Why the dilemma about what to eat? Endless well-qualified experts appear to be offering contradictory, yet scientific proof that we should eat meat or not, grains or not, fat or not, etc. People see their friends at the gym losing weight eating lots of meat, so it must be good for you, right? And isn’t grass-fed beef humane?
Are you attracted to people who are exactly like you or exactly the opposite? Do you and your partner’s different ways complement one another or are you like two peas in a pod? My husband and I have totally opposite Ayurvedic constitutions and astrological signs. But we also balance each other in a way that makes us glad we’re not too much alike. Exploring your relationship dynamic through the lens of Ayurveda can help you appreciate your partner’s similarities and differences in the context of the five natural elements. With a little honest introspection, you might just find that the biggest difference between you and your special someone is actually a healing force for both of you.
You know how sometimes you get music stuck in your head and it’s even still there if you wake in the night? Think about how dumb some of those lyrics are that you find yourself singing in the shower. Now consider the reverse — imagine spiritual chants stuck in your head.
Do you struggle to align your eating habits with your ideals? If you’re like me, sometimes your taste buds take control and you find yourself eating something you know isn’t the healthiest choice for your body and your spirit. In this post I want to address the timeless question of whether or not to be a vegetarian.
I want to share with you a simple approach to dealing with cravings – and thereby avoiding the regret that usually follows giving in to a craving – that I developed organically as a way to deal with my own sugar cravings.
It may sound too easy, but it’s honestly been the most effective thing I’ve ever tried.
It’s autumn, and in many places that means it’s the windy season. It’s also cold and flu season, and the two are not coincidental. According to Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine, we are all most susceptible to catching a wind at the change of seasons. Wait, you might say, did I hear that right? Catching a wind? Yes, you heard that right. The ancient traditional medical systems call getting sick this time of year a “wind invasion!” Here are some tips to help you avoid this windy attack.
While stress gets a lot of press because of its harmful effects on your health, guilt is usually overlooked as being equally destructive. Whether someone tries to make you feel guilty or you succumb to it yourself, what good comes from feeling guilty? Remorse for hurting somebody is one thing, but oftentimes we feel guilty because we ate cake, or because we think we’re not doing something well enough.
Do you, or someone you love, suffer because of a past trauma or a current addiction? The two often go hand in hand with depression. The healing involved in such profound life situtations is very difficult and, unfortunately, often temporary. The powerful healing sciences of Ayurveda, yoga and meditation can actually change the mental, physical, and energetic patterns that keep a person in a state of post-traumatic stress, or depression, or addiction.
If you’re one of the millions of people who suffer from low blood sugar, you probably have been advised to eat frequent, small meals throughout your day. Believe it or not, this advice is totally the opposite of what traditional Ayurvedic medicine recommends.
Even the most die-hard natural health devotee can be tempted to buy pharmaceutical allergy medication when the symptoms get really bad. Some just plow through the fatigue and congestion while constantly trying different herbal products to see if they’ll help. If you’re suffering from allergies because you still haven’t found an effective natural remedy, you’re in luck. Over the years I’ve put together an allergy treatment protocol that is easy to use and that really works. I’m going to lay it out step by step so that you can start your allergy relief program right away. Follow these steps and you’ll be breathing and thinking clearly in no time.
Sometimes the signposts that re-direct our lives come in unexpected ways. We always have a choice – to acknowledge and follow those signs, or to ignore them because they don’t fit in with our “plan.” Especially when it comes to discovering our ultimate purpose in life, it’s never too early to pay attention and change the game plan.
According to Ayurveda, the root cause of all disease is improper digestion. Why exactly?
One of the hardest things about doing any kind of cleanse is feeling deprived and hungry. Ayurveda recommends eating a mono diet of the traditional dish called Kitchari while cleansing. It is nourishing and easy to digest. It allows the digestive fire to focus on burning off old toxins instead of on the new food coming in. Here’s a recipe you’ll enjoy anytime, whether you’re doing a cleanse, recovering from an illness, or simply giving your digestion a much needed break.
One of the most beautiful things about Ayurveda is the way spices are used not only to make food more delicious, but also to heal and balance your body. Autumn is the season dominated by Vata, otherwise known as Wind. You can easily keep your body, mind, and spirit in balance with the Vata season by including Ayurvedic spices in your cooking. Here’s a recipe for a Vata spice mixture that you can carry with you when you eat out, or add to your meals at home. You can also take 1/2 tsp. of this mixture with warm water in between meals any time you’re experiencing gas and bloating.
Breakfast Congee is a grain based, medicinal porridge served for centuries in traditional East Indian and Chinese homes. It is used preventatively to promote good health and long life. It is used therapeutically to help the body recover from various ailments. Congee is the perfect whole-grain hot breakfast alternative.
What is the ultimate purpose of good nutrition? Is it just to stay alive? Is it to avoid disease? We have so many food choices in our modern society, yet diet and nutrition are controversial and confusing subjects for most Westerners. Ayurveda, the traditional healing science of India, offers us a profound understanding of the ultimate purpose of good nutrition. Coming from the ancient Vedic tradition that valued spiritual enlightenment above all else, it’s no surprise that Ayurvedic nutrition serves to further that same goal.
Remember when you were a kid how you believed you could do anything? Kids have an inherent ability to learn, appreciate and apply new knowledge when it’s presented in a way that’s exciting and fun. The ancient medical system of Ayurveda is particularly easy for kids to understand because it is simple and based in nature. Most kids are totally grounded in their physical bodies.
Ayurveda literally means “Science of Life” and it truly is. Ayurveda is the traditional medicine of India and is a complete system encompassing diet, lifestyle, herbal medicine, meditation and yoga. Because it is a science founded on simple, natural principles, this ancient system can easily be applied to modern life.