Popular Ayurveda ArticlesVata individuals tend towards lightness and need more nurturing foods rich in sweet taste, oil, and salt. Other body types may be jealous of the delicious food recommended for a... Pitta's digestive fire is as intense and their mental one. They have a strong appetite. Pitta people can't wait when they are hungry or they will become angry and upset. Failure to... Is Vata your main body type (dosha)? Are you creative and imaginative? Do you have an active mind that... Kapha loves comfort and the good life. They love sweets and satisfying comfort foods like mashed potatoes. Some Kaphas love the creamy texture of pudding and ice cream, others love... September evenings are full of stillness and the sound of crickets in the dry grass. Vegetation becomes sparse. Garden stems are leggy. Even the midday sun seems a bit darker. Evening coolness reminds us that although we wish summer could last forever,... Autumn is a Vata season characterized by degeneration, the ending of things. By the end of October, there's no turning back - the late summer heat of September gives way to true cold. The cat who lay stretched out on your hardwood floor all summer sneaks... Clear blue skies in August seem timeless and carefree, yet this month is a critical month to prepare your body for fall. The season seems to change with an August thunderstorm, rain and wind that is fantastic and quick. The storm is abruptly followed by... What is Kapha (Anabolic Body Type)? Kapha dosha is characterized by growth of tissue.... Ayurveda offers you simple, practical ways to manage your health using the biocharacteristics theory of medicine. This method can help you understand your body and how to prevent or minimize disease. Ayurveda helps you experience the medicine of food,... November brings our hearts back home. The smell of turkey, the comfort of warm mashed potatoes with gravy, and gratitude for the harvest celebrated on Thanksgiving make food the centerpiece of November. Breaking bread, food, and togetherness are... Sunlight is steadily returning. A warm day or two could leave congestion and upper respiratory conditions in its wake. In the Spring, it's the warm days that make you sick. After fighting the cold all winter long, your body is unprepared for the sudden... Vata dosha generally has weak, dry, and cold digestion with a lot of variability. This type of digestion is called vishama agni in Ayurveda. A Vata's gut is the most unpredictable of all the body types. The digestive tract in general is an ever... Most people don't feel anything at all after a meal. Or, they have only a vague idea of how food makes them feel after they swallow it. So, they eat on autopilot. But what if you were aware of how your body reacts to food? You would be able... What can you learn about your body from looking in the mirror? What clues to your health can you find on your tongue? Your tongue tells an incredibly detailed story about what's going on inside your body. It acts as a window into each organ of your body,... Ayurveda seems to exude a certain ease, as if it were second nature. In a complex world, there's something simple and very personal about Ayurveda's approach to healing. You might even wonder where this ease of Ayurveda comes from. The answer is... FALL / AUTUMN DIET IN AYURVEDAA Season of Deficiency & Change Autumn is a season of deficiency and change. When the temperature starts to drop, the body scrambles to protect itself from heat loss. Nourishing foods, especially soups, seem all the more enticing... How exactly does the food you eat nourish your entire body? Ayurveda offers a unique understanding of this process. From the moment you eat a meal, the process of Ayurvedic nutrition takes a full 35 days to complete. At each step in the process a new... What is Pitta (Metabolic Body Type)? Pitta is easily overheated and has the qualities... The quiet solitude of January makes it a perfect month for deep thought, rest, and contemplation. The dark, introspective winter seems to bury all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, bringing the previous year to a complete rest. As the earth... Have you caught 'Spring Fever'? By April spring fever is in full swing. You may have been hibernating indoors throughout March to avoid the tumultuous weather, but by the time April rolls around, the great outdoors is calling.... Break out the flip flops and tank tops! Summer is officially here. As the weather heats up and the sun shines ever brighter, summer festivities beckon constant fun. Gardens flourish, humidity rises, bugs abound and children are excited to be at play. ... Spring - Mid-February - Mid May The spring is a watery season of warming temperatures. Snow melts making the rivers full and muddy. Warm temperatures encourage tender young sprouts and sweet sap to run in the vasculature of maple... Cooking in the winter is a delight. As you stand by the warm stove, its heat and aromas will fill your house. The winter chill is softened by this warmth. A cozy evening indoors is all the more appealing when Jack Frost nips at your nose. As you cuddle... November heralds one of the most anticipated meals of the year, Thanksgiving. People come together to share this feast with loved ones, and express thanks and gratitude for all the year has brought thus far. Excitement mounts in November as the holidays... February in Your Body As soon as temperatures bottom out and begin to rise in late January, your body shifts its strategy from building insulating fats to releasing them. The body releases fat for the same reason a dog sheds their... Why Cleanse? The primary goal of an Ayurvedic cleanse is to remove toxins (ama) from the body. Toxins clog your lymphatic system,... Life comes to full bloom in May just in time for Mother's Day. A tree in flower fills the air with a sweet perfume. Bright yellow and pink flowers seem to capture the very essence of new life. The entire atmosphere of May is buzzing and alive with the... SPRING DIET IN AYURVEDAA Season of Transition January is traditionally the coldest month of the year in North America. Ayurvedically, January is a month of transition from Vata to Kapha season. Vata season is characterized by the body scrambling to... Routine is Vata's best lifestyle remedy. The minimum routine for healthy, happy, and successful living is 1) eating your meals at the same time daily and 2) getting into and out of bed at the same time daily. Changes in these two areas disrupt your... Daylight hours shrink in October and the morning air is crisp and cooler. The once lush, green hillside is suddenly colored and brilliant. In October, enjoy the colorful display as deep red and amber leaves swirl in the wind. The last hurrah of fall is... Are you interested in Ayurvedic herbs but don't know where to begin? With a few herbs, you can make formulas to address a myriad of symptoms and imbalances. How to Make a Formula Formulas generally consist of 3-5 herbs. When... Here are ten habits to improve digestion. Wait for the signs of true hunger. Eat the same time every day. The stomach likes to... Now that winter is pretty much over and the flowers are blooming, it's time to cleanse! As the weather warms up, most people notice that their appetite naturally starts to wane. They no longer feel that same hearty appetite that seemed to greet them on... The Healing Power of Soups Soups are warm, soft, and supportive. They boost immunity, are hydrating, and generally easy to digest. Their slow and careful brew fills a home with alluring fragrance. That's why a grandma cooks soup... Introduction By the time January rolls around, it starts to feel like the cold will never end. The incessant chill and dark evenings dampen your spirits and leave you longing the warmth of the spring sun. As the weather drives you... Ayurveda's Secret to Weight Loss Weight loss can seem like a constant fight against your own body. You can't trust your instincts, and may even feel like your own body betrayed you, leading you to weight problems. Fighting your... Feel the temperature steadily increase this May as summer lies just around the corner. The days are long and bright and fresh produce seems limitless at this time of bountiful growth. Energy abounds as the cold, dark winter is nothing more than a distant... July is prime summertime. School's out, vacation is on the horizon, the workload lightens - so many reasons to celebrate the freedom that summer invites! You will likely find yourself at more social gatherings this time of year. What better way to come... If you are one of many women who suffer from gut problems associated with their menstrual cycle, you are not alone. Women walk into our digestive clinic every week with questions about heaviness, gas, diarrhea and constipation. Or with concerns... Introduction Acid reflux is often regarded as a minor annoyance, with approximately 20-30% of Americans experiencing symptoms... Although our digestion can get used to some forbidden foods and combinations anything that aggravates doshas without expelling them is considered a bad food combination. Generally Vata has the most difficulty with poor food combining because they do not... Routine meal times are essential for health. The mind loves freedom but the body loves stability. Digestion is demanding on resources. The body schedules blood to make sure enough is available for digestion. Eating off schedule not only... Get the complete, free 5 day spring cleanse for each dosha. FOODS FOR YOUR SPRING CLEANSE Kapha's digestion tends to be slow and sluggish, a condition called manda agni in Ayurveda. As a result, Kapha people tend to gain weight easily and store energy well. The dull, gooey nature of Kapha creates excess mucus in the stomach, which... Crafting your own recipes can seem like a mystical or magical talent, a knack you're born with or without. The fact couldn't be further from the truth. Designing recipes for taste and medicinal effect is a skill you can acquire through a bit of training.... If you suffer from constipation, skin disorders, slow metabolism, excess weight, fatigue or arthritis, a castor oil cleanse for your stomach and gut can help. Why is that? Ayurveda teaches that good health starts with a clean and healthy... Where is Your Last Meal? Food turns into blood chemistry that directly affects all organs. That's why digestion is the cornerstone of health and diet is the priority in Ayurveda. If you have sluggish digestion or other symptoms of... Introduction The seemingly endless summer does, in fact, transition to fall this month. The long, hot days are a little bit shorter in August as the sun sets earlier and earlier each evening. The morning air has an unmistakable... April showers bring May flowers. This time of year, a whole host of bright new veggies come into season after a long winter of dull produce. Fresh artichokes, rhubarb, arugula, strawberries, beans, yellow corn, and asparagus all ripen in April and may... |