Attention is often given to the quality of our food. Ayurveda explains that the strength of our digestive fire ‘agni’ is also very important as it determines how much nourishment we will gain from what we eat and greatly impacts our health.
In this article, we’ll focus on the subdoshas of Pitta. “Pitta dosha itself is all about transformation, heat, and energy,” explains Dinesh Gyawali, PhD, a classically trained Ayurvedic Vaidya (Ayurvedic expert) and Assistant Professor at Maharishi University of Management. “Pitta represents all forms of metabolic activities that generate energy. It’s primarily composed of agni (fire) and jala (water) elements. Pitta represents that ever-changing and evolutionary quality of our physiology which may seem static at times but is going through transformation each and every second.”
Most of us rejoice when the cold of winter gives way to spring. Yet a large percentage of the population cringe when they see flowers start to bloom, as they know they will soon be experiencing spring allergies. Surveys show that allergy rates are increasing worldwide and will affect 30-35% of us at some stage of our lives. These increases, which were initially found in Europe and USA, are now being found in all countries undergoing industrial development.
If you are feeling sluggish, dull or constipated, chances are toxins are building up in your body. According to Maharishi AyurVeda, toxins accumulate when your digestion — and elimination — are out of balance, which can lead to skin breakouts, menstrual cramps, fatigue, feelings of sadness and many other health issues. Good news. Balancing your digestion and elimination is a specialty of Maharishi AyurVeda, and many of our herbal formulas are designed to do just that. Of these, one of the most effective is Organic Triphala Rose, which contains a powerful ayurvedic combination of herbs called Triphala.
Ayurveda distinguishes three kinds of toxins called ama, amavisha & garavish. The most common type is ama, which is the sticky waste product of incomplete digestion that builds up in the digestive tract when your digestion is either weak or overloaded with the wrong foods. If ama is not cleared from the body and continues to build up, after some time it can leave the digestive tract and start circulating throughout the body. Once it settles in an area of the body, it can aggravate the doshas or subdoshas, causing an imbalance in that area of the body.
Ayurvedic Reset - Have you recently noticed your trousers are fitting a little more snugly or a favourite skirt or dress looks a little tighter around the middle? But yes, those Christmas sweets were worth it! Now 2019 has truly started it’s time to take stock and set yourself up for a great year. So read on to see what you can do to ensure 2019 starts well for you. Do you know what Agni is?
The beginning of a new year is a great time to take stock of your daily habits and routines and see if they’re in line with your goals. Do you have any big-picture plans for the year? If so, are you supporting them with your daily habits and routines?
with the transition from summer to autumn, we are entering a gap between seasons (in Ayurveda known as Ritu Sandhi). This is a special time of the year where the body’s natural cleansing systems go up a gear. Now the heat and sour quality that may have accumulated during the unseasonably warm summer is being released into your bloodstream to be cleansed. Isn't our body amazing! As the seasons change you have a window of opportunity for cleansing.
Cultivating the Inner Garden. Returning to the normal routine after a busy Christmas period, filled with biscuits and puddings. Most people will be in the mood to start January afresh and think about renewal to ensure that our health and immunity are in good shape for the challenges of the year ahead. In harmony with nature it always seems easier to make a fresh start now. With this in mind in my last blog I remarked about the pervasive use of use of artificial chemicals in our diet, that harm the inner flora known as the microbiome and give rise to ama in the system.
The Winter solstice on 22nd December is nearly here signalling the start of Winter. Over the next 3-4 weeks nature guides us to be aware of Ritu Sandhi - the cleansing gap between two seasons. Autumn seems to have flown by! With this change of season comes a special opportunity to move with the rhythms of nature in order to enjoy a healthy and happy winter season ahead. Here’s what you can do.
Good article we found on the Refinery29 site on the benefits of Netra Tarpana, a condition than many of us who stare at computer screens experience. And of course, you can get this treatment at our Panchakarma Centre: http://maharishiayurveda.co.uk .................................................... While the term "ayurveda" might be unfamiliar, there isn't a category of beauty that the ancient Indian practice hasn't influenced. From treatments like oil pulling and body brushing to star ingredients like turmeric and ashwagandha, everything seems to [...]
There is a story in the Ayurvedic tradition that thousands of years ago a great gathering of leading Ayurveda experts or Vaidyas met together to decide which single health strategy was the most widely effective. Panchakarma treatment came out on top, as it seemed to be useful for pretty much any health conditions. Panchakarma is often translated as rejuvenation therapy and its [...]
Out of the thousands or herbs and herbal preparations in Ayurvedic pharmacopeia there are some that have gained fame and popularity. Let’s have a look at six of Ayurveda’s most popular herbals. Triphala Rose The world’s biggest selling Ayurvedic herbal is Triphala. Triphala is known as a bowel tonic and its supports digestion and regular bowel movements. Three fruits are combined in Triphala to create [...]
In the environment, major changes occur when winter turns into spring. As the forces of nature change externally, those same forces present within your body are now ready and willing to help you both purify and renew. Cycling through the year and through your life The cycle of the year represents the cycle of life: January through to May is the Kapha [...]
Peter Brown: So Dr Donn, I recently read an article in a health magazine, which talked about the wide range of benefits from oil pulling. The article also mentioned that oil pulling originated in Ayurveda. Could you describe to us what oil pulling is and what its benefits are both in Western medical terms and also in Ayurveda terms? Dr Donn Brennan: Oil pulling is part of [...]
In truth, we need more sleep than we think we need. All the research is pointing to a minimum of eight hours sleep that people actually need for the work that the brain needs to do overnight to be accomplished. Less sleep leaves us less capable, even if we don’t know it. Even an hour’s lack of sleep [each night] over a 10-day period leaves us as incompetent and incapable cognitively, as if we had missed a whole night’s sleep for one night. The only difference is we don’t recognise it. We don’t know it.
I first learned about internal cleansing when, as a teenager, I developed an interest in self-development. I picked up a book called Hatha Yoga, in which the author described how in North India, people noticed the strange cleansing habits of a certain species of migrating bird.After travelling thousands of miles, the exhausted and bedraggled birds would land near lakes and rivers and, after taking in water, would insert [...]
I’ve recently been helping an Australian friend in her quest to find a decent café latte up here in the North West of England and it’s not been easy. While Sydney seems to be chock full of expert Baristas who can serve up the perfect café lattes at the drop of a hat, many of our British versions don’t seem to quite hit the mark.My friend’s obsession with [...]
Peter Brown: So John, you recently had Panchakarma – you had a One Day Wonder – how did you get on with that? John Collins: I'd been travelling and working for a few weeks and I was frazzled. I'd stopped enjoying things. So I thought I'd try a One Day Wonder at the Maharishi AyurVeda Health Centre in Skelmersdale. I'm no stranger to Ayurvedic clinics – [...]
Peter Brown: So Jean-Louis, you've been having Panchakarma for some years. What is the sort of benefit you've had over the years? Jean-Louis Nancy: Well, when I first started doing PK [Panchakarma] I had a very different kind of life and wasn't that active. I was practising TM [Transcendental Meditation] more, full time almost, and having little activity in between. I was very involved in the [...]
There are so many detox treatments on the market these days that a question can arise: “How is Panchakarma detoxification treatment different from all these other treatments that promise to remove my toxins”. Below is a transcript of the above video in which Ayurveda practitioner, Dr Donn Brennan, explains how the expert use of specific oils is central to the effectiveness of Panchakarma in cleansing the [...]
From the Ayurvedic viewpoint, interesting things happen within your body as winter gives way to spring and then spring give way to summer. As spring progresses, the cold, slow, heavy and sticky qualities of Kapha Dosha, that build up during late winter, gradually melt away and this often results in the chest colds and runny noses common in March, April and May. Springtime supports the body’s natural elimination [...]
When was the last time you felt hunger so deep that you could eat the proverbial horse? Well, research suggests that the regular experience of hunger may boost the power of your brain. It seems that hunger produces a stomach hormone called ghrelin that not only stimulates appetite but also seems to promote the growth of new brain cells; it even protects those cells from the effects of [...]
We are told to drink plenty of water each day as it’s good for our brains and for the rest of the body. We are told to drink filtered or bottled water as the chlorine added to mains water to kill bacteria is bad for us. Now we are told that the plastic used in water filters and bottled water contains endocrine disruptive chemicals (ECDs) that damage our hormone [...]
The transition from winter to spring is the best time to shed your old skin cells and build up new radiant cells. Compared to the harsh winds of winter, spring breezes have a softer and gentler effect and, combined with the warmer sun, the pleasant feeling it creates will affect your entire physiology. It is important to have a new, clear and fresh skin to take full advantage [...]
It’s freezing outside. You shiver and get goose-pimples. The pores and blood vessels in your skin shrink and contract to preserve the body’s heat within its core. Your body changes and adapts during cold weather and Agni (digestive fire) increases to give you a stronger appetite. The extra food you are able to take in, helps you generate more heat.
From when she was young, my cousin Sandra’s drink of choice has been hot water. She has always had remarkably good health and a good complexion, yet she insists that her beverage choice was not due to health concerns; she simply dislikes the taste of tea and coffee. I used to think my cousin’s hot water foible was strange, until I came across Ayurveda and its insistence that drinking [...]
January heralds the start of the Kapha season, and its cold, dull, damp and heavy weather tends to increase Kapha within the body. We often think of winter as a time for Kapha-associated diseases, such as colds and flu, yet Ayurveda maintains that winter is not weakening but strengthening, and the best season to improve your immunity. Bala is the term Ayurveda uses for immunity and general strength, whether [...]
