Ayurvedic Blog

Yoghurt at night

Ayurveda explains yoghurt as having the mixed properties of sour and sweet. It increase Kapha dosha in the body, the effects of which, namely mucous generation, is also attributed to the effects of Kapha.

During the night, when there is natural predominance of Kapha in the body, yoghurt consumption at night will further increase Kapha leading to many complications. This is quite similar to exposing yourself to hot sun in the afternoon, which is not recommended, because, the afternoon is naturally a Pitta predominant period and sun exposure also increases Pitta.

The Qualities of Yoghurt

Yoghurt is sour in taste, hot in potency, heavy to digest (takes a longer period to undergo digestion).  It increases fat, strength, kapha, pitta, digestive power.

The Dos and Dont’s

Whenever there is swelling or inflammation, consuming yoghurt will worsen the inflammation. Note, however,  that these properties are attributed to sour yoghurt.

Sour yoghurt should not be consumed by making it hot (ushna).

Yoghurt should not be consumed at night (nishi),

It should also not be consumed during spring and summer seasons.

However, sour yoghurt mixed in a soup with green gram, honey, ghee, sugar and amla is helpful in relieving dysurea (difficulty in urination) and indigestion.

Suggestions

Aim to avoid consuming yoghurt at night, because night is basically a Kapha predominant period, thus consuming yoghurt at night is best avoided according to Ayurveda. Yoghurt also increases Pitta. Hence, taking it at night might cause indigestion problem.

If you are accustomed to consuming yoghurt at night, (old habits die-hard!) mix a small pinch of pepper powder to the yoghurt and consume. Do not add too much, as it may cause burning sensations.

You may also try adding fenugreek powder if you can tolerate a slight tinge of bitterness. This superb combination will relieve all kinds of stomach pain generated due to indigestion.

The Benefits of Buttermilk

Buttermilk is best substitute for yoghurt at night.

Buttermilk clears the channel and checks mucus secretion.

Rules for using yoghurt as mentioned in Charaka Samhita Sutrasthana 7

• One should not take yoghurt at night;
• If one desires to take yoghurt at night, it can be taken along with ghee, sugar, green gram soup, honey or amalaka (amla: Indian gooseberry).
• It should not be consumed hot.
• If one does not follow these rules s/he is likely to suffer from diseases such as fever, bleeding disorders (raktapitta), erysipelas (visarpa), skin diseases (kushta), anemia (pandu), dizziness (bhrama) and jaundice (kamala).[61-62]
• If you are consuming yoghurt in the morning, then eating it without sugar is better.
• If you are consuming yoghurt at night, it is not recommended as per Ayurveda. But having it with little sugar is better, if you cannot resist it.

Eggplant bharta

Ingredients

• Eggplant 4 to 5 medium size
• Onions 150 gms
• Ginger strips 15 gms
• Tomatoes 150 gms, finely chopped
• Coriander 1 bunch, finely chopped
• Sunflower oil 100 gms
• Grind spices together
• Green chilli 1Peppercorns 10
• Garlic cloves 2 Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Red chilli pwd to taste

Preparation

Grease eggplant and roast them on a medium fire. Remove skin and mash the pulp. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions until transparent. Add ground spices and ginger strips. Now add mashed eggplant and stir until slightly brown. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and chilli to taste and place in a medium oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle coriander as a garnish.Portion: 8.
Temp: 300ºF.
Time: 25 mins.

Ayurvedic Detox

If you feel overloaded with unexplainable fatigue, headaches, or other symptoms, your body may be begging you to detox.

Think about it. If you are living in today’s modern world, you are exposed to pollution and countless toxins on a daily basis. While the body’s natural filters work to expel these invaders, the body can become clogged with toxins as a result of environmental factors as well as lifestyle habits that negatively impact upon our health (such as a poor diet, limited physical activity, etc).

Harmful toxins are in the air we breathe, our household items, cosmetics and other products we use, and even some of the foods we eat.

When this build-up of toxins occurs, the functioning of our body is compromised, especially the functioning of our liver, a critical element for the body’s ability to fight disease and perform optimally. When the liver can’t function properly, a decline in overall health soon follows, from a sluggish metabolism to low energy levels.

However, there are some natural ways that can assist you to rid yourself of these toxic substances and help you get your body back on track. Of course, most of it will start with what you put into your body. Certain foods act as natural detoxifiers. They help your body discard built-up toxins.

You can get the ball rolling. Flush out toxins safely, gently and effectively and start feeling better with a ten-day detox program. Natural, ayurvedic, herbal remedies have been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to assist the body’s natural detoxification, thereby cleansing the organs. There are now various published clinical studies demonstrating the ability of a range of herbs to support the cleansing process. Detox compliments a healthy lifestyle, helping you to reach your goals, from quitting smoking to losing weight and strengthening your immune system. Helpful hints to help get started on a healthy program of healthy habits combined can make all the difference to achieving complete wellbeing.

To start fresh and new, we begin by flushing out toxins naturally from your gallbladder and liver, followed by the bowel and kidneys, and then the heart and lungs, brain and skin, thus supporting your body’s ability to perform its functions properly, including maintaining a strong metabolism and healthy energy levels.

Overall health, from supporting the body’s natural detoxification process to promoting a strong metabolism, healthy energy levels and more, is greatly benefited by following a balanced lifestyle, including eating a healthy diet, exercising and practising yoga regularly and getting adequate rest with daily meditation and nidra (deep relaxation and self healing).

For starters, at retreat, you will drink plenty of Nirvana natural spring water to help flush out and hydrate your system, as well as promote a water balance in your body. You will eating fruit and vegetables and the daily recommendation of fibre will also aid in your detoxification and help you naturally rejuvenate and regulate your system. You will enjoy yoga nidra every afternoon to make sure that you get enough sleep – this means both an adequate quality and length of sleep. Sleep is one of the most important factors for maintaining a strong body and energetic lifestyle.

A healthy mind leads to a healthy body. Prolonged stress, anxiety and depression can also compromise the body’s health. It is important to release and reduce stress and address any underlying mental health issues. You will also experience daily morning meditation.

Natural detoxification is kind to the system and easy, through the use of diet and natural substances to help the body remain regular and assist in the body’s ability to rid itself of waste products. The routine flushing out of the stomach and digestive system supports toxin elimination by the liver.

As deep seated toxins are dislodged from deeply embedded places, gentle and moderate physical exercise will help to relax you and will also encourage healthy sleep, not to mention, an increased improvement to both your blood and lymph circulation, resulting in higher energy levels and better overall health.

Cleanse and rejuvenate naturally, without side effects. Attend Spring detox, the healthy, natural way to support elimination function, maintain the health of your liver and experience total wellbeing, by cleansing and refreshing all your body systems

– Promotes detoxification and total body cleansing
– Improved bowel movements and inappropriate wind
– Improves energy levels and stamina
– Supports healthy weight loss and dietary fat breakdown
– Promotes clear, radiant and healthy skin
– Supports healthy liver functioning and systemic cleansing
– Supports overall immune system health

Ayurvedic news

Shanti Gowans © March 2017

World headlines and the airwaves are dominated by conflicts over values, gender, race, colour, class and the planet, showing no signs of abating. And yet we constantly bear witness to the truth that the earth is too small a planet and we are too brief a visitor upon it for anything to matter more than the continued goal for peace.

Ayurveda and Yoga offer an alternative way of living that is built on strong spiritual foundations of nonviolence, living together harmoniously, forgiving and being reconciled with others and seeking common ground.

We know that the stress and turmoil in the world will continue for a tad longer, because people have free will to choose, and some just choose that. Some people think they can just ‘imagine’ what they want to happen in their minds, and it will magically appear. However, there is more to it than that. To break through the roadblocks that are standing in our way, we need to make sure that our mindset, emotions, physical body and spirit are all in resonance with each other, and all working together toward the same, common goal. While on the other hand, the absence of self-control, no self-discipline, just letting the mind wander, holding many ignorant mindsets and mental strongholds that have been built up over years and years can keep a person in bondage. A wilderness mentality with negative attitudes simply because every circumstance is not perfect decides failure even before a person can really get started. To live a victorious life, we need to take a positive look at the possibilities for the future.

In the midst of all difficulties in your life see the positive and the good. Know that you are not walking through difficulties alone – the divine presence surrounds you. Have confidence in this Presence. Think and speak about the future in an optimistic way, not festering on what you have seen or experienced in the past. Trust and move forward by faith, not sight. Align your energies with those in the Universe. It is not necessary to think that you are nothing or everything. Know that you are something and can achieve anything. Have a great day.

Agni, ama and ojas

Agni, Ama and Ojas in Perfect Health

The most cutting-edge medical experts now agree that the most powerful medicine of the future is simple and available to everyone: the foods you eat each day, which have the power to renew your body, revitalize your health, and even reverse the ageing process. Your body tomorrow equals what you put in today.

Every single cell in your body renews itself within a 2-year span. This means that your entire body is literally brand-new every two years or less, and when you change your nutrition, you help build a brand new healthier, stronger, and younger body.

The disconcerting news is that many people restrict themselves to eating only piles of green vegetables or solely raw foods in order to build a stronger, healthier, younger new body and still do not get all of the nutrients they need. There are far simpler solutions to start protecting yourself and transforming your entire body in just days, and multivitamins are not the answer!

Real, raw, and organic foods and super-foods can provide the fuel the human body needs to help rebuild a healthier version of itself. You prevent nearly every health problem or condition you face through foods and super-foods. However, there are dozens of so-called “super-foods” in the marketplace and unfortunately, many have no track record of verifiable success, no real-life case studies of real people who have experienced real results in improving real conditions.

If you desire perfect health, it is crucial to optimise your digestive fire, known as agni, and to do that, you need to eliminate the toxcity, ama, stored in the body and focus on producing your essential life energy, which is known as Ojas, a Sanskrit term meaning ‘vigour’.

Ama can be threatening because it can cause the body to give way to several diseases.

Signs of Ama in the body include:

– You find it difficult to get out of bed

– Your skin looks tired and sallow

– Your breath is bad and your tongue is coated

– Your body feels heavy

– Your appetite is dull

– Your digesiton is sensitive

– Your elimination is sluggish

– You experience fatigue, spaciness

– Pain is generalised

– You have difficulty realising your intentions

– You feel depressed

– You have increased susceptibility to infections

Ojas is the pure and subtle substance that is extracted from food that has been completely digested. Ojas circulates throughout the bodily tissues and heart, sustaining the physical self, bringing clarity to the mind and balancing the emotions.

Signs of strong ojas in your system include:

– You feel rested upon awakening

– Your skin has a healthy glow

– You have clean breath and pink tongue

– Your body feels light, regardless of its weight

– You enjoy a strong appetite

– You feel centred throughout the day

– Your digestion is strong without bloating

– Your body feels strong and pain free

– You feel energised and enthusiastic

– Your mind is clear

– You rarely get sick

Diseases of Vata, Pitta and Kapha

Diseases of Vata, Pitta and Kapha

March  2017   Shanti Gowans

Different sciences analyse the material world from various perspectives and angles, and present a collection of successful data in a methodological manner. In Indian science, a philosophical approach is taken and can be seen very clearly. This philosophical background is common for the arts, sciences and technology.

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