It’s that time of the year – sniffles, sneezes, runny noses, colds, congestion, coughs, headaches, and sometimes fever. Winter and spring are usually the peak period for colds and other related ailments. Although considered a kapha aggravation primarily, colds also have a vata aggravation association. Moist, cool properties of kapha […]
Someone wise once said, “The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never.” I am sure many of you, like me, can identify with this. Ignorance is NOT bliss! Before kids, food was just something that had […]
Winter – when days get colder, snow gets whiter, lights get brighter, sweaters get bigger, books get thicker, blankets get larger, chimney gets hotter, snuggling gets nicer, and hearts get closer. This is a quote by Belinda Craig. I thought it captures the essence of winter quite interestingly! During winter, […]
Who doesn’t want a luxuriant head of lustrous, thick and healthy hair? A healthy mane is a sure-shot sign of good health. According to Ayurveda, hair is a waste product or mala (and what a lucrative industry the “hair” industry is!) of the bone (asthi) tissue. There are many factors […]
In the previous blog post, we talked about how our diets need to be tweaked to adapt to the fall season. Fall is a transition season – when the hot summer is slowly transitioning to the cold winter! Dryness, windiness, mobility and lightness, coolness, roughness, and erratic weather are characteristic […]
Fall is the season of transition – after the hot summer and before the onset of the cold winter, when Mother Nature sheds its excess baggage to conserve resources for the challenging weather that is approaching. Falling leaves in dazzling, beautiful, warm hues, the warmth of summer slowly turning to […]
As we have entered the fall/autumn season now in the Northern hemisphere, I thought it is a good time to slightly tweak my facial regimen. I have already shared with you the regimen during summer in this blog post. Fall is vata season – cold, windy, dry, light qualities start […]
Obesity, according to Wikipedia, is a “medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems.” It goes on to say that “Obesity increases the likelihood of various diseases, particularly […]
Here is an easy, effective homemade hair oil using natural ingredients for a host of hair ailments like early graying, hair fall, dryness and frizz etc. All you need for this recipe is some coconut oil (or sesame oil, depending on your constitution and the season), hibiscus leaves and flowers (fresh or dried), […]
I love how the trigunas (sattva, rajas and tamas) are tied into the significance of Navaratri, so thought I’d share it with you all! I heard this beautiful explanation, based on the Vedas, from my beloved Guru, Sri Sri Ravishankarji, a few years ago. These practices may be […]
Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, a classically trained Ayurvedic physician and gold medalist from Pune, India, and a beloved teacher of mine, once described Ayurveda and Yoga in a way that stuck with me. He described “Ayurveda as a philosophically based […]
Flawless skin is no accident – yes, genetics plays a large role in skin quality, but there are many other factors that dictate the quality of our skin. We don’t just ingest food and water, but also air and perceptions. Toxins can enter our bodies through all these routes. Preservatives, […]
We are experiencing ritusandhi or season change now. Ritusandhi is the junction between two seasons, the 15 day period when one season ends to bring on another. Ayurveda recommends an internal cleanse or detox at season change time. Detox is considered especially beneficial in spring because it is an ideal […]
“Health” is a very multi-faceted concept in Ayurveda. A person whose annual blood work is excellent with no red flags whatsoever, may not be considered healthy, per Ayurveda. So, what is perfect health in Ayurveda? Sama dosha, sama agnischa, sama dhatu, malakriya | Prasanna atma, indriya manaha, swastha ithiabhiyathe || […]
