Ayurveda? Kapha & Co.

Since I am getting more and more questions about this topic along with my last blog post about the retreat I did, I thought why not diving a bit deeper into this mystical world of Ayurveda and bringing to light what it actually is: a natural way of living.

The idea behind Ayurveda

Ayurveda is composed of two Sanskrit words „ A y u s ”   meaning „ L i f e “ and „ V e d a “ meaning

„ S i e n c e ” which in context means The Science of Life. With 5,000 years old scriptures Ayurveda is known as India`s most ancient healing system.

The goal of Ayurveda is to lead to a long healthy and happy life. 

Ayurveda is also called “the mother of all healing.” According to scholars this ancient system is the foundation of all other alternative healing methods — since also Traditional Chinese Medicine ( TCM ) makes usage of the same elemental principles evolved from Ayurveda.

Ayurveda called ” Science of Life “. 

Ayurveda also got more and more popular in the West since Deepak Chopra, a medical doctor from India started to blend traditional Ayurveda together with modern medicine. He has written plenty of books, lots of them made it to the bestseller list and definitely worth reading! He is as well the founder of the Chopra Center in Carlsbad California where I had my very first real experience in Ayurveda and Yoga.

The sense behind this practice is to unite body mind and spirit to attain optimum health. Which means creating a balance between all aspects of our life while including emotional and environmental issues and activating so the bodies own ability to heal.

Ayurveda assigns all the energy in the world and brings it down to five primal elements:

EARTH – WATER – FIRE – AIR – ETHER

So all diagnoses are based on those 3 energetic types called Doshas. These doshas are characterized by factors as temperature, moisture, weight and texture.

Discovering the Doshas 

K A P H A

Elements: WATER and EARTH

Maintains: structural solidity in the body, forms connective and musculoskeletal tissues

Qualities: wet, oily, cold, heavy, slow, stable, chronic

Organ: stomach

P I T T A

Elements: FIRE and WATER

Maintains: digestive and glandular system, body heat and metabolism

Qualities: wet, oily, hot, light, intense, acute

Organs: small intestine

V A T A

Element: ETHER and AIR

Maintains: movement in the body, respiration and joint mobility

Qualities: dry, cold, light and irregular

Organs: large intestine

From the Ayurvedic point of view, a disease is defined as an imbalance of all three doshas.

Finding your Prakriti (true nature)

Each and everyone carries all three parts of the doshas within, its the balance of each single dosha which makes every body type so individual. A person’s born constitution depends therefore mainly on the doshas of the parents and the situation they were in at the time of procreation. Knowing that every action affect has an impact on the balance of the doshas and that they are constantly changing (ebbing and flowing) but the born predominant dosha most likely overpowers the other two at the end.

Discover your constitution

The Six Tastes of Ayurveda

A proper diet according to your Type is the foundation of Health. Ayurveda recognizes that and is convinced that everyone is unique and therefore needs an individual diet.

To achieve balance the diet for treating each dosha will have the opposite characteristics of the dosha that is dominating and causing your problems.

For example: If your constitution is active with a good digestion but tend to have oily skin which leads to acne you might be a Pitta Typ. Which means reducing the heat in your body by avoiding foods which are hot, spicy or too sweet. Instead consuming a variety of food which having a cooling and mild effect on your body.

Kitchen Herb Alphabet 

Anis the spice which reminds us most about Christmas. Used as a pain reliever and source for all B-complex vitamins.

Cardamom is the one that gives your Chai Tea real note. It calms down, benefits hyperacidity, reduces nausea and cleanse the mouth and is therefore part in every indian mouth freshener.

Cayenne Pepper winds up the digestion and helps to speed up recovery from muscle pain.

Cinnamon stimulates the brain function and fat burning process while regulating the blood sugar.

Cloves. Oil made from cloves provide powerful anesthetic properties which help to relieve pain associated with muscle strains and swellings as well toothache. 

Cumin. This herb aids digestion and removes toxins stored in the body. Cumin seeds also help if you are suffering from diarrhea.

Fennel contains anti-inflammatory active ingredients and are often used to fight gastritis. Rich in vitamin C, potassium, manganese, iron and fiber.

Ginger one of the best ways to get ginger into your diet is by making tea out of the root. Ginger is known as an anti-inflammatory and immune booster.

Holy Basil also called Tulsi has many antioxidant properties. It protects from colds and respiratory issues. 

Turmeric also called Curcuma is related to ginger but less spicy. A very orange and powerful weapon you definitely want to stock your kitchen with. The power ingredient which makes turmeric so effective is called curcumin and is the most anti-inflammatory substance ever found in food and is even stronger than cortisone. Turmeric is a potent antioxidant, a blood detoxifier and a cholesterol balancer and even kills parasites. It effectively treats arthritis, ulcers and toothaches. It stimulates the appetite and helps to boost the immune system. Turmeric can also be applied externally against all kinds of itching or process of wound healing and is so THE thing to go if you are suffering from any kind of skin disease like Acne.

Taste directly affects our nervous system through the the energy, called Prana, Chi or life force. Ayurveda tries to always make usage of all six tastes like sweet, sour, salty, spicy, bitter and astringent.

Ayurvedic Products

Here are some companies I know which sell a good quality of Ayurvedic remedies. I personally use the products of Himalaya since they are affordable for daily use and easy to get here in Malaysia. Next to there main store in Gurney Plaza Mall they offer there products in nearly every bigger Pharmacy.

For my friends in Austria the Maharishi products are available on Vitalabo and even on Amazon.

Banyan Botanicals is a brand from the US and my personal favorite since the products are fully certified as organic. But therefore also more expensive.

It`s difficult to summarize a topic which spreads so widely on all certain areas of our life! But I tried to break it down as basic as possible.

L O V E & H E A L I N G

L i s a

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First of all, there are many different ways to detox your body .. but there might be just a few which are really suitable for you! So always be aware of the signs and reactions your body shows after trying many different styles! But why should we do a detox in the first place? Is our body not able to do this all by itself? Yes it does mostly! But our world changed and so did our body and its needs.

So if you need a detox and how often, mainly depends on your lifestyle. How healthy do you really live? Do you try to cook by yourself? With healthy fresh ingredients? Do you invest into good oils? Do you drink lots of coffee? Do you regularly overindulge when it comes to sweets or wine? Do you smoke? Do you practice any kind of sports? Do you move enough? Do you give your mind some rest?

Without sounding like a hysterical health nerd, I love chocolate by the way and coffee and wine but next to all those factors which we are able to actually control, there are some we can´t.

Toxins are nowadays nearly hidden everywhere. In the food we eat, in the air we breathe, in the household cleaners we spray, the electronics we use.. and this list goes on and on. And to look within us, we produce our own toxins as well. Stress hormones, emotional disturbances, anxiety and negative emotions all the same toxic waste. Living toxic free is nearly impossible which is why our body has built some mechanisms to deal with such toxic overload. With crying, sweating, urination and emptying our intestine our body is able to get rid of the waste naturally. But there are some tips and tricks how we can all support and speed up our inner body functions.

Scrap your tongue! Sounds funny but it`s actually the most effective way to remove bacteria, food debris, fungi, toxins, and dead cells from the surface of your tongue.

When we sleep, our digestive system remains awake, removing toxins from our body by depositing them onto the surface of our tongue. If we don’t scrape away these toxins, they get reabsorbed by the body and can lead to respiratory difficulties, digestive problems, and a compromised immune system.

Use a neti pot. This little wonder lamp may look weird at the beginning.. but it actually can have a big impact on your health. Cleaning your nostrils regularly with this little pot, can help you a lot when you are suffering from chronic respiratory congestion, frequent colds and sinus problems. On the mental side it helps to balance your chakras.

There are tons of you tube videos out there how to use your neti pot correctly.

Hot lemon. Having a cup of hot lemon water is the perfect “good morning drink”. It aids the digestive system and makes the process of eliminating waste products easier. It prevents from constipation and diarrhea and even supports weight loss. It balances the pH level in the body and helps reducing inflammation in joints. On top lemons are pure vitamin C bombs which makes them to great immune boosters and helpers for rejuvenating the skin from within.

1 cup hot water, squeeze in half a lemon and add a pinch of cayenne pepper to speed up metabolism.

Spice it up! Cinnamon tastes not just yummy but also lowers blood sugar, fights bacteria, boosts memory and digestion.

Sprinkle some cinnamon on your fruits, in your müsli and on top of your coffee!

Apple vinegar cocktail. Apple vinegar works as a natural antibiotic which cures diarrhea and brings your intestine back into balance. It lowers cholesterol, helps to flush out toxins, increases metabolism and even calms sore throat. 

Sip a glas of water mixed with 1-2 tbsp of apple vinegar and drink it before a heavy meal.

Drink! Studies have shown that people who drink enough water are more resistant against sickness, have less problems with their digestive system and are skinnier!

Tea support. dandelion, artichoke, thistle, nettle.

Foot reflexology. Is maybe one of the best massage therapies to control your inner body functions. It sets free energy blockages, stimulates all! your organs, releases stress and pain, promotes digestion, improves blood circulation, boosts your immune system and many many more.

Keep breathing! Kapalabhati is one of the most powerful breathing techniques which improves not just the circulation, slows down the ageing process and helps relax your muscles and nerves. It also oxygenates your body while strengthening the muscles of your stomach and abdomen, improve the digestion and circulation and rejuvenates so tired cells. It is the best way to prepare yourself for meditation and to strengthen your third-eye chakra (seat of your intuition).

Do yoga!Twist! When you are in a twist you are compressing your whole digestive organs while placing them under weight which leads to a lack of circulation. When you release though, there will be a big rush of fresh blood streaming to your digestive tract which will in turn help to increase its function. This helps to clean your cells and gets rid of built up waste.

Dr. Schüssler mineral salt. Nr. 6 Kalium Sulfuricum, Nr. 8 Natrium Chloratum, Nr.9 Natrium Phosphoricum.

Take 3 – 6 times daily 1-3 tablets. Take each tablet individually and let it slowly dissolve in your mouth.

Bath & Liver Wrap! Enjoy a home spa once in a while. Take a bath with some sea salt and some drops of peppermint (stimulating) or lavender oil (calming).

Rest and have a liver pack afterwards.

Prepare a hot water bottle. Take a small towel, soak it in warm water and put it on your right ribcage underneath your right breast. The towel should be that long that it reaches also a good part from your back ribcage. Then wrap a longer towel around your whole chest and put the hot water bottle on top of the right side of your ribcage. If this feels to hot put a blanket in between. Cuddle on the coach for at least 20 min. together with a cup of liver tea and a good book 🙂

Brushing your teeth vs. cravings. Brushing your teeth tricks the brain into thinking something sweet has been ingested. So stave craving while having clean and healthy teeth!

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Welcome to 2015 lovely yogis!

How to start better into the new year than clean and fresh from inside out?

 All you need is an open mind to try something new a bit of patience and a tiny bit of endurance!

A few tips before we start:

1. ALWAYS LISTEN to your body! Even this detox program lasts for 6 days, join as many days you want, this can be from 2 to 4 days or even extend to 8. You might just even try one day, if you have never ever done any kind of detox before. Feel comfortable with your decision!
2. HOLD OUT! Detoxing can be a bit of a challenge, especially in the first 2 days. Getting rid of waste and toxins inside your body often causes headache and fatigue. You might even feel dizzy or moody and that`s okay. Just be aware of your feelings and be thankful for being able to feel them! It simple shows you that your body is working the way you want him to. 
3. TAKE IT EASY! People often think they have to start with extreme sport when they do fasting, but actually the opposite is necessary. Your body is so busy with detoxifying that every other distraction like mountain biking can stop him from doing his job and can make the whole fasting process kind of dangerous on top! So marathon run NO. Yoga YES! Move, go for a walk, have a nice swim, stretch and give your body as much relaxation as needed.
   
4. RECHARGE! Use this week to recharge your batteries. Do for what you normally don`t have time.. read, stay in bed longer, get a massage..!
   
5. ENOUGH! This is so important that it get`s an extra point! In this few days try to catch enough SLEEP (best before 11pm) and WATER (min. 2 liters a day) !!
   
6. ADJUST! You don`t like pineapples? Take something else. You are not able to buy fresh cherries? Take frozen ones. You can`t get red grapes? Grab the white ones. Be creative, not frustrated!
7. BE PREPARED! To make your whole day so much easier, prepare all your 3 smoothies together in the morning or maybe already the evening before. Fill it into jars and keep it in the fridge. Next to saving time, you are also able to bring your smoothie trouble- free to work or where ever you go .. and your kitchen is just messy once a day 😉
   
8. HOME MATERIALS! Always bring home lemons. Hot lemon water in the morning helps to carry away toxins much faster, not just during a detox! Get some chayenne pepper and/ or cinnamon. Both boosts your metabolism and helps to burn fat.
   
9. TEA! You don`t need any of those expensive detox teas you can find in the stores. Just have one liver tea ( I use dandelion tea) and a package of green tea by your side.
   
10. CREATE RITUALS! Every Morning on an empty stomach have a glas of hot water with half a lemon (juice) and a pinch of cayenne pepper or a piece of ginger. Enjoy a cup of green tea in the later morning and have a cup of liver tea in the afternoon.
    
11. NO TEMPTATION! To get the full benefit out of our detox we have to avoid coffee, sweets, cigarettes and alcohol during this time!
    
12. PREP- DAY / GET BACK ON TRACK DAY! To make the getting- in and getting- out a bit smoother, try to avoid heavy food on the day before or after a detox. If you can start the evening before the detox with a fruit platter, a salad or a hot bowl of soup. Same goes for the day after (7 day).

 

YOUR SHOPPING LIST

You should get all products like bee pollen, chia seeds, hemp powder, spirulina, raw cacao and flaxseeds in an organic health shop (Austria: DM, Reformhaus). It`s not always easy to get hemp powder, so just take any other protein powder!

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