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In Ayurveda, we see the first stages of imbalance or disease in the emotional body and the mind. With time, if the excess of vata, pitta, or kapha (or a combination) isn’t addressed, the imbalance will progress into our physical body. The entry point into the body is the digestive system. This is why we all …

Ayurveda is preventative medicine as well as natural care for health conditions and the reversal of disease. It originated in India thousands of years ago, and utilizes diet, a healthy lifestyle, herbs and body treatments to attain and maintain health. Ayurvedic living includes self care tips and routines that you can do at home, like …

Ayurveda recommends that you include all six tastes in your diet: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent and pungent. You’re probably well versed in the sweet and salty tastes. The others may pose a challenge. So how can you include bitter foods in your diet? Let’s take a look. Here’s what we’ll cover in this article. …

Click here to read Part 1 of this “Learning Sacred Anatomy” series, and stay tuned to this blog for four more articles after this one! You can also download an audio recording of this article at the bottom of the text. CONTRACTED PERSPECTIVE IN OUR PERSONAL SYSTEMS THEORY Somewhere along my journey in Ayurveda I became aware …

Alkaline diets are all the rage. But why? What are they all about? Is it a valid approach or is it all hogwash? In this article I’ll explore the theory behind this approach to eating, discuss the pros and cons and will compare it with an Ayurvedic approach to eating. How are Acid & Alkaline …

Imagine – you’re on your way home from work and need to stop by the supermarket to buy ingredients for the dinner party you’re hosting tonight. You glance at the clock and see that the supermarket will close in 5 minutes. You need to speed up or you won’t make it! You drive, almost recklessly, …

Don’t miss the first two articles in this series, Part 1 and Part 2—Systems Theory. If you would like to listen to this article rather than read it, scroll down for the audio recording! Dear You, Our sacred anatomy party is going to keep coming as we wend our way through more massive lessons, subject …

Arthritis is one of the most common forms of illness and it can prove expensive to manage this condition. The total cost of arthritis and related conditions was about $128 billion in 2003. Of this amount, nearly $81 billion was for direct medical costs and $47 billion was for indirect costs associated with lost earnings. What …

Masala chai is an ancient medicinal drink originating from India and Southeast Asia. Simply known as chai in western countries, it has gained popularity and is offered along with coffee in many cafes. Many countries around the world use the word ‘chai’ to refer to plain black tea, and ‘masala’ as a blend of spices. …

I love Ayurveda because it is a system of health that allows us to love ourselves no matter what we weigh, no matter what the size and shape of our body is! Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. As a curvy woman I have often felt that I do not fit into society’s vision of …

Ayurveda helps you achieve a body and mind which works in balance. When this is achieved, it radiates throughout the body. When your body is attuned to your innate nature with a proper diet and lifestyle then you can easily maintain good health. Understanding Ayurveda’s mind body types can really benefit you. How? By being …

Many people are tired, stressed, inflamed, overweight — in short, a hot mess. When we’re not living into our energetic potential, we are not fully engaged in life. Ayurveda is the art of living into our energetic and conscious potential. I’m talking about the wisdom to wake up all parts of yourself, to live your …

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Many people, particularly those who live in colder regions of the world, really look forward to the freedom and joy often associated with the summer season.

Ayurveda lovers, however, actually eagerly anticipate the winter season.

Ayurveda is the sister science of Yoga. In addition to providing customized dietary and lifestyle solutions and healing limiting thinking patterns and belief systems, Ayurveda also equips humanity with an outstanding general protocol for seasonal health, called Ritucharya. There is a reason why you experience certain ailments during certain times, such as colds and coughs during the winter, allergies in the springtime, etc.

The earth rotates around the sun, and at different points along that rotation period, there are, accordingly, diverse protocols for protecting your health throughout the year. By following Ayurveda’s detailed Ritucharya guidance, followers of Ayurveda’s amazing, eternal wisdom can prevent all kinds of seasonal ailments.

Ayurveda’s Ritucharya guidelines involve tweaking one’s diet and lifestyle throughout the year, and are designed for those who are already relatively healthy. Those who are suffering from deep imbalances and diseases should still, however, keep seasonal guidance in mind, which an Ayurveda practitioner can tweak according to the particular needs of the diseased one.

Following Ritucharya ensures that we can take advantage of seasons that are better for building health, and to more adequately protect ourselves during seasons when our health is more naturally considered to be at risk for certain natural imbalances.

The winter season, according to Ayurveda, is the best time of the entire year! We have much greater freedom in terms of what we can eat and the kinds of activities we can partake in with greater success at this time of the year.

For those who are relatively healthy already, Ayurveda’s seasonal recommendations for the winter can be best summarized as: eat, drink, and be merry!

What exactly does this mean in a day-to-day sense? 

Sponsored Post. Boston area yogis and natural health buffs have a generous maven of Ancient India’s healing traditions at their feet. Bethany Cantin is a Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Practitioner serving greater Boston and Cape Cod. If you’re seeking more out of life or you’re so busy your health’s MIA then Bethany’s your woman. She’ll inspire you …

We spend a third of our life sleeping The quality and the quantity of that sleep creates and maintain health According to recent scientific studies, not getting enough sleep contributes to obesity, heart disease and type II diabetes. We’re likely to get more emotionally upset, when we have less sleep. Sleep is amongst the three …

Summer is over and fall has begun. Are you prepared for the new season? This is the time of year to prevent flu and improve immunity. There is a sudden change in the environment. The hot days have changed into crisp fall weather. Your diet and lifestyle should also change. In chapter three of Charaka Samhita, …

According to Ayurveda, there are certain foods that help ignite the agni in the morning: the fire that you need to get you going.

I know what you are thinking. Is this a serious blog post? Can I really apply Ayurvedic principles to my Valentine’s Day date, and do I really need to? The answers are yes, yes, and no. You don’t have to apply Ayurvedic principles to your Valentine’s date. But Valentine’s Day is about having fun. So this post …

Summer is a great time for exploration, relaxation and travel. Taking time away from our everyday routines can allow us to explore new environments, reduce stress and increase life satisfaction. While travel offers endless opportunities for adventure, learning and expanding your mindset, it is important to be prepared in order to stay healthy and balanced …

If you’re a new mom with sleep deprivation or maybe even insomnia, you know it really is torture. Lack of sleep can play havoc with your mental health, appetite and metabolism. Having realistic expectations of infant sleep can help. Beware of books that tell you how long and how often and when your baby should …

The root vegetable, beetroot is scientifically known as Beta vulgaris. Beets are packed with essential nutrients and minerals like: Vitamin C Folate Iron Manganese Potassium They are also an excellent source of fiber. Beetroots are alkaline in nature. Both beetroots and beet greens can be consumed for health benefits. Beetroots are available during spring, fall and winter, …

Meet The Rhythm of Autumn With Ayurveda What can we drink as we move into autumn? As Vata holds strong, coming out from under Pitta’s bright light of summer, there’s more warm drinks, more focus on grounding. Warm, moist, delicious. Vata dosha thrives on sweet, sour, and salty tastes. Sour and salty tastes also nurture …

When Ayurveda originated over 5,000 years ago in India, vaidyas (or Ayurvedic physicians) did not have access to the array of clinical tests, as we do in present day. Thus, the vaidyas used the classical method of eightfold examination in Ayurveda. This is known as ashta vidya pariksha in Sanskrit. Ayurveda aims to treat the …

The health benefits of raisins include relief from constipation, acidosis, anemia, fever and sexual dysfunction. They have also been known to help in attempts to gain weight in a healthy way, as well as for their positive impact on eye health, dental care and bone quality. Raisins In Ayurveda Raisins are madhura (sweet) in taste and …

Did you know it is possible for your very own kitchen to be like a mini clinic, equipped with medicinal, healing spices that can correct and prevent ailments ranging from physical pain to indigestion, to itching to headaches? It is certainly possible thanks to the ancient science of Ayurveda, a medical system from India that is …

In Ayurveda, when a dosha is increased (imbalanced), the person will crave foods and habits that will keep increasing that dosha. Meaning, they will crave the completely wrong things! Vata people talk a lot, move a lot, do a lot, lose focus, forget things, skip details, are creative, are dramatic and moody, love to be spontaneous, …

Congratulations! You have scheduled your first Ayurvedic consultation, or are considering making an appointment. If you feel apprehensive about your first consultation, you are not alone. Many people feel the exact same way just because they don’t know what to expect. Let’s face it; you might not know someone who has had an Ayurvedic consultation …

Oh Golden Milk! Ayurveda is brilliant for its herbal wisdom, such as the benefits of turmeric – but even more so, for its genius in combining. Making dishes, tonics or formulas to create a balanced, whole, all-six-tastes intelligence that super charges healing is a unique forte in Ayurvedic medicine. It’s one of the many reasons …

Walking my dog, the other morning, I was gently reminded, that even though we have literally flipped the page of the calendar to August, and summer is still here, the signs of change are all around. Leaves are looking tired. As my dog’s paws crunched through those that dropped, I noticed that cobwebs are becoming …

Vata people and kapha people might usually find coconut oil too cold to use. But in the heat of the summer coconut oil is such a panacea of soothing bliss! Coconut oil has many applications. It is great for soothing your skin after a day in the sun. It’s lovely to mix with salt as an exhilarating, exfoliating …

Does your morning ritual involve multiple rounds with the snooze alarm button, followed by copious amounts of caffeine to turbo charge the day and clear the cobwebs from your brain? Sleep is important. There is a direct connection between sleep and physical and emotional health. During sleep your body repairs and heals itself; the mind …

It feels a bit weird to be writing an article about children’s health when I’m not a parent…However, I have always lived with other people’s kids and see many children of all ages in my private practice. If I was a parent, I imagine what I’d want more than anything is for my kids to …

If you decided that you wanted a garden, you wouldn’t just put seeds in the ground. You would first select the right spot where the sun will best nourish the plants. Next, you would nourish the soil so it is rich with life-giving nutrients. Finally, you would draw up a plan so that your kale doesn’t crowd …

This wonderful meal serves four. Prepare all vegetables in advance of cooking. Serve with nori and sesame seeds as an extra treat! Ume plum paste is also a lovely addition. Ume plum paste is a naturally fermented food to be consumed in small quantities such as 1/8 tsp or less per person. The ume paste adds the salty and sour tastes to the meal.