| "Let food be thy medicine, and let thy medicine be | | | | their urine in a clear transparent jar first thing in the |
| food." -Hippocrates | | | | morning. Then they check the urine's appearance to |
| Ayurveda is neither an academic subject nor a weird | | | | determine if they have an excess of air (Vata), bile |
| exotic theory. Ayurveda means "the science of life" | | | | (Pitta) or phlegm (Kapha) in their bodies at that |
| and is a holistic approach to healing. It is based on | | | | moment. |
| ancient Eastern methods that help you attain health by | | | | How can they tell? Simple. If the urine looks watery, |
| re-establishing the body's natural balance and energy. | | | | almost transparent, there is an excess of air in their |
| Benefit from Ayurveda in your everyday life | | | | bodies (Vata). If the urine has a strong yellow or |
| Ayurveda is best understood as a way of life. But that | | | | brownish appearance, fire (Pitta) is predominant in their |
| does not prevent you from applying its basic principles | | | | bodies at that moment. If the urine looks very pale and |
| to your everyday life, in order to benefit from them. | | | | foaming, there is a predominance of phlegm (Kapha) in |
| For instance, did you know that when you have a cold, | | | | their bodies. |
| avoiding dairy products and sweets helps you to | | | | How can you balance a Vata, Pitta or Kapha |
| recover faster? Or that when you are nervous -or | | | | derangement? |
| anxious- eating salads is NOT the best idea? You | | | | Ayurveda offers many ways to heal and restore your |
| might know however that when you are irritable -or | | | | natural balance and energy. A targeted diet to "pacify" |
| angry- spicy foods are not recommendable. | | | | your specific deranged dosha is one of them. These |
| It all depends on the state of your doshas. Doshas, or | | | | are the general principles: |
| humors, are the three basic constitutional types | | | | To pacify Vata. Realize that Vata is cold and dry. So |
| pursuant to Ayurveda: Vata, Pitta and Kapha | | | | have hot drinks like ginger tea, or chamomile tea. |
| (collectively called the tridosha). The Vata energy is | | | | Center your diet around broths, cheese (warm, not |
| composed by air and ether. The Pitta energy is made | | | | cold) -as long as you are not lactose intolerant-, |
| up of fire and water. The Kapha energy is composed | | | | carrots, onions and spinach -cooked, not raw-, garlic |
| by Earth and Water. | | | | and spices.Avoid cold foods such as salads (because |
| Each of us has an Ayurvedic constitution, where one | | | | raw salads increase the air in your body) and ice |
| of the doshas predominates over the others. Some | | | | cream. Generally speaking, avoid cold foods, raw |
| people are bi-doshic, meaning that two of their doshas | | | | foods and dry foods. Eat warm, oily, moist foods |
| are equally strong. Generally speaking, Ayurvedic body | | | | instead. Have also regular meal times. Regularity is |
| types are as follows: | | | | important too. |
| Vata people are usually thin-framed, nervous, | | | | To pacify Pitta. Realize that Pitta is hot. So balance it |
| imaginative, artistic, sensitive, and creative. Pitta people | | | | with cold light foods such as cool water, salads, |
| are usually medium-framed, rational, sharp-minded, | | | | yoghurt and cooling herbs. Avoid meat and alcohol. |
| competitive and goal oriented people. Kapha people | | | | Also avoid sour, salty, fried and spicy foods. Boring |
| are usually more heavily framed and tend to be calm, | | | | diet? Not necessarily, since Pitta people can enjoy |
| caring, patient and compassionate. | | | | oatmeal or pancakes for breakfast, salads for lunch |
| When the natural balance in your doshas is deranged, | | | | and rice dishes and pasta for dinner. |
| ailments appear. So the way to health is to restore | | | | To balance Kapha. Realize that Kapha is heavy, cold |
| their natural balance. But how do you know which of | | | | and humid. So balance it with dry, light foods, spices, |
| your doshas is deranged? | | | | vegetables and salads. Avoid sweet and salty foods. |
| How to know which of your doshas needs balancing | | | | Also avoid dairy foods (because they are heavy and |
| Ayurvedic expert practitioners examine your radial | | | | produce mucus in your body), fried foods (because |
| pulse with their fingers (Nadi diagnosis) and are able to | | | | they are oily) and frozen foods. Wheat is not good for |
| identify up to 95 per cent of all known diseases from | | | | Kapha. But you can enjoy muesli (without wheat) for |
| your pulse alone. They also check your tongue, face, | | | | breakfast and drink apple juice instead of cold milk. |
| eyes, nails and lips. They look closely at your | | | | You can also enjoy salads (but with very little oil-based |
| pathological symptoms and many factors involving | | | | dressing) for lunch and dishes with basmati rice (other |
| your general lifestyle, behavior and diet, in order to | | | | types of rice are heavy) or millet, or baked apples with |
| make recommendations that will balance you. It is a | | | | clove and cinnamon for dinner. |
| very comprehensive and holistic way to diagnose. | | | | What about life styles, daily routines and leisure? |
| And if you study and begin to understand Ayurveda, | | | | Generally speaking, Vata people need to introduce |
| you realize that your own body can tell you many | | | | regularity to their lives. Routine is good to pacify Vata. |
| things. Because, as Dr. John Diamond says, "your body | | | | Yoga, meditation or gentle -not exhausting- exercises |
| doesn't lie." If you are experiencing some ailments like | | | | are good for Vata. Pitta people, on the other hand, |
| depression, constipation, dizziness, restless mind, | | | | tend to be very organized and are sometimes too |
| insomnia, sciatica, backache, rheumatoid arthritis, | | | | achievement-oriented, so relaxing things and activities |
| varicose veins, menstrual disorders, dry skin or even | | | | that do not involve competition (like a relaxing walk, or |
| wrinkles, chances are that your Vata dosha has being | | | | water and winter sports) are good to pacify an |
| deranged. Negative emotions like fear, anxiety, timidity, | | | | excess of Pitta. Kapha people tend to dislike exercise, |
| lack of confidence, apprehension or nervousness | | | | but can derive benefit from it once they are motivated. |
| contribute to derange the Vata dosha. | | | | They can also benefit from activity vacations that |
| But if you are experiencing some ailments like irritability, | | | | sparkle new interests. Reviewing and changing their |
| anger, bitter taste in the mouth, peptic ulcer, | | | | routine often is beneficial for Kapha people. |
| hypertension, migraine headache, liver disorder or | | | | Any other Ayurvedic treatments? |
| hemorrhoids, chances are that your Pitta dosha has | | | | As previously said, Ayurveda expert practitioners |
| being deranged. Negative emotions like anger, hatred, | | | | resort to many ways to heal and restore your natural |
| intolerance, resentment, impatience, indignation or | | | | balance and energy. A targeted diet for your dosha is |
| irritability contribute to derange the Pitta dosha. | | | | just one of them. They use pre-detoxification |
| On the other side, if you are feeling very lethargic or | | | | techniques like massage with oils specific for your |
| your are experiencing ailments like sore throat, | | | | dosha (or snehana karma), sweat therapies (or |
| bronchitis, emphysema, or sinus congestion, chances | | | | swedana karma), yoga, internal detoxification (or |
| are that your Kapha dosha has been deranged. | | | | panchakarma), herbal natural remedies, sound therapy |
| Lethargy and negative emotions like stubbornness, | | | | (or manthra karma) and even rejuvenation therapies |
| possessiveness, greed or jealousy contribute to | | | | (or rasayana). |
| derange the Kapha dosha. | | | | Ayurveda is not only about therapy. It also teaches |
| A quick Tibetan test | | | | you how to contact your own awareness, how to |
| Your body can also tell you in some simple ways. Just | | | | bring it into balance, and how to extend that balance to |
| observe it. Tibetans, for instance, use a simple daily | | | | the body. Ayurveda is a natural holistic approach for |
| test to know when they have a tendency towards a | | | | your body, mind and spirit. |
| derangement of Vata, Pitta or Kapha. They collect | | | | |