How to balance your mind, body and soul with Ayrveda
Ayurveda Healthy Living
After experiencing a 21-day Panchakarma Healing, I am not an expert like Dr Sujatha or Dr Remil at the Amtra Siddhi Ayurveda healing centre. All I can tell you is I highly recommend you finding out what your body type is and following a diet plan.
The three body types are:
Vata = Air and Space
Pitta = Fire and Water
Kapha = Earth and Water
Each of us has a very different body composition and digestive needs.
Basically, the thinking is, if you don’t follow your body type or listen to the signs in your body where you are becoming out of balance, you will become poorly.
Here is a simple overview of the three body types do’s and don’ts.
“If your body and mind were a hand-written story, then vata is the ink, pitta is the pen, and kapha is the paper. Each one is vital.” – Kaitlin Lacey
VATA
“Spirit Symbol”: Air
Common Traits: Dry, Light, Cold
Work Type: Type A
Comforting Foods: Astringent, Bitter
Balanced When: Clear Perspective, Creative, Artisitc
Imbalanced When: Anxious, Spacey, Moody, Insomnia, Stiff Muscles, Constipation
Triggers for Imbalance: Not being true to oneself, Eating on the run, Spreading self too thin
PITTA
“Spirit Symbol”: Fire
Common Traits: Oily, Hot, Light
Work Type: Mostly Type A
Comforting Foods: Sour, Pungent
Balanced When: Discernment, Sharp Memory, Joyful
Imbalanced When: Judgemental, Angry, Controlling, Inflammation / Breakouts, Hot Flashes, Skin Rashes, Diarrhea
Triggers for Imbalance: Overworking, Eating while angry, Overheating activity (workouts)
KAPHA
“Spirit Symbol”: Earth
Common Traits: Heavy, Slow, Cold
Work Type: Type B
Comforting Foods: Sweet, Salty
Balanced When: Gentle, Emotionally in-tune, Strong endurance
Imbalanced When: Fearful of letting go, Set in ways, Depression, Obesity, Congestion, Excessive sleep, Irregular bowel
Triggers for Imbalance: Sedentary lifestyle, Emotional Eating, Storing of Emotions
Vata Balancing Dietary Advice
AVOID
-Generally: – Cold, raw and dry foods, carbonated or cold drinks
-Spicy, pungent, overly bitter or astringent tastes
-All sour and unripe fruits
-White sugar and yeast
-Skipping meals, late nights, excessive stimulation
INTRODUCE
-Rhythm to your life (waking and sleeping times, rest periods)
-Meditation, Tai Chi or Yoga
-Regular meal times: more frequent meals, less amount
-Watch and control mental tendencies of worry and fear
-Daily self-massage with oil (cold climate use sesame oil, hot climate coconut oil)
-Soothing calming music
Vata Balancing Foods
Grains
Rice (including wild rice, quinoa, oats wheat)
Pulses
Mung beans, mung dahl
Vegetables
Squash, beetroot, carrots, coriander, parsnip, peas, cucumber, leeks, okra, pumpkin, olives, asparagus, sweet potatoes, zucchini.
Fruits
Most sweet fruit, apples cooked, avocados, apricots, lemon and lime, bananas, coconuts, cherries, fresh dates and figs, soaked raisins, grapes, strawberries, berries (except cranberries) pears, mangoes
Nuts
Okay in moderation, peel skin off almonds
Seeds
Pumpkin, sesame, sunflower, tahini, flax
Condiments
All except chocolate, pepper and sprouts in moderation
Oils
Cooking: sesame, olive
External use – avocado, sesame and in summer, coconut
Drinks
Juices see fruits and vegetables, chai, almond milk, teas – chamomile, elderflower, fresh ginger, eucalyptus, lemon grass, lavender, liquorice, peppermint and spearmint, rose-hip, saffron, fennel
Spices
All fine to use
Pitta Balancing Dietary Advice
AVOID
-Oily and deep-fried foods
-Alcohol and coffee
-Exposure to hot sun (sun bathing)
-Watch feelings of anger, hate and intensity
INTRODUCE
-Sweet, astringent and bitter tastes
-Pleasant and cooling activities to your life like walks in nature
-Tai Chi and meditation
– A warm and caring and nurturing and non-competitive attitude
Pitta Balancing Foods
Grains
Coconut, granola, oat bran, pasta, rice (not brown), spelt oats, wheat
Pulses
Mung beans, mung dahl, chickpeas, kidney beans, red and brown lentils, split peas, black and white beans, tofu and tempeh, pinto beans, soya beans and other soy products (soya sauce in moderation)
Vegetables
Preferably bitter and sweet: beetroot, broccoli, carrots, coriander, parsley, fennel, cucumber, asparagus, cauliflower, celery, zucchini, green beans, olives, artichokes, okra , kale, wheat grass, pumpkin, squash, parsnips, cooked onions, leafy greens, lettuce, peas, wheat grass, sweet potatoes, jack fruit (ripe)
Fruits
Most sweet fruit, apples (cooked), avocados, pomegranate, apricots, pineapple, sweet oranges, bananas, coconuts, cherries, fresh dates, (used daily is good for calming pitta) figs, plums, raisins, mangoes, berries (except cranberries), melons, papaya and lime (in moderation) Grapes of all types, draksha grapes are the best
Nuts
Coconuts, almonds soaked and peeled
Seeds
Pumpkin, sunflower, flax, popcorn, fennel seeds
Condiments
Coriander, sweet mango chutney, sprouts, tamarind (in moderation)
Oils
Cooking: – canola, flax seed, olive, sunflower, walnut
External: avocado, in summer coconut
Drinks
Juices (see fruits and vegetables) Aloe vera juice, chai, almond milk, teas – chamomile, rose, fresh ginger, fennel, hibiscus, chicory, Jasmin, lemon grass, lavender, liquorice, peppermint and spearmint, nettle, dandelion, raspberry, saffron.
Sugarcane – it calms Pitta, it also cleanses kidney / bladder.
Rose – rose water, rose petals are excellent to calm Pitta, it is also helpful in reducing acidity.
Cucumber juice – very cooling / also applied as face pack
Spices
Neem leaves – chew neem leaves to calm Pitta and to improve food taste and skin
Kapha Balancing Dietary Advice
AVOID
-Generally: – Cold, raw, oily, fried and other heavy foods
– Sweet, sour, salty taste
– Milk products
– Eating after sunset
– Over eating
– Day sleeping
– Dampness
INTRODUCE
– Limited sleep, waking early and rising at sunrise
– Early and light dinners
Kapha Balancing Foods
Grains
Pulses
Vegetables
Squash, beetroot, carrots, coriander, artichokes, brussel sprouts, turnips, peas, leeks, okra, pumpkin, asparagus, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, garlic, parsley, onions, spinach, carrots, kale, mustard greens, radishes, wheat grass, lettuce
Fruits
Nuts
None
Seeds
Condiments
Oils
Drinks
Spices
Top priorities for our Daily Routine
From the gorgeous Ayurvedic Doctor Dr. Remil
Number 1 priority
1. Most important for us all is WAKING TIME
Wake up early between 4am and 6 am
So
Go to bed at 8 get up at 4am
Go to bed at 9 get up at 5 am
Go to bed at 10 get up at 6 am
2. Scrape your tongue with a steel curve tongue scraper 3 -5 times
The tongue scraping gives you
– more clarity
– Food will taste better
– helps digestion
3. Squelch 2 table spoonsful of coconut oil in between your teeth
It’s even better if you mix turmeric with it
4. Exercise move your body as per your dosha
Activate your body I.e. yoga, run, stretch, bounce on trampoline .. get your lymphatic system flowing
5. Have warm water with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
6. Apply warm sesame oil all over your body
Start from head
Put a little bit on your crown
Do head massage
Massage face and ears
Massage your abdomen clockwise
Then both arms and legs
Do circular movements on joints
Goddess please massage your breasts every day with warm oil in this routine
To ensure lymph flowing
Massage your feet and under your feet
Make this a daily 15-30 minute ritual
Warm the oil and Apply
Warm oil penetrates our skin better remember our skin Is one of our biggest organs so let’s take care of it
We are lucky here at the Ayurvedic centre as we have a hot oil massage every day
7. warm shower
Hot water on body but never on head
8. Now you are purified it is time for prayer, meditation, chanting
whatever is your morning spiritual practice to connect you with your divinity
9. Breakfast
10. Work or Create etc
Do what you love
Love what you do
Work is Love made visible.
11. Early Dinner before 7 pm
12. Evening listen to music , meditate , pray
Write down what you are grateful for that day
Extra Tips
Sleeping Directions
If we want to start a new project then our head facing east is good
Offerings
When making an offering / giving gratitude face east or face north
Thank you beautiful Dr Remil for your inspirational
Thank you for making me in to a Healthier Happier Mother, Lover, Child, grandma, Nan, person, better still Goddess. In love and Light
OM SHANTI
IN PEACE
IN LOVE