Publication: Mapi.com
Author: Unknown
How can a ritual so luxuriously relaxing, so blissfully comforting as a full-body warm oil massage rev up your body and mind, gearing them up for peak performance? There is an explanation for the seeming contradiction. Accumulated stress and toxins in the mind and body dissolve during the daily massage. A daily full-body warm oil massage therefore acts as a powerful recharger and rejuvenator of mind and body.
“Abhyanga” — the ayurvedic oil massage — is an integral part of the daily routine recommended by this healing system for overall health and well-being. Traditional ayurvedic texts wax eloquent on the benefits. Here’s what one says — “Give yourself a full body oil massage on a daily basis. It is nourishing, pacifies the doshas, relieves fatigue, provides stamina, pleasure and perfect sleep, enhances the complexion and the luster of the skin, promotes longevity and nourishes all parts of the body”.
Here are some of the benefits traditionally associated with regular performance of this pleasant daily ritual:
Increased circulation, especially to nerve endings
Toning of the muscles and the whole physiology
Calming for the nerves
Lubrication of the joints
Increased mental alertness
Improved elimination of impurities from the body
Softer, smoother skin
Increased levels of stamina through the day
Better, deeper sleep at night
Abhyanga provides the means for trans-dermal absorption of the healing qualities of the material used in the massage, and it helps the skin, which is the largest organ in the body, perform its diverse functions efficiently, whether it is allowing toxins to be released from the body or nourishment to be absorbed by the tissues. It is like oiling the engine of your car — if you do it regularly, your engine will be in peak condition, and give you years and years of trouble-free performance.
The ayurvedic massage is traditionally performed in the morning, before your bath or shower, to facilitate the release of toxins that may have accumulated during the previous night. You can use cured sesame oil, an herbalized massage oil, or an aroma massage oil. Maharishi Ayurveda offers them all.
If you choose sesame oil, look for cold-pressed, chemical-free organic sesame oil for the best results from your massage therapy, such as the Organic Sesame Oil offered by Maharishi Ayurveda. Sesame oil contains antioxidant properties, and is helpful in protecting the skin from free radical damage. It is considered highly nourishing for the physiology. To “cure” or purify the sesame oil, heat the oil to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat once this temperature is reached, cool and store for use as needed. Up to a quart of oil can be cured at a time. Of course, you should observe safety precautions when curing oil. All oils are highly flammable. Use low heat, and don’t leave the oil on heat unattended. Maharishi Ayurveda also offers pre-cured Sesame Oil for your convenience.
Herbalized massage oils contain a blend of carefully chosen herbs known for their ability to strengthen the physiology and balance the mind. So the daily massage with an herbalized massage oil has twice the beneficial power — the benefits from the performance of the actual massage and the added healing wisdom of the herbs. Country Mallow, Winter Cherry and Sensitive Plant are some Ayurvedic herbs you’ll find in herbalized massage oils. Country Mallow is renowned for its nourishing effect on the physiology. Winter Cherry, a powerful adaptogenic, aids the body’s natural ability to withstand stress, and helps balance the mind and emotions. Sensitive Plant helps nerve regeneration. The Maharishi Ayurveda Moisturizing, Soothing and Stimulating Massage Oils are carefully blended to correct Vata, Pitta and Kapha imbalances respectively.
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Saturday, 11 August 2007
Life Extension: Evergreen Secrets from Ayurveda
Publication: mapi.com
Author: Unknown
Elders in India traditionally bless the young with the words: “Shataayu Bhavah!” which means: “May you live a hundred years!” The blessing is not too removed from the literal. According to ayurveda, the human body is indeed engineered for a full five score years and more. The three pillars of life — diet, sleep and self-mastery — form the foundation on which ayurveda says you can build good health and longevity.
Here are some tips from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians to help you chart your course to a long, happy life.
EAT TO LIVE … LONG!
“Aaharah Praanah,” says ayurveda. Which means, food is a synonym for life. Food nourishes more than the body. It determines the quality of your very consciousness. What you eat, how you cook, when and in what company you eat … these seemingly small details have a big impact on your overall health, and, ultimately, your life-span.
Use plenty of spices and herbs in cooking. Spices are not only taste-enhancers, but also great healers. Sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper on your sandwich and it helps you absorb the nutrients readily. A pinch of turmeric in your soup adds not only color but also works as an excellent anti-oxidant. Combined in the right proportions, spices lend their synergy to everyday soups and curries. If you are not sure how to blend them, try Maharishi Ayurveda’s gourmet Churnas, which will spice up your food with no fuss and lots of flavor.
To derive maximum benefit from your spices, sauté them in clarified butter or Ghee before adding them to prepared foods. Ghee helps the body absorb the lipid-soluble part of spices with ease. It’s highly aromatic and delicious, too.
SLEEP YOUR WAY TO A LONGER LIFE!
Ayurveda believes that disease and disorders develop as the result of accumulated “ama” or toxins in the body. While physical “ama” leads to disturbed digestion and forms the breeding ground for disease, mental “ama” can impact resistance to day-to-day stress. Lack of good quality sleep is a major factor in generating high levels of mental “ama. Nature intended sleep as a nightly ritual of rest and rejuvenation. When sleep does not come easy or is disturbed, the day’s piled-up stresses or ama fails to be cleansed. A good night’s sleep, on the other hand, increases ojas or vital life force.
Ayurveda has several remedies for disturbed sleep. Drink a glass of warm milk with a little honey just before you sleep. This has a settling influence on the mind and body. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin, a brain chemical that facilitates sleep. Use honey that has not been heat-treated and be sure not to heat it above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, as this eliminates its beneficial qualities.
Transcendental Meditation helps combat the daily build-up of stress, making it easier for the mind to shut off for the night.
The herbal formulations in Maharishi Ayurveda’s Blissful Sleep System™ can help correct specific sleep imbalances naturally and gently.
ROUTINE MATTERS
Ayurvedic healers have always emphasized the value of regularity in everything, be it rest, play or work. They observed it in the daily and seasonal rhythms of life itself, and adapted it to their own lifestyles. Most of it is practical advice: Go with the flow of nature as often as you can. Sleep on time-never after 10 p.m. if possible. Wake up early. Spend time and attention on your morning ablutions, including the daily self-massage. Eat a good, fibrous breakfast, and have lunch at noon, when the body’s agni or digestive fires are at their peak. Meditate twice a day-Transcendental Meditation is a proven stress-reduction technique. Spend time with your family.
One of the key elements of regular routine is good elimination. Although getting more fiber in your diet can help, Maharishi Ayurveda’s Detoxification System is a highly effective support system for good digestive health. It helps purify the liver, supports balanced fat metabolism, reduces digestive impurities, curbs the buildup of impurities in fat and muscle tissue, strengthens the entire urinary tract and aids liver function for pure blood and better absorption of nutrients.
KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SEASONS
Though you can choose any time of the year to cleanse your body, ayurveda believes that spring is king. It is, after all, Nature’s own chosen time to regenerate, renew and cleanse the environment of winter’s accumulated rough, dry and cold qualities.
Panchakarma, done at this time, is a wonderful way to cleanse and detoxify the body through healing massages and baths. Research on Panchakarma indicates that it is a very powerful way to increase biological youthfulness and improve overall well-being.
If you meet the demands of the seasons year-round, you can maintain both body and mind in peak health. In summer, stay cool with healthy shakes and sherbets, cool, not ice-cold. Eat lots of sweet juicy fruits. In the fall, fill up on figs, prunes and raisins to fortify the body and improve elimination. Let the winter months be as nourishing as you can make them, for both body and soul.
HERBS TO HELP YOU ALONG
While your own efforts will take you a long way in your journey towards a long, healthy life; a little help from Mother Nature will make matters much easier. Nature has an astounding pharmacy, and each herb it creates has its own concentrated synergy and intelligence. Researchers at Maharishi Ayurveda pick the best and the ripest of herbs, fruits and spices, then combine and process them to ensure maximum benefit.
Author: Unknown
Elders in India traditionally bless the young with the words: “Shataayu Bhavah!” which means: “May you live a hundred years!” The blessing is not too removed from the literal. According to ayurveda, the human body is indeed engineered for a full five score years and more. The three pillars of life — diet, sleep and self-mastery — form the foundation on which ayurveda says you can build good health and longevity.
Here are some tips from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians to help you chart your course to a long, happy life.
EAT TO LIVE … LONG!
“Aaharah Praanah,” says ayurveda. Which means, food is a synonym for life. Food nourishes more than the body. It determines the quality of your very consciousness. What you eat, how you cook, when and in what company you eat … these seemingly small details have a big impact on your overall health, and, ultimately, your life-span.
Use plenty of spices and herbs in cooking. Spices are not only taste-enhancers, but also great healers. Sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper on your sandwich and it helps you absorb the nutrients readily. A pinch of turmeric in your soup adds not only color but also works as an excellent anti-oxidant. Combined in the right proportions, spices lend their synergy to everyday soups and curries. If you are not sure how to blend them, try Maharishi Ayurveda’s gourmet Churnas, which will spice up your food with no fuss and lots of flavor.
To derive maximum benefit from your spices, sauté them in clarified butter or Ghee before adding them to prepared foods. Ghee helps the body absorb the lipid-soluble part of spices with ease. It’s highly aromatic and delicious, too.
SLEEP YOUR WAY TO A LONGER LIFE!
Ayurveda believes that disease and disorders develop as the result of accumulated “ama” or toxins in the body. While physical “ama” leads to disturbed digestion and forms the breeding ground for disease, mental “ama” can impact resistance to day-to-day stress. Lack of good quality sleep is a major factor in generating high levels of mental “ama. Nature intended sleep as a nightly ritual of rest and rejuvenation. When sleep does not come easy or is disturbed, the day’s piled-up stresses or ama fails to be cleansed. A good night’s sleep, on the other hand, increases ojas or vital life force.
Ayurveda has several remedies for disturbed sleep. Drink a glass of warm milk with a little honey just before you sleep. This has a settling influence on the mind and body. Milk contains the amino acid tryptophan, which is a precursor of serotonin, a brain chemical that facilitates sleep. Use honey that has not been heat-treated and be sure not to heat it above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, as this eliminates its beneficial qualities.
Transcendental Meditation helps combat the daily build-up of stress, making it easier for the mind to shut off for the night.
The herbal formulations in Maharishi Ayurveda’s Blissful Sleep System™ can help correct specific sleep imbalances naturally and gently.
ROUTINE MATTERS
Ayurvedic healers have always emphasized the value of regularity in everything, be it rest, play or work. They observed it in the daily and seasonal rhythms of life itself, and adapted it to their own lifestyles. Most of it is practical advice: Go with the flow of nature as often as you can. Sleep on time-never after 10 p.m. if possible. Wake up early. Spend time and attention on your morning ablutions, including the daily self-massage. Eat a good, fibrous breakfast, and have lunch at noon, when the body’s agni or digestive fires are at their peak. Meditate twice a day-Transcendental Meditation is a proven stress-reduction technique. Spend time with your family.
One of the key elements of regular routine is good elimination. Although getting more fiber in your diet can help, Maharishi Ayurveda’s Detoxification System is a highly effective support system for good digestive health. It helps purify the liver, supports balanced fat metabolism, reduces digestive impurities, curbs the buildup of impurities in fat and muscle tissue, strengthens the entire urinary tract and aids liver function for pure blood and better absorption of nutrients.
KEEP IN STEP WITH THE SEASONS
Though you can choose any time of the year to cleanse your body, ayurveda believes that spring is king. It is, after all, Nature’s own chosen time to regenerate, renew and cleanse the environment of winter’s accumulated rough, dry and cold qualities.
Panchakarma, done at this time, is a wonderful way to cleanse and detoxify the body through healing massages and baths. Research on Panchakarma indicates that it is a very powerful way to increase biological youthfulness and improve overall well-being.
If you meet the demands of the seasons year-round, you can maintain both body and mind in peak health. In summer, stay cool with healthy shakes and sherbets, cool, not ice-cold. Eat lots of sweet juicy fruits. In the fall, fill up on figs, prunes and raisins to fortify the body and improve elimination. Let the winter months be as nourishing as you can make them, for both body and soul.
HERBS TO HELP YOU ALONG
While your own efforts will take you a long way in your journey towards a long, healthy life; a little help from Mother Nature will make matters much easier. Nature has an astounding pharmacy, and each herb it creates has its own concentrated synergy and intelligence. Researchers at Maharishi Ayurveda pick the best and the ripest of herbs, fruits and spices, then combine and process them to ensure maximum benefit.
Tuesday, 7 August 2007
Meditation for Heart Patients
Publication: Journal of the American Medical Association
Transcendental meditation may improve cardiac risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease.
A relaxation technique known as Transcendental Meditation may decrease blood pressure and reduce insulin resistance among patients with coronary heart disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Transcendental Meditation, derived from the ancient Vedic tradition in India, is taught through a standard protocol involving lectures, personal instruction and group meetings. It has previously been shown to lower blood pressure but its effect on other risk factors associated with coronary heart disease, including those linked to the metabolic syndrome, has not been thoroughly examined.
The metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms that increase cardiac risk, including high blood pressure (hypertension), abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which occurs when the body is unable to use the insulin produced by the pancreas to process sugar into energy.
Maura Paul-Labrador, M.P.H., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a 16-week trial of Transcendental Meditation in patients with coronary heart disease. Fifty-two participants (average age 67.7 years) were instructed in transcendental meditation and 51 control patients (average age 67.1 years) received health education.
At the beginning and end of the trial, the patients fasted overnight and then gave a blood sample, participated in a medical history review and underwent tests of blood vessel function and heart rate variability. Heart rate variability testing assesses the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the heart and other involuntary muscles.
Overall, of the 103 participants who were enrolled, 84 (82 percent) completed the study. At the end of the trial, patients in the Transcendental Meditation group had significantly lower blood pressure; improved fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, which signify reduced insulin resistance; and more stable functioning of the autonomic nervous system.
“These physiological effects were accomplished without changes in body weight, medication or psychosocial variables and despite a marginally statistically significant increase in physical activity in the health education group,” the authors write.
“These current results also expand our causal understanding of the role of stress in the rising epidemic of the metabolic syndrome,” they continue. “Although current low levels of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits and resultant obesity are triggers for this epidemic, the demands of modern society may also be responsible for higher levels of chronic stress.” Such stress causes the release of cortisol and other hormones and neurotransmitters, which over time damage the cardiovascular system.
“Our results, demonstrating beneficial physiological effects of Transcendental Meditation in the absence of effects on psychosocial variables, suggest that Transcendental Meditation may modulate response to stress rather than alter the stress itself, similar to the physiological impact of exercise conditioning,” the authors write. This method of controlling the body’s response to stress may provide a new target for the treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease, warranting further study, they conclude.
Transcendental meditation may improve cardiac risk factors in patients with coronary heart disease.
A relaxation technique known as Transcendental Meditation may decrease blood pressure and reduce insulin resistance among patients with coronary heart disease, according to a report in the June 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
Transcendental Meditation, derived from the ancient Vedic tradition in India, is taught through a standard protocol involving lectures, personal instruction and group meetings. It has previously been shown to lower blood pressure but its effect on other risk factors associated with coronary heart disease, including those linked to the metabolic syndrome, has not been thoroughly examined.
The metabolic syndrome refers to a cluster of symptoms that increase cardiac risk, including high blood pressure (hypertension), abdominal obesity, high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which occurs when the body is unable to use the insulin produced by the pancreas to process sugar into energy.
Maura Paul-Labrador, M.P.H., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a 16-week trial of Transcendental Meditation in patients with coronary heart disease. Fifty-two participants (average age 67.7 years) were instructed in transcendental meditation and 51 control patients (average age 67.1 years) received health education.
At the beginning and end of the trial, the patients fasted overnight and then gave a blood sample, participated in a medical history review and underwent tests of blood vessel function and heart rate variability. Heart rate variability testing assesses the functioning of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the heart and other involuntary muscles.
Overall, of the 103 participants who were enrolled, 84 (82 percent) completed the study. At the end of the trial, patients in the Transcendental Meditation group had significantly lower blood pressure; improved fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, which signify reduced insulin resistance; and more stable functioning of the autonomic nervous system.
“These physiological effects were accomplished without changes in body weight, medication or psychosocial variables and despite a marginally statistically significant increase in physical activity in the health education group,” the authors write.
“These current results also expand our causal understanding of the role of stress in the rising epidemic of the metabolic syndrome,” they continue. “Although current low levels of physical activity, unhealthy eating habits and resultant obesity are triggers for this epidemic, the demands of modern society may also be responsible for higher levels of chronic stress.” Such stress causes the release of cortisol and other hormones and neurotransmitters, which over time damage the cardiovascular system.
“Our results, demonstrating beneficial physiological effects of Transcendental Meditation in the absence of effects on psychosocial variables, suggest that Transcendental Meditation may modulate response to stress rather than alter the stress itself, similar to the physiological impact of exercise conditioning,” the authors write. This method of controlling the body’s response to stress may provide a new target for the treatment and prevention of coronary heart disease, warranting further study, they conclude.
A Fresh Pair of Eyes
Publication: mapi.com
Author: Unknown
Ancient ayurvedic treatises dwelt at length on the care and nurturing of the eyes. Today, we talk of our eyes in terms of pupil, retina, and iris. Back then, thousands of years ago, ayurveda understood eye structure quite differently.
The eyeballs are said to be composed of all five elements-the Panchamahabhutas-earth, fire, air, water, and space. Of these,
Earth governs the muscular part of the eyes.
Fire rules the blood vessels.
Air makes up the black of the eyeballs.
Water dominates the white of the eye, and
Space contributes to the tear ducts or cleansing channels.
Ancient ayurvedic healers identified dozens of causes that can bring eyes to grief. Among them were:
Misuse of the eyes-straining too much, concentrating too hard on minute objects, or looking too far in the distance constantly.
Injury.
Excessive anger, jealousy, or negative feelings. (Echoing the thought that the eyes mirror the soul).
Suppression of natural urges like hunger, thirst, sleep, and the need to cry.
Suppression or neglect of sleep. Also, changes in one’s regular sleep/wake routine.Therefore, ayurveda has a different way of looking at eye problems. It sees them as the result of disturbed dosha-balance.
Let’s observe the ayurvedic perspective on three common eye problems:
Crow’s feet, dry eyes and eye strain
Causes: These problems are caused by a Pitta imbalance. Other factors include worry, lack of sleep, excessive intake of alcohol, or not drinking enough water.
Cures: Stop using chemical-and-preservative laden make-up. Rest your eyes as often as you can. Take regular breaks between computer jobs. Protect your eyes against direct sunlight. Maharishi Ayurveda’s Youthful Skin Eye Gel contains a blend of rare ayurvedic herbs including Sacred Lotus to provide all-natural support for the delicate skin around the eyes. This eye gel has a Chakshushya effect — “that which imparts health and longevity to the eye area. The formulation is pure, gentle, balanced and holistic. Sacred Lotus is a cooling herb, one that increases soma, or lunar energy, to balance agni, solar energy. Thus it is very effective in pacifying Pitta related problems and cooling and relaxing the eye area.
Dark circles under the eyes
Causes: This could be either a Vata or a Pitta imbalance. Look for these factors: have you been unwell lately? Not eating fresh food? Suffering menstrual problems? Are you anemic? Have you been suffering from anxiety or poor circulation? All these cause dark under-eye circles.
Cures: Soothe your eyes with cotton-wool dabbed in pure Rose Water. Place the cotton pads on eyes for ten minutes, and lie still to ease away tension. Avoid fried, greasy foods and leftovers-cook fresh meals. Close your eyes as often as you can, putting your palms against them to rest them further.
Puffy eyes
Causes: These are caused by an aggravated Kapha Dosha. When prolonged, this condition can indicate that you might have a kidney or liver disorder-therefore seeing a physician is advised. Other causes include slow digestion, poor appetite, water retention and hormonal imbalances.
Cures: Drink lots of water, which will de-clog your body’s channels. Eat lots of fresh fruit, and avoid make-up until the problem is solved. Do not sleep during the day.
Eye-Friendly Lifestyle Tips
Protect your eyes from the ravages of the elements-sun, wind and water. All of these can disturb the doshic balance of your eyes, interfering with good vision and causing disease and eye-fatigue. Wear sunglasses, scarves, or caps to shield your eyes when the elements are lashing about you.
One of the best eye-care routines you can follow is a daily self-massage or abhyanga. At some point in life, you are sure to have known the deliciously relaxed-almost sleepy-feeling that comes when you gently rub the soles of your feet with a warm herbalized oil such as the Rejuvenation Massage Oil. Done just 10 to 15 minutes daily, a massage will de-stress your eyes and fill you with radiance.
Stress is an enemy of the eyes. When you’re tense, angry, or unhappy, your eyes look swollen, dull, and unhappy. Avoid stressful situations as far as you can. And when you are caught in one, respond to it as calmly as you can.
Stress disturbs sleep, and lack of sleep is one of the biggest eye-enemies. Make sure you get your full quota of rest to keep your eyes sparkling and fresh. Maharishi Ayurveda’s Slumber Time Therapeutic Aroma Oil is a blend of six pure essential oils-including sweet orange, marjoram, lavender, and jasmine. If set up to diffuse a little before you go to bed, the relaxing aromas of these oils will ease you into sleep. For chronic sleep problems, Maharishi Ayurveda’s Blissful Sleep and Deep Rest formulas are the answer.
Pay attention to what you drink. The best drink for those with puffy eyes and dark circles is plain warm water, which detoxifies the system. Avoid ice cold and carbonated drinks. Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol are eye-dullers. Try reducing or, ideally, giving up your intake of these substances, and your eyes will reflect the difference very soon. If you are in the mood for a beverage, try switching to Maharishi Ayurveda’s mind/body beverages. Pick and sip from among a wide range of herbal teas, or try the Raja’s Cup, a delicious time-tested beverage that stimulates the mind and energizes the body without a trace of caffeine.
Take time to learn what your body’s nutrition needs are. In general, eyes feel nourished with foods like coconuts, raisins, papaya and sweet juicy fruits. Reduce your intake of sugar. Avoid red meat and heavy fried foods. These general rules work for everyone, but of course, a vaidya can advise you best on what particular dosha imbalance is causing your eye problems. He will prescribe you a diet routine accordingly.
Say yes to Yoga. Some yoga asanas, like Shirshasana and Surya Namaskara asana are very beneficial for eyes-they boost circulation to the blood vessels and capillaries, relax the eyes, and, over a period of time, are reported to even improve vision.
Author: Unknown
Ancient ayurvedic treatises dwelt at length on the care and nurturing of the eyes. Today, we talk of our eyes in terms of pupil, retina, and iris. Back then, thousands of years ago, ayurveda understood eye structure quite differently.
The eyeballs are said to be composed of all five elements-the Panchamahabhutas-earth, fire, air, water, and space. Of these,
Earth governs the muscular part of the eyes.
Fire rules the blood vessels.
Air makes up the black of the eyeballs.
Water dominates the white of the eye, and
Space contributes to the tear ducts or cleansing channels.
Ancient ayurvedic healers identified dozens of causes that can bring eyes to grief. Among them were:
Misuse of the eyes-straining too much, concentrating too hard on minute objects, or looking too far in the distance constantly.
Injury.
Excessive anger, jealousy, or negative feelings. (Echoing the thought that the eyes mirror the soul).
Suppression of natural urges like hunger, thirst, sleep, and the need to cry.
Suppression or neglect of sleep. Also, changes in one’s regular sleep/wake routine.Therefore, ayurveda has a different way of looking at eye problems. It sees them as the result of disturbed dosha-balance.
Let’s observe the ayurvedic perspective on three common eye problems:
Crow’s feet, dry eyes and eye strain
Causes: These problems are caused by a Pitta imbalance. Other factors include worry, lack of sleep, excessive intake of alcohol, or not drinking enough water.
Cures: Stop using chemical-and-preservative laden make-up. Rest your eyes as often as you can. Take regular breaks between computer jobs. Protect your eyes against direct sunlight. Maharishi Ayurveda’s Youthful Skin Eye Gel contains a blend of rare ayurvedic herbs including Sacred Lotus to provide all-natural support for the delicate skin around the eyes. This eye gel has a Chakshushya effect — “that which imparts health and longevity to the eye area. The formulation is pure, gentle, balanced and holistic. Sacred Lotus is a cooling herb, one that increases soma, or lunar energy, to balance agni, solar energy. Thus it is very effective in pacifying Pitta related problems and cooling and relaxing the eye area.
Dark circles under the eyes
Causes: This could be either a Vata or a Pitta imbalance. Look for these factors: have you been unwell lately? Not eating fresh food? Suffering menstrual problems? Are you anemic? Have you been suffering from anxiety or poor circulation? All these cause dark under-eye circles.
Cures: Soothe your eyes with cotton-wool dabbed in pure Rose Water. Place the cotton pads on eyes for ten minutes, and lie still to ease away tension. Avoid fried, greasy foods and leftovers-cook fresh meals. Close your eyes as often as you can, putting your palms against them to rest them further.
Puffy eyes
Causes: These are caused by an aggravated Kapha Dosha. When prolonged, this condition can indicate that you might have a kidney or liver disorder-therefore seeing a physician is advised. Other causes include slow digestion, poor appetite, water retention and hormonal imbalances.
Cures: Drink lots of water, which will de-clog your body’s channels. Eat lots of fresh fruit, and avoid make-up until the problem is solved. Do not sleep during the day.
Eye-Friendly Lifestyle Tips
Protect your eyes from the ravages of the elements-sun, wind and water. All of these can disturb the doshic balance of your eyes, interfering with good vision and causing disease and eye-fatigue. Wear sunglasses, scarves, or caps to shield your eyes when the elements are lashing about you.
One of the best eye-care routines you can follow is a daily self-massage or abhyanga. At some point in life, you are sure to have known the deliciously relaxed-almost sleepy-feeling that comes when you gently rub the soles of your feet with a warm herbalized oil such as the Rejuvenation Massage Oil. Done just 10 to 15 minutes daily, a massage will de-stress your eyes and fill you with radiance.
Stress is an enemy of the eyes. When you’re tense, angry, or unhappy, your eyes look swollen, dull, and unhappy. Avoid stressful situations as far as you can. And when you are caught in one, respond to it as calmly as you can.
Stress disturbs sleep, and lack of sleep is one of the biggest eye-enemies. Make sure you get your full quota of rest to keep your eyes sparkling and fresh. Maharishi Ayurveda’s Slumber Time Therapeutic Aroma Oil is a blend of six pure essential oils-including sweet orange, marjoram, lavender, and jasmine. If set up to diffuse a little before you go to bed, the relaxing aromas of these oils will ease you into sleep. For chronic sleep problems, Maharishi Ayurveda’s Blissful Sleep and Deep Rest formulas are the answer.
Pay attention to what you drink. The best drink for those with puffy eyes and dark circles is plain warm water, which detoxifies the system. Avoid ice cold and carbonated drinks. Stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol are eye-dullers. Try reducing or, ideally, giving up your intake of these substances, and your eyes will reflect the difference very soon. If you are in the mood for a beverage, try switching to Maharishi Ayurveda’s mind/body beverages. Pick and sip from among a wide range of herbal teas, or try the Raja’s Cup, a delicious time-tested beverage that stimulates the mind and energizes the body without a trace of caffeine.
Take time to learn what your body’s nutrition needs are. In general, eyes feel nourished with foods like coconuts, raisins, papaya and sweet juicy fruits. Reduce your intake of sugar. Avoid red meat and heavy fried foods. These general rules work for everyone, but of course, a vaidya can advise you best on what particular dosha imbalance is causing your eye problems. He will prescribe you a diet routine accordingly.
Say yes to Yoga. Some yoga asanas, like Shirshasana and Surya Namaskara asana are very beneficial for eyes-they boost circulation to the blood vessels and capillaries, relax the eyes, and, over a period of time, are reported to even improve vision.
Monday, 6 August 2007
The Six Tastes of Ayurveda — Balance through Nutrition
Publication: Discover Ayurveda
Author: Unknown
With Maharishi Ayurveda, a balanced diet does not revolve around calories, vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins. These nutrients are known to us intellectually but the tastes are a direct experience and give enormous and useful information directly to the tissues in the body. Ayurveda allows us to eat a balanced diet naturally, guided by our own instincts, without turning nutrition into a complicated intellectual exercise.
Tastes should be balanced in the diet for optimum nutrition and health. All of the Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulas are based on the science of the six tastes. For example, the bitter effect of herbs helps in the fight against infections. What is the first medicine prescribed by an allopathic physician for infections? Penicillin, a very bitter tasting medicine.
There are six tastes described in Ayurveda. The term taste not only applies to the perception of taste buds located on the tongue, but to the final reaction of food in the acid medium of the stomach. These tastes are sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and pungent. Vata dosha is balanced by sweet, sour, and salty. Pitta dosha is balanced by bitter, astringent and sweet, and Kapha dosha is balanced by pungent, bitter, and astringent.
All the six tastes are combinations of the five building blocks of nature. Each taste contains all five elements in it but has a predominance of two elements. This is known as the prakriti of the tastes. They are as follows:
sweet - earth and air
sour - earth and fire
salty - water and fire
bitter - air and fire
pungent - air and fire
astringent - earth and air
It is best to include all six tastes in each meal, but include more of the tastes that balance your individual physiology and follow the rhythms of the seasons and a lesser amount of the tastes that create imbalance in your body and mind.
As a general guide, the following are a list of foods in each of the taste categories:
Sweet - increases Kapha and balances Pitta and Kapha, brings satisfaction to the mind and body, feels nourishing, brings contentment and generates a soothing feeling. However, too much of the sweet taste brings dullness and drowsiness. Sugar, honey, cream, rice, wheat, butter, milk, ghee, dates, sweet fruits, coconut and licorice root are examples of the sweet taste.
Sour - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, sparks digestion, adds flavor to food, can add to fluid retention, and excess sour foods lead to acidic stomach and skin inflammation. Lemons, grapefruits, olives, yogurt, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and vinegar are sour in taste. Maharishi Ayurveda recommends avoiding sour tastes from vinegar, fermented foods, and alcohol because they are toxic to the system and agitate the mind.
Salty - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, adds flavor to food, stokes the appetite, starts the flow of saliva and stomach juices, aids digestion and heats up the body. Too much salt causes bloating and skin disorders and can be overheating for Pitta. Salt, kelp, and salty pickles are examples of the salt taste.
Bitter - increases Vata and balances Pitta and Kapha, a corrective taste that brings cravings for sweet and salty into balance, tones the tissues and cools the body in hot weather, good for balancing Pitta, reduces bloating, and is good for the liver. In excess, the bitter taste depletes the tissues and creates a Vata imbalance. Raja’s Cup, bitter melon, leafy greens, turmeric, aloe vera, nettles, basil, golden seal, iron, lemon rind, spinach, barley, and fenugreek are examples of the bitter taste.
Astringent - increases Vata and balances Kapha and Pitta, purifies the blood, helps digestion, helps decrease diarrhea. In excess it creates gas, heart pain, and constipation. Pomegranates, legumes, coral, turmeric, Raja’s Cup, apple, quinoa, sprouts and coriander are examples of the astringent taste.
Pungent - increases Vata and Pitta and balances Kapha. The pungent taste helps to reduce fat, is an appetizer, and helps to alleviate allergies. Pungent food should be taken with Ghee or it may irritate the stomach lining and imbalance Pitta. Ginger, garlic, horseradish, black pepper, and chili are examples of the pungent taste.
In general, for a balanced ayurvedic diet, you should eat a predominance of the foods and corresponding tastes that correct any imbalances and include a lesser amount of food groups that include the other tastes. For example, if you have a Pitta imbalance, then you should eat primarily astringent, bitter and sweet tastes but include small amounts of the pungent, sour, and salty tastes. A typical meal may include basmati rice (sweet), mung dah (astringent), mixed spiced vegetables such as bitter melon (bitter) swiss chard (bitter), zucchini (sweet), whole wheat flat bread (sweet), and lassi yogurt drink (sweet and sour).
You’ll find that Ayurvedic cooking can be delicious, fun and easy and your “best medicine” for creating balance.
Potent Ayurvedic Formulas
The Maharishi Ayurveda churnas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are convenient and easy to use and are precise blends of spices and seasonings that include all six ayurvedic tastes. Sauté the Churna in Ghee and add to your dishes, soups, stews and sauces as they’re cooking or sprinkle over prepared vegatables or rice at the table.
Author: Unknown
With Maharishi Ayurveda, a balanced diet does not revolve around calories, vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins. These nutrients are known to us intellectually but the tastes are a direct experience and give enormous and useful information directly to the tissues in the body. Ayurveda allows us to eat a balanced diet naturally, guided by our own instincts, without turning nutrition into a complicated intellectual exercise.
Tastes should be balanced in the diet for optimum nutrition and health. All of the Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulas are based on the science of the six tastes. For example, the bitter effect of herbs helps in the fight against infections. What is the first medicine prescribed by an allopathic physician for infections? Penicillin, a very bitter tasting medicine.
There are six tastes described in Ayurveda. The term taste not only applies to the perception of taste buds located on the tongue, but to the final reaction of food in the acid medium of the stomach. These tastes are sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and pungent. Vata dosha is balanced by sweet, sour, and salty. Pitta dosha is balanced by bitter, astringent and sweet, and Kapha dosha is balanced by pungent, bitter, and astringent.
All the six tastes are combinations of the five building blocks of nature. Each taste contains all five elements in it but has a predominance of two elements. This is known as the prakriti of the tastes. They are as follows:
sweet - earth and air
sour - earth and fire
salty - water and fire
bitter - air and fire
pungent - air and fire
astringent - earth and air
It is best to include all six tastes in each meal, but include more of the tastes that balance your individual physiology and follow the rhythms of the seasons and a lesser amount of the tastes that create imbalance in your body and mind.
As a general guide, the following are a list of foods in each of the taste categories:
Sweet - increases Kapha and balances Pitta and Kapha, brings satisfaction to the mind and body, feels nourishing, brings contentment and generates a soothing feeling. However, too much of the sweet taste brings dullness and drowsiness. Sugar, honey, cream, rice, wheat, butter, milk, ghee, dates, sweet fruits, coconut and licorice root are examples of the sweet taste.
Sour - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, sparks digestion, adds flavor to food, can add to fluid retention, and excess sour foods lead to acidic stomach and skin inflammation. Lemons, grapefruits, olives, yogurt, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and vinegar are sour in taste. Maharishi Ayurveda recommends avoiding sour tastes from vinegar, fermented foods, and alcohol because they are toxic to the system and agitate the mind.
Salty - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, adds flavor to food, stokes the appetite, starts the flow of saliva and stomach juices, aids digestion and heats up the body. Too much salt causes bloating and skin disorders and can be overheating for Pitta. Salt, kelp, and salty pickles are examples of the salt taste.
Bitter - increases Vata and balances Pitta and Kapha, a corrective taste that brings cravings for sweet and salty into balance, tones the tissues and cools the body in hot weather, good for balancing Pitta, reduces bloating, and is good for the liver. In excess, the bitter taste depletes the tissues and creates a Vata imbalance. Raja’s Cup, bitter melon, leafy greens, turmeric, aloe vera, nettles, basil, golden seal, iron, lemon rind, spinach, barley, and fenugreek are examples of the bitter taste.
Astringent - increases Vata and balances Kapha and Pitta, purifies the blood, helps digestion, helps decrease diarrhea. In excess it creates gas, heart pain, and constipation. Pomegranates, legumes, coral, turmeric, Raja’s Cup, apple, quinoa, sprouts and coriander are examples of the astringent taste.
Pungent - increases Vata and Pitta and balances Kapha. The pungent taste helps to reduce fat, is an appetizer, and helps to alleviate allergies. Pungent food should be taken with Ghee or it may irritate the stomach lining and imbalance Pitta. Ginger, garlic, horseradish, black pepper, and chili are examples of the pungent taste.
In general, for a balanced ayurvedic diet, you should eat a predominance of the foods and corresponding tastes that correct any imbalances and include a lesser amount of food groups that include the other tastes. For example, if you have a Pitta imbalance, then you should eat primarily astringent, bitter and sweet tastes but include small amounts of the pungent, sour, and salty tastes. A typical meal may include basmati rice (sweet), mung dah (astringent), mixed spiced vegetables such as bitter melon (bitter) swiss chard (bitter), zucchini (sweet), whole wheat flat bread (sweet), and lassi yogurt drink (sweet and sour).
You’ll find that Ayurvedic cooking can be delicious, fun and easy and your “best medicine” for creating balance.
Potent Ayurvedic Formulas
The Maharishi Ayurveda churnas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are convenient and easy to use and are precise blends of spices and seasonings that include all six ayurvedic tastes. Sauté the Churna in Ghee and add to your dishes, soups, stews and sauces as they’re cooking or sprinkle over prepared vegatables or rice at the table.
Simple Ways to Minimize Acid Indigestion
Publication: mapi.com
Author: Unknown
Individuals with a pitta imbalance are susceptible to hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and some types of inflammatory disorders. Stress, anger, impatience, extra-hot spicy foods, and environmental factors such as extreme heat can aggravate pitta. A few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can help bring pitta into balance for smoother, more effective digestion and greater calm and contentment.
Individuals with a pitta imbalance are susceptible to hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and some types of inflammatory disorders. Stress, anger, impatience, extra-hot spicy foods, and environmental factors such as extreme heat can aggravate pitta. A few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can help bring pitta into balance for smoother, more effective digestion and greater calm and contentment.Pitta is the heat energy within every cell but it is mainly located in the stomach area. Excess intake of heat producing foods can mean that the digestive tract overreacts with an increase in acid production. Pitta aggravating foods such as vinegar, tomatoes, sour citrus fruits, orange juice, salsa, yogurt (except lassi) onions, garlic, chili peppers, salty fried foods, and alcohol all aggravate the digestion when too much acid is present. These foods should be completely avoided until the acid level is brought into complete balance. And if there is a sensitivity to these foods they should be avoided in general.
It is important to not skip meals if you suffer from acid indigestion. Eating breakfast is especially crucial. Even if you are not especially hungry in the morning, it is important to at least take something light like stewed fruit, warm milk, or a date shake. Skipping breakfast has the effect of aggravating a subdosha of pitta called sadhaka pitta which governs the emotional heart. It is responsible for contentment and bliss. As lunch time approaches, with agni (the digestive fire) increasing and so also stomach acid, an empty stomach is not ideal from the ayurvedic viewpoint. It may result in irritability, anger, impatience and a feeling of being over hungry so that when lunch time comes you tend to overeat.
Try to avoid high-stress situations and practice stress management techniques. Enjoy natural beauty. The appreciation of natural beauty helps to balance sadhaka pitta and reduces stress. Favor cooling foods and drinks such as fresh coconut juice. Use an electric drill to make a hole in the coconut and use a straw to sip on the coconut juice. Use the fresh coconut meat in your vegetables, rice dishes, or chutneys. If you feel discomfort during the day, take a few sips of cool milk on an empty stomach.
Pomegranate juice and pomegranate chutney also help balance the acid in the stomach. It tastes sour but it is actually both astringent and bitter, which help balance pitta.
Fresh aloe vera gel straight from the leaf is balancing. Avoid the store bought juice as citric acid is used as a preservative and it is too acidic if you suffer from acid indigestion.
Baked fennel seeds are also recommended to help settle the stomach and balance digestion. Eat 1/4 teaspoon of baked fennel seeds 3 times a day between meals.
Rose water or mint lassi is good to drink with a meal as they are cooling and sweet to taste. Favor astringent, bitter, and sweet tastes in your diet. Split mung dahl, green leafy vegetables, grains, watermelon, honeydew melon, lettuce, mangos, and spices such as fenugreek seeds, coriander, cardamom, and mint should be included in your daily diet.
The Herbal Aci-Balance formula from Maharishi Ayurveda helps balance stomach acid and digestion. It contains turpeth root, a special herb that both cleanses and balances the digestion. The Mind Plus formula helps balance the mind, especially in stressful situations.
Author: Unknown
Individuals with a pitta imbalance are susceptible to hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and some types of inflammatory disorders. Stress, anger, impatience, extra-hot spicy foods, and environmental factors such as extreme heat can aggravate pitta. A few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can help bring pitta into balance for smoother, more effective digestion and greater calm and contentment.
Individuals with a pitta imbalance are susceptible to hyperacidity, peptic ulcers, and some types of inflammatory disorders. Stress, anger, impatience, extra-hot spicy foods, and environmental factors such as extreme heat can aggravate pitta. A few simple changes in lifestyle and diet can help bring pitta into balance for smoother, more effective digestion and greater calm and contentment.Pitta is the heat energy within every cell but it is mainly located in the stomach area. Excess intake of heat producing foods can mean that the digestive tract overreacts with an increase in acid production. Pitta aggravating foods such as vinegar, tomatoes, sour citrus fruits, orange juice, salsa, yogurt (except lassi) onions, garlic, chili peppers, salty fried foods, and alcohol all aggravate the digestion when too much acid is present. These foods should be completely avoided until the acid level is brought into complete balance. And if there is a sensitivity to these foods they should be avoided in general.
It is important to not skip meals if you suffer from acid indigestion. Eating breakfast is especially crucial. Even if you are not especially hungry in the morning, it is important to at least take something light like stewed fruit, warm milk, or a date shake. Skipping breakfast has the effect of aggravating a subdosha of pitta called sadhaka pitta which governs the emotional heart. It is responsible for contentment and bliss. As lunch time approaches, with agni (the digestive fire) increasing and so also stomach acid, an empty stomach is not ideal from the ayurvedic viewpoint. It may result in irritability, anger, impatience and a feeling of being over hungry so that when lunch time comes you tend to overeat.
Try to avoid high-stress situations and practice stress management techniques. Enjoy natural beauty. The appreciation of natural beauty helps to balance sadhaka pitta and reduces stress. Favor cooling foods and drinks such as fresh coconut juice. Use an electric drill to make a hole in the coconut and use a straw to sip on the coconut juice. Use the fresh coconut meat in your vegetables, rice dishes, or chutneys. If you feel discomfort during the day, take a few sips of cool milk on an empty stomach.
Pomegranate juice and pomegranate chutney also help balance the acid in the stomach. It tastes sour but it is actually both astringent and bitter, which help balance pitta.
Fresh aloe vera gel straight from the leaf is balancing. Avoid the store bought juice as citric acid is used as a preservative and it is too acidic if you suffer from acid indigestion.
Baked fennel seeds are also recommended to help settle the stomach and balance digestion. Eat 1/4 teaspoon of baked fennel seeds 3 times a day between meals.
Rose water or mint lassi is good to drink with a meal as they are cooling and sweet to taste. Favor astringent, bitter, and sweet tastes in your diet. Split mung dahl, green leafy vegetables, grains, watermelon, honeydew melon, lettuce, mangos, and spices such as fenugreek seeds, coriander, cardamom, and mint should be included in your daily diet.
The Herbal Aci-Balance formula from Maharishi Ayurveda helps balance stomach acid and digestion. It contains turpeth root, a special herb that both cleanses and balances the digestion. The Mind Plus formula helps balance the mind, especially in stressful situations.
Ayurvedic Comfort Foods
Publication: Discover Ayurveda
Author: Unknown
What do you think of when you hear the words “comfort food”? Mashed potatoes and gravy at Thanksgiving, Rocky Road ice-cream in the middle of the night or cream donuts for breakfast? That may be what you crave, but these foods won’t comfort you very long; in fact, they may even cause discomfort in your digestion. How about a warm soup or rice pudding? Real comfort foods are nutritious, nurturing, wholesome and satisfying. According to ayurveda, they should also be intelligent, and balance the mind and body.
Ingest nature’s intelligence with your food
The food you eat should be lively. Fresh, organic, home-cooked food has the power to carry nature’s intelligence to your brain and body. “These foods are called triptighna, which means they are satisfying and nourishing,” says The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians. Preserved, frozen, processed foods and leftovers, on the other hand, leave your body unsatisfied and craving for more. Since these junk foods are void of intelligence they cannot support the intelligence of the physiology, so you end up eating more and craving for more without ever getting nourished or fulfilled. What’s more, you can easily gain weight this way.
Cooked food versus raw food
While we want to preserve the intelligence of our ingredients, we also want to make them digestible. That’s where cooking comes in, which inserts agni, digestive fire, in our food so we can digest and assimilate it properly. Certain food items, such us grains, beans and dahls should always be eaten cooked. Most vegetables are also more beneficial cooked, and some of them, such as spinach, chard, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, should never be eaten raw. Milk is another item that can be hard to digest so ayurveda recommends always boiling it with some cardamom and cinnamon. Make sure, however, not to overcook or burn anything. Add some ghee or olive oil, water and spices to protect nature’s intelligence. You don’t have to cook everything and skip salads entirely. Juicy vegetables, such as cucumber and lettuces, can be refreshing for lunch in the summer but stay away from them at night and in the winter since they can aggravate Vata. Also, if your digestive fire is weak, stay away from sprouts. Fruits are also good raw during the day. In the morning, a stewed apple is best to stimulate the digestive system.
Use spice-power
In addition to their delicious taste, spices can greatly increase the intelligence of your meals. They also help with digestion and assimilation. To bring the most out of them, cook them with your food or sauté them in ghee and add them to your meals. For best assimilation of the benefits of therapeutic spices, eat them cooked, instead of sprinkling raw spices over foods. Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, saffron, cinnamon and cardamom offer rich and varied aroma and flavor besides helping to balance different doshas and enhancing the metabolism. They can transform simple dishes into feasts for all your senses, providing fulfillment and contentment from meals.
Stop the cravings
The first thing you can do to avoid feelings of false hunger and cravings is to increase the intelligence in your meals by eating, fresh, home-made meals, and avoiding “junk” foods. You also need to eat a variety of foods with all six tastes. Make sure to eat sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent foods to satisfy the body. Cooked food is also more nourishing than raw foods. Raw foods are harder to digest and can diminish agni. When agni is weak, the body creates ama (accumulated toxins), which clogs the channels and prevents the body from receiving nutrients from food. This, in the end, results in cravings. Ayurveda also encourages portion control. Eat enough but don’t overeat. Your stomach should be two-thirds full after main meals.
Sweets for the heart
Emotional downs are the result of an imbalance in Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha that governs the heart. The sweet taste pacifies pitta, which explains our cravings for sweets. But before you reach for cookies or chocolate, think for a moment. Although these foods provide the sweet taste, they lack the intelligence to carry it to your brain, which won’t register it and the craving won’t stop. Try a piece of sweet, juicy fruit, soaked dates or raisins, rice pudding, milk-date shakes or mango shakes. These healthy foods will deliver to the brain and heart what they need and leave you satisfied..
Foods to pacify worries
Worries and mental imbalance are the result of aggravated Vata dosha. To calm the mind, eat easy-to-digest, nourishing meals and use spices such as black pepper, cumin and coriander to open the channels of the brain. In addition to the above-mentioned sweets, walnuts, almonds and coconut milk are especially supportive for the mind.
Realizing that junk foods will not satisfy your body is the first step in beating the cravings. With a little attention you can switch to healthier options and receive more nutrition, which will decrease your desire for unintelligent snacks. A well-nourished body is only hungry for healthy food!
Author: Unknown
What do you think of when you hear the words “comfort food”? Mashed potatoes and gravy at Thanksgiving, Rocky Road ice-cream in the middle of the night or cream donuts for breakfast? That may be what you crave, but these foods won’t comfort you very long; in fact, they may even cause discomfort in your digestion. How about a warm soup or rice pudding? Real comfort foods are nutritious, nurturing, wholesome and satisfying. According to ayurveda, they should also be intelligent, and balance the mind and body.
Ingest nature’s intelligence with your food
The food you eat should be lively. Fresh, organic, home-cooked food has the power to carry nature’s intelligence to your brain and body. “These foods are called triptighna, which means they are satisfying and nourishing,” says The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians. Preserved, frozen, processed foods and leftovers, on the other hand, leave your body unsatisfied and craving for more. Since these junk foods are void of intelligence they cannot support the intelligence of the physiology, so you end up eating more and craving for more without ever getting nourished or fulfilled. What’s more, you can easily gain weight this way.
Cooked food versus raw food
While we want to preserve the intelligence of our ingredients, we also want to make them digestible. That’s where cooking comes in, which inserts agni, digestive fire, in our food so we can digest and assimilate it properly. Certain food items, such us grains, beans and dahls should always be eaten cooked. Most vegetables are also more beneficial cooked, and some of them, such as spinach, chard, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, should never be eaten raw. Milk is another item that can be hard to digest so ayurveda recommends always boiling it with some cardamom and cinnamon. Make sure, however, not to overcook or burn anything. Add some ghee or olive oil, water and spices to protect nature’s intelligence. You don’t have to cook everything and skip salads entirely. Juicy vegetables, such as cucumber and lettuces, can be refreshing for lunch in the summer but stay away from them at night and in the winter since they can aggravate Vata. Also, if your digestive fire is weak, stay away from sprouts. Fruits are also good raw during the day. In the morning, a stewed apple is best to stimulate the digestive system.
Use spice-power
In addition to their delicious taste, spices can greatly increase the intelligence of your meals. They also help with digestion and assimilation. To bring the most out of them, cook them with your food or sauté them in ghee and add them to your meals. For best assimilation of the benefits of therapeutic spices, eat them cooked, instead of sprinkling raw spices over foods. Ayurvedic spices such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, saffron, cinnamon and cardamom offer rich and varied aroma and flavor besides helping to balance different doshas and enhancing the metabolism. They can transform simple dishes into feasts for all your senses, providing fulfillment and contentment from meals.
Stop the cravings
The first thing you can do to avoid feelings of false hunger and cravings is to increase the intelligence in your meals by eating, fresh, home-made meals, and avoiding “junk” foods. You also need to eat a variety of foods with all six tastes. Make sure to eat sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent foods to satisfy the body. Cooked food is also more nourishing than raw foods. Raw foods are harder to digest and can diminish agni. When agni is weak, the body creates ama (accumulated toxins), which clogs the channels and prevents the body from receiving nutrients from food. This, in the end, results in cravings. Ayurveda also encourages portion control. Eat enough but don’t overeat. Your stomach should be two-thirds full after main meals.
Sweets for the heart
Emotional downs are the result of an imbalance in Sadhaka Pitta, the subdosha that governs the heart. The sweet taste pacifies pitta, which explains our cravings for sweets. But before you reach for cookies or chocolate, think for a moment. Although these foods provide the sweet taste, they lack the intelligence to carry it to your brain, which won’t register it and the craving won’t stop. Try a piece of sweet, juicy fruit, soaked dates or raisins, rice pudding, milk-date shakes or mango shakes. These healthy foods will deliver to the brain and heart what they need and leave you satisfied..
Foods to pacify worries
Worries and mental imbalance are the result of aggravated Vata dosha. To calm the mind, eat easy-to-digest, nourishing meals and use spices such as black pepper, cumin and coriander to open the channels of the brain. In addition to the above-mentioned sweets, walnuts, almonds and coconut milk are especially supportive for the mind.
Realizing that junk foods will not satisfy your body is the first step in beating the cravings. With a little attention you can switch to healthier options and receive more nutrition, which will decrease your desire for unintelligent snacks. A well-nourished body is only hungry for healthy food!
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