India Herbs

Publication: mapi.com

Author: Unknown

Date: June 4, 2007 

According to ayurveda, the total lifespan of an individual can be defined in terms of the three doshas or ayurvedic principles: childhood is governed by Kapha dosha, youth and adulthood by Pitta and mature adulthood, the last trimester, by Vata dosha. Menopause marks the transition from the Pitta phase of life to the Vata phase of life for most women.

“During the transition, women tend to experience imbalance in both Pitta and Vata,” explains The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians. “As a result, they can exhibit the symptoms of an imbalanced Pitta - skin eruptions, depressed emotions, irritability, hot flashes and excess stomach acid, for example, as well as the signs of an imbalanced Vata - vaginal dryness, a clouded mind and thin dry skin, to name a few. To have a smooth transition, it is important to find out which of these two doshas is out of balance and correct that imbalance with a proper diet and routine, and herbal supplements as support.”

Some tips for balancing Vata:

A Vata balancing diet includes more of the sweet, sour and salty tastes, and should contain more warm, unctuous foods. Eat three regular meals every day, with the heaviest meal being lunch. Include a little Ghee in your diet and cook with Vata balancing spices. Drink lots of water through the day.

With the too-much-to-do, too-little-time syndrome ruling the lives of many women these days, going to bed at a reasonable hour each night appears a luxury. If you are one of those women who habitually stays up late to catch up on work, you might want to consider the fact that one of the simplest ways to help keep Vata dosha in balance is to try to go to bed early: definitely no later than 10 p.m. Between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. is the Kapha dominated time of day, which means the body is settling down and the brain is calming down naturally. So if you go to sleep during that time you tend to have deeper, more restful sleep.

Introduce the pleasurable experience of abhyanga, the ayurvedic self-massage, into your daily routine. The daily warm oil massage is best done in the morning, before your bath or shower. It pacifies both Vata and Pitta doshas, helps increase resistance to day-to-day stress, enhances circulation and lubrication, and recharges you for the day ahead.

Some tips for balancing Pitta:

In general, a Pitta pacifying diet would be one that is rich in vegetables–not tomatoes and spinach, which are two very heating vegetables, but most other vegetables, whole grains, sweet juicy fruits, especially pears, plums and other non-citrus fruits. Drink plenty of water through the day.

Eat meals on time. Lunch, the main meal of the day, should ideally be eaten around mid-day, when the digestive fire is at its natural peak.

To keep Sadhaka Pitta, which governs the emotions, in balance, take an herbal formula that contains Arjuna, the ayurvedic herb famous for its positive influence on the heart. In combination with other herbs, Arjuna in this formula helps promote better mind/body/heart coordination and nourishes the heart and mind.

Internal cleansing helps flush toxins out of the body gently, helping to keep the skin clear and healthy. In conjunction with lots of water, an internal cleansing program can help prevent many Pitta related problems during the transition.

Publication: mapi.com

Author: Unknown

Date: June 4, 2007 

This year, the National Sleep Awareness Week sponsored by the National Sleep Foundation falls from April 1 through April 7. Results of a poll conducted by the Foundation in 2001 reveal some disturbing statistics and trends:

America is increasingly becoming a society that lives to work, not works to live 40% of adults report getting so little sleep that resulting daytime drowsiness interferes with productivity several days in a month Over half of adults surveyed said they had driven while drowsy in the last year

Almost 70% report having one or more sleep problems several times a week
Physical, mental or emotional stress — job worries, budgeting and finances, relationship pressures, work deadlines, tests and exams, for example — are top of the list of factors that can rob you of sleep. Pain and physiological circumstances such as menopause or pregnancy for women, travel across time zones, young children, excessive noise and snoring partners can all contribute to inadequate or poor quality sleep.

Why Sleep is Important

Both ayurveda and modern medicine are in accord about the importance of sleep as a means to recharge and rejuvenate the physiology.

The short-term consequences of inadequate sleep or poor quality sleep are often obvious - loss of productivity and reduced mental capacity the next day, lethargy and drowsiness leading to lack of focus and concentration, lower physical energy and impaired appetite and digestion, lackluster emotions and reduced zest for life, and lifeless skin and bags under the eyes, to name just a few. Research studies indicate that the brain actually uses sleep time as a time to categorize and store information, so that individuals who sleep after a period of intense study are often able to remember more of it later than people who do not take the time to sleep.

The long-term effects of ongoing sleep deprivation are sometimes less obvious, but just as, or more, damaging to health and well-being. Impaired natural immunity means less resistance to infections and disease (studies have linked sleep deprivation to obesity and high blood pressure, among other things), lowered mental and emotional stability can damage relationships and ongoing work performance (sleep deprivation is linked to chronic depression) and a disruptive sleep-wake cycle can throw the body’s systems out of balance.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?

According to ayurveda, and according to many modern researchers as well, the number of hours of sleep an individual needs can vary widely. Some adults can get by with 5-6 hours of sleep on an ongoing basis, while others may need 9-10 to really function optimally the following day. Listening to your own body and mind during the day for a couple of weeks can tell you how much sleep you need each night.

Also, the quality of rest is crucial. According to ayurveda, the most restful sleep occurs when the mind is completely detached from the senses.

Get The Rest You Deserve

Severe and ongoing sleep deprivation and disorders such as sleep apnea warrant a visit to a qualified health care professional. Physicians qualified in Maharishi Ayurveda can help design a diet/lifestyle/supplements program based on an ayurvedic pulse diagnosis and your individual circumstances and needs.

If you have occasional difficulty falling asleep or sleeping through the night, or you wake up feeling unrefreshed, diet and lifestyle changes may help resolve the problem:

Cut back on caffeine

Especially in the evening, substitute relaxing herbal teas for caffeinated drinks or alcohol. Slumber Time Tea from Maharishi Ayurveda is a blend of herbs and spices formulated to help you relax. For a heartier beverage, try a small cup of warm milk about an hour before bed. If you’re feeling irritable or frustrated, add a spoonful of Rose Petal Preserve to the milk.

To cut back on caffeine during the day try Maharishi Ayurveda Raja’s Cup. It is a coffee substitute that actually tastes like coffee but does not contain any of the usual suspects. Made from ayurvedic herbs. No grains such as chicory or barley. No carob!

Enjoy caffeine-free Maharishi Ayurveda Rajas Cup any time of day - after meals, at breakfast or before bed. No artificial colorings, flavorings or preservatives - all natural, non-irradiated. Maharishi Ayurveda® Rajas Cup has been shown to have approximately two hundred times more antioxidant power than vitamin C or E!

Eat light at night

Most Americans tend to eat lunch “on the go” and then eat a heavy meal late at night. Not a good idea,” says The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians. Eating a heavy dinner at night taxes your digestion at a time when it’s winding down, and this will lead to ama build-up as well as difficulty in settling down to sleep. Ama, digestive impurities, blocks the channels of the body and creates an environment conducive to disease.

Teach your body to woo sleep

If you establish a regular sleep-wake cycle, going to bed at about the same time each night and waking up at the same time every morning, your body and mind will help you by automatically winding down as that bedtime approaches. According to ayurveda, going to bed by 10 p.m. and waking up by 6 a.m. at the latest is ideal. Do not sleep during the day if you have trouble sleeping at night.

Turn off the tube

A significant number of Americans report watching television right before bed, some even fall asleep watching TV. Your mind and emotions should be focused on calming, positive activities as bedtime approaches. Avoid news or entertainment that can shock or disturb the mind and senses. Instead, listen to soothing music (Sama Veda, or Gandharva Veda music appropriate for the time of evening, are especially designed to calm the senses on a deep level) or practice deep breathing.

Count your blessings, not sheep

In the same vein, The Council advises taking the time each evening to reflect on the people and things in your life that bring you joy and bliss. Anxiety and anger are poor bed companions. Two subdoshas that are directly related to sleep quality and quantity are Prana Vata, which governs the mind, and Sadhaka Pitta, which governs the emotions. Take the Worry Free tablets or the Blissful Joy tablets to help keep these subdoshas in balance.

Herbs that heal

The Blissful Sleep herbal tablets from Maharishi Ayurveda promote deep, restful sleep, naturally. Deep Sleep helps those who wake up in the middle of the night.

It’s all a matter of following the ayurvedic routine. If the human body were to not need sleep, it would have been designed that way. Learn to say no to demands that force you to take shortcuts on the basic needs of your body and mind. You’ll find over time that if you take care of your physiology, you can accomplish just as much, or more, than if you strain to work all the time.

Publication: Discover Ayurveda

Author: Unknown

Date: May 30, 2007

Raisins are dried grapes

One of the star fruits in Indian cuisine, ripe brown raisins are found dotted about in rich milk puddings, ensconced inside sweet syrupy cheese balls called Gulabjamuns, and stirred into fragrant rice.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians says there is a reason why raisins are used so generously in Indian cooking from times immemorial. He says the ancient sages and rishis of India taught the people to weave the use of raisins and other healing foods into their everyday lives. This enabled them to eat healthy food without thinking of it as “medicinal.” Just like education is very effective when combined with entertainment, healing foods also work best when you also enjoy their taste. Just so with raisins.

In Ayurveda, raisins are considered a highly beneficial food. The Council says they have great medicinal value. Some aspects of the psycho-physiology where raisins work best:

The lungs: Raisins lubricate the body’s channels-particularly the lungs. Therefore, people with less than robust respiratory systems find them very healing.

The brain: Raisins have a medhya effect, which supports the brain and nurtures it.

The mind: Taken in quantities and combinations recommended by a qualified ayurvedic practitioner, raisins can uplift and balance the emotions.

The throat: Raisins with milk or water can relieve thirst.

The bowel: Raisins soaked overnight and taken in the morning support bowel movements. The Council suggests a healthy raisin recipe: Combine 50% raw milk and 50% cool water. Eat two handfuls of soaked raisins twice a day, and sip two glasses of this water alongside. Besides this, eat light foods like squashes-lauki in particular is good-to regulate your bowel movement.

The womb: Women who want to get pregnant have been known to benefit by including raisins in their diet — raisins are considered bringhana foods, supportive of natural fertility.

What Are Raisins Like?

In ayurvedic terms, raisins contribute the madhura or sweet taste to food. They have a cooling effect on the body. They are also heavy to digest. Combined with their high glycemic index, this means that raisins are best consumed in moderation.

An excellent way to reduce the glycemic index of raisins, says The Council, is to combine them with spices like cinnamon bark and cardamom. Cinnamon in particular has the ability to lower glycemic index, so it is very beneficial to include it when taking raisins.

Raisins and Your Dosha

Raisins are gentle nourishment, hence they are pacifying to Vata dosha. In particular, Apana Vata, the sub-dosha that looks after waste elimination and other abdominal functions, is nurtured by raisins.

Pitta and its sub-doshas derive great benefit from raisins. Soaked overnight and taken in the morning, they support Sadhaka Pitta (which governs the emotions), pacify Pachaka Pitta (responsible for digestive functions) and Ranjaka Pitta (which balances blood chemistry). Raisins also help protect from sun damage-by supporting Bhrajaka Pitta, which governs skin metabolism. Basically, raisins are useful in healing a whole range of Pitta-related problems, like burning sensation while urinating. Their diuretic effect flushes out urine, cooling the system.

As far as Kapha is concerned, raisins can actually aggravate this dosha, owing to their heavy and sweet nature. Unless combined with cardamom or cinnamon, raisins taken in heavy amounts can increase Kapha.

In her book Heaven’s Banquet, best-selling author Miriam Hospodar shares some practical tips on eating and storing raisins:

“Beware of golden raisins: they are ordinarily brown raisins that have been treated with sulfur dioxide to maintain their color. Monukka raisins are large and often crunchy from tiny seeds. Zante currants are actually small grapes, also called black Corinth. Store raisins in the refrigerator so they don’t ferment.”

Publication: Discover Ayurveda

Author: Unknown

Date: May 30, 2007 

With Maharishi Ayurveda, a balanced diet does not revolve around calories, vitamins, carbohydrates, and proteins. These nutrients are known to us intellectually but the tastes are a direct experience and give enormous and useful information directly to the tissues in the body. Ayurveda allows us to eat a balanced diet naturally, guided by our own instincts, without turning nutrition into a complicated intellectual exercise.

Tastes should be balanced in the diet for optimum nutrition and health. All of the Maharishi Ayurveda herbal formulas are based on the science of the six tastes. For example, the bitter effect of herbs helps in the fight against infections. What is the first medicine prescribed by an allopathic physician for infections? Penicillin, a very bitter tasting medicine.

There are six tastes described in Ayurveda. The term taste not only applies to the perception of taste buds located on the tongue, but to the final reaction of food in the acid medium of the stomach. These tastes are sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and pungent. Vata dosha is balanced by sweet, sour, and salty. Pitta dosha is balanced by bitter, astringent and sweet, and Kapha dosha is balanced by pungent, bitter, and astringent.

All the six tastes are combinations of the five building blocks of nature. Each taste contains all five elements in it but has a predominance of two elements. This is known as the prakriti of the tastes. They are as follows:

sweet - earth and air
sour - earth and fire
salty - water and fire
bitter - air and fire
pungent - air and fire
astringent - earth and air
It is best to include all six tastes in each meal, but include more of the tastes that balance your individual physiology and follow the rhythms of the seasons and a lesser amount of the tastes that create imbalance in your body and mind.

As a general guide, the following are a list of foods in each of the taste categories:

Sweet - increases Kapha and balances Pitta and Kapha, brings satisfaction to the mind and body, feels nourishing, brings contentment and generates a soothing feeling. However, too much of the sweet taste brings dullness and drowsiness. Sugar, honey, cream, rice, wheat, butter, milk, ghee, dates, sweet fruits, coconut and licorice root are examples of the sweet taste.

Sour - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, sparks digestion, adds flavor to food, can add to fluid retention, and excess sour foods lead to acidic stomach and skin inflammation. Lemons, grapefruits, olives, yogurt, cheese, pickles, tomatoes, and vinegar are sour in taste. Maharishi Ayurveda recommends avoiding sour tastes from vinegar, fermented foods, and alcohol because they are toxic to the system and agitate the mind.

Salty - increases Pitta and Kapha and balances Vata, adds flavor to food, stokes the appetite, starts the flow of saliva and stomach juices, aids digestion and heats up the body. Too much salt causes bloating and skin disorders and can be overheating for Pitta. Salt, kelp, and salty pickles are examples of the salt taste.

Bitter - increases Vata and balances Pitta and Kapha, a corrective taste that brings cravings for sweet and salty into balance, tones the tissues and cools the body in hot weather, good for balancing Pitta, reduces bloating, and is good for the liver. In excess, the bitter taste depletes the tissues and creates a Vata imbalance. Raja’s Cup, bitter melon, leafy greens, turmeric, aloe vera, nettles, basil, golden seal, iron, lemon rind, spinach, barley, and fenugreek are examples of the bitter taste.

Astringent - increases Vata and balances Kapha and Pitta, purifies the blood, helps digestion, helps decrease diarrhea. In excess it creates gas, heart pain, and constipation. Pomegranates, legumes, coral, turmeric, Raja’s Cup, apple, quinoa, sprouts and coriander are examples of the astringent taste.

Pungent - increases Vata and Pitta and balances Kapha. The pungent taste helps to reduce fat, is an appetizer, and helps to alleviate allergies. Pungent food should be taken with Ghee or it may irritate the stomach lining and imbalance Pitta. Ginger, garlic, horseradish, black pepper, and chili are examples of the pungent taste.

In general, for a balanced ayurvedic diet, you should eat a predominance of the foods and corresponding tastes that correct any imbalances and include a lesser amount of food groups that include the other tastes. For example, if you have a Pitta imbalance, then you should eat primarily astringent, bitter and sweet tastes but include small amounts of the pungent, sour, and salty tastes. A typical meal may include basmati rice (sweet), mung dah (astringent), mixed spiced vegetables such as bitter melon (bitter) swiss chard (bitter), zucchini (sweet), whole wheat flat bread (sweet), and lassi yogurt drink (sweet and sour).

You’ll find that Ayurvedic cooking can be delicious, fun and easy and your “best medicine” for creating balance.
 
Potent Ayurvedic Formulas
The Maharishi Ayurveda churnas (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) are convenient and easy to use and are precise blends of spices and seasonings that include all six ayurvedic tastes. Sauté the Churna in Ghee and add to your dishes, soups, stews and sauces as they’re cooking or sprinkle over prepared vegatables or rice at the table.

Publication: mapi.com

Author: Unknown

Date: 28 May, 2007 

According to ayurveda, it is important to evacuate the bowels every morning. That’s simple enough, or so it sounds. But why is it so important? What happens if you skip a morning, or wait until later? No big deal, you might think. On the contrary, not emptying your bowels in the morning impacts both your physical and psychological well being. Being regular and following nature’s, and your own body’s, rhythm makes a huge difference in how you feel during the day.

Empty the bowels every morning

The body’s clock always tries to follow the cycles of nature. During night-time, Soma, or lunar energy, is more predominant, so our body focuses on lubrication, cooling and nurturing. In the morning, when the sun rises, our body goes into absorption phase when Agni, the active, burning and transforming solar energy dominates. If during the day, you carry around the waste material you created at night, you may absorb some of that waste material into your system.

The toxins your body is trying to get rid of will be released into your system again, and weaken your immune system. You are also carrying some extra weight in the lower abdomen, the seat of Apana Vata, which, in addition to elimination, governs the sexual functions and the menstrual cycle. If you don’t support your body’s natural intelligence to evacuate its waste material, you may feel fatigued, drowsy and irritable during the day.

According to ayurvedic principles, one should evacuate the bowels every morning, and feel that the colon is clean and light. Feeling energetic and relaxed are signs of proper evacuation. Twice a day is normal, but at least once a day is essential. Don’t ignore your urges and don’t wait.

Drink a glass of water to help elimination.

If you don’t have a bowel movement every day on a regular basis, you are probably constipated. Constipation can be a result of several diet or lifestyle factors such as lack of enzymes and beneficial bacteria in the gastrointestinal system, not eating enough fiber, dehydration, stress and ignoring one’s natural urges.

Support the digestive system

Proper elimination doesn’t start in the colon. The entire digestive system has to work in balance.

For proper absorption we need friendly bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. Chemicals and pesticides in food, and antibiotics destroy these probiotics. We therefore need to support their existence. The best way to do this is to drink lassi or ayurvedic buttermilk with lunch.
To increase natural, water-soluble fiber in your diet, consume whole grains such as quinoa, and different kinds of squash and fruits.
To enhance the secretion of enzymes and enhance digestion use the following spice mix:
1 part turmeric
2 parts cumin
3 parts coriander
4 parts fennel
First sauté the spices in ghee; then add the spiced ghee to your vegetables, grains, or dahl.

Drink at least two quarts of water a day. Get an herbal water recommendation from an ayurvedic expert if you can.
Eat three main meals a day. Have your biggest meal at noon when agni is strongest. Eat according to your body type or imbalance and don’t skip meals. Your dinner should be light and eaten before 7.00 p.m.
Relax when you start eating. Don’t eat in a hurry, while talking on the phone, riding in a car, watching TV, or when you are upset. Chew well and focus on eating. Eat in a nice, settled environment, in a good atmosphere with friends or family.

Emotional balance is important too

Our experiences show that emotions can directly influence bowel movement. Diarrhea can be induced by fear, while constipation can result from worry. Apana Vata, which governs elimination, has a direct link to Prana Vata, the subdosha governing our thoughts. This connection explains why we feel relaxed after elimination. Bowel movement is not just a physical function. If anything disturbs Prana Vata, for example mental or emotional stress, our elimination will suffer too. More tips to aid regular elimination:

Don’t read while evacuating the bowels. Any mental activity will occupy Prana Vata, disconnecting it from Apana Vata. Keep your mind free so that Prana Vata can aid elimination.
Take a walk after dinner to unclog the channels of Apana Vata and to improve digestion. Regular exercise also helps reduce stress.
To relax the mind and body, and to reduce the harmful effects of stress, practice the Transcendental Meditation technique.
Help your elimination naturally

First, try to follow a regular diet rich in organic, fresh foods. Avoid canned, frozen and “fast” food, and leftovers. If your elimination is still not regular, cook some prunes or figs with apples and eat the mixture in the morning. If that does not bring results, take some Maharishi Ayurveda supplements such as Digest Tone or Herbal Cleanse.

Since bowel movement affects your entire physiology, you cannot neglect or ignore it. With a few changes in your diet and routine, you can get in tune with your body’s internal clock and make regular elimination a part of your daily routine.