GUIDEBOOK PRINCIPLES OF AYURVEDA WHAT IS AYURVEDA? Ayurveda is derived from two Sanskrit words- ayur (the duration of life) and veda (knowledge). It is the world’s most ancient system of holistic health & self-healing; literally, the science of how to increase the duration and quality of one’s life. Ayurveda provides a framework of principles for balancing the overall state of being that are applied uniquely for each individual depending on their constitutional makeup and current state of health/imbalances. 3 main focuses of ayurveda 1 Disease Prevention Modern medicine for the most part reacts to disease, and prescribes chemical pharmaceuticals to suppress symptoms. Conversely, the holistic ayurvedic approach is to detect imbalances in the body and reverse them before they can manifest into full blown disease. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." -Ben Franklin 2 3 Diet and Daily Routine Proper nutrition and routine supports the body’s immune system and natural ability to maintain balance and radiance. Detox There are various types of toxins which we all accumulate in our bodies throughout the course of life. If these toxins are not removed, they can hamper and damage the proper function of the organs which paves the way for imbalances (and eventually disease) to set in. THE FUNDAMENTALS PRANA CELLULAR LIFE FORCE Prana is a combination of energies that come from the sun and moon These energies come into the body through proper air, food, and water One of the goals of ayurveda is to teach us how to maintain sufficient prana within the body, because anytime an aspect of our physiology becomes distrubed through sickness, environmental stressors, or life challenges; prana will flow to that area to fix the imbalance More prana = greater vitality and resilience 3 SIMPLE TIPS TO INCREASE PRANA 1 HYDRATION There are 3 factors that contribute to proper hydration: QUALITY As water flows down mountain streams, it is charged with pranic energy from the sun and moon. Once chemicals are added or water is filtered or re-mineralized, its pranic intelligence is lost. Therefore, it is best to drink natural spring water. QUANTITY As a general rule, take half your body weight (in lbs), and drink (at least) that amount in ounces. TEMPERATURE Cold constricts, warm expands. Drinking cold water means the body has to work harder to assimilate it. Room temperature or warm water is better for digestion, circulation, and detoxification. 3 SIMPLE TIPS TO INCREASE PRANA 2 FOOD Frozen, canned, microwaved, and leftover food are all lacking in prana. As often as possible, eat freshly cooked organic whole foods. 3 NATURE Regularly getting out into nature and breathing fresh air will increase your prana. Here are a few more specific fun ways: place your bare feet on the earth submerge your body in natural water sources soak up some sunlight take a walk in the moonlight hug a tree DIGESTION OPTIMAL DIGESTION: THE KEY TO RADIANT HEALTH Modern science has shown that the gut is like a second brain, and a healthy gut is linked to a balanced mental and emotional state. Similarly, ayurveda suggests that how we digest our food plays a role in how we digest life experiences. When we experience stress or trauma in life and are unable to fully process them, they are stored in the body to be processed sometime in the future. If too much stress is stored in the body over time, the functionality of the body becomes hampered. Stronger digestion = stronger ability to process stressful Strengthening our physical digestion directly helps us to strengthen our ability to process stressful situations and events in life in a way that facilitates growth 3 aspects of optimal digestion 1 Sufficient Friendly Bacteria 2 Healthy Liver 3 Friendly bacteria in the gut are responsible for breaking down food so it can be absorbed into the bloodstream The liver is the main seat of digestion and detoxification in the body Healthy Gallbladder The gallbladder releases bile which stimulates peristalsis (the muscle contractions that push food through the intestines and create bowel movements) DIET Whatever you eat travels through a long tube of channel in the body (the digestive tract) As the food moves through this channel it has to break down into smaller particles so that it can eventually be absorbed into your cells in order for you to gain proper nourishment. In order to support this process we want to consume a diet which will not shrink, clog, or inflame our digestive tract. Ayurveda advises to limit/avoid the following: Foods to avoid Nightshade Vegetables WHITE POTATOES EGGPLANT BELL PEPPERS TOMATOES These vegetables contain nicotine which shrinks the channels of the body. Channeling Clogging Foods TOFU NUT BUTTERS UNFERMENTED SOY PRODUCTS FRIED FOODS PROCESSED FOODS All of which are very heavy and hard to digest. Others VINEGAR GARLIC ONIONS OVERLY SPICY FOODS All of which inflame the channels when taken in excess DIETARY GUIDELINES FRUITS ALL FRESH SEASONAL FRUITS Because fruit digests much more quickly than other foods, it is best taken on any empty stomach by itself, and not with meals. VEGETABLES COOKED VEGETABLES Vegetables should be cooked, as the cooking process breaks down the hard fibers which allows for greater assimilation of the nutrients into your cells. DIETARY GUIDELINES PROTEIN DAHLS LENTILS (QUALITY) DAIRY GRAINS WHITE BASMATI RICE QUINOA LENTILS MILLET BUCKWHEAT OATS RYE BARLEY AMARANTH FELT FARRO Avoid/limit brown rice, as it is extremely heavy and hard to digest. DIETARY GUIDELINES DRIED FRUITS DATES FIGS RAISINS Dried fruits are rich in beneficial nutrients. However, any food that is overly dry promotes constipation. Therefore, dried fruits should either be soaked in water or cooked into another food (like oatmeal) to re-constitute them with moisture. Unlike fresh fruits, dried fruits need not be eaten by themselves on an empty stomach, they can be combined with other foods/meals. NUTS/SEEDS NUTS SEEDS Nuts and seeds are a great source of healthy fats. However, they are very heavy so they should be eaten in moderation. Soaking them in water overnight (or for at least 30 minutes) breaks down the enzymes to make them more easily digestible and also cools down some of their inherent heat. DIETARY GUIDELINES SPICES & HERBS USE SPICES IN YOUR COOKING Not only do spices and herbs add flavor to food, they also increase digestibility. Your food should be well spiced according to your current physiological state. SWEETENERS ORGANIC CANE SUGAR COCONUT SUGAR MAPLE SYRUP JAGGERY HONEY Avoid refined white sugar and artificial sweeteners. Also be sure to not bake with honey, as it turns toxic when exposed to high temperatures. tion! a r e d o m Only in DIETARY GUIDELINES FATS & OILS A low-fat diet which has become somewhat of a fad is actually quite a dangerous diet. The reason is that our nervous system and brain is largely composed of cholesterol, so we need cholesterol in our diet to keep the brain nourished, it’s just a matter of getting it through healthy sources of fat. GHEE ORGANIC COCONUT OIL ORGANIC OLIVE OIL ORGANIC SESAME OIL Ghee and olive oil are the gold standard for cooking oils. Coconut oil and sesame oil are also okay in moderation. Avoid vegetable oils like canola, sunflower, safflower, mustard, peanut, as well as any artificial fats (like earth balance butter), or hydrogenated oils. These are harmful to the liver and can clog the arteries. DIETARY GUIDELINES DAIRY MILK FRESH, SOFT CHEESE FRESH YOGURT Though dairy has become quite controversial these days due to many factors, it is actually one of the most nourishing of all foods. Ayurveda categorizes 7 levels of tissue in the body. The food that we eat must be broken down and assimilated into each of these 7 tissues before we receive full nourishment from it. Most foods spend 2-5 days at each level of tissue, and therefore don’t provide full nourishment for about a month. However, dairy is the one food that can be assimilated into all 7 tissues within 24 hours! 3 things to look for in dairy 1 Ahimsa Obviously, one of the reasons dairy has become so controversial is due to the widespread abuse & slaughter in the commercial dairy industry. Ahimsa dairy comes from cows which are loved and protected their entire lives. There are a lot of places to get ahimsa dairy products nowadays, as the demand for it is increasing. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need tips on how to find ahimsa dairy. 2 3 Whole milk It is the fat in the milk which delivers calcium into our bones. If the fat is taken out of the milk we cannot absorb the calcium which nourishes our bones. Non-homogenized milk Once milk has been homogenized it isn’t as nourishing and can have a negative impact on the heart and arteries due to the processing/alteration of the fat molecules. Think you're lactose intolerant? You may have never tried real dairy... Or you may not be taking it in the right way... It's important to: 1) always boil milk before drinking it, 2) always have it with spices, 3) don't combine it with foods other than grains (like rice or oats), nuts, and dried fruits. Cold dairy can be very channel clogging. Boiling milk first makes it much lighter and adding a little spice (like turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, etc.) makes it more easily digestible. However, if even real, quality milk taken in the correct way doesn’t sit well with you, you can try goat’s milk which is still extremely nourishing, but is much lighter and easier to digest. You could also try fresh cheeses while you are working on strengthening your digestion, as they are lighter and easier to digest than milk. GUIDELINES FOR EATING HOW WE EAT IS JUST AS IMPORTANT (IF NOT MORE) THAN WHAT WE EAT 1 Eat only when you're hungry 2 Eat in a sitting position 3 4 If you are not hungry and you eat, the food will only partially digest and clog the channels. When you are sitting the blood is mainly in your gut which aids the digestive process, as opposed to standing when the blood goes to your legs. Eat until you are slightly full, not ‘stuffed’ A good way to gauge this is to stop eating once you burp. A burp is your body's way of signaling that your stomach is full and is trying to release gas to create more space. Do not drink too much water immediately before or after meals This dilutes your digestive enzymes. Sipping on a little bit of room temperature or warm water during meals is okay. 5 Be as present with your food as possible 6 Don’t eat too quickly 7 It’s best to avoid reading, TV, texting, driving, heavy conversations, etc. while eating. When you are present with your meal and focused on eating, your brain sends signals to your gut so that the proper enzymes are released to help you digest. Taking the time to thoroughly chew your food allows it to be more easily digested and absorbed. Garnish Garnishing your meals with a little fresh lime or lemon enhances nutrient absorption. REST & ROUTINE PROPER REST AND ROUTINE ARE ESSENTIAL IN OPTIMIZING OUR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL FUNCTIONALITY If you can regulate the time you go to sleep, the time you wake up, and the times you have your meals each day, the body learns to trust you and will work with you instead of against you In terms of rest, ayurveda recommends getting to sleep no later than 10pm FROM 10PM TO 2AM ARE THE HOURS WHERE THE GREATEST TRANSFORMATION & REJUVENATION HAPPENS FOR OUR BODIES AND MINDS IF WE ARE ASLEEP. INTRO TO THE 3 DOSHAS AGNI PRANIC ENERGY FROM THE SUN SOMA PRANIC ENERGY FROM THE MOON MARUT THE FLOW OF THESE TWO ENERGIES WHEN MARUT, AGNI, AND SOMA COME INTO THE BODY, THEY BECOME (RESPECTIVELY) PITTA, KAPHA, AND VATA- THE 3 DOSHAS WE ALL HAVE A UNIQUE PROPORTION OF THE 3 DOSHAS WITHIN OUR PHYSIOLOGICAL MAKEUP PRAKRTI REFERS TO ONE’S CONSTITUTION, OR THE INHERENT PROPORTION OF THE 3 DOSHAS IN ONE’S PSYCHICAL/PSYCHOLOGICAL MAKEUP determines our body type and personality VIKRTI REFERS TO THE CURRENT STATE OF THE 3 DOSHA AND HOW THEY ARE EXPRESSING THEMSELVES IN THE BODY AND MIND sheds light on any imbalances we may have and therefore illuminates the path to healing, balance, and radiance CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 3 DOSHAS VATA ELEMENTS OF SPACE AND AIR Governs movement in the body Qualities: lightness, dryness, movement, quick, cold, and rough PITTA ELEMENTS OF FIRE AND WATER Governs transformation in the body Qualities: hot, acid, sharpness, and oily KAPHA ELEMENTS OF EARTH AND WATER Governs lubrication in the body Qualities: heavy, slow, oily, and cold DID YOU KNOW? Did you know? Dosha literally means that which is out of balance, because these three energies (agni, soma, and marut) tend have a difficult time staying in balance in the body. UNDERSTANDING HOW THE DOSHAS MANIFEST IN AND INFLUENCE THE BODY AND MIND EMPOWERS US TO: RECOGNIZE WHEN THINGS ARE OUT OF BALANCE UNDERSTAND WHAT TO DO TO BRING THEM KAPHA BACK IN BALANCE ATTAIN THE OPTIMAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRENGTH HERE'S A SUMMARY OF THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF AYURVEDA Prana = Cellular life force. A combination of energies that come from the sun and moon. More prana = greater health and vitality. Optimal digestion is a pillar of radiant health and is dependent on: Sufficient Friendly Bacteria Healthy Liver Healthy Gallbladder Diet. We want to consume a diet that will not shrink, clog, or inflame our digestive tract Dietary Guidelines. Guidelines for eating: how we eat is just as important (if not more) than what we eat Rest and Routine. Proper rest and routine are essential in optimizing our physical and mental functionality 3 Doshas are made up of: Agni = energy from the sun Soma = energy from the moon Marut = the flow of these two energies Characteristics of the 3 Doshas: Vata: elements of space and air Pitta: elements of fire and water Kapha: elements of earth and water Understanding the 3 Doshas allows us to recognize when they are out of balance and what to do to bring them back into balance THANK YOU If you're looking for healing and transformation and you love what you've learned in this guidebook, make sure you schedule a free strategy check-in call with Madhu. BOOK A CHECK IN CALL OTHER RESOURCES TO CONNECT WITH
