Heart Health System

Seven Common Sense Ayurvedic Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

The statistics are frightening:

• Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in the United States.
• Every 20 seconds, someone in the United States has a heart attack.
• One in four Americans has some form of heart disease.
• Every 34 seconds someone in the United States dies of heart disease.
• Heart disease takes more lives than the next seven leading causes of death combined.

Yet, both modern medicine and ayurveda concur that there are things you can do every day to keep your heart healthy. Here we offer some suggestions to get you started. Pick one or two and start with those if you like, then add a couple more every few weeks until you are naturally living a heart-healthy lifestyle. Bonus: Not just your heart, your entire physiology will thank you.

Soothe away stress
According to ayurveda, a holistic approach to heart health requires you to nourish the emotional heart as well as the physical heart. The heart is not just a pump-it's the fountainhead of all emotions, whether it's joy and exhilaration or sadness and frustration. Mental and emotional stress can disrupt the emotional heart. Practicing the Transcendental Meditation® technique twice daily has been shown in research studies to help in lowering blood pressure, reversing arterial blockage and enhancing resistance to all types of stress. Maharishi Ayurveda herbal supplements Worry Free and Blissful Joy nourish the mind and emotions and contain herbs like Brahmi, Ashwagandha and Arjuna, all renowned for their positive influence on the mind and emotional heart.

Cultivate the positive
While warding off excess stress is essential to prevent the emotional heart from wasting away, actively seeking mental and emotional well-being can help the emotional heart flourish. Ayurveda talks about ojas, the substance that maintains life. The finest by-product of digestion and the master coordinator of all activities of mind and body, ojas leads to bliss, contentment, vitality and longevity. Inner strength and poise and the cultivation of positive attitudes and emotions increase ojas. Spend time everyday on those activities that give you this contentment and happiness. Listen to soothing or uplifting music, enjoy serene natural beauty, practice uplifting aromatherapy and sip relaxing herbal teas. Maintain a positive attitude and walk away from situations that distress or anger you.

Eat right
Arguably the most critical step you can take towards heart health is to eat a heart-friendly diet. For a society used to fast food and eating-on-the-go, this is also arguably the most difficult step to take and maintain. But there are small things you can do to make your diet more heart-healthy-eat more servings of fresh fruits and vegetables, start your day with stewed apples or pears, include soaked blanched almonds in your diet, dress your veggies with fresh lime juice and eat heart-friendly spices such as fresh-ground black pepper and the antioxidant power-spice turmeric. Choose fresh foods over processed foods or leftovers, light foods over rich, deep-fried ones and warm cooked foods over cold, heavy foods. A balanced antioxidant rasayana such as Amrit from Maharishi Ayurveda is excellent nutritional support and published research confirms that Amrit helps reduce LDL cholesterol, which has been implicated in plaque build-up.

Eat mindfully
How you eat is as important for heart health (and overall health) as what you eat. Eat moderately-the ideal ayurvedic "portion" is what fits in your two cupped palms. Don't skip meals, because eating three meals at regular times each day "trains" your digestion to anticipate and digest your food. Stimulate a sluggish digestion with ginger, salt and lime—Maharishi Ayurveda's Ginger Preserve is convenient and tastes delicious. Have lassi, made by blending one part fresh yogurt with three parts cool water, with lunch. Spike it with roasted ground cumin and fresh cilantro for flavor. Don't tax your digestion by eating late at night or eating a heavy meal at dinner.

Cleanse ama from the physiology
Arterial plaque is ama-toxic matter that builds up in your blood vessels because your physiology cannot get rid of it efficiently. Ayurveda recommends a program of internal cleansing with every change of season to help your body flush out ama. The Elim-Tox or Elim-Tox-O herbal supplements are formulated to cleanse the fat tissue (meda) of ama. Other things you can do to clear out ama-drink lots of warm water through the day, go to bed by 10 p.m. to help the body cleanse itself during the natural purification time, eat a lighter diet high in fiber and antioxidants from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and nuts. Avoid drugs, alcohol and smoking.

Exercise moderately and regularly
You don't have to do a strenuous workout five times a week. The key is regularity. If you follow the ayurvedic principle of balaardh—exercising to half your capacity—you can exercise every single day without straining your muscles. Walking is excellent exercise for everyone and excellent therapy as well. The early morning is ideal for taking a 30-minute walk. It will not only help your heart, it will prepare you for the day by charging up your circulation and your metabolism.

Get your zzzs
Research studies have linked sleep deprivation to blood pressure problems, depression and other factors that increase the risk of heart disease. Ayurveda considers sleep just as important as diet in maintaining health. Practice good bedtime habits-favor restful, calming activities as bedtime draws near to help disconnect the mind from the senses. Keep your bedroom clear of distractions—television, computers, other work-related material. Maintain a temperature that’s comfortable. Stay away from stimulants in the evening. Go to bed by 10 p.m. — early to bed and early to rise still work to keep you healthy and energetic through the day.

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Fertility System: Ayurvedic Perspective

Enhancing Fertility--The Ayurvedic Perspective

Nans and Jonathan started planning their family even before they were married. "That was something we both wanted--at least two children," says Nans. Ten years later, they have tried every kind of fertility treatment available, some of them painful and all of them expensive. "What seemed like such a simple desire has become an impossible quest," says Nans. They are now looking into adoption, but still wish with all their hearts to conceive.

Stories like Nans' and Jonathan's are more and more common today--much more so than they were even fifty years ago. Studies show that the average sperm count has decreased by 48 percent since 1940. Women's fertility is also on the decline. There are many theories about why this is the case, but many researchers believe increased pesticides and chemical fertilizers could be a cause, as well as the high levels of stress associated with modern life.

Couples such as Nans and Jonathan may now find help from Maharishi Ayurveda, which places great emphasis on health and well-being during conception and beyond. Not only does ayurveda explain how to increase fertility with diet, behaviors, and herbal supplements, it focuses on how to create truly healthy children.

The ayurvedic ideal goes far beyond merely conceiving. Instead the emphasis is on creating a child who is mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually healthy--a wise and well-rounded child who will contribute to society and become an enlightened citizen.

Factors Involved in Creating a Healthy Child
What are the factors involved in creating a healthy child? According to Maharishi Ayurveda, conception takes place due to healthy sperm, healthy ovum, and a healthy uterus. For both men and women, reproductive health depends on the health of the shukra dhatu, or reproductive tissue. In women the shukra tissue creates the ovum as part of the monthly cycle, and in men the semen is formed due to sexual stimulation.

The shukra tissue itself is created as part of a long chain of metabolic transformations, starting with the digestion of food and including the transformation of food to nutrient fluid, blood, muscle, fat, bone, bone marrow and finally, to shukra tissue.

Healthy shukra tissue, then, according to ayurveda, depends on the health of all the other tissues in the body.

Diet and Behaviors to Boost Fertility
There are two kinds of foods and herbs that help enhance shukra dhatu, and therefore help enhance fertility. One is called bringhana, and these foods enhance shukra by enhancing all the seven dhatus. Vrishya foods and herbs target shukra dhatu in particular."

Because the first six dhatus are the raw material for forming the reproductive dhatu, all of the dhatus must be completely healthy in order to form healthy reproductive tissue. That's why the bringhana diet, which nourishes all the seven dhatus, are so important if you wish to conceive.

Foods to Nourish All Seven Dhatus (Bringhana)

• Fresh, organic fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Dairy proteins, including milk, lassi, and panir (a fresh cheese made of milk)
• Mung dhal
• Soaked almonds or soaked walnuts (you can grind them and add them to your vegetables)
• Sweet, juicy fruits such as mangoes, peaches, plums, and pears
• Dried fruits such as dates, figs, and raisins
• Stewed apple for breakfast
• If your digestion is strong, eat urad dhal (available at Indian grocery stores) cooked with equal parts turmeric, cumin, coriander, and fennel.
• A banana cooked in ghee, cinnamon and cardamom is a tasty and wholesome dessert for people with strong digestion

Foods to Enhance the Reproductive Tissue (Vrishya)

• asparagus
• broccoli
• milk
• milk-date shake
• milk-mango shake
• rice pudding
• spices such as ajwain powder, cumin (which purifies the uterus in women and the genitourinary tract in men), turmeric (to improve the interaction between hormones and targeted tissues), and black cumin.

In general, it's important to eat a wide variety of foods in order to receive all the essential nutrients. Keep trying new vegetables and fruits, and rotate your menus to make sure you're not eating the same thing day after day.

A Two-Part Fertility Program
Before taking the herbs, however, The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians recommends first purifying the genitourinary tract. Once impurities and obstructions are removed from the area, the herbs can be truly effective in reaching the targeted tissues.

A Two-Part Fertility Program

Phase I--Cleanse Before Conception

• Organic Genitrac (2 tablets morning and evening)
• Elim-Tox-O (2 tablets morning and evening)

Phase II-Increase Fertility during Conception

• Vital Lady or Vital Man (2 tablets morning and evening)

The internal cleansing program should be done for three months before trying to conceive. After detoxification, the couple should discontinue the purifying herbal compounds and should start taking Vital Man or Lady on a daily basis. During this time they should try to conceive. The bringhana and vrishya diet is ideal throughout both stages. Once the couple conceives, the woman should stop taking Vital Lady and should focus on a diet and daily routine especially suited for pregnancy.

Enhancing Bliss and Devotion
Behavioral recommendations that support the shukra tissue and positive relationships include following a daily ayurvedic routine and reducing day-to-day stress by practicing the Transcendental Meditation® technique. To help allay day-to-day mental stress, take Worry Free Tablets (2 morning and evening). The Worry Free Tea and Aroma Oil can also help. If you need to dissolve emotional stress, take Blissful Joy tablets (2 morning and evening) and diffuse the Blissful Heart aroma.

Increasing Fertility Later in Life
Are there special tips for couples that want to conceive after the age of forty? The Council recommends that both the woman and man focus more on the diet and routine, on vrishya and bringhana diet. Avoid stress as much as possible. Go to bed on time and don't miss your morning massage. Take care of your protein needs, including some dairy protein in your diet, such as panir, milk and lassi. Engage in a spiritual practice such as the Transcendental Meditation technique.

For women, it is particularly important to take care of yourself during menstruation. Follow the ayurvedic guidelines for that time: avoid traveling, avoid skipping meals, eat foods that are warm, light, and easy to digest, and try to avoid foods or aromas that are highly chemicalized. And take real rest during your menstrual cycle. If you want to conceive when you are older, you need to be extra careful about your overall health.

If You Don't Want to Conceive
Even if you don't want to conceive, there is a value in enhancing the shukra tissue. Shukra has a dual function, not only producing the sperm and ovum but also ojas, the finest product of digestion. Ojas creates vigor, bliss, lightness, stamina, immunity, luster in the skin, sparkle in the eyes, and clarity of mind. Ojas is vital to the health and happiness of everyone. Anyone who wants to mental clarity, immunity, and spiritual well-being will find these recommendations useful, because they enhance the shukra tissue and thus enhance ojas."

Those people who don't want to conceive, but want to enhance ojas, should still follow the purification phase for at least 45 days, and more if there are more toxins built up. Then they can take the Fertility Plus tablets, but only one twice a day will be sufficient. Vital Man and Vital Lady are also recommended. With the help of Maharishi Ayurveda, couples such as Nans and Jonathan have a chance to conceive, and every parent has the opportunity to give their child the healthiest possible start in life.

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Energy System

Wiping Away Fatigue

Are you feeling brain-dead, emotionally stressed out, or just plain pooped? If so, you have company. Researchers report that the majority of adult Americans today suffer from stress and tiredness.

A stress-driven body and mind is the major cause of fatigue, and unfortunately, for many people this is a normal state of living in today's hectic world. Most people have lost touch with the normal experience of 'calm energy,' which is a state of low tension and high energy that allows for optimism, confidence, and the stamina necessary to enjoy success, love and happiness.

Happily, Maharishi Ayurveda is well-equipped to restore balance and combat the underlying causes of the general, stress-related tiredness that many Americans suffer from today.

What Causes Fatigue?
According to The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians, fatigue is caused by overuse, misuse or no use of the mind, emotions or body. For instance, your job may be easy for you, but if you have to put in a lot of overtime, that can result in fatigue.

Misuse is doing something that is against your nature. If you are an honest person, and you find yourself in a situation where you feel pressured to lie or cheat, that misuse of your mental faculties could cause you to feel fatigued.

An example of physical misuse is knowing that a physical task is beyond your capability, but doing it anyway. Or perhaps your heart is very tender, and you are surrounded by people who are habitually angry -- an example of emotional misuse.

Even lack of use can cause fatigue. Use it or lose it' applies not only to the body, but to the brain and emotions as well.

The first step in correcting fatigue is to determine the cause. You can ask yourself if your fatigue is caused by physical, mental or emotional factors. And is it caused by overuse, misuse or lack of use?

Once you know which behavior is causing the fatigue, you must, of course, stop that behavior. Become familiar with your stress-point and your own level of comfort. The solution to the problem of fatigue is found in one sentence: proper use of the mind, body and emotions.

The Three Doshas and Fatigue
There is a relationship between the three doshas and the three main types of fatigue. Mental fatigue is associated with an imbalance in Vata dosha, emotional fatigue is caused by an imbalance in Pitta dosha, and physical fatigue is caused by an imbalance in Kapha dosha.

Ama, or impurities caused by undigested food, is a major cause of all three types of fatigue. To avoid all types of fatigue, avoid leftovers, fast foods, foods grown with chemical fertilizers or sprayed with pesticides, or packaged, canned, frozen or processed foods.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians makes the following recommendations for each type of fatigue:

For Mental Fatigue:

• Vata-pacifying diet and daily routine
• Worry Free Tea and Tablets twice daily
• Go to bed early, avoid mental work right before bed

For Emotional Fatigue:

• Pitta-pacifying diet and daily routine
• Blissful Joy tablets
• Organic Rose Petal Spread
• Never skip meals

For Physical Fatigue:

• Kapha-pacifying diet and daily routine
• To burn away ama, boil two quarts of water and steep with the following herbs: 3 leaves of holy basil, 3 leaves of mint, 1/4 t. cumin seed, 1 piece of clove, 1/4 t. coriander. Drink it throughout the day.Depending on your mind-body type and imbalances, you may be more susceptible to certain types of fatigue.

By consulting a physician trained in Maharishi Ayurveda, you can learn specific recommendations for restoring your natural energy levels based on your body type and imbalances. The following three case histories explain how mental, emotional, and physical fatigue can be addressed using the principles of Maharishi Ayurveda.

Mental Fatigue
Laura, 32 and single, was a buyer for a large department store and had advanced rapidly in the past four years. However, she found herself aging rapidly, and was alarmed to see dark circles under her eyes, premature wrinkles, and a dull, pasty complexion rather than the rosy-red cheeks of her college years. Despite taking prescribed sleeping medication, she was unable to fall asleep at night. At least three times a week she felt utter mental exhaustion by the end of the day. She was frightened that her mind would not be able to keep up with her increasing responsibilities, and suffered from frequent tension headaches. She smoked, took aspirin for her headaches and diet pills to stay thin.

Emotional Fatigue
A 37-year-old mother of two children aged 7 and 10, Maryana held down a full-time job as head of marketing for a major corporation. Her principal complaint was overwhelming fatigue. Her energy level dropped so low that she often felt annoyed to the point of anger by her children's natural needs for her time and attention. She felt guilty for being an unloving mother and neglectful wife. She often woke up in the middle of the night worrying, and caught every flu or cold her children came home with. Drinking 8 cups of coffee to get through each day only added to her irritability and fatigue. In her own words, she was continually upset with her husband, her children, her friends -- even the dishwasher repairman -- about nothing, absolutely nothing at all.

Maryana had placed herself under tremendous emotional stress. She needed to build some deep rest into her day to help eliminate that stress. So she started the Transcendental Meditation program to provide deep rest and eliminate stress. She turned off her portable phone, which she habitually answered even during meals and in bed.

She started on a Pitta-pacifying diet and daily routine, along with Cooling Spice Mixture and Pitta Tea instead of coffee to help balance her emotions and nurture her body-type. She also stopped eating excessive amounts of white sugar for a false energy rush, stopped skipping meals, and ate a pear or a whole-grain bagel between meals when she felt hungry.

Maryana also started on the powerful antioxidant Amrit to retard intracellular decay and energy loss due to excessive free radicals, and to give a boost to her immune system, and on Elim-Tox-O to help remove the toxins that had accumulated in her liver from eating ama-producing fast foods on the run. Deep Rest addressed her Pitta-based sleep problems.

In just three months Maryana reported that she only had occasional fatigue when she would 'overdo,' but not the bone-wearing fatigue that had once been her constant companion. Her emotional and physical symptoms gradually washed away and she felt that her life, though still complex, was back in balance.

Physical Fatigue
A 35-year-old lawyer, Paul was married and the father of one. He had recently become a partner in a large firm, and reported difficulty in maintaining the competitive pace. Exercise had fallen by the wayside, and he had put on 25 pounds in the last year alone. He took a variety of laxatives and antacids for his sluggish digestion and frequent constipation.

Even though he slept eight hours a night, Paul felt exhausted when he woke up. While he used to have great physical stamina, he now found himself with frequent chest congestion and wheezed while climbing flights of stairs. His knees ached and he felt and looked ten years older than his age. Worse, he wasn't sure he could keep up with his job, because his thinking had become slower and duller. He frequently felt congested in body, mind and spirit.

Paul's complaints were due to a Kapha imbalance and lack of exercise. To restore balance, he started a program of gradual weight loss, because that was contributing to a vicious cycle of physical fatigue. He took the Be-Trim tea and tablets to help stimulate his digestion and metabolize fat. His life had become too sedentary and sluggish, so he started on an exercise program,and took Joint Soothe to support his knees and other joints.

A daily abhyanga (ayurvedic massage) using Rejuvenation Massage Oil for Men also stimulated his digestion and moved out toxins. Paul also learned the Transcendental Meditation program, and started a Kapha pacifying diet and daily routine, using ghee in his diet instead of butter. He started drinking five bottles of room temperature water each day to clear away ama, and took Amrit (without sugar) to restore balance to mind and body.

After ten weeks Paul had lost 15 pounds, his mind had become more agile and quick, and he was able to maintain his energy level at a steady pace without any symptoms of exhaustion.

Two final points of advice for dealing with fatigue: Start cutting back on coffee, coca cola, caffeinated teas, and sleeping pills to allow your body to reestablish a natural rest and activity cycle.

Second, schedule enough rest each day. The human nervous system and body is not designed for a constant diet of tension, pressure, speed and excitement. It must have adequate rest to permit natural regeneration and recuperation, and to experience natural energy and joy.

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Digestion System

Eating Right, the Ayurvedic Way: Five Tips for Good Digestion

Over 90% of Americans suffer from everyday digestion problems such as gas, bloating, stomach pain, constipation, heartburn, and fatigue after eating. Maharishi Ayurveda provides simple solutions to these common complaints by considering not only what we eat but how we consume our meals. For example, how many times have you seen someone munching on a sandwich while driving through traffic? How many times have we caught a bite to eat at your workstation because we could not take the time to have a proper lunch?

Our bodies need an uplifting and settled environment in order to process and absorb the nutrients from our meals. If that is not available then we should at least be sitting down to eat -- not standing, walking, or driving our way through a meal.

The act of eating is life-giving. The process of eating, according to ayurveda, is something reverent and important for the development of consciousness as well as our physical health. When we sit down to eat our stomach is in a relaxed posture and our awareness is on the taste, texture, and smell of the food. This will greatly improve the digestion.

Another way to improve the digestion is to stimulate the agni or digestive fire before we begin eating. Weak digestive agni may result in fatigue after eating so Ayurveda recommends eating a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger with a few drops of lemon juice and a few pinches of salt on it before a full meal. This starts to activate the salivary glands, producing the necessary enzymes so that the nutrients in the food are easily absorbed by the body.

Balancing your digestive agni is a key principle in Ayurvedic medicine. That's why ayurveda recommends a number of general practices for better digestion. Digestive agni can be compared to a burning fire. If the flame is very low than it will take a long time to cook the food. In the same way if the fire is too big it can burn the food. If we put a huge log on a low fire it will extinguish it. Our digestive fires should be balanced so that we can digest our meals efficiently and smoothly.

The ginger and lemon juice recommendation helps to increase the digestive power. If, however you suffer from an over-active agni, because of which there is too much internal heat and acid, then pomegranate chutney may be more suitable for you.

The next ayurvedic recommendation also addresses agni. Ayurveda recommends avoiding cold drinks at meals and ice cold foods in general. This is like putting cold water on the burning logs. Iced water, normally served at restaurants, extinguishes the digestive fire. Even juice or milk right out of the refrigerator is too cold for the digestion. Juice should be taken at room temperature and water without ice. Once you get into this habit of drinking beverages at room temperature you will notice a dramatic improvement in your digestion and the way your body feels while eating and after the meal. Cold drinks and foods mixed with warm cooked foods can cause stomach cramps, bloating and general discomfort in the stomach area.

If you have a pitta imbalance you can take cool drinks in-between meals. Cold or frozen foods are not recommended for pitta either because even though they may temporarily cool down the heat, the agni is still being over stimulated and the imbalance will continue. Try slightly cool drinks made with Organic Rose Water, or milk blended with dates or fresh mangos.

The next recommendation has to with the time of the day that you eat your meals. Have you ever gone out for a late dinner and found that it was a strain to wake up the next morning or that it was difficult to be efficient during the following day? These are often the side effects of improperly digested food. The best way to avoid these problems is to follow nature's prescription of suitable times to eat. When the sun is strongest between 12 and 2 p.m. is when the digestive fire is also strongest. Agni is associated with the Sun. This is one of the ways ayurveda seeks to connect our mind and body with the environment. Ayurveda recommends that lunch be the largest meal of the day since that is the time the digestive agni is working at its maximum potency. As the sun goes down so does our agni.

Dinner should be lighter than lunch and should ideally be eaten before 8: 00 p.m. Late night meals interfere with sleep and after 10: 00 p.m. the body is working to burn off toxins and continue to digest food from the day. If you eat after 10: 00 p.m., the food may cause toxins to accumulate in the system, and as a result the next day you wake up tired. If you are not able to wake up fresh and clear, then it is important to analyze the quantity of food and the time of night you are eating dinner.

Another ayurvedic tip for digestion is to drink a fresh yogurt drink called Lassi at lunch time. Sweet lassi consists of 1/4 cup fresh homemade yogurt, 1 cup room temperature water and sugar to taste. Blend it for one minute in the blender. Lassi is light and contains lactobacilli, necessary bacteria that lubricate the intestines to help digestion go smoothly. Lassi drinks help to reduce gas and bloating. They also taste delicious and can make a meal more satisfying and nutritious.

There are many recipes for Lassi. The following one is good for warding off gas and bloating:

• 1 cup room temperature water
• 1/4 fresh homemade yogurt
• 1 pinch ground ginger
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• 1 pinch ground coriander
• 1 pinch salt

Blend for one minute. Drink after lunch.

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Detoxification System

Spring Cleaning Your Body
It happens every spring. You fling open the windows, shed your winter coat, and suddenly get theurge to clean your house. But do you ever think about "spring cleaning" the toxins from your body?

Detoxifying in spring is an important part of the ayurvedic seasonal routine, called ritucharya. Spring is the Kapha season, because the wet and cool weather reflects the moist, cool, heavy qualities of Kapha dosha that predominate during this time of the year (March-June).

Biologically, nature supports cleansing of the body in spring. In winter the digestive fire is high, and people eat more sweet and heavy food. Most of the time they aren’t able to assimilate these hard-to-digest foods, so Ama (the sticky, toxic product of indigestion) starts accumulating.

When the warm weather melts the snow in spring, it has a similar effect on the body. In spring the Ama melts and the volume of Ama becomes so great that the shrotas, the microcirculatory channels of the body, become clogged.

Symptoms of Excess Toxins in the Body
If you don't assist these toxins in moving out of the body, you can become prone to flu, colds and cough, or allergies. Or you might feel unusually fatigued, sluggish or drowsy after lunch, or lose your appetite.

Sharp headaches, dizziness, mild tremors in the limbs, and unexplained muscle aches, especially in the calf, can also be symptoms. Your tongue may be coated, and your throat may be sore.

The skin can be less radiant, heavier, more oily. You may also find that you break out more often, are more prone to sunburn, and have dry patches on your skin.

Yet, Spring is the best season for detoxification, because nature is already trying to clear out the toxins. It’s the time to help the body to efficiently detoxify the channels and the dhatus [body tissues].

A Kapha pacifying diet and lifestyle is best. If you avoid eating heavy, cold, hard-to-digest foods, and avoid or reduce the sweet, sour, and salty tastes, your digestive system will be more efficient in burning away the accumulated Ama.

Sweet juicy fruits can help cleanse the body, although they should be eaten before sunset, as they have a Kapha-increasing effect after the sun goes down. And you can add spices to your food -- such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, and fennel -- to help stimulate the digestion and detoxify the skin.

In spring you can sip hot water (if you have a Pitta imbalance then drink warm water) to help melt the Ama (digestive impurities) that have accumulated. Daily exercise, and avoiding day sleep will also help.

For overall detoxification on a daily basis, the Elim-Tox and Elim-Tox-O nutritional supplements help improve elimination and clear away toxins from the colon and intestines. These products also cleanse the liver and the blood. Thus Elim-Tox is recommended for one month after every change of season.

Whether you choose Elim-Tox or Elim-Tox-O depends on your constitution and imbalances. "Elim-Tox is very powerful. "But sometimes in the process of activating the detoxification process, it can stimulate the liver, especially if someone has Pitta dosha predominating, or is eating a strong Pitta diet with lots of hot, spicy, sour foods."

Recognizing the need for a strong detox product that doesn't activate the liver, Maharishi Ayurveda formulated. Unlike any other detox product on the market, Elim-Tox-O has the unique ability to detoxify the body and pacify Pitta at the same time. Elim-Tox-O is especially designed for individuals who tend to have more Pitta imbalances due to excessive vinegar and fast foods in the diet, and also due to emotional stress.

Tracy McGrath was suffering from fatigue, overweight, swollen eyes, achy joints, and stiff knees. Her doctor recognized that her symptoms were caused by too many toxins, and prescribed Elim-Tox. When her skin broke out a little and she experienced some tenderness around the liver, her doctor switched her to Elim-Tox-O, which is less heating. "After three months on Elim-Tox-O, I'm losing two or three pounds a week without being on a diet," says Tracy. She no longer suffers from swollen eyes, achy joints, or stiff knees. And she has more

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Cholesterol System

Do you love ice cream or potato chips?
A low-fat diet can make a big difference to your health. Yet the latest research shows that diet is not the only factor. The way the body metabolizes fats may be more important than how much fat you eat. Cholesterol is a fatty acid that begins in the liver. It is essential for building cell membranes, vitamin D, hormones and bile acids. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) is "bad" because it carries cholesterol into the bloodstream. Too much can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease. High density lipoprotein (HDL) is "good" because it carries cholesterol out of the bloodstream. The amount of good HDL in your blood is related to fat metabolism — what your body does with the fats in your diet.

Natural program puts you in control
The Cholesterol Protection System™ is a holistic program combining herbs and simple, yet effective, diet and lifestyle recommendations. Each step of the program helps balance cholesterol to improve your cardiovascular health.

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Sleep Well - says ayurveda

A Good Night’s Sleep
Millions of Americans of all ages are affected by sleep problems, many with severe, chronic sleep deprivation. A round-the-clock activity-driven society has meant that many individuals habitually defer sleep to get other things done. "I'll catch up later," is, however, easier said than done. Recent research indicates that pervasive sleep deprivation can lead to more serious health problems than just a dull clouded feeling the next morning—including obesity, high blood pressure and diminished resistance to infections. While there is substantial awareness about the need for proper nutrition and exercise, many people tend to shrug off lack of sleep as not being of much consequence, and, as a result, go through life with both mind and body always performing at less than optimal levels.

The Ayurvedic Perspective
According to The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians, sleep is one of the supporting pillars of life. Along with diet, sleep is critical to good health and well-being. Quality sleep acts as a rejuvenator of mind and body, enabling us to function at peak levels during our waking hours. Even powerful medicine is of little use if the fundamental pillars of life are not strong and solid.

Sleep is important because it enhances Ojas — considered in ayurveda to be the master coordinator between mind, body and the inner self. Ojas is the finest product of digestion, the main life-supporting force within the body. It acts like a shock absorber, helping to insulate the mind from day-to-day stress and enhancing the body’s innate immune systems.

Maharishi Ayurveda considers the state of perfect sleep, in terms of quality, to have been achieved when a tired mind is totally disconnected from the senses. When only partial disconnect occurs, the quality of sleep is adversely impacted.

If during the day our diet, daily routine and behavioral patterns create a Vata, Pitta or Kapha imbalance, a corresponding sleep imbalance develops. Vata, Pitta and Kapha are the three ayurvedic operators that govern all the different activities of the mind and body. Accordingly, Maharishi Ayurveda defines three kinds of sleep imbalances – sleep onset imbalance or problem falling asleep, sleep maintenance imbalance or problem sleeping without interruption through the night and “the morning-after heavy feeling” or waking up unrefreshed and tired with an aching body and lethargic mind.

Managing Sleep Imbalances
The Council suggests ways to manage each of these imbalances, with targeted herbal supplements and diet and lifestyle recommendations. "The new Blissful Sleep herbal tablets are a gentle, non-habit-forming, natural sleep aid. They are recommended for all the three types of sleep imbalances. The Blissful Sleep formula includes as primary herbs Indian Valerian and Muskroot, both well-known in ayurveda for centuries as herbal sleep aids, Winter Cherry, which enhances resistance to stress, and Tinospora Cordifolia, which nourishes the mind and helps enhance immunity, (immunity tends to diminish with prolonged sleep deprivation). Eat a light dinner, at least two hours before retiring to bed; these tablets should not be taken on an empty stomach.

Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations
For a Vata sleep imbalance, indicated by difficulty in falling asleep, The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians recommends a Vata pacifying diet. Favor foods that are warm, heavy and oily, and minimize foods that are cold, dry and light. Emphasize the sweet, salty and sour tastes, and cut down on spicy, bitter and astringent foods. (For specific food suggestions, please call a health educator at 800-255-8332.) Include poppy seeds in your diet, either as Poppy Seed Chutney or some Almond Energy drink combined with warm milk. Drinking a cup of Slumber Time Teabefore bed can also be soothing. Apply a little Rejuvenation Massage Oil to your hands and feet before you go to bed. In bed, breathe deeply and easily to help you unwind.

Follow a Pitta pacifying diet if you tend to wake up during the night, which generally indicates a Pitta sleep imbalance. Incorporate foods that are cool and liquid, and reduce hot, spicy foods. Sweet, bitter, astringent foods are good; reduce foods that are spicy, salty or sour. Try the Date Milk Shake, a delicious cooling drink, and include Poppy Seed Chutney in your diet. Combine the Rejuvenation Massage Oil (50%) with a cooling oil such as coconut or olive (50%) and apply to hands and feet before bed. Breathe deeply and easily in bed.

If you wake up feeling dull and lethargic—a Kapha sleep imbalance—favor foods that are light, dry and warm, and minimize or avoid foods that are heavy, oily and cold. Focus on spicy, bitter and astringent tastes, and reduce sweet, salty and sour tasting foods. Massaging hands and feet, especially the nail-beds, with Rejuvenation Massage Oil will help.

The Slumber Time Aroma can help create a relaxing, calming environment in your bedroom and help balance your mind and body even after you fall asleep.

Ten Easy Ways to Get Your Zzzs
Here are ten tips from The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians for blissful sleep:

1. Eat three meals during the day – breakfast, lunch around noon and an early dinner.
2. Do regular balanced exercise – modern research also confirms that moderate exercise can help improve sleep.
3. Try to go to bed by 10 p.m., during the drowsy Kapha time of night, so that your mind can settle down faster.
4. Eliminate or restrict severely the intake of stimulants such as caffeine or alcohol.
5. Wear comfortable clothing to bed — organic cotton is highly recommended .
6. Avoid hot, spicy foods at dinner.
7. Do not bring work-related material into the bedroom.
8. Keep your bedroom dark or very dimly lit.
9. A gentle massage of hands, feet and neck before bed can aid relaxation.
10. In bed, take long, deep, easy breaths, letting your mind and body relax.

A good night's sleep can not only help you stay alert, bright and focused the next day; it can also keep you healthy in the long run.

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Joy and Good relations

Creating Blissful Relationships
"I can't talk now -- I have a terrible headache." "Leave me alone -- I've had a miserable day and I need my space." "What happened to us? Don't you love me any more?"

In some form or another, we have all experienced these statements and what they can do to a relationship. Those who are lucky have encountered them only in books and movies. Others, perhaps the majority, have faced them in their own lives at some point or the other.

Observe these statements again. The first one tells of physical stress, the second, mental fatigue, and the third, emotional breakdown. All three of these -- either individually or collectively -- are potential relationship-wreckers.

Ayurveda has always recognized and respected the intimate connection between the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of our being. More than 5,000 years ago, ancient texts like the Charaka Samhita, Sushruta Samhita, and Ashthanga Hridayam recorded some amazing insights into the body-mind-soul connection.

Ayurveda, therefore, looks at relationships as a function of several complex factors. The prime factor, say ayurvedic vaidyas, in causing not only relationship problems but also physical ills is the inability of a person to feel centered within himself or herself. This can happen due to a variety of causes, ranging from genetics to hormonal or environmental imbalances. These imbalances affect an individual's ability to combat day-to-day stress. As a consequence, they diminish the person's ability to work, love, heal, pray, and live in the true sense of the word.

Ayurvedic Solutions
Because the problem/disorder is complex in nature, its solutions must also be more than material. That is why ayurveda combines several therapies as the solution: sadhana (meditation), aromas, music, massage, herbal treatment, proper diet, exercise and detoxification. Together, these healing therapies provide the balm that heals consciousness and makes a person feel whole again.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians says ayurveda always approaches a problem at the root level. "And at the root of all relationships is the human heart," he says.

"To the ayurvedic physician, the heart is not simply a pump. It is also the seat of emotions. It is endowed with immense potential to love, feel and give. It contains the essence of the cosmos within itself; just like a seed contains the whole tree. No wonder, then, that when you subject this sensitive, emotional heart to the stress-laden travails of daily living, it sometimes quails and shrinks within itself. This is an effect of pragya aparadh or "mistake of the intellect;" when the intellect, drawn toward and influenced by material consciousness, loses connection with the wholeness of consciousness. This is when we stop being centered within ourselves."

The way to make this mistake right, says The Council, is to allow the heart to expand. To listen to its quiet voice, and to follow what it is telling us. When we start doing this, slowly, the pragya aparadh will be corrected. The seeds of doubt, despair and disappointment will shrivel up and die. We will be whole again; in ourselves and in our relationships with others.

The Council shares five tips for keeping the emotional heart healthy and strong. Recognize that:

1. True love is and should be unconditional. It gives without reservations.
2. Your relationships will flourish if you follow your truest feelings and honor your commitments.
3. It is important to experience all your thoughts and actions. Don't speak or act in haste.
4. A positive attitude is a great relationship-strengthener.
5. Giving is the key to receiving. 

The other principal player in matters of the Self and its relationships with others is the mind. Ayurveda sees the mind as messenger between the Self and the senses. For the mind to be working in peak order, therefore, its hinges should be well-oiled, so to say... Ayurveda believes the mind has three "hinges":

• Dhi: The power to learn -- acquire knowledge
• Dhriti: the power to retain what has been learned
• Smriti: the power to recall what has been learned and retained

When these three components work in perfect coordination, says The Council, the mind is balanced. And a balanced mind is the key to harmony both within the Self and outside it. Ayurveda recommends some powerful mind-empowering herbs like brahmi, which enhance all three aspects of the mind. Maharishi Ayurveda's Blissful Joy health-care system uses the synergy of powerful herbs to smoothen the mind-body connection and restore peace and happiness. A sampling of the herbs used in this formula: Arjuna Myrobalans is especially known to strengthen the heart and emotions. Winter Cherry and Holy Basil, have powerful "adaptogenic" properties. They assist the body's natural resistance to stressful situations. Winter Cherry is also very effective in balancing the mind and improving emotional stability. Ailanthus excelsea and Arjuna Myrobalans help strengthen the body's natural rejuvenative processes, hastening the replacement of dead or weak cells with fresh, vital ones.

Vaidyas also recommend using intellect-friendly herbs and spices in daily cooking. Freshly crushed black pepper, for instance, makes nutrients readily available to the microcirculatory channels of the body -- giving mind power an immediate boost.

Ayurveda also recommends introspection as a powerful relationship-saving tool. "Most relationships go wrong," says The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians, "when the people involved start trading blame. If they were to stop and look within, they would be sure to find that the blame does not always lie with the other person. It can be hard to do, but once you do this introspection, you experience a sense of humbleness and forgiveness, both of which are tremendous relationship-repairers."

Finally, your diet and lifestyle directly also affect the way you think, feel and behave. We know only too well what happens when we miss breakfast or cannot sleep well. "Eat that stewed apple, therefore," says The Council. "You may not only be keeping the doctor but also the therapist away."

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Allergies

ALLERGIES: WHAT YOU CAN DO
Millions of people cringe when they see flowers start blooming in spring each year, because they know they will soon be fighting spring allergies. According to a recent article in the U.S. News & World Report, allergies are assuming epidemic proportions in the United States, with up to 30% of adults and 40% of children now suffering from hay fever symptoms -- nasal congestion and itchy, watering eyes. Allergy now reportedly appears regularly in the top 10 reasons for visits to doctors' offices.

Researchers and doctors are still unclear on exactly why some people are affected by allergens such as dust, pollen and mold while others are not. Faced with data that the developed nations of the West have a higher incidence of allergies, scientists have put forward the "hygiene hypothesis" -- that the "clean"surroundings, immunizations and antibiotics prevalent in these countries may be responsible for many people's reactions to allergens. Other factors that may be contributing include diet, exposure to chemicals and carpeted housing.

Doctors have traditionally asked sufferers to avoid the allergens causing a reaction, but this is often easier said than done. Allergy shots currently available and antihistamines can create harmful side-effects and reactions, worsening the situation. Scientists and researchers appear to be convinced that the ultimate solution will be to figure out ways of teaching the body to be indifferent to innocuous allergens. The irony is that the human body is born knowing how to do just that: the question is, what can be done to prevent the body from "losing" that knowledge.

What Maharishi Ayurveda Says
Gearing up the body's own immune systems to effectively combat allergens is exactly what Maharishi Ayurveda suggests as the long-term, effective solution to allergies. "In the spring, impurities inside the body are melting due to the rising temperature in the environment. The liquefied toxins clog the channels of the body. When the channels are blocked, nutrients are not delivered properly to the cells, and the body's immune systems for resisting allergens become overwhelmed. In the spring, as flowers burst into bloom, they fill the air with pollen. So the allergens in the environment are increasing at the same time that the body's defenses are being challenged. That's the reason for the incidence of allergies suddenly shooting up in the spring.

The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians explains that in respiratory allergies, a particular sub-dosha of Kapha, called Shleshaka Kapha, which is responsible for maintaining moisture in the upper respiratory tract, is involved. "As the Ama (digestive impurities) in the body starts melting, it combines with Shleshaka Kapha to form a thick, sticky toxin called shleshma, which starts to fill the respiratory tract and sinus cavities," says The Council. "The entire respiratory system, as a result, becomes a fertile breeding ground for bacteria and infection. This is the reason many allergies end up as secondary sinus and respiratory infections."

Strengthening the Body’s Defense Systems
So what can one do to help the body combat allergens? "It is not enough just to quell the symptoms. The long-term solution is to delve into the root cause of allergies and build up the body's immune system to effectively withstand allergens. The Aller-Defense herbal formulation from Maharishi Ayurveda can help. Taking Aller Defense twice daily helps remove toxins from the body and strengthens the body's immunity. Aller Defense help block toxic reactions, improve digestion, and decrease sensitivity to allergens by nourishing and purifying the liver. This herbal formulation is designed for all kinds of allergies, because it enhances the body's overall capability to fight allergens.

What about diet? Researchers have found that a diet that includes regular intake of spices with anti-allergy capabilities can reduce vulnerability to plant-induced allergies. These spices contain allergy-fighting chemicals that include flavonoids and phenols -- for example, turmeric is rich in curcumin, a compound that is known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric can also help improve digestion and balance the flow of bile. Sage, red pepper, cumin and coriander are some other spices that are known to be allergy fighters. Sauteing a combination of ground turmeric, cumin and coriander in ghee and using the mixture to season vegetables is a way of incorporating some of these allergy fighting spices into your diet.

From the ayurvedic perspective, it is important to follow a Kapha-Pitta pacifying diet. When allergens attack the body, the body’s immune system releases various chemicals. So it is considered essential to pacify Pitta because Pitta regulates chemical functions in the body. Drinking Pitta Tea or using the Cooling Spice Mix (food seasoning) are convenient ways of doing this. It is also important to pacify Kapha to counteract sluggish digestion and congestion. This is especially true in the Kapha season (spring).

Understanding that it is important to strengthen the body’s defense systems to effectively combat allergies is important. Appeasing symptoms provides only temporary relief.

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Ayurveda and weight loss

Weight Management - The Ayurvedic View


Maharishi Ayurveda offers a comprehensive weight management program that can not only help you achieve a balanced weight but results in side benefits such as more stamina, better functioning body and youthful appearance. The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians, suggests that people balance their weight by first determining their ayurvedic mind-body constitutions and existing imbalances.


Here, The Council discusses two weight management systems offered by Maharishi Ayurveda:

Kapha-Related Weight Imbalance

"The first type of overweight imbalance is due to a lack of digestive fire (low agni) and lack of metabolism. These individuals, even though they may eat very small amounts of food, tend to gain weight. This type of person seems to gain weight just by being around food. Two things are occurring with this type of imbalance; digestive impurities are being created and fat tissue is accumulating in the body. Also, the formation of bone tissue is slowed down due to increase of fat tissue. This is a very common weight problem and the solution is to follow an ama burning program," says The Council.


You can enhance the elimination of ama by taking Be Trim Tea. Individuals on the ama burning diet should participate in an exercise program for 30 minutes each day: brisk walking or other activities such as dancing, swimming or weight training. Exercise helps to burn ama and increases circulation and metabolism. For the diet, eat foods that reduce kapha, favoring astringent, bitter, and pungent tastes and reducing salty, sweet, and sour foods. The Be Trim Therapeutic Aroma Oil Blend can be used at night to stimulate the metabolism and a morning massage called garshan can be done with silk gloves to help stimulate digestion or agni and increase circulation. Once a week, preferably on the weekends, a gentle laxative therapy is recommended by using Herbal Cleanse. This helps to further eliminate toxins.

Pitta-Related Weight Imbalance

The second type of overweight imbalance occurs when a person has long-term ama build-up and the channels around the stomach area have been clogged, creating too much heat in the body. Here, the appetite may be very high and the individual may experience a lot of thirst. The person may also experience heartburn or other pitta aggravated imbalances, such as irritability and impatience.


Instead of Be Trim Tea, an herbalized water consisting of small amounts of fenugreek, coriander, licorice and fennel should be taken during the day. The herbalized water assists the thermogenic process: fenugreek burns fat and helps absorption, coriander eliminates toxins, licorice is cooling and fennel helps with digestion.


To make the water, boil 1 quart of water and pour into a thermos. Add 2 pinches ground fenugreek, 2 pinches licorice root, 1/4 teaspoon whole coriander seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds. Drink throughout the day.


This program calls for moderate exercise, about 30 minutes 3-4 times a week. It is recommended that this type of person choose his or her exercise from the following: brisk walking, yoga, swimming, and light weight training. Eat lots of sweet juicy fruits. These individuals should be on a pitta-pacifying diet, and include squash, warm milk, and homemade buttermilk in their diet. Stewed prunes and figs can be eaten on the weekends to provide a gentle laxative therapy without disturbing pitta. A self-massage called "abhyanga" with Cool Sensation Massage Oil will help to further balance pitta. The Council also recommends using a spice mixture of 1 part turmeric, 2 parts cumin, 3 parts coriander, and four parts fennel to be cooked with vegetables or legumes.

Beating Back Stress

Common to both imbalances is overeating due to emotional stress. This can manifest as eating when you are not hungry or looking for something sweet to pacify a bad mood. If this is the case, The Council recommends taking Blissful Joy to uplift to the emotions or Worry Free Tablets and Worry Free Tea to help avoid overeating due to anxious thoughts. A teaspoon of Organic Rose Petal Spread, Be Trim Tea, one date, or a little lassi will also help if you experience sugar cravings. Practicing stress reducing techniques such as Transcendental Meditation®, or doing yoga asanas is also effective. Receiving massage therapy once a week, regular exercise and surrounding yourself with positive people are other practical tips mentioned by The Council to overcome emotional overeating.


Maharishi Ayurveda also recommends avoiding commercial protein powder drinks. Instead eat live protein filled with the intelligence of nature from almonds (no more than 10 per day), walnuts, legumes, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and milk products.


The Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians suggests the following very practical, general recommendations regarding weight management:

1. Limit fat intake to 2 teaspoons of Ghee or olive oil per day (1 teaspoon at lunch and 1 teaspoon at dinner).
2. For lunch and dinner, eat 50% vegetables, 20% power grains such as quinoa, whole barley, oats, millet, or amaranth, and 30% protein, such as lentils, paneer, and nuts.
3. Two (2) cups of hot or warm milk a day are recommended, and a small cup of lassi at lunch to help with vitamin B-12 if you are a vegetarian and to help balance Sadhaka Pitta.
4. Barley water or kanji water is recommended during the day to help cleanse the system, give energy, and help with hunger.
5. Avoid cold beverages, aged cheese, potatoes, yeasted breads, butter, cookies, cakes, ice cream, chocolates, deep fried foods, and cream sauces and reduce your intake of rice.
6. For breakfast, eat stewed apples and/or pears.
7. Do not skip meals.
8. Eat your largest meal at lunch and have a smaller dinner eaten before 7 p.m. Do not eat anything after 8 p.m.

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Purity of Life

Through centuries of observing both cosmic and human behavior, ancient ayurvedic healers defined three basic gunas or qualities that influence everything that happens in the macrocosm of the universe or the microcosm of our minds. It's the quantity of these three gunas -- Sattva, Rajas and Tamas -- that ayurvedic healers believed can create or destroy harmony in our lives:

Sattva is the most superior of all gunas. Sattva in the Universe is responsible for Creation. Inside our own self, it gives us the ability to visualize well, think right, do good and act in accordance with the laws of nature.

Rajas stands for action. In cosmic terms, Rajas is responsible for Maintenance and Nurturing of what has been created. In human beings, the Rajasic guna or quality means giving a concrete shape to dreams, being motivated and taking action. Excess of Rajas, however, leads to an unsettled and perpetually restless mind.

Tamas supplies us with the ability to finish or complete what was generated by Sattva and Rajas. In the context of the Universe, Tamas stands for Destruction. While some may see Tamas as a negative guna, ayurvedic philosophy says Tamas has its own role in the scheme of things. It weans us from the old and the lifeless, urging us to move on and invest in that which is still alive.

While a balanced personality blends all three gunas in equal measure, the most positive personality is that which is high on Sattva. Is it possible to cultivate more Sattva in our lives? Certainly, says ayurveda. If so, how? Ayurveda suggests a two-pronged approach. Pay attention, say vaidyas, to the following:

Aahara: diet. Vihara: activity or lifestyle.

A Maharishi Ayurveda expert (vaidya) from the Council of Maharishi Ayurveda Physicians shares his tips on each of these pillars.

On Aahara:

He begins with the oft-quoted saying "You are what you eat. Ayurveda, he says, believes this simple statement holds infinite meaning and truth. To illustrate this point, healers use the example of the elephant, the tiger and the jackal.

The elephant is a pure vegetarian. He is strong, gentle and intelligent enough to work well in a human environment. The elephant represents the Sattvic mind.

The tiger represents the Rajasic nature. He kills and eats other animals, and this carnivorous nature makes him fierce and aggressive. Restless and strong, the tiger is always on the prowl.

The jackal symbolizes the Tamasic mind. He is cunning, fearful and lazy, shunning daylight and surviving on food left uneaten by other animals.

Your goal should be to acquire the Sattvic qualities of the elephant. This can be achieved by analyzing your eating habits and improving them in keeping with these guidelines:

Eat vegetarian food. Light foods such as fresh vegetables, milk, fruits, most grains, split or whole mung dal and almonds increase calmness, clarity and creativity of the mind-in other words, they enhance Sattva.

Use Ghee as your medium of cooking. Ghee is clarified butter, free of milk solids, proteins and water. It has amazing nutritive and medicinal qualities, besides being extremely flavorful and aromatic. Its penetrative qualities make it an excellent medium for aiding the absorption of nutrients by the body, while also lubricating the tissues.

Avoid refrigerated, processed, artificially colored, canned and chemically preserved foods as far as you can. They increases ama or toxic undigested matter in the physiology, tax the body's agni or digestive fire, lack vitality and do not stimulate your Sattva.

Eat cooked food instead of raw. Ayurveda believes that the essential nutrients of food are not available to the body until agni, or fire, is applied to them in the form of heat. For ayurvedic recipes using ghee and healing spices see our recipes section.

Avoid fermented foods, in which the disintegration of nutrients has begun even before they are consumed. These foods, such as vinegar, ketchup, yeast breads and alcohol, increase Tamas or dullness in the mind.

Always eat slightly less than what your hunger demands.

Eat all meals at regular times.

On Vihara:

Vihara is essentially your behavior and action as influenced by the quality of your mind. Take the example of a burning train. When a train catches fire, the three minds respond in very different ways:

The Tamasic mind, being dull and weak, faints or panics-unable to act or react in an appropriate manner. The Rajasic mind is naturally reliant on action, and therefore immediately starts hunting for the nearest fire extinguisher or exit. The Sattvic mind, being calm and steady, takes a moment to analyze the situation and acts only after weighing the right response to the situation.

Though each of us is born with one or more dominating gunas, it is in our power to increase the guna we want. How can the mind be led toward Sattva? The answer is simple. You train the mind to act in accordance with the laws of nature. The vaidya's tips on how to do this are practical and logical. Among other things, the vaidya strongly recommends the following Sattva-building measures:

Focus on activities that bring you joy. Do not restrain natural urges such as sneezing or yawning. Go for walks. Retire early and make sure you get a good night's sleep. Be gentle and forgiving of yourself. Practice moderation in everything-be it diet, sleep, or exercise. Keep the company of the wise. Fine-tune your senses, so that your indriya, or senses, learn to obey your manas, or mind. This will help you make healthful and happy choices, leading to increased Sattva in your life. Twice a day for 20 minutes, practice the Transcendental Meditation® program, which is a scientifically proven way to heighten creativity, expand consciousness, improve relationships and increase Sattva.

In conclusion, then, the Sattvic mind always chooses those thoughts and actions that promote fulfillment and joy. It is rich in dhi, or knowledge: it knows just what is beneficial for it. Cultivate Sattva in your life, and you will be able to reconnect with the limitless power of your atma, or Self.

The Three Doshas You Need To Balance
For Perfect Health

• Balance Vata by following a regular routine each day.
• Moderation is the key to balancing Pitta.
• Activity can help balance Kapha.

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