are dominate air and ether.  Some would say that vatas live in the clouds, like a moody artist in fall and winter and in old age.  Vatas seek an adventure buddy.

  • Pittas are dominate fire and water. Some would say that pittas are angry and motivated adn live in summer and fall and in adulthood. Pittas are often natural leaders and want people to follow them.

  • Kaphas are dominate earth and water.  Some believe that Kaphas are stable and grounded live in winter and spring and childhood. Kaphans want unconditional love and nurturing.

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One Dosha is not better than another.  One must be aligned with one’s true self.          

 

Each dosha may respond to the same emotion differently.  For example, anger can be experienced differently by each dosha.  For vatas suicidal tendencies and anger can emerge. For Pittas anger can result in destruction of others, violence, and becoming like a dictator. For Kaphas anger results in extorting others for personal growth, manipulation or hoarding. 

 

Do you see yourself in one Dosah?  You can take a quiz on investinprana.com to verify your instincts. Ayurveda treats the imbalance in the doshas, not just the end symptoms.

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Different tastes raise or lower various elements:

  • Bitter - raises vata, lowers pitta

  • Astringent - raises vata, lowers pitta and kapha

  • Sweet - raises kapha, lowers vata and pitta

  • Sour - raises pitta and kapha

  • Salty - raises pitta and kapha

  • Pungent - raises kapha

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The idea is to achieve balance.  To raise those elements that you are short on.

  • Vata should increase sweet, sour, and salty.  

  • Pitta should increase sweet, bitter and astringent. 

  • Kapha should increase pungent, bitter, and astringent and avoid salt, sour, and sweet.

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Oils have been used in aromatherapy for over 5,000 years.  Each dosha should use different oils for oils to help balance their natural tendencies.  Vatas should use neem oil, myrrh, and cypress oils.  Pittas should use peppermint, angelica, geranium, and lavender oils.   Lavender has been shown to be as effective as 0.5mg Ativan. (Peir Hossein Koulivand, 1 Maryam Khaleghi Ghadiri, 2 and Ali GorjiEvid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013; Lavender and the Nervous System)  Kaphas should use fennel, sage, rosemary, and bergamot oils.  Often a carrier oil is used to carry the other oils given one only wants to sue a drop of the actual oil.  In terms of carrier oils vata can use any but sesame and hazelnut are best. Pitta are most sensitive and can use olive, sunflower, and coconut. Kapha heating oils like alma or mustard are great. Only use oils if they seem to help you and your doctor approves.  Toxicity to oils is possible and you should always work with a doctor before taking any oil.  All ideas here are ideas to be discussed with your doctor to determine if it’s right for you.  Cold pressed oils are generally better than hot pressed oils as the nutrients remains.

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Some health concerns are more likely to come about for each dosha.

Common Vata Difficulties:

  • Prana Vata (inhale/swallow/thought):

    • Imbalanced when: Nervous, asthma, cough, dehydration.

    • Oils to restore balance: Calamus, sandalwood, rosemary, brahmi, myrtle, hyssop, basil krisna, angelica, cardamom, and orange (inhales, as a compress, or in food/tea).

  • Udana Vata (exhale/lungs/speech/throat):

    • Imbalance when: Dry eyes, sore throat, weakness, tired.

    • Oils to restore balance: chamomile, elecampane, anise, ajwan (inhaled or gaggled).

  • Samana Vata (stomach/intensities):

    • Imbalance when: Indigestion, gas, constipation, diarrhea.

    • Oils to restore balance: Ajwan, cumin, turmeric, ginger, basil, clove, nutmeg, dill, valerian (in a compress or in food/drink).

  • Apana Vata (going to restroom/menstruation):

    • Imbalance when: Indigestion, gas, constipation, diarrhea, sexual issues, period, child birth.

    • Oils to restore balance: Trifolia, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, lime, lemon, onions, parsley, asafetida, basil (in a compress or bath).

  • Vayana Vata (nervous system):

    • Imbalance when: Arthritis or joint issues, poor circulation, frequent blinking.

    • Oils to restore balance: Myrrh, camphor, cardamom, cinnamon, eucalyptus, valerian (in a bath, massage lotion, or in food/drink).

 

Common Pitta Difficulties:

  • Alochaka Pita (eyes):

    • Imbalance when: Eye diseases.

    • Oils to restore balance: Camphor, Chrysanthemum, and Fennel (especially in cool compress over eyelids).

  • Sadaka Pita (heart/consciousness):

    • Imbalance when: Heart attack, indecision, emotional disturbance.

    • Oils to restore balance: Cardamom, rose, sandalwood, saffron, lotus, hina, gardenia, jasmin (especially as a heart compress or inhaled)

  • Pachaka Pita (stomach/digestion):

    • Imbalance when: Ulcers, indigestion, addiction.

    • Oils to restore balance: Coriander, cumin, turmeric, fennel, dill, peppermint, and aloe Vera (as a food additive or stomach compress).

  • Ranjaka Pita (liver/bile):

    • Imbalance when: Anger, skin inflammation, liver disease, anemia.

    • Oils to restore balance: Rose, sandalwood, chamomile, myrtle, lemon balm, lavender, coriander, neem, yarrow, chrysanthemum, turmeric, saffron, honeysuckle (added into food or as a cool compress).

  • Bhrajaka Pitta (skin/feeling):

    • Imbalance when: Acne, skin inflation, skin cancer.

    • Oils to restore balance: Yarrow, chamomile, peppermint, coriander, lavender, rose (in oil/lotion, bath, or cool compress).

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Common Kapha Difficulties:

  • Tarpaka Kapha (sinuses/spinal fluid):

    • Imbalance when: Sinus problems, headaches, loss of smell, irritability.

    • Oils to restore balance: Basil, eucalyptus, camphor, rosemary (inhale).

  • Bodhaka Kapha (saliva/digestion/taste):

    • Imbalance when: Overweight, food sensitivity.

    • Oils to restore balance: cardamom, camphor, calamus, fennel, eucalyptus, ginger, myrrh (mouthwash or in food/drink).

  • Avalamabaka Kapha (fluids of heart/lungs):

    • Imbalance when: Asthma, chest congestion, back pain, stiffness.

    • Oils to restore balance: Cardamom, orange, calamus, elecampane, ginger, hyssop, eucalyptus, sage (inhaled, compress, massage oil).

  • Kledaka Kapha (mucous of stomach):

    • Imbalance when: Slow digestion, excessive mucous in stomach.

    • Oils to restore balance: Ginger, ajwan, cinnamon, orange peel, oregano, thyme, cloves (compressive, in food/drink)

  • Slesaka Kapha (liberating of the joints):

    • Imbalance when: Loose joints, swelling, stiffness, joint pain.

    • Oils to restore balance: Ginger, eucalyptus, turmeric, calamus, juniper, cypress (hot compression, massage oil, and bath).

 

One Dosha is not better than another.  One must be aligned with one’s true self.          

 

Each dosha may respond to the same emotion differently.  For example, anger can be experienced differently by each dosha.  For vatas suicidal tendencies and anger can emerge. For Pittas anger can result in destruction of others, violence, and becoming like a dictator. For Kaphas anger results in extorting others for personal growth, manipulation or hoarding. 

 

Do you see yourself in one Dosah?  You can take a quiz on investinprana.com to verify your instincts. 

 

Ayurveda treats the imbalance in the doshas, not just the end symptoms.

 

Different tastes raise or lower various elements:

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