HEALTH SENSE
Ayurveda
Ancient wisdom for modern times By Donna Lanni
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yurveda, the more than 5,000-year-old modality of health and wellness from India, is finding its way into Western lifestyle practices. Most people have heard of neti pots, tongue scraping and oil pulling as a daily morning ritual. Others openly discuss their “dosha” after taking quizzes in magazines or online. But what does this really mean? How can an ancient practice really help us in these very intense times? Ayurveda offers a multi-therapeutic approach of preventive modalities to bring the individual into balance with the natural rhythms of nature, the seasons, and with their own true natural expression of health. Ayurveda also takes the qualities of the mind into account and believes that the mind, body and spirit of an individual are all connected. It utilizes the concept that all living beings have within them a unique blend of the five Mahabuthas or elements: space, air, water, fire and earth. These elements blend to form three major dosha. Vata, (space and air), Pitta (fire and water) and Kapha (water and Earth) are seen as expressions of 20 qualities that describe all matter. For example, a Vata expresses the qualities of air and space (light, clear, cold, dry, mobile, rough and subtle), Pitta (sharp, hot oily, spreading, acidic light-brilliance), and Kapha (dense, heavy, cold-clammy, soft, dull). These qualities combine in unique proportions to make us who we are as individuals. Prakruti is your unique blend of elements as seen at the time of pre-pubescence and all “dosha” tests should be taken with the vision of yourself at this time. It offers a baseline glimpse of your pure innocent self. Vikruti is the expression of the dosha in the present moment and is often an indicator of how we have strayed from our natural state of being and what elements may be out of balance. How we stray from our best health takes on many forms. It is our belief in Ayurveda that we literally “are what we eat” and that anything we ingest (food, thoughts, energy) create the overall state of health in the moment and over time. Therefore, a diet filled with processed foods, too much caf-
feine, alcohol, frozen foods, GMOs, and foods with lower Prana (life force energy) can, over time, cause digestive stress and toxins (Ama), which can lead to illness. The grocery store isles are filled with medicines that reduce gas, acid, bloating, and constipation; all of these just manage the symptoms of a greater problem. Irregular schedules, too much screen time, chronic stress, unhealthy relationships and environmental toxins shift the elements as well. Alaska
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AlaskaPulse.com — September 2020
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