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Before I begin talking about my journey and how it helped me get better, I am sure there is a thing from the title that you don’t understand. Let’s explain it first. What is Ayurveda? Ayurveda is as cool as it sounds. What I am talking about here is Ayurveda medicine. However, people just say …

A Silent Lunch: Once you get to work, the work will be what work is, But when it is time for your lunch break, eat your meal in silence without the stress of work around you. If possible eat you lunch while you are looking at nature or in a quiet zone and, certainly not …

Agni is the fire of transformation, the force of digestion in our body. In Ayurveda healthy agni is a the foundation for wellness.  First Aid practices for agni are a key part of self care. Ayurveda defines 40 or so different types of agni at work in your body, digesting transforming and creating your life.  Many …

I’m a Permaculture kind of Entrepreneur.  What’s that, you say?  Permawhat?  I think some Wikipedia-ing is in order. First of all, the word entrepreneur is derived from the French word entreprendre, which means ‘undertake’.  I desired something, but I didn’t quite know how to get it. Now, Permaculture is a design system that strives to …

With the popularity of Hatha Yoga growing every single day, it is now more than ever, that we need to become aware of Yoga’s sister science in our daily practice and in our lives. Ayurveda and Yoga go hand in hand, so much so, that it’s easy to say that they were born of the …

This summer Ayurveda is the lifestyle regime you need to try. A total cool down of emotions, body and spirit, with simple diet and lifestyle tips will prove you’ve found a smart science that knows a thing or two about living well. There’s so many Ayurvedic at-home remedies and preventative care tips for summer. With …

Ayurvedic medicine provides us with a simple guideline when it comes to skincare:  if you can’t eat it, don’t put it on your skin.  The skin is considered an organ in Ayurveda and absorbs and digests whatever you apply to it, directly into your blood stream and liver. When you choose your cosmetics and body …

Did you know that the seasons are governed by the five elements? As we enter fall, we are shifting from fire-dominated summer to wind-dominated autumn. All of nature is a dance between the elements – earth, water, fire, air and ether. Everything we see is comprised of these five elements and the balance of these …

Ayurveda is a complete science of health and disease and there are several health conditions that Ayurveda can help with. Do you know exactly what Ayurveda is and what it can, and can’t, do? Keep reading. In this article, we’ll explain… What Is Ayurveda Really? Education In Ayurveda How Ayurveda Works 50 Health Conditions Ayurveda …

“On the completion of his training, the psyche of Brahma or the Sages enter into him (The Vaidya or Ayurvedic Physician) according to knowledge” – Charaka Samhita Chikitsasthana, I.4.53 “Whatever offense we might have given to the divine beings or whatever moral code we in our ignorance might have transgressed, O Varuna, punish us not …

The five great elements, Mahabhutas; space, air, fire, water and earth come together to create the three Doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha. Through these five elements, and through these doshas, we learn how to remain balanced and in harmony with nature. With this knowledge and awareness of our elemental makeup, as well as our constitution (prakruti and …

Republished with permission from Elephant Journal. ‘Live in harmony with nature.’ We hear this expression all the time in the world of health and wellness. But, what does this expression really mean, and importantly, how can we actually start to do it on a daily basis? Ayurveda, the sister science of Yoga, and a complete …

Have you ever wondered why oil is such a significant part of Ayurveda? From the top of your head to the bottoms of your feet, the oil treatments recommended in the Ayurvedic texts provide healing benefits inside and out. Here’s a look at why Ayurvedic self-care and treatments recommend oil for health and healing. Oil …

With thanks to contributions by Dr. Yashashree Mannur, BAMS ‘Tis the season to think about dieting. Or is it? Many of us are thinking about New Year’s resolutions that revolve around weight. Thinness is the Holy Grail of our time and there is immense pressure from the medical community, media and our peers to join …

Ayurveda and Yoga are more than sister sciences. They are part of the same greater Integral Vedic path that involves spirituality and psychology, represented by Yoga and Vedanta and also lifestyle and diet, represented by Ayurveda. This is part of what we may also call the Rishi Patha or the Path of the Rishi or Seer. …

Ayurveda defines the common cold as a disease originating in the nasal cavity marked by a watery discharge from the nose. The main doshas involved in the common cold are Vata and Kapha. Ayurveda believes that, due to various causative factors, there is a vitiation of the ‘rasa‘ (body fluids/plasma) tissue and blood tissue which …

Are you experiencing heaviness, bloating, and pain upon elimination? Do you also suffer from inexplicable chest pain and headaches? Do you feel tired all the time, yet have difficulty sleeping and not know why? These are all signs that your elimination system could be compromised. Unlike the popular elimination diets promoted by modern, western science …

Ayurvedic practitioners have certainly been busy. A handful of new Ayurveda books were published recently, all with some serious contributions to modern nutrition and wellness. These 5 came to our attention and we had to share. 1. Eat Wheat If you or someone you love has a gluten or dairy intolerance, you’ll definitely want to …

Pregnancy can put a lot of stress on your legs. As your belly swells and swells, your legs can bear the brunt of all of that weight. It can leave you in a lot of discomfort and even some pain. Today I’ll cover three common complaints and some suggestions from Yoga and Ayurveda you help …

In Ayurveda, there are three pillars of health: ahara (food), nidra (sleep), and brahmacharya (balanced sexual drive). When all three are in balance, they make for a properly nourished, adequately rested, and sexually healthy human being. Lacking this critical balance, the individual will suffer from a myriad of disorders, ranging from headaches to infertility. Food …

Coffee: Ayurvedic Qualities Coffee has a bitter (cold, dry, & light qualities) taste, which is imbalancing for vata, but balancing for pitta and kapha. The bitter taste is a blood purifier (blood ruled by pitta), detoxifies the body, liver tonic (liver ruled by pitta), depletes tissues (kaphas tend to have excess tissues), especially reproductive tissues. In simple …

By Vedika Global 2-Month Self-Care Course Graduate Jennifer MacDaniel

Six years ago, I was diagnosed with Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis. This was a crazy time for me. I was 40 years old and newly diagnosed with a lifelong autoimmune disease. This was a lot to take in.

I googled everything I could possibly get my hands on. In hindsight, I would not recommend this. There is an awful lot of bad information out there. I also spent a considerable amount of time with my doctor discussing my treatment options. Many experts agree that starting treatment right away is the best choice, because MS can progress even if you do not have any symptoms. Yikes!

My doctor also suggested that I start an antidepressant. Apparently, 80% of patients, taking my medication for disease modification therapy will also develop depression. I can’t help but wonder whether they are depressed because they were just diagnosed with a scary disease or because the medication actually causes a chemical imbalance?

Panchakarma therapy, literally translated as “five actions,” is a form of detoxification and rejuvenation integral to Ayurvedic medicine. It cleanses the bodily tissues of toxins, restores balance of the tridosha, opens the subtle channels of the body and offers rejuvenation to promote sustained wellness and longevity. In addition to offering healing from long standing imbalances, …

In part one of this article, I discussed the Ayurvedic principal of how weak āgni (digestion and metabolism) increases the production of āma (undigested food substances), and eventually overtime creates the many varied symptoms of low thyroid. This causes a seemingly never-ending cycle of low thyroid causing low agni and low agni causing low thyroid, …

VATA SKIN Care for your skin: warm, nourish, hydrate, tone PITTA SKIN Care for your skin: cool, soothe, cleanse, relax KAPHA SKIN Care for your skin: stimulate, warm, cleanse, invigorate DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this document may be viewed as the diagnosis or treatment of any medical disease whatsoever. The contents of this document are the …

Barbara was a 72-year old nurse who had retired after a long and successful career in pediatric nursing. Her family began to notice the early stages of dementia, including forgetfulness, difficulty focusing on things, problems finding words, and not being able to be as mentally sharp as she’d always been her whole life. She was …

Jeff was a 65-year old man who was still very physically active and worked as a contractor. He ran his own business and had no plans to retire, but he began having problems with brain function that led to challenges with numbers and difficulty remembering tasks, things that he had never experienced in his own …

Often called the “Alligator Pear” due to its pear shape and alligator-like external texture, Avocado is quite nutritious. It contains around 20 vitamins, minerals, and is loaded with healthy fats - excellent for skin and hair health! 

In Ayurveda sex or abramacharya as it is known, is given due importance for maintaining one’s mental and physical health. Sex is considered one of the three aspects of life which maintain health, along with diet and sleep.1 Abramcharya is a controlled and disciplined manner of sexual intercourse which helps to maintain the bodily doshas …

Backache (kati shool) is one of the most common ailments. It is widely prevalent these days due to sedentary living habits and hazardous work patterns. The psychological conditions associated with emotional stress, which bring about spasm of the muscles, may also cause backache. As the back bears the weight of the entire, body it gives way when it has …

Generally speaking, children at 12 to 36 months of age are considered toddlers. The word ‘toddler’ is derived from ‘to toddle’ which means to walk unsteadily. In addition to learning to walk, toddlers sensory and cognitive skills will be improved during this period and social and emotional development also happens during this time. Ayurveda generally …

Ayurveda for Weight Loss Let me begin with an important note from Bhaishajya Ratnavali (an ancient Indian Classic on Ayurvedic Medicines and formulations): “Persons indulging in physical exercise, worry, long walk, intake of honey, remaining awake at night, and taking barley as food get rid of obesity.” Ayurveda for Weight Loss Tip #1: Exercise It’s …

Ayurveda recognizes three main pillars of well being: proper diet, sufficient sleep and loving relationships. When kept in balance, these three pillars keep us healthy, happy and fulfilled. They promote good digestion, proper detoxification and increase vitality and contentment. When out of balance we may experience digestive discomfort. We may also feel disconnected from our …

Herbs are like people in that they have unique personalities that can be understood through dravyaguna. Dravyaguna is the system of Ayurvedic pharmacology that was developed thousands of years ago before chromatography and mass spectrometry and so it relies on qualities deciphered through taste. This is the herb monograph for Neem. Neem To Reduce Inflammation Neem, …