About Ayurvedic Consultations

 

You are unique.

Your path to perfect health is equally unique.

Your body has the innate ability to heal itself.

 

The optimal condition of existence is one of health, wellbeing and happiness. As our body has an innate ability to heal itself and is always moving in the direction of a balanced state, the aim of Ayurvedic healthcare is to remove obstacles to wellness and strengthen the body’s self-healing capabilities.

 

These are the core principles of Ayurveda, India’s ancient natural healing system successfully practiced over the last 5,000 years. More than a simple protocol for treating illness, Ayurveda actually translates from Sanskrit as “the science of life” – Ayur meaning "life" and Veda meaning "science or knowledge". Essentially, Ayurveda is a body of wisdom that applies a wide range of techniques to keep the whole person – mind, body and spirit – in harmony to maintain optimal wellness. At Swastha Ayurveda, we focus on understanding your individual body-mind constitution and the unique nature of your imbalance.  We then suggest the appropriate dietary, herbal , and lifestyle changes you can make to bring the doshas and digestive fire (agni) back into balance, leaving you in a state of balance, health and vitality. 

 

The Three Doshas

According to Ayurveda, five elements make up everything in the universe. These five elements are ether, air, fire, water and earth. When these elements manifest in biological form (such as the human body) they conjoin to form the bodily humors -  the three doshas -  which function in relation to one another to create structure and to carry out the physiological processes of the body. The three doshas, the foundation of health and disease, are Vata, Pitta and Kapha. Vata rules movement, Pitta rules metabolism and transformation, and Kapha rules stability. Each dosha is composed of two elements and, therefore, has the qualities of those elements:

 

• Vata (air & ether) is light, dry, hard, cold, and mobile

• Pitta (fire & water) is hot, light, sharp, penetrating, and slightly moist

• Kapha (water & earth) is moist, cold, heavy, soft, and stable

 

Everyone has an individual blend of the three doshas, with one or sometimes two doshas predominating. Ayurvedic treatment aims to keep the doshas in balance according to your constitution by determining:

 

• Prakriti ~ your doshic constitution

• Vikrti ~ your current state of imbalance caused by an excess of one or more of the doshas

 

Your prakriti is the ratio of the doshas at the moment of your conception, the appropriate balance of which support perfect health. When any of the doshas become excessive you will experience symptoms of imbalance (vikruti) – illness or disease – that is characteristic of the excessive dosha(s). An Ayurvedic practitioner works to bring the doshas back to a state of appropriate balance (prakriti) by creating a unique treatment program for each rogi (client). 

 

Tips for the Summer Season

​​

As Summertime sets in, days grow hot and sharp with the strength and intensity of the sun.    As we drop our clothing layers and hit the road for music festivals and seaside camping trips, Summer is also a time of expansion and mobility.  Summer embodies qualities of both Pitta and Vata, the primary qualities being hot, sharp, dry, and mobile. Throughout the Summer months, we will strive to stay balanced by focusing on opposing qualities - by staying cool, hydrated, mellow, and grounded. 

 

During the Summer, the peak of Adana kaal, agni is weak. We naturally crave fresh, light foods form the garden and small, simple meals. To balance Pitta, we favor sweet, bitter & astringent tastes and enjoy cool, heavy, and bland foods.  It’s time to enjoy the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables that grow this season.   Raw salads can be enjoyed in moderation. Dairy, such as milk, yogurt, ghee and ice cream is on the table. Cold infusions of coriander or mint can be enjoyed.  Herbal teas such as peppermint, lemongrass, licorice, fennel or CCF tea are wonderful choices. Hot, spicy, sour and pungent tastes should be avoided, as should all heating foods and stimulants. 

Let’s examine Dinacharya for the Summer season.

 

Ideal Summer Foods

 

Fruits: Apple, Avocado, Blueberries, Blackberries, Strawberries, Cherries, Coconut, Cranberries, Grapes, Limes, Mangoes, Melons, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Pomegranates, Prunes

Vegetables: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beet greens, Broccoli, Brussel sprouts, Cabbage, Celery, Swiss Chard, Collard Greens, Kale, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Okra, Potatoes, Lettuce, Zucchini

Grains: Barley, Rice, Wheat

Beans: Adzuki, Black, Garbanzo, Mung, Soy beans, Split peas, Tofu

Oils: Coconut, Olive, & Sunflower oils

Spices: Basil, Cilantro, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Lime, Mint Parsley

Animal Products: Freshwater Fish, Poultry, Shrimp

Sweeteners: Maple Syrup, Cane Sugar, Turbinado Sugar

 

Lifestyle Recommendations:

 

• Rise early, exercise before 10am, when the heat of the day sets in

• Don’t exercise to full capacity.  Swimming and gentle nature walks are great choices. 

• Before showering, do abhyanga with coconut or sunflower oil to calm the nervous system.

• Use cooling, grounding essential oils like jasmine, sandalwood, rose, chamomile, lavender, mint, gardenia. Rosewater spritz is cooling and refreshing.

• Dress in breathable natural fibers like cotton, silk, bamboo & linen.  Favor cooling colors like white, blue, purple, light green and pink.

• Protect yourself from the intensity of direct sunlight with a sunhat & sunglasses.  

• Sleep by 10pm. 

• Wind down before bed with pada abhyanga or shiro abhyanga with Brahmi oil. 

​